Produced in conjunction with the eponymous exhibition that inaugurated the Museu de Arte Contemporânea – MAC/CCB in Lisbon in October 2023, Crossing a Bridge on Fire is the editorial manifestation of Berlinde De Bruyckere's vision for the museum space. Designed by Pedro Falcão and featuring photographic documentation by Mirjam Devriendt and António Jorge Silva, this book also includes previously unpublished essays by Delfim Sardo and Joaquim Oliveira Caetano and a short story by Turkish curator Selen Ansen. Together, these thematic contributions reflect the broad discursive range of De Bruyckere's work, weaving in anthological overviews, pairings with her historical influences (such as Lucas Cranach), and poetic explorations of themes adjacent to sexuality.
Berlinde De Bruyckere (born 1964 in Ghent, Belgium) is a leading figure on the contemporary Flemish scene. Her work ranges from sculpture to drawing and collage, in compositions that present intense forms of metamorphosis in bodies, be they human, animal, or plant. A relationship with art history and cinema is particularly important in her creative process.
With a career that has gained increasing international recognition, Berlinde De Bruyckere represented Belgium at the 55th Biennale di Venezia in 2013. Her work has been exhibited in museums and galleries in Europe, the United States, Canada, and Australia, and is represented in multiple institutional collections.
