Abby Kortrijk
George Minne (1866-1941)
Abby Kortrijk is a new, playful and multi-voiced museum for visual art. One of the eye-catchers is Georges Minne’s Kneeling Youth.
Abby
Abby in Kortrijk is a new and quirky museum for visual art. Abby is curious, playful, accessible and multi-voiced. At Abby you will find captivating temporary exhibitions, innovative collection presentations and various activities, from artistic workshops to playful sleepovers.
You will find the museum in the Begijnhofpark, in the historic heart of Kortrijk. Top architects Barozzi Veiga and TAB reworked the historic Groeninge Abbey into a timeless architectural gem. A unique park pavilion, a monumental 16th-century chapel and two underground exhibition halls provide space for art, meeting and imagination.
Kneeling Youth (Georges Minne, c. 1925)
Georges Minne (1866-1941) nurtured a fondness for slim, naked young men in his sculpture. With the kneeling posture, bowed head and crossed arms, the artist communicates a complex state of mind. His naked youngsters shield themselves, have become internalised and seem to be in search of comfort.
This bronze version is one of many variants that figure in his best-known work, the Fountain of Kneeling Youths sculpture group (of which there are multiple versions). This young man’s stretched stature is austere and doesn’t conform to correct anatomy. For Minne, feeling and poetic form were more important than reality. His slender youngsters challenge traditional gender roles. With their vulnerable tenderness, they depart from conventional and stereotypical representations of the male body and offer an alternative and broader vision of the concept of masculinity.
Practical information
Accessibility
- Easily accessible for people with a disability.
