Marina Abramović in conversation with Kendell Geers as part of the Art Matters program at TheMerode
What happens when two of the art world’s most uncompromising visionaries sit down for a no-holds-barred conversation? On September 2, legendary performance artist Marina Abramović joins rebel provocateur Kendell Geers for an intimate, members-only edition of Art Matters at TheMerode in Brussels.
The two artists share decades of friendship and a mutual refusal to play by the rules. They first met in 1999, both hand-picked by curator Jan Hoet for his millenium survey exhibition Zeitwenden in Bonn — and have been kindred spirits ever since. Their September exchange won’t be an art-world echo chamber; it will be a fearless dive into what it still means to make work that transforms, heals, provokes, and changes the world.
“We’re not here to speak in hashtags or play it safe,” says Geers. “We’re here to talk about art as a matter of life and death — because Art Matters.”
In an age when AI threatens to replace human creativity, when social media rewards the inoffensive, and when political division is at a fever pitch, Abramović and Geers will ask the urgent question: Should art soothe us into complacency — or wake us up screaming?
Art Matters is TheMerode’s flagship art experience — part salon, part interrogation — hosted by Geers, the Belgo–South African artist known for blowing past taboos. Each month, he invites a guest to strip away the myth and machinery of the art world in front of a live audience. Past guests have included Luc Tuymans, Mandy El Sayegh, Jérôme Sans, Galila Barzilaï, and Nicolas Bourriaud.
Beyond these intimate lunches, Art Matters has also packed TheMerode’s auditorium for high-voltage talks with cultural heavyweights. Earlier this year, the late Koyo Kouoh delivered one of her final public interviews on the African influence in contemporary art — a talk now immortalized on TheMerode’s YouTube channel.
What’s Next in the Series:
- Dean Kissick – Author of the viral Harper’s Magazine essay The Painted Protest (10 September)
- Stephen Torton – Jean-Michel Basquiat’s assistant and close friend (27 October)
- Bianca Bondi – 2024 Marcel Duchamp Prize finalist (Date to be announced)
- Jerry Saltz - 2018 Pulitzer Prize Winner and New York Magazine celebrity Art Critic (Date to be announced)
About Marina Abramović
Born in Belgrade in 1946, Marina Abramović has spent five decades redefining performance art, using her own body as canvas, weapon, and altar. From enduring pain and exhaustion to exploring spiritual transcendence, she has produced some of the most iconic works in contemporary art — and she is still pushing boundaries.
About Kendell Geers
Born in apartheid-era South Africa and now based in Brussels, Kendell Geers makes work that collides identity, politics, and provocation. He has exhibited at Documenta 11 and the Johannesburg Biennale, with a 2013 retrospective at Haus der Kunst curated by Okwui Enwezor. Geers believes art’s role is to challenge, not comfort — and he lives it.
Art Matters with Marina Abramović
Tuesday, September 2 at 6:30 PM
TheMerode
Place Poelaert 6, 1000 Brussels
https://www.themerode.com/en
Detailed programme
- Welcome 6:30PM
- Conversation 7:00PM
- Networking 8:00PM
- End 9:00PM
Unfortunately, due to the high demand and very limited capacity of this members-only event, we are unable to accomodate any more attendees for the lecture. If you consider editorial attention, we can inquire whether an exception can be made.
About TheMerode
TheMerode is a private members club that opened in November 2021, located in a listed townhouse in the heart of Brussels. It brings together over 2,000 members—40% of whom are women—from a wide range of nationalities, including Belgian, French, Italian, Dutch, and German. The club offers a peaceful workspace, private lounges, two restaurants, and a year-round programme of more than 150 talks, workshops, and events.
The Merode mansion, originally built in the 16th century, was first renovated in 2010 by the Cercle de Lorraine and later transformed by TheMerode team a decade later. The building has been a listed heritage site since 1997. Renovation works were overseen by the Directorate of Cultural Heritage, with finishes crafted by Belgian artisan Eddy Dankers.
Art is an integral part of the TheMerode experience. Under the direction of Emmanuelle Indekeu, temporary exhibitions regularly highlight both emerging and established artists. The club collaborates with institutions such as La Monnaie, Art Brussels, the Venice Biennale, and the Queen Elisabeth Competition.
