Peiremuzee

This unique location combines a new building with the studio of the artist Luc Peire. Stepping into the entrance hall you are entering a space that with its strong verticality, light beams and dynamic spatial effect evokes the central theme of Luc Peire’s oeuvre. Behind it an exhibition space opens up showing a full-width view of the courtyard garden. A narrow winding path runs through the garden. A large pine tree stands in an oasis of peace and tranquillity, whilst a water surface creates reflection. You then venture into the artist’s studio which has been carefully restored. This total concept is a remarkable achievement. The simplicity of the design, the clarity of the elaborate spaces, the use of zenithal light combined with artificial light, the sense of tranquillity emanating from the overall white space usage, the absence of any anecdotalism, the refinement of all the details and the opulence of the materials used are all analogies referring to the work of Luc Peire. 

This year Mu.ZEE in Ostend will receive a donation from the Jenny and Luc Peire Foundation. Together with the collections of the Mu.ZEE in Ostend and the Permeke Museum in Jabbeke, the Peiremuzee in Knokke-Heist will from now on contribute to the history of Belgian art from 1880 to the present day.

Environnement I dates back to 1967 when Luc Peire painted the graphite walls, black paintings on Formica. The interior, which consists of four similar sized square mirrors at the bottom and the top, is composed of four painted, upright Formica walls. Fluorescent tubes behind matt milk plexiglass panels provide milky white interior lighting. The outward opening centre section of the front panel serves as an entrance door. Audio equipment with speakers plays electronic music by Louis De Meester. Visitors can ‘experience’ the artist’s universal artistic language and infinite spatial verticalism. Environnement was given on long-term loan in 2007 to the Jenny & Luc Peire Foundation in Knokke, where it has been on display in a specially designed ‘garden room’ since 2011.