With great enthusiasm, we open the doors to our new location: Kasteel Hof d'Intere. This amazing place offers us the opportunity to expand our projects, develop new artistic concepts, and foster collaborations that are both artistically and socially impactful.
"Art is not something that happens in a studio, but something that lives in the world." This idea, shared by artists and thinkers for centuries, is at the heart of our vision for Hof d'Intere. The castle, steeped in history, is more than just a physical space; it is a place of transformation, where art evolves through the interaction between space, people, and their stories. Here, in the heart of nature, artistic creation comes to life—not merely as an object, but as a process of collaboration, reflection, and change.
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Kasteel Hof d'Intere was built in 1649 by Jan de Proost, Lord of Wechelderzande, but the history of the castle dates back much earlier. On March 13, 1440, Philip the Good granted the area of Wechelderzande to Ambrosius de Dynter, after which the area and its court obtained the right of Hof d'Intere. This early history of feudal lordship and the strategic role the castle played in the region make Hof d'Intere a fascinating location where the past and present meet. Over the centuries, the castle has served many functions: from a fortification to a residence, and later as a rectory and town hall. This history offers us a unique backdrop for art, where history and cultural traditions can come together in a new creative context.
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The Impressionist history of Wechelderzande plays a key role in this. Around 1900, Wechelderzande was home to several artists, including Adriaan Jozef Heymans, Jaak Rosseels, Florent Crabeels, Isidoor Meyers, and painter-architect Henry Van de Velde. They were inspired by the rural landscape, capturing the heathlands and cornfields in their works. This led to the establishment of an artist school, ‘De Wechelse School’, and Wechelderzande has since been known as the 'painter's village'. This artistic history forms an important foundation that we aim to continue building upon in our own work.
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The castle provides us with the space to invite artists from both near and far to tell stories that consider nature and the community as essential elements of creation. In this interactive landscape, where history and nature meet, art is created by and for people. Spazio Nour's international focus highlights our connection to the world, actively building bridges between different cultural traditions and fostering collaborations that reach across borders.
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The artistic research of Mahmoud Saleh Mohammadi focuses on participatory art and the role of art in communities, exploring how art can be used as a tool for social impact and community-building. Mahmoud's work is informed by his experiences in diverse cultural and social contexts, emphasizing the power of collaboration and the interaction between artist and audience. This research provides valuable insights for our project at Hof d'Intere, where participation and collective creation lie at the core of our vision for art as a catalyst for community impact.
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Art is not a static object but a dynamic process of relationship and dialogue. At Spazio Nour, we believe that art is always in relation to the people who experience it, making it a force that must not only be experienced but also actively made. Our move to the castle is a way for us to open a new dialogue between the past and the present, art and society. Here, art is not a privilege but a means to connect, reflect, and build.
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The castle space gives us the opportunity to experiment, to see art as representation and as a process of social engagement. Art is a dialogue that, much like the light streaming through the castle windows, brings together diverse perspectives. This dialogue is dynamic, constantly evolving, and reflects the changing society in which we live.
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At Hof d'Intere, we aim to use art to reflect the world and to create a new world together—a world where art is a force for impact. Art that creates connections, brings people together, and tells stories that help advance our society. The castle is not merely a place for art; it is a laboratory for new ideas, a place for dialogue, and a space for the community.