ARPIA is an art project that turns to the landscape and her value(s). Each year one or several international artists create a permanent intervention in the landscape, within a socially and ecologically sustainable appraoch. Togheter with the works of previous years, they form an expanding art and walking track that is accesible the whole year trough. At a natural pace the track aims at a fruitful cross- fertilisation between the experience of art and the experience of the landscape.
Besides the permanent art track ARPIA organises a yearly festival. During the art festival the old brick kiln in Herzele is once more the dynamic epicentre. Inside, the artistic aspect of the temprary exhibition interweaves with the cosy bar and the book lounge on art and landscape. Through theme walks, workshops, lectures and more, ARPIA focuses our attention in the knowlrdge and experience of landscape and nature.
>> Junction of art and landscape
Throughout the years ARPIA stays active by organising and participating at: lectures, workshops, walks, conferences, etc. These activities are announced in the newsletter, on the website and through diverse other channels.
Arpia is an art project with a far-reaching commitment towards the landscape and its value(s). The works of art nestle in the open space. The permanently accessible and evolving route with fine arts and sound art will be enriched year after year with new works of art. Arpia challenges the artists to get to work with the natural and cultural landscape, in a creative, critical as well as respectful way, paying attention to the identity of the area. The epicenter of the art-with-landscape project is an old brick kiln on the borders of a valuable scenic area, south of the East-Flemish village Herzele.
The project stands under the auspices of Professor Emeritus Marc Antrop, geologist and internationally respected landscape expert. He watches over the relation art/landscape and makes sure that the results of the landscape investigation move on to the art project.
Marc Antrop is the author of several publications about landscape.
His book `Perspectieven op het landschap. Achtergronden om landschappen te lezen en te begrijpen` (‘Perspectives on the landscape. Backgrounds to read and understand landscapes’) (Academia Press, 2007) is used by landscape experts as a reference.
Arpia vzw wants to create an art project critical of the social structure. The vzw aims for local and regional as well as national and international effluence and networking.
The organisaton invites artists to get to work with the ‘existing’ landscape and its social, historical, future-oriented and other implications. The purpose of this is a reflection about the meaning of the landscape in our present social order. From a critical view on the landscape arises also a commitment towards this landscape. This should give rise to a ‘conscience’ in the village and the region towards the different scenic values (ecological, cultural-historical, social, aesthetical and spatial-structural) in relation to the personal experience of it by inhabitants and passers-by.
>> Name
The name ‘Arpia’ can be found back in a document dating from 972 AD, in which the municipality Herzele, situated along the ‘Fluvius Arpia’ is named. Today, this is called the ‘Molenbeek’ (‘Mill Brook’), also known as the Ter Erpenbeek, which flows through several districts of Herzele.
