The work of Belgian artist Sven Augustijnen is currently on display at the Salón Artesoado of the Colegio de Fonseca, featuring the exhibition titled 'Sven Augustijnen. Maps of the Middle East (1970-1979)', which opens on 12 November at 20:00. This exhibition is curated by Pedro de Llano Neira, a professor in the Department of Art History at the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), and will be accessible until 28 February 2027, from Monday to Saturday, between 11:00 and 14:00, and 17:00 to 20:00.
'Maps of the Middle East' is an ongoing research project initiated in 2020, where Augustijnen reflects on the evolving geopolitical and social realities in the Middle East, with a particular focus on the Israel-Palestine conflict. This is achieved through detailed photographic documentation of maps published by the American weekly Time Magazine since 1923. The initial presentation of this project took place at the Kunsthal in Aarhus, Denmark, in 2022, showcasing a selection of photographs covering the period from 1942 to 1969. The current exhibition at the Colegio de Fonseca represents a new section of this research, focusing on the years 1970 to 1979.
Rosa M. Crujeiras, the rector of USC, who will preside over the opening event, stated, 'It is important for USC to host proposals that create spaces for artistic creation, research, and dialogue between different forms of knowledge.' The event will also be attended by Sven Augustijnen, Pedro de Llano, and Natividade González, the Culture Deputy of the A Coruña Provincial Council.
Sven Augustijnen, born in Mechelen in 1970, is a Belgian artist who began his career in the late 1990s. Although his films have been featured in Spanish film festivals such as Zinebi in Bilbao (2025) and Documenta in Madrid (2012), his visual art has not been individually exhibited in museums or artistic centres in Spain, despite his international acclaim. Initially focused on exploring the possibilities of video and film in exhibition and cinematic contexts, his work has evolved through a critical examination of the documentary film format and the increasing significance of archival practices in the early 21st century. This interest in archives and documentation has led to a profound reflection on the ability of artworks to serve not only as historical testimonies but also as generators of historicity themselves.
The exhibition continues the line of research initiated with the event 'Decolonial Reflections for an Artistic Ecosystem', organised by the IDEAHS research group at USC, which took place on 6 May 2026 in the Faculty of Geography and History. Additionally, the exhibition is the central focus of a new wave of Cultural Sparks, an initiative by the USC Vice-Rectorate for Culture, Language, and Heritage, aimed at fostering cultural reflection within USC classrooms and complementing students' education through cultural interventions and activities. Consequently, students are participating in various actions organised around this exhibition.
