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The Fragmented Body and the Artwork of Berlinde De Bruyckere
Granziol-fornera, M.

This is an electronic version of a PhD thesis awarded by the University of Westminster.
© Mrs Manuela Granziol-fornera, 2017.
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The Fragmented Body and the Artwork of
Berlinde De Bruyckere

Manuela T. Granziol-Fornera

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the
University of Westminster
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy

April 2017
THE FRAGMENTED BODY AND THE ARTWORK OF BERLINDE DE BRUYCKERE

to Markus and Norma

with love

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THE FRAGMENTED BODY AND THE ARTWORK OF BERLINDE DE BRUYCKERE

Abstract

This thesis examines, from an affective and art historical perspective, the sculptural practice of
Berlinde De Bruyckere, positioning her fragmented figures in the context of contemporary art
debates and exploring the role of the artist in changing the visual representation of the body
fragment.
De Bruyckere’s fragmented figures, often inspired by actual events and problems, reflect
on art, as well as on what transcends it, in order to highlight deeper issues within humanity.
Therefore, I argue that through the capacity of the body fragment, as a way of magnifying and
drawing attention to the edge of the human condition, Berlinde De Bruyckere’s sculptures
convey both the fluidity between the psychological inner life and the physical exteriority, as
well as other existential concerns.
By looking closely at De Bruyckere’s artwork from 2004-2013, this research shows how
the viewers’ reception of the body fragments presented in De Bruyckere’s sculptures, is
particularly related to an embodied form of perception, evoking a multitude of physical and
emotional reactions. De Bruyckere’s representations of the body as vulnerable and
fragmented, engage the spectator through abjection as well as through compassionate
empathy, which in turn heightens intra-subjective awareness through affective knowledge. The
investigation highlights the profound influence that feminist scholars and artists had in
opening up the opportunities available to artists today. I will particularly focus upon
feminism’s impact in shaping the representation and perception of the body, as well as the
important, yet often forgotten, contribution of female artists in shaping contemporary art
discourses through materiality.

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THE FRAGMENTED BODY AND THE ARTWORK OF BERLINDE DE BRUYCKERE

The Fragmented Body and the Artwork of Berlinde De Bruyckere

Table of Contents

Title Page 1
Dedication 2
Abstract 3
List of Contents 4
List of Illustrations 6
Acknowledgements 13
Author’s Declaration 14

1 Introduction 15-28

1.1 Aims 15
1.2 Methodology 18
1.3 Contribution to Knowledge 20
1.4 Definitions 22
1.4.1 The Body 22
1.4.2 Pain, Suffering and Trauma 23
1.4.3 Postmodernism 25
1.5 Outline 26

2 Literature Review 29-66

2.1 Fragmentation: ‘The Whole is the False’ 30
2.2 The Fragmented Self 35
2.3 The Feminist Perspective 40
2.4 Un/Shareable Human Emotions 43
2.5 The Embodied Self: Rethinking Subjectivity 48
2.6 Sensing Sculpture 51
2.7 Sexual Difference 55

3 Sensing Sculpture 67-101

3.1 Thinking through all the Senses 68
3.1.1 Compassionate Empathy 71
3.2 Getting in Touch with the World 72
3.2.1 Realistic Representation 72
3.2.2 Embodied Sculpture 74
3.2.3 The Smothering Mother 78
3.3 The Logic of Matter 81
3.3.1 Fabric: Visible Memories 82
3.3.1.1 Memory of Touch 83
3.3.2 The Fabric of a ‘Material History’: Wax a Reperception? 85
3.4 The Process – Casting 94

4 Body Fragmentation and the Artwork of Berlinde De Bruyckere 102-146

4.1 Berlinde De Bruyckere: The 1990s 102
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THE FRAGMENTED BODY AND THE ARTWORK OF BERLINDE DE BRUYCKERE

4.2 From Wholeness to Body Fragmentation 110
4.3 Berlinde De Bruyckere: The 2000s 117
4.4 Transitional Objects 118
4.5 The Animal Body 129
4.6 Beyond the Single Body 132
4.7 Space and Time 133
4.7.1 Site Specificity as Content 136

