Berlinde De Bruyckere: her "Need" exhibition at Galleria Continua - our photos

Lovers ofcontemporary art are undoubtedly familiar with her work. This autumn, Galleria Continua is hosting a solo exhibition by Berlinde De Bruyckere in its Parisian space in the Marais district. On view from October 10 to December 30, 2025, the exhibition unveils a body of work"exploring the vulnerability and fragility of the body, the tension of metamorphic states, and the need for reconciliation between life and its absence", as stated on social networks.

The exhibition, entitled"Need", brings together emblematic works by Berlinde De Bruyckere, including the"It Almost Seemed a Lily" series, as well as the Arcangelos, contemporary angelic figures imagined by the artist.

Born in Ghent, Belgium, Berlinde De Bruyckere is known for her drawings, installations and sculptures, which often provoke controversy. As a child, Berlinde De Bruyckere was fascinated by the animal remains stored in her father's butcher shop, and created works based on molding. She then uses a unique technique combining wax, animal skins, used textiles, metal and wood. The result is disturbing sculptures that evoke death, but also life, whether in its state of vitality or decline. Fragility, resilience, suffering, violence, fear, solitude and universal human experience are all evoked, imbued with references to art history, religious iconography and classical mythology.

Between Eros and Thanatos, Berlinde De Bruyckere creates works that can be understood in many different ways. Proof of his renown, Berlinde De Bruyckere has exhibited his work on numerous occasions, including at the Venice Biennale in 2003, at Hauser&Wirth in Zurich in 2004, at La Maison Rouge in Paris in 2005 and at the Kunsthalle in Düsseldorf in 2006.

From October 10 to December 30, 2025, it's the turn of Galleria Continua' s Marais space in Paris to open its doors to Berlinde De Bruyckere for a striking solo exhibition.

On the first floor, we are greeted by"Palindroom" (2019), a monumental wax sculpture referring to a " phantom mare ". In veterinary circles, this is the animal substitute used for artificial insemination, designed to stimulate the male's desire.

A little further on, we discover the"It almost seemed a lily" series, exhibited both on the ground and first floors of the Parisian gallery. Here, the artist offers a mixed-media reinterpretation of the Jardins clos,"private devotional cabinets created in the 16th century by the Hospitaller Sisters of Malines". Using old tracing paper with floral motifs, Berlinde De Bruyckere creates new compositions.

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The exhibition also unveils the"Glassdomes", intimate wax sculptures enclosed in glass cloches. Also on view is"Madonna del Parto" (2025), presented to visitors for the first time. Referring to Piero della Francesca's fresco of the same name, the work is dressed in a purple silk cloak, and simultaneously embodies the source of life and the presence of death.

Another series exhibited for the occasion at Galleria Continua: "Plunder". Conceived after several of the artist's visits to museums in Iran in 1996, it refers to the looting of works during the Revolution.

Not to be forgotten are the two showcases entitled"Need", described as a"continuation of a series originally conceived for the Basilica di San Giorgio Maggiore during the 60th Venice Biennale in 2024". Here, Berlinde De Bruyckere presents sculptural relics, combining personified branches, flayed skins and wounded bodies cast in wax.

In this new solo show, Berlinde De Bruyckere once again challenges the viewer, evoking universality in her suffering, martyred bodies, and death in her dark, disturbingly realistic atmospheres. But hope is also perceptible, notably in the series"It almost seemed a lily". The exhibition is sure to arouse the curiosity not only of admirers of the Flemish artist's work, but also of lovers of contemporary art. Please note, however, that the realism of many of the works may offend the sensibilities of some people, especially the very young.

Please note that the exhibition is on view on Friday, October 10 from 6pm to 9pm. The gallery will then open its doors during normal opening hours, Tuesday to Saturday, 11am to 7pm.

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