The Belgian Exhibition That Strives to "Decenter" the West

BRUGES, Belgium — Bruges, a city often depicted as a picturesque, self-contained enclave with cobblestone streets and green canals, is hosting an exhibition that challenges this perception. "Bigger Picture: Connected worlds of Bruges 900-1550" aims to highlight the city's historical connections with the broader world. The exhibition is the inaugural show of BRUSK, a new gallery attached to the Groeningemuseum.

Guest curated by Peter Frankopan, an Oxford medievalist and author of a popular history of the Silk Road, the exhibition seeks to "decenter" the West from its perceived position as the hub of civilization. This theme is introduced via a video presentation featuring Frankopan at the exhibition's entrance.

However, the exhibition faces a challenge in balancing its dual objectives: demonstrating Bruges's global connections while also decentering Europe. This is compounded by the vast array of over 250 objects on display, ranging from a chain mail jacket and ancient silk fragments to significant paintings by Titian, Jan van Eyck, and Hans Memling, as well as religious relics, manuscripts, Turkish carpets, Viking artifacts, coins, and religious garb.

To manage this diversity, the exhibition is divided into four "worlds," each with its own intricately designed enclosure. The "North Sea World" features triangular panels reminiscent of sails, while the "Mediterranean World" is housed under a pavilion-style tent. Each world has a distinct soundscape, with the Mediterranean world evoking birds and wagon wheels, Christianity featuring bells and birds, and the Court world accompanied by string instruments.

In the darkened gallery, these worlds form dramatically lit islands, connected by white lines painted on the floor. The exhibition's installation, aided by animations in each world, has been likened to the opening credits of Game of Thrones. While visually inventive, some critics have noted that the animations do not significantly enhance understanding of the exhibits.