5 Lingering on the Threshold: Ambiguity in the Work
of Berlinde De Bruyckere 147-176

5.1 The Presence of Absence: The Uncanny 148
5.2 Absence of Presence: The Eerie in Berlinde De Bruyckere’s Figures 151
5.3 From Desire to Suffering 157
5.4 The Representation of Absence 169

6 Time Continuity: Christian and Art Historical References
in Berlinde De Bruyckere 177-223

6.1 Continuity and Repetition 178
6.1.1 The Pietà 179
6.1.2 The Return of the Religious or the ‘Postmodern Sacred’ 188
6.2 Reverence 191
6.3 Time Continuity 195
6.3.1 Past Perfect: The Knowledge of the Past 196
6.3.2 The Crucifixion 199
6.3.3 The Man of Sorrows 201
6.3.4 The Dialogue with Tradition 205
6.3.5 Present Perfect: Pier Paolo Pasolini 209
6.3.6 The Present 220

7 The Silenced Others 224-257

7.1 Yara the Wound 226
7.2 Healed Wounds 229
7.3 The Materiality of the Invisible 232
7.4 The Wound as Female 238
7.5 Guilty Pleasure: The Representation of the Androgynous Body
in Berlinde De Bruyckere. 242
7.5.1 Gynandros or ‘Shared Feminine’? 245
7.6 Multiple Normativities? 250

8 Conclusion 258-266

Appendix
Berlinde De Bruyckere: Solo and Group Exhibitions 267-277

Bibliography 278-331

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List of Illustrations

Image (3-1): De Bruyckere, B. (2010). Pillow. [image]. Available from
https://www.accaonline.org.au/sites/default/files/BerlindeDeBruyckereEducationkit.pdf
[Accessed 13 August 2013].

Image (3-2): Hovnanian, R. L. (2016). Perfect Baby Showroom. [image]. Available from
http://www.rachelleehovnanian.com/perfect-baby-
showroom/jwrap3i148a7b5w8c4p2u34kskd7jo
[Accessed 09.01.2015].

Image (3-3): De Bruyckere, B. (1999). Sprekken. [image]. Available from
http://www.muhka.be/fr/toont/event/117/Berlinde-De-Bruyckere-en-alles-is-aann-genaaid/
[Accessed 14.08.2014].

Image (3-4): Isaacs, J. (2002). Thinking about It. [image]. Available from
http://johnisaacs.net/press_files/Didi_Bozzini.pdf
[Accessed 10 March 2015].

Image (3-5): Zumbo, G. G. (1656-1701). Anatomical Wax Head. [image]. Available from
http://www.allaprimaworkshop.com/index.php/main/florence/
[Accessed 10 March 2015].

Image (3-6): 18th Century. Wax Anatomical female Head exhibited at the Welcome Collection,
London, [image]. Available from http://morbidanatomy.blogspot.co.uk/2008/09/vanitas-
figure-wellcome-collection.html
[Accessed 15 March 2015].

Image (3-7): De Bruyckere, B. (2009-2010). Etten Kemiktemiz [image]. De Bruyckere, B.
2012. In Ansen, S. and De Bruyckere, B. (2012). Yara, The wound, Istanbul: Arter, p71.

Image (3-8): Duchamp, M. (1959). With My Tongue in My Cheek. [image]. Available from
http://www.wikiart.org/en/marcel-duchamp/with-my-tongue-in-my-cheek-1959
[Accessed 02 March 2015].

Image (3-9): De Bruyckere, B. (2010). Detail of Into One Another I to P.P.P. [image].
Available from
http://cloud.hauserwirth.com/documents/E2taHtFyqV2MU14e667JutjHMlYPMEA5Vc8656C
W02HSQS2ij6/large/into-one-another-i-detail-2-3WI764.jpg
[Accessed 05 February 2015].

Image (4-1): De Bruyckere, B. (1999). Slaapzaal III, Blankets and wood, Installation view,
Begijnhof, Hasselt, Belgium. [image]. Available from
http://www.hauserwirth.com/artists/6/berlinde-de-bruyckere/images-clips/161/
[Accessed 05 July 2013].

