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Pure Rubens

What are we looking at? And why does it matter now?

The largest exhibition of Ruben's oil sketches in 65 years. The Fool doesn't give a shit.

What are we looking at?
Rape, murder, forced marriage, a massacre of thousands of young women.
These were in the titles of the works but the information given was mostly about the differences between sketch and painting.
What are we looking at? Why are we looking at it? What tools do we have to look at it from the perspective of now, with the bodies we live in now?
He was an incredible painter, but how do we reflect on his work from the values of now?
What has really changed at all?

Made for Museum Boijmans van Beuningen for their Pure Rubens exhibition.

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