Sigefride Bruna Hautman at M Leuven

This major presentation reveals the full extent of the Antwerp-based artist’s rich and unique oeuvre, which she has been working on since the 1980s.

FIGURATIVE POEMS

Sigefride Bruna Hautman’s works are like visual poems. Since the 1980s, she has created sculptures, reliefs, installations, videos, drawings, collages and text works. Her figurative oeuvre oscillates between hyperrealism and stylization, between direct legibility and symbolism, between simplicity and complex stratification. Her versatility in techniques and materials is particularly noteworthy: from wood, leather, silk, plaster and clay to polyester. “The work itself, and what it signifies, leads me to the material and the technique,” says the artist.

FIRST RETROSPECTIVE EXHIBITION

“M is presenting the first retrospective of this extraordinary artist who has remained somewhat under the radar of curators, press and the public for almost two decades,” states Leuven’s alderman for culture, Bert Cornillie, “Hautman’s exhibition reflects M’s policy decision to offer a platform to artists who have hitherto remained underexposed.”

Hautman’s artistic quirkiness and personality have given her a cult status amidst colleagues and prominent figures in the cultural and fashion world.

Hautman is excited that her exhibition at M will be the first time that many visitors will encounter her work. Despite being a lifelong artist, she has had stretches when she primarily created in private and did not exhibit.

She worked closely with curator Valerie Verhack on the retrospective at M. “Hautman’s oeuvre—from the early years to today—demonstrates a profound and sensitive gaze. With her playful, still images, she celebrates life in all its complexity,” says Valerie Verhack.

at M Leuven
until August 31, 2025