Belgian Cycling Icons Museeuw & Mattan as Living Art in 'Still Lives: Ghent'
On May 23rd, for two full hours, these cycling legends will be slowly suspended and lifted seven meters into the air: a tableau vivant of frozen bodies captured in the midst of a final sprint.
STILL LIVES: Ghent
Artists Luke George and Daniel Kok create tableaux vivants around the world, suspending local icons — a gondola in Venice, a New Zealand rugby team, or a 130-year-old Australian ship — quite literally in the air. They use the Shibari rope technique, a Japanese art form of aesthetic rope bondage.
In Ghent, they delve into the collective cycling DNA of Flanders, where racing is religion and cyclists are heroes. This edition of Still Lives becomes a powerful homage to the sport — a striking image that balances strength and vulnerability, sport and sculpture.
Visitors are invited to freely move through the space and experience the performance from multiple angles. Meanwhile, the foyer will feature two interview videos with the cycling legends.
Accordionist, improviser and sound artist Suzan Peeters provides a live soundtrack for the performance.
“'Still Lives: Ghent' is a unique performance that can bring together people with very different interests — those who love cycling, those intrigued by contemporary performance art, or those with a passion for the Japanese rope art of Shibari.”
— Eva Neklyaeva, performing arts programmer at VIERNULVIER
ABOUT THE CYCLISTS
Johan Museeuw
Nicknamed “The Lion of Flanders”, Museeuw is one of the greatest Belgian cyclists of all time. He won Paris-Roubaix three times (1996, 2000, 2002), the Tour of Flanders three times (1993, 1995, 1998), became world champion in 1996, and was for years the face of the Flemish cycling spring. His name is inseparably linked to strength, comebacks, and a deep love for racing.
Nico Mattan
Known for his aggressive racing style and charisma both on and off the bike, Mattan made history with his victory at Gent-Wevelgem in 2005. He rode for many years both as a domestique and team leader for top teams, earning a reputation as a true Flandrien. Born and raised in West Flanders, Mattan lives and breathes cycling — and now expresses his passion in a completely new way.
“We’re stepping way out of our comfort zone as athlete-cyclists. We’ll be bound and lifted, together with our bikes, seven meters into the air. This is a performance that’s totally unfamiliar to us. It’s fantastic to be doing this together with my friend Nico Mattan.”
— Johan Museeuw