Belgian artist Marie-Jo Lafontaine dies unexpectedly at 75

Belgian artist Marie-Jo Lafontaine, renowned for her impactful video art, large-scale textile works, sculptures, and photography, has passed away unexpectedly at the age of 75. Galerie Lempertz announced her death, noting that the international art world has lost an "exceptional and unique artistic voice."

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With her passing, the international art world loses an exceptional and unique artistic voice.

Born in Antwerp in 1950, Lafontaine lived and worked in Brussels for many years. Her career was marked by a fascination with childhood and youth, periods she described as characterized by "beauty, innocence, and vulnerability. And at the same time, it is a false innocence." She received the Prix Jeune Peinture Belge in 1977 and achieved international fame with her video installation 'Les larmes d'acier' at Documenta 8 in Kassel in 1987.

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That period in a person's life fascinates me. It is a period characterized by beauty, innocence, and vulnerability. And at the same time, it is a false innocence.

The Musée de Flandre, which is currently hosting an exhibition of her work, states that Lafontaine challenged viewers "to remain critical in a world that is becoming increasingly unjust and violent." Her art was displayed in public spaces, including Stockholm Airport, and her video projections were featured on Frankfurt's tower buildings during the 2006 World Cup opening ceremony.

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to remain critical in a world that is becoming increasingly unjust and violent.

Lafontaine's work earned numerous accolades and was exhibited globally, including at MoMA in New York. She also served as a professor of media art and was a Cultural Ambassador for Flanders. In 2013, she created the official portraits of King Filip and Queen Mathilde, a commission that allowed her to bring them "out of the castle" for the photographs.

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out of the castle