Image (4-2): De Bruyckere, B. (1996). The Zone. [image]. Available from
http://www.ivarhagendoorn.com/blog/2005/01/31/berlinde-de-bruyckere-retrospective
[Accessed 05 July 2013].
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THE FRAGMENTED BODY AND THE ARTWORK OF BERLINDE DE BRUYCKERE

Images (4-3a): Crew Center (2015). Island Princess rescues boat with Syrian refugees in the
Ionian Sea [image]. Available from http://www.crew-center.com/island-princess-rescues-boat-
syrian-refugees-ionian-sea
[Accessed 28 July 2015].

Image (4-3b): Reuters (2015). Refugee landings in Lesbos ease as storm approaches and
deaths mount. [image]. Available from http://www.reuters.com/article/us-europe-migrants-
greece-lesbos-idUSKCN0RL0P020150921
[Accessed 21 September 2015].

Image (4-4): De Bruyckere, B. (1993). Dekenhuis, Ijze en Denkens. [image]. Available from
http://users.telenet.be/Pro-arte/artists/berlinde_debruyckere/idx.html
[Accessed 12 July 2013].

Image (4-5): De Bruyckere, B. (1993). Dekenhuis. [image]. Available from
http://users.telenet.be/Pro-arte/artists/berlinde_debruyckere/idx.html
[Accessed 17 July 2013].

Image (4-6): De Bruyckere, B. (1989). Kooi. [image]. Available from
http://www.verbekefoundation.com/berlinde-de-bruyckere/
[Accessed 17 July 2013].

Image (4-7): De Bruyckere, B. (1991). I Never Promised You a Rosegarden. [image].
Available from http://www.dbnl.org/tekst/_low001200201_01/_low001200201_01_0034.php
[Accessed 24 July 2013].

Image (4-8): De Bruyckere, B. (2009). Detail ll. [image]. In Ansen, S & De Bruyckere, B.
2012. Yara, The wound, Istanbul: Arter, p57.

Image (4-9): De Bruyckere, B. (2005). Installation view, Maison Rouge, Paris, France.
[image]. Available from
http://www.hauserwirth.com/artists/6/berlinde-de-bruyckere/images-clips/139/
[Accessed 21 June 2013].

Image (4-10): De Bruyckere, B. (2010). Pillow. [image]. Available from
https://www.accaonline.org.au/sites/default/files/BerlindeDeBruyckereEducationkit.pdf
[Accessed 13 August 2013].

Image (4-11): De Bruyckere, B. (2002). Zonder. [image]. Available from
http://www.galleriacontinua.com/artist/5/artpieces
[Accessed 07 September 2013].

Image (4-12): De Bruyckere, B. (2003). Zonder. [image]. Available from
http://carolienvandenakker.nl/collega-uitgevallen-zo-kun-je-hem-ondersteunen/
[Accessed 30 August 2013].

Image (4-13): Bourgeois, L. (2002). Knife Figure. [image]. Available from
http://artblart.com/tag/louise-bourgeois-knife-figure/
[Accessed 15 March 2015].
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THE FRAGMENTED BODY AND THE ARTWORK OF BERLINDE DE BRUYCKERE

Image (4-14): De Bruyckere, B. (2003-2004). Wezen. [Image]. Available from
http://www.hauserwirth.com/artists/6/berlinde-de-bruyckere/images-clips/152/
[Accessed 09. December 2013].

Image (4-15): Bourgeois, L. (2001). Seven in a Bed. [image]. Available from
http://louisebourgeois.yolasite.com/gallery.php
[Accessed 15 March 2015].

Image (4-16): Bourgeois, L. (1997). Couple IV. [image]. Available from
http://arttattler.com/archivebourgeois.html
[Accessed 15 March 2015].

Image (4-17): De Bruyckere, B. (2010). Into One-Another III To P.P.P. [image]. Available
from http://whitehotmagazine.com/articles/interview-with-berlinde-de-bruyckere/2239
[Accessed 01 December 2013].

Image (4-18): De Bruyckere, B. (2000). In Flanders Fields. [image]. Available from
http://www.muhka.be/nl/toont/event/2051/Een-verhaal-van-het-beeld
[Accessed 01. September 2013].

Image (4-19): (1917). Dead Horses, Ypres, Belgium. [image].
http://www.slideshare.net/fluffy22/ww1-the-western-front
[Accessed 05 February 2015].

