About
Towards a new ecology of human creativity.
Art Mesnil is an annual meeting of Walloon and Flemish artists in the village of Mesnil-Eglise.
The villagers open their places to receive artists and spectators.
The objective is to show art differently, to decenter culture geographically and to create bridges and spaces of communication outside traditional institutions.
Mission Statement of 'Art Mesnil'
*Don't do an x-th artist's journey but invite visual artists who are part of current plastic and aesthetic issues in a requirement for quality and consistency.
*Create a national and international event by abolishing communitarian borders.
*Decompartmentalize and desacralize Art and artists by making them accessible to everyone, in a rural area and far from major museums and other art centers.
*Privilege meeting and sharing by taking the time to live and appreciate unique moments.
The place
Mesnil-Eglise is a small village perched on the heights of the commune of Houyet (province of Namur) between Famenne and Condroz.
Culture has been predominant there for many years, as well as an art of living, rooted in sharing and inter-village solidarity.
The story
From 2006 to 2012, a biennial was organized in Mesnil-Eglise under the name “Les arts débridés”. You could find visual art there, but also theatre, concerts, a fashion show and workshops around glass, clay and paper.
In 2014 a new event devoted to contemporary art will see the light of day which will become “Art Mesnil”.
First presented at the GRAAL, the village's cultural barn at Hans Vos's, it will then take on a certain
scale and spread to other places for 7 years, creating real interactions between the inhabitants,
visual artists, visitors and contemporary art.
Now, following the withdrawal from the organization of one of its founders, Werner Pans, a new management committee has emerged. 2023 marks the rebirth of the project. Thanks to a contribution of ideas from the new members of the organizing team and the expertise of the existing board of directors, Art Mesnil asbl was formed to give a new direction to the festival.
List of artists who participated in previous editions.
The organising team
In collaboration with :
Les vents d'Houyet
the town of Houyet
Ghost
What Else
Boris Lehman
Les Mesnillusions
Artists who participated in previous editions (Alphabetical) :
Elodie Antoine - Marc Angeli - Hallveig Agustdottir -Lorenzo Asirani - Françoise Bastin - Stefan Bracke - Jan Bucquoy -Karl Bielik - Stien Bekaert - Klaas Bullynck - Laurent Becquaert - Frederik Buyckx - Pascal Bernier - Jean Lúc Borgers -Bilal Bahir - Koen Broucke - Yun Buns - Geneviève Babe - Alberto Contessi -Chloé Coomans - Pascal Courcelles - Hanse Cora - Anne Champion - William Van Cutsem - Anton Coene - Jos Coenen - Fred Collin - Michel Clair - Marie Chantelot - Erika Cool - Gille Delhaye - Emmanuel De Meulemeester -Laurence Demaret - Koen Demuynck - Christophe Demen - Louise du Bois- Kim Delville - Reniere & Depla - Daisy Darkpark - Philibert Delecluse - Marlies Declerck - Gatien Dardenne - Encq - Benoit Félix - Véronique Fontaine - Fish- Gilard -Ushua Goeminne - Bernard Gilbert - Nick Hannes - Marthe Hoet - Paul Hansquine - Nathalie Hannecart - Willy Heroes - Marię Sophie Joie - Michele Jacques - Claire Kirkpatrick - Alain Kinet - Kloot Per W - Boris Lehman - Jean Pierre Letienne - Anneke Lauwaert - Philippe Luyten - Hugues Leroy - JP Letienne - Vince Less - Virginie Lamote - Robin Lejeune - Anne Lechat - Lorka - Martine Laloux - Pierre Muylle - Lotta Mächs - Pascal Mitevoy - P Guyri Mascai - Charlotte Marchand - Esteban Moulin - Alain Navez - Tim Onderbeke - Jan Opdekamp - Baudouin Oosterlynck -Benoit Piret - Werner Pans - Emile Pierre -Fred Penelle - Bettina Philippo - Philippe Remy - Marianne Ransquin - Lucas Racasse -- Reisac Ft Jiheavy - Luc Stockart - Subject Matter - Luc Smeets - Alexandra Servais - Liam Singelen - Laurie Stacquet - Luc Smeets - Pauline Tonglet - Hugo Tanghe - Elvira Tjon - Bart Vandevijvere - Ilse Van Roy - Yves Velter - Eva Vlonk - Maarten Vandenbossche - Dominique Verstraete - Sybren Vanoverberghe - Monique Voz -...