Building a glacier on the Keizersberg
About dreams that are bigger than mountains, yet begin in the square.
Stefaan Vandelacluze wants to restore the world. Not by making grand statements, but by boldly imagining. He believes in the power of artistic thinking, meeting and observing. And sometimes, very occasionally, in building a glacier in the heart of Leuven.
Stefaan Vandelacluze: ‘My project How do I build a glacier?, which was described in Het Financiële Dagblad as “an attempt to create a glacier on Bondgenotenlaan or Keizersberg”, is not a gimmick. It is a proposal for dialogue, a performative manifesto about water, climate, art and hope. And yes, also about fun.’
"I want to save the world, but with some fun along the way."
Stefaan Vandelacluze: ‘That fun lies in encounters. In stories. In the idea that even a flower on the pavement in Leuven has something to say. I live partly in a mountain hut in the Alps. Nature is my first nature. But I also see it in the city, in the small things, in the unruly.’
‘My ideas reach far. From ice fountains in India to towers built by drones at an altitude of 3,000 metres. From melting glaciers to cloud milk installations. But the core is simple: art only truly comes into being through dialogue. Without an audience, there is no art. The viewer is just as important as the paint or the marble. Connection is not an afterthought. It is the prerequisite.’
LOV2030 has enough crazy ambition to really break new ground. It pushes boundaries. It allows imagination. Imagination is my raw material. My contribution to LOV2030 is therefore one of imagination and connection. Not a project that “beautifies” the city, but one that shakes it awake. A proposal that is as absurd as it is urgent.
Stefaan Vandelacluze: "The energy required for the glacier in Leuven is generated by an innovative hydrogen panel park, which will be donated to the local cultural sector once the project has ended. This will make it CO2 neutral in one fell swoop."
"In this way, the project not only contributes to raising awareness about climate change, but also to the structural sustainability of the cultural landscape. The glacier becomes a stage, a mirror, a melted manifesto, but also a playground for children and young people during the Christmas holidays."
"Scientists are brilliant at improving processes, but not good at starting new ones. That's where artists come in; they need to work together with scientists. Every period in which art flourishes is followed by prosperity."
Stefaan Vandelacluze: "The glacier is more than an ecological experiment. It is a democratic work of art that invites participation, dialogue and systemic change. The project breaks down silos between art, science, politics and industry. It invites citizens, academics and even petrochemical companies to take responsibility and dream again."
"Even if the glacier is never “really” built, the project has proven its power: it mobilises imagination as a source of resistance and connection. It puts its finger on the wound, but also shows unexpected bandages."
"We can return to the past to save ourselves, or we can try to repair the damage in the future. We have messed everything up, but I believe in the malleability of the world."
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