Berlinde De Bruyckere: Art, Memory, and Transformation

• Florence School of Transnational Governance
• Development and External Relations Service

As part of OPEN: A New Civic Space for Art and Science, Palazzo Buontalenti welcomes internationally renowned Belgian artist Berlinde De Bruyckere for a special public event exploring how art can reveal hidden dimensions of the human condition, memory and transformation.

Framed within the context of OPEN: A New Civic Space for Art and Science, this event brings together artistic creation, academic inquiry, and civic engagement. De Bruyckere - whose work is featured in the OPEN exhibition - will discuss the core themes of her practice, exploring how art can render visible the unseen layers of human condition, memory, and transformation.

The conversation, moderated by STG Executive Director Fabrizio Tassinari, will be followed by a screening of Why We Fight, a poignant documentary film exploring the roots of human conflict, fear, and hope, created in close artistic dialogue with De Bruyckere's sculptures.

Prior to the lecture, attendees are invited to visit the OPEN exhibition during a dedicated opening window from 12:30 to 14:00.

Practical Information

• Date: Thursday, 24 September 2026
• Location: Florence School of Transnational Governance - Palazzo Buontalenti
• Registration: Due to limited seating in the Martti Ahtisaari Peace Hall, registration and therefore participation to the lecture are on an invitation-only basis.

Programme

• 12:30 – 14:00 | Special Opening of the OPEN exhibition (Cortile Buontalenti, via Camillo Cavour 53)
• Exclusive viewing of the exhibition prior to the lecture.
• 14:00 – 16:00 | Artist Lecture & Keynote Conversation (Martti Ahtisaari Peace Hall, via Camillo Cavour 65)
• Keynote presentation by Berlinde De Bruyckere, followed by a conversation moderated by Fabrizio Tassinari (Executive Director, EUI Florence School of Transnational Governance) and Q&A with the audience.
• 16:00 – 18:00 | Documentary Film Screening: Why We Fight (Martti Ahtisaari Peace Hall, via Camillo Cavour 65)
• Screening of the documentary directed by Alain Platel and Mirjam Devriendt, deeply inspired by Berlinde De Bruyckere's artistic research on human vulnerability, fear, and resilience.

Speakers & Organisers

• Berlinde De Bruyckere – Artist
• Fabrizio Tassinari – Executive Director, Florence School of Transnational Governance (STG)
• Co-organised by EUI Development and External Relations Service (DEXT), Florence School of Transnational Governance (STG), and Galleria Continua.