The Wonder Creativity Festival kicks off in Kortrijk on Thursday, October 17th. In the vacant Chapel of the Pauline Sisters, actor Maarten Ketels is gathering creative designers to exhibit their work. His dedication is so strong that he's even staying the night .
The Chapel of the Pauline Sisters can easily be called a hidden gem in the heart of Kortrijk. You almost pass by the neo-Baroque chapel from 1889 on Groeningestraat without noticing. "I didn't know it either, even though I went to school nearby," says Maarten Ketels, whose roots are in Lendelede.
Most people know him as an actor, from fictional series like De Rodenburgs, De Luizenmoeder, Onder Vuur , and Juliet . He's also a passionate furniture maker and an artistic creator. He once slept for two weeks in a wooden house at Antwerp Central Station and built a replica of a 19th-century gypsy caravan. "This time, I wanted to do something with a parking lot, but I couldn't find a partner right away. When I was walking around Kortrijk, I came across this building with a sign for The Rock real estate. I called the manager, Peter Ronsse, and he was immediately enthusiastic about the idea of organizing an exhibition in this space."
Authentic work
Maarten has been making beautiful, colorful furniture for years under the name RedKettle furniture. "I've always loved understanding how things work," Maarten told KW earlier this year. "When I was fifteen, my uncle gave me my first rocking saw. I used it to make a soccer goal for my brother and myself. That's when I saw that ideas could become reality. At drama school, Lucas Vandervorst compared our profession to a craft like furniture making. I was young, naive, and insecure. If I train as a furniture maker, maybe I'll understand, I thought. Now, so many years later, I understand."
Together with his brother Simon, he wants to offer a platform to fellow designers under the banner 'RedKettle Gallery.' "If I want to showcase my own furniture, I might as well do it for others," says Maarten. One of the designers exhibiting their work is Christl Dekimpe, an artist and designer from Dadizele. Christl is known for her unique furniture and artwork, and combines her passion for art and design in both her own art line, Christl Dekimpe Art, and her interior design company, Dekimpe.Design.
Christl is presenting her latest artwork at Wonder Festival, which truly shines in the beautiful setting of the chapel. Her participation in the exhibition highlights her versatility as a designer, both in the art world and the design sector. Besides her artwork, she is also the driving force behind Dekimpe.Design, a family business that markets high-quality, hand-drawn furniture.
I've known some designers, like Pieter Bostoen, since I started making furniture. Along the way, I met many others, like Christl, who designs beautiful artwork and furniture. With RedKettle Gallery, we want to create connections and present authentic work of the highest quality. These are the heirlooms of tomorrow. You know, they're all passion projects by people who, in addition to their day jobs as designers, also do really cool things.
Who's on display? You'll find work by Pieter Bostoen, Lander Vandemoortele, Felix Demeyere, and more. Sander Demeulemeester works with marble that he personally sources in Italy, while Thibeau Scarcériaux reworks bulletproof glass by shooting at it. I'm also pleased that women like Anne Hofmans and Christl Dekimpe are participating. You can discover paintings by Xander Materné and almost sculptural works by Benjamin Pattyn, work by Sergeant-Oak that's also on display at The Jane… In short, too much to mention. I'm amazed by all that passion, that craftsmanship, and that design.
Strikingly, his own work won't be on display. "Logistically, it was difficult to make it work, but I don't mind at all putting others on stage in his place." There's certainly no lack of dedication, though. Because the building lacks an alarm system, Maarten will be staying overnight. "A bed is being built at the altar. A magnificent place to spend the night. This will be really cool to do and to visit."
The Wonder Creativity Festival takes place from Thursday, October 17th, to November 3rd. From Thursday to Sunday, you can visit the RedKettle Gallery exhibition in the chapel at Groeningestraat 1. There will also be a cocktail evening on October 26th. Find all the information at www.wonderkortrijk.be .