Image (4-20): De Bruyckere, B. (2010). Inside me. [image]. Available from
http://www.hauserwirth.com/exhibitions/668/berlinde-de-bruyckere/list-of-works/7/
[Accessed 10 June 2013].

Image (4-21): De Bruyckere, B. (2003-2004). Eén. [image]. Available from
http://www.depont.nl/collectie/kunstenaars/kunstenaar/werk_id/535/kunstenaar/bruyckere/
[Accessed October 2013].

Image (4-22): De Bruyckere, B. (2009). We are all Flesh. [image]. Available from
http://www.hauserwirth.com/artists/6/berlinde-de-bruyckere/images-clips/112/
[Accessed December 2013].

Image (4-23): De Bruyckere, B. (2011). Installation View, ‘Mysterium Leib. Berlinde De
Bruyckere im Dialog mit Cranach und Pasolini’, Kunstmuseum, Bern. [image]. Available
from http://www.hauserwirth.com/artists/6/berlinde-de-bruyckere/images-clips/87/
[Accessed 02 January 2014].

Image (4-24): De Bruyckere, B. (2011). Inside Mel II. [image]. Available from
http://www.hauserwirth.com/artists/6/berlinde-de-bruyckere/images-clips/91/
[Accessed 06 December 2013].

Image (5-1): De Bruyckere, B. (2008). Marthe. [image]. Available from
http://www.saatchigallery.com/artists/berlinde_debruyckere.htm
[Accessed 20 September 2013].

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THE FRAGMENTED BODY AND THE ARTWORK OF BERLINDE DE BRUYCKERE

Image (5-2): De Bruyckere, B. (2012). Liggende I. [image]. Available from
http://www.hauserwirth.com/exhibitions/1628/berlinde-de-bruyckere-three-sculptures/list-of-
works/2/
[Accessed 27 November 2014].

Image (5-3): De Bruyckere, B. (2012). Liggende II. [image]. Available from
http://www.hauserwirth.com/exhibitions/1628/berlinde-de-bruyckere-three-sculptures/list-of-
works/3/ [Accessed 27 November 2014].

Image (5-4): Gober, R. (1991-1993). Untitled. [image]. Available from http://www.art-
magazin.de/kunst/7168-rtkl-robert-gober-new-york-das-rattengift-griffbereit
[Accessed 05 August 2013].

Image (5-5): Antoni, J. (1993). Lick and Lather. [image]. Available from
http://www.artnews.com/2013/02/21/chocolate-self-portraits-by-janine-antoni-and-dieter-rot/
[Accessed 05 August 2013].

Image (5-6): De Bruyckere, B. (2012). Actaeon. [image]. Available from
http://www.hauserwirth.com/artists/6/berlinde-de-bruyckere/images-clips/70/
[Accessed 03 December 2014].

Image (5-7): De Bruyckere, B. (2012). Three Sculptures. [image]. Available from http://ex-
chamber-memo5.up.n.seesaa.net/ex-chamber-
memo5/image/8Berlinde_De_Bruyckere.jpg?d=a1
[Accessed 09 December 2014].

Image (6-1): De Bruyckere, B. (2008). Pietà. [image]. Available from
http://www.artslant.com/global/artists/show/20187-berlinde-de-bruyckere?tab=ARTWORKS
[Accessed 22 March 2015].

Image (6-2): Cranach, L. (1510). Pietà Beneath the Cross. [image]. Available from
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lucas-cranach-Pietà_beneath_the_Cross.jpg
[Accessed 22 March 2015].

Image (6-3): Buonarroti, M. (1564). La Pietà Rondainini. [image]. Available from
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pietà_Rondanini#/media/File:Michelangelo_pietà_rondanini.jpg
[Accessed 24 March 2015].

Image (6-4): De Bruyckere, B. (2007). Pietà. [image]. Available from
http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/lot.58.html/2015/contemporary-art-evening-
auction-l15022
[Accessed 29 March 2015].

Image (6-5): Buonarroti, M. (1498-1499). Pietà. [image]. Available from
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Römische_Pietà#/media/File:Michelangelo%27s_Pietà,_St_Pete
r%27s_Basilica_(1498–99).jpg
[Accessed 30 March 2015].

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