‘There are so many things that art can’t do. It can’t bring the dead back to life, it can’t mend arguments between friends, or cure AIDS, or halt the pace of climate change. All the same, it does have some extraordinary functions, some odd negotiating ability between people, including people who never meet and yet who infiltrate and enrich each other’s lives. It does have a capacity to create intimacy; it does have a way of healing wounds, and better yet of making it apparent that not all wounds need healing and not all scars are ugly.'

- Olivia Laing (2016) The lonely city. Adventures in the art of being alone

On February 13th we welcome you for a new edition of Artefact, an exhibition and festival on contemporary visual arts, current events and societal challenges.

In Alone Together we zoom in on ideas of solitude and togetherness in contemporary society. The exhibition asks questions such as: What does contemporary solitude mean? How does it relate to feelings of loneliness? Can we consider loneliness not in individual terms, but as the result of more structural forces, be they social, cultural, economic, technological or architectural in nature? How do we connect in today’s society? What is the quality of our interactions / connection, and which role do (social and communication) technologies play in this?

The artworks in STUK and in the city of Leuven, but also the Sound program, the films, lectures and workshops aim to shed light on these sensitive questions. They might potentially be confronting, though they might also offer hope, and maybe some consolation as well, even if it is only momentaneously.

Opening hours

13 Feb
opening expo 19:30 - 23:00

14 Feb - 1 Mar
We - Sa 14:00 - 22:00
Su - Tu 14:00 - 19:00