Faced with criticism from a new Namur feminist collective, gathered under the name “BADASS”, Maxime Prévot defended his city’s decision not to move or remove the statue. Namur, on the other hand, chose to add an explanatory panel as well as a banner, for a period of 18 months corresponding to the condemnation of the artist, placed over the eyes of the person represented riding the famous turtle.
This person is none other than Jan Fabre himself. “The court did not condemn a work of art but the serious and problematic behavior of a man”, indicates the mayor of Namur on Sunday. The local authorities have tried to take into account “the diversity of expressed sensitivities”, assures the president of the Engaged.
While marking a “symbolic act” which is inspired by what has been decided in other places around works by Jan Fabre, in the Flemish parliament for example, or on the staircase of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts where panels decorated by the artist will no longer be lit for 18 months.
The Citadel turtle, placed prominently, is popular with tourists and photographers. “A large part of the people who photograph it do not know who the person riding it is, that’s why we decided to place an educational panel”, specifies Maxime Prévot.
Moving or breaking down the statue, as some locals suggest, would not be straightforward, as the artist retains his moral rights and therefore a say in how his work is displayed, where it is placed, etc. The addition of the headband is already “a bit borderline”, recognizes the mayor.
Facing him on the RTL-TVi set, a representative of the feminist collective, Marion Kinoo, regretted that the riding turtle remains “valued to this point” in a public place and in view, “under the flag of the city”.