Protected Paradise, Golden Cord, Nature in Flux, Ooidonk (BE), 17 May - 31 Aug 2025

Koen Vanmechelen’s artworks, ‘Protected Paradise’ and ‘Golden Cord’, are featured in the 2025 edition of the Ooidonk Art Festival (OAF). The festival returns this year with a theme that intertwines art, nature, and history through groundbreaking, immersive and dynamic experiences. Showcasing the work of contemporary artists, OAF explores the fragile balance between nature’s transience and human impact. Running from 17 May to 31 August, the festival invites art lovers and cultural enthusiasts, encouraging them to explore new perspectives and spark meaningful dialogue.

Nature in continuous evolution

This summer, Francis Maere Fine Arts presents the 2025 edition of OAF at the 17th-century estate “Goed te Réables” in Ooidonk, Deinze (BE), where over 40 contemporary artists will transform the grounds into a dynamic, evolving exhibition, exploring the fragile balance between nature’s transience and human impact.

Set within the historic Goed te Réables, the exhibition evolves over time, mirroring the cycles of nature. Works reflect themes of decay, renewal, and transformation, while others confront humanity’s influence, whether destructive or restorative. Just as nature never stands still, neither does this exhibition. Installations shift, elements change, and returning visitors will always find something new. The exhibition offers a space where art, nature, and history intertwine; an invitation to observe, reflect, and question our place within the natural world.

Featuring both renowned and emerging artists, OAF showcases large-scale installations, site-specific works, and conceptual pieces that create a powerful dialogue between art and nature.

Protected Paradise, Golden Cord

Koen Vanmechelen’s ‘Protected Paradise’ and a selection of ‘Golden Cord’ artworks are selected for this edition, presenting a powerful artistic statement that echoes OAF’s core themes.With the Golden Cord artworks, Vanmechelen shows hybrid works of phantasmagorical, composite animals. All carry the umbilical cord of a connection with the rest of the world. A golden membrane that stretches outwards – the Golden Cord – reveals them to have been born from a change of surroundings. They always carry that connection, another element that sends them on their way. There is an all-pervasive feeling of serendipity. Hence the golden element, which proves that wearing this form, the umbilical cord, is vital. Ultimately, this is what happens when life seeps inwards. The cord is an antenna, a horn, a connection.

The monumental bronze sculpture of almost 3 meters ‘Protected Paradise’, lend by Gallery Guy Pieters, shows a vulture sitting on a tree. Vanmechelen presents "Protected Paradise" as a "contradictio in terminis," emphasizing that a paradise does not have protection. At its core is a nest of eggs, encaged, symbolizing a jeopardized present. On top, the vulture sits as a dangerous guardian. Will life find its way? Can we construct a hopeful future out of this nature morte?

Participating artists

Stephan Balkenhol, Toon Boeckmans, Marlise Breye, Pol Bury, Jonas Callaert, Johan Creten, Berlinde De Bruyckere, Bert De Geyter, Luc De Man, Marco De Sanctis, Herman de Vries, Johan De Wit, Wim Delvoye, Stief DeSmet, Ruth Devriendt, Eugène Dodeigne, Anthony Duffeleer, Jan Fabre, Maen Florin, Jean-Michel Folon, Jeroen Frateur, Isidoor Goddeeris, KUBACH-WILMSEN, Stanislas Lahaut, Anthony Leenders, Lieven Lefere, Christophe Lezaire, Joachim Louis, Sylvie Martens, Kris Martin, Tony Matelli, Chris Meulemans, Sofie Muller, Stefan Papco, Chie Hasegawa/Hammons, Randoald Sabbe, TAKIS, Florian Tomballe, D.D. Trans, Roeland Tweelinckx, Jo Van Rijckeghem, Alice Vanderschoot, Koen Vanmechelen, Simon Verheylesonne, Tim Volckaert, Conrad Willems

Partner galeries

Barbé, Deweer, Settantotto, Rik Rosseels, Kristof De Clercq, Keteleer, Transit, Hoet, Zahorian & Van Espen, Dauwens & Beernaert, Guy Pieters, Maruani Mercier 

Artistic advisor: Johan Vansteenkiste

Art festival info

Goed te Réables

17 May – 31 August 2025

Open Thursday to Sunday

Ooidonkdreef

59800 Bachte-Maria-Leerne

Belgium