The Xavier Hufkens gallery in Brussels, Belgium, hosts the first solo exhibition of Chilean poet and artist Cecilia Vicuña, titled Arch Future, from June 5 to August 2, 2025. This captivating exhibition showcases over six decades of Vicuña’s interdisciplinary practice, featuring site-specific installations, drawings, paintings, poems, archival materials, sound, and films that invite viewers on a profound intellectual journey.
Highlights include two monumental quipu (knotted recording systems from ancient Andean civilizations), a room-sized precario installation, and Lost Paintings, recreations of works from the 1960s and 70s destroyed after Chile’s military coup. Additionally, Vicuña’s poetic film Death of the Pollinators (2021) makes its European premiere, addressing ecological collapse.
The title Arch Future reflects Vicuña’s focus on indigenous knowledge systems and local ecosystems as alternative architectural forms for a sustainable future. Works like Quipu Menstrual (2006–2024) and Forest Son (2025) reclaim ancient communication systems while serving as laments for environmental destruction. A new, large-scale precario installation, Ciudad Geométrica (2025), made from ephemeral materials, challenges traditional notions of sculpture. The exhibition also features Vicuña’s early Pinturas Solares and a sound work, Honguito niño, exploring the rediscovery of a rare fungus and the vital role of fungi in ecosystems.
Cecilia Vicuña’s Arch Future is a striking testament to art’s power as not only an aesthetic experience but also a compelling tool for addressing social and environmental issues. This exhibition, nourishing both the eyes and the mind, is a must-see cultural event.
Exhibition Details:
Dates: June 5 – August 2, 2025
Location: Xavier Hufkens, St-Georges, Brussels, Belgium
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