Bergman exhibition is a master class
14 Oct 2011
The Ingmar Bergman exhibition, "Truth and Lies" opened on Thursday evening with the press, the authorities and numerous guests in attendance. Curator Kristina Jaspers told us, "It's really a master class in the art of film making", which is why young people should also visit this exhibition. The exhibition aims to paint a picture of the method of this leading Swedish film maker, using scenarios, the director's own notes, costumes from his films, rushes, interviews, etc., allowing visitors to gain an insight into how a film is actually made. An exhibition which is bound to appeal to young people too.
Although Ingmar Bergman's work was created during the last century, the themes of his work - the confrontation with one's own self, the reflection on the artist's role in society - are relevant in every era. ??"Ingmar Bergman was a master at dissecting relationships and the big questions of life. Whether discussing faith, the existence of God, love or the relationship between a man and a woman, Ingmar Bergman was always on the front line. But these themes still have a big impact", says Kristina Jaspers. Bergman is timeless. And she goes on to refer to his admirers, such as Michael Haneke or Woody Allen, who appreciate Bergman's consistency in terms of style. "Stay true to yourself" is one of the lessons that Haneke learnt from Bergman, according to Kristina Jaspers, and which he hopes to pass on to new generations of film makers, through Bergman. According to curator Jansen the exhibition also shows how Bergman filmed his dream sequences and how his approach evolved. At times there was a link with reality, in some cases there wasn't. The Caermersklooster Provincial Cultural Centre is therefore the place to go for an audiovisual film class. Hundreds of photos, expressive costumes, notes, directions, and several interview fragments evoke the world of the master himself. You can even see the evolution in his use of colour with the spectrum gently shifting from grey to red, even in the darkened Caermersklooster Provincial Cultural Centre. According to Bergman red was the colour of the soul and he made magnificent use of it in his masterpiece, Cries and Whispers. ??The exhibition's greatest merit is the fact that it succeeds in bringing Ingmar Bergman back to life. A man who used lies and fantasy to work as an artist in a strict, Lutheran cultural environment, thus leaving his mark on the art of film. But there is so much more to Bergman than The Seventh Seal. So go find out for yourself and discover how modern and intellectually challenging his work is. Caermersklooster Provincial Cultural Centre, Vrouwebroersstraat 6, 9000 Ghent. Until 15 January 2012. Open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Closed on Monday. ?www.caermersklooster.be