Monster Chetwynd transforms the Middelheim Museum into a ‘friend-making machine’

«Hellmouth 5», 2025 - Monster Chetwynd,« A Friends Making Machine», exhibition view

Chetwynd’s visual universe is populated by moths, bats, moles and newts. These creatures often elicit a range of conflicting reactions in humans — from fear to revulsion — yet they are essential to the balance of ecosystems. Through these animals, the artist invites us to reflect on who is considered ‘different’, encouraging greater attention to be paid to what normally remains on the margins of our gaze.

Among the most striking works is a gigantic eye-shaped bench, inspired by a famous surrealist jewel by Salvador Dalí. The installation features ‘Zorbs’ – large transparent spheres representing tears – which can be ‘activated’ by the public, who are invited to take off their shoes and step inside them, transforming the sculpture into a playful and participatory experience. The theme of transition also recurs in ‘Hellmouth’ and the other portals featured in the exhibition, symbolic thresholds between reality and fiction, theatre and everyday life. Notable references include the stone monsters of Bomarzo, the Roman door of the Hertziana Library and the Italian actor and dancer Rudolf Valentino. Furthermore, Monster Chetwynd has created bespoke deckchairs to ensure that the park evokes the convivial atmosphere of the paintings by Antoine Watteau.

Chetwynd uses humble materials such as paper, cardboard, fabric and papier-mâché – the very same materials employed by carnival groups and the Flemish Caravalsverenigingen to build their allegorical floats. This choice champions the value of collective creativity and challenges the notion that public sculpture must necessarily rely on ‘noble’ materials such as marble or bronze.

Of particular significance is the project developed with hospitalised children in mind. Through a performance centred on salamanders – animals capable of regenerating limbs and tissues – the artist explores the themes of healing, resilience and transformation. The salamander thus becomes a metaphor for the possibility of rebuilding and reinventing oneself.

Monster Chetwynd, «A Friends Making Machine», exhibition view

The exhibition reaffirms the Middelheim Museum’s role as one of Europe’s most dynamic centres for contemporary sculpture. Founded in 1950 and visited by around 600,000 people each year, the museum is increasingly using art as a tool for social wellbeing and inclusion. As Director Weyns explains, the Middelheim is funded through a mixed model that combines public funding from the City of Antwerp and the Flemish Government with contributions from private donors. Middelheim Promotors, an association of patrons founded in 1965, brings together between 15 and 20 sponsors each year — including BNP Paribas Fortis, EY and Deloitte. —, aims to fund the acquisition of one artwork each year and provides 200,000 euros. In total, taking public funds into account, the museum has 400,000 euros at its disposal for the annual expansion of its collection. But how much does it cost to put together an exhibition in the Park? It usually varies between 200,000 and 400,000 euros, depending on the materials used in the artworks, transport costs and other factors. Ultimately, ‘Friends Making Machine’ stands as a successful experiment in how culture, nature and human relationships can help build new forms of community, overcoming prejudices.