Originally this post was to announce two exciting museum visits I was planning to do and write about. On Wednesday this week I wanted to go to Textiel Museum in Tilburg to see “The Art of Lace – from Dior to Iris van Herpen” and the first weekend of April I booked to go to Ghent to visit “Van Eyck. Optical Revolution”, an exhibition that is acclaimed to be one in a lifetime experience.
Alas, due to pandemic crisis in Europe the first trip is postponed till next month, the latter might still go ahead as the Museum voor Schone Kunsten in Ghent reopens on 4th April but it is equally likely that the restrictions regarding public places and gatherings may stay in power and I will not be able to see either of the two exhibitions.
Feeling rather disappointed I was browsing various pages and then I found THIS:
BESMET!
Which translates into English as
INFECTED or CONTAMINATED
Believe it or not, Rijksmuseum Boerenhave in Leiden is about to present an exhibition about
” the outbreaks of infectious diseases, and how they can disrupt life. How did we deal with epidemics such as plague and smallpox in the past? What insights do historical epidemics offer for the future? And what solutions does science offer? ”
I was rubbing my eyes in astonishment. What a timing! How come they present THIS in early stage of something that may turn out to be the biggest pandemic since the days of Spanish flu? Ironically, the museum remains closed due to coronavirus but ”Besmet” will be on show only from 16th April. Till 14th March 20121 so there is a real chance to pay a visit.
It took nearly two years to prepare the exhibition, the curators couldn’t have known that it will be so painfully up to date when it’s ready. Still, I remain under huge impression. And to my delight, it even seems to include some extreme fashion history elements such as….
