{"id":47976,"date":"2025-01-16T12:36:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-16T12:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/ben-van-dyck\/"},"modified":"2025-01-16T12:36:00","modified_gmt":"2025-01-16T12:36:00","slug":"ben-van-dyck","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/en\/ben-van-dyck\/","title":{"rendered":"Ben Van Dyck"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-larger-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"856\" src=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/002-1024x856.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-39476\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/002-1024x856.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/002-300x251.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/002-768x642.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/002-1536x1284.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/002-2048x1712.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/002-973x813.jpg 973w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/002-508x425.jpg 508w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-1 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Light, air, water and movement<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-2 wp-block-paragraph\">100&#215;120 cm<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-3 wp-block-paragraph\">acrylic on canvas<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-4 wp-block-paragraph\">With this series of works Ben Van Dyck wants to point out the fragility of our nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"851\" src=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/003-1024x851.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-39478\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/003-1024x851.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/003-300x249.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/003-768x638.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/003-1536x1276.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/003-2048x1701.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/003-973x808.jpg 973w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/003-508x422.jpg 508w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-5 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Light, air, water and movement<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-6 wp-block-paragraph\">100 x 120 cm<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-7 wp-block-paragraph\">acrylic on canvas<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"855\" src=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/004-1024x855.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-39481\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/004-1024x855.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/004-300x250.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/004-768x641.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/004-1536x1282.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/004-2048x1710.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/004-973x812.jpg 973w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/004-508x424.jpg 508w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-8 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Light, air, water and movement<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-9 wp-block-paragraph\">100&#215;120 cm <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-10 wp-block-paragraph\">acrylic on canvas<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"857\" src=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/005-1024x857.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-39484\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/005-1024x857.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/005-300x251.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/005-768x643.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/005-1536x1285.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/005-2048x1714.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/005-973x814.jpg 973w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/005-508x425.jpg 508w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-11 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Air Water Life <\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-12 wp-block-paragraph\">100&#215;120 cm<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-13 wp-block-paragraph\">acrylic on canvas<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"856\" src=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/006-1024x856.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-39487\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/006-1024x856.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/006-300x251.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/006-768x642.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/006-1536x1284.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/006-2048x1712.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/006-973x813.jpg 973w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/006-508x425.jpg 508w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-14 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Light, air, water and movement<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-15 wp-block-paragraph\">100&#215;120 cm<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-16 wp-block-paragraph\">acrylic on canvas<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-17 wp-block-paragraph\">This work with the frog radiates life and movement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"846\" src=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/007-1024x846.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-39489\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/007-1024x846.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/007-300x248.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/007-768x634.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/007-1536x1269.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/007-2048x1692.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/007-973x804.jpg 973w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/007-508x420.jpg 508w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-18 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Air Water Life<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-19 wp-block-paragraph\">100&#215;120 cm<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-20 wp-block-paragraph\">acrylic on canvas<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"847\" src=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/008-1024x847.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-39491\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/008-1024x847.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/008-300x248.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/008-768x636.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/008-1536x1271.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/008-2048x1695.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/008-973x805.jpg 973w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/008-508x420.jpg 508w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-21 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Air Water Life<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-22 wp-block-paragraph\">100&#215;120 cm<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-23 wp-block-paragraph\">acrylic on canvas<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-24 wp-block-paragraph\">The light colours, various shades of yellow, blue and green, invite the viewer to cheer up.  Ben Van Dyck does include a mild accusation, without playing the preacher.  He wants to point out the fragility of our nature.  We must treat our surroundings with care and responsibility.  In this series of paintings Ben Van Dyck uses two main colours with which he can play to evoke light, air and life.  And together that makes the work move.  In this setting Ben Van Dyck paints animals.  They too radiate strength and life.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"669\" src=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/009-1024x669.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-39493\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/009-1024x669.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/009-300x196.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/009-768x502.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/009-1536x1003.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/009-2048x1338.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/009-973x635.jpg 973w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/009-508x332.jpg 508w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-25 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Air Water Life<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-26 wp-block-paragraph\">100&#215;140 cm<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-27 wp-block-paragraph\">acrylic on canvas<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Ben Van Dyck\" width=\"620\" height=\"349\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/02-j-YAG9J0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1017\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/001-1017x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-39473\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/001-1017x1024.jpg 1017w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/001-298x300.jpg 298w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/001-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/001-768x773.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/001-1525x1536.jpg 1525w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/001-2034x2048.jpg 2034w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/001-88x88.jpg 88w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/001-973x980.jpg 973w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/001-508x512.jpg 508w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1017px) 100vw, 1017px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-28 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Nie wieder<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-29 wp-block-paragraph\">90x90cm<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-30 wp-block-paragraph\">acrylic on canvas<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"992\" src=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-1024x992.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-36628\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-1024x992.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-300x291.png 300w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-768x744.png 768w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-1536x1488.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-2048x1984.png 2048w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-973x943.png 973w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-508x492.png 508w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-light-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-31 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Death Zoo<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-light-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-32 wp-block-paragraph\">100x100cm<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-light-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-33 wp-block-paragraph\">acrylic on canvas<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-light-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-34 wp-block-paragraph\">This work comes from a series of ten with themes from Ben&#8217;s childhood memories, such as the circus, the fair and the zoo&#8230; .  They look like cheerful spot-the-difference puzzles, until you look a little more closely.  Then they turn out to have a macabre &#8216;dark side&#8217;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-light-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-35 wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"774\" src=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-1-1024x774.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-36619\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-1-1024x774.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-1-300x227.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-1-768x581.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-1-1536x1161.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-1-2048x1548.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-1-973x735.jpeg 973w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-1-508x384.jpeg 508w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-light-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-36 wp-block-paragraph\">linocut on butcher&#8217;s paper (1 of a series of 4)<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"564\" src=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-2-1024x564.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-36626\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-2-1024x564.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-2-300x165.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-2-768x423.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-2-1536x846.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-2-2048x1127.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-2-973x536.jpeg 973w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-2-508x280.jpeg 508w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-light-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-37 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Sloths and Coffee<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-light-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-38 wp-block-paragraph\">acrylic on canvas<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-light-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-39 wp-block-paragraph\">Ever since he was young, Ben Van Dyck (b. 1969, Aarschot) has been a passionate draughtsman. In 1986, as a connoisseur of the better Belgian comics, Ben won the Marc Sleen competition, which earned him a role as a comic-strip hero in a Nero story. He picked up his fascination for exotic animals from the comic-strip artist Marc Sleen (1922-2016).  In his stories Marc Sleen worked in the animals he encountered on his safari trips with King Leopold III.  Ben Van Dyck is a well-known Fleming thanks to the VRT documentary series \u2018Het Leven zoals het is&#8217;, which ran for years.  Ben features prominently in the television series by reporter Arnaut Houven &#8216;Leve de Zoo!&#8217;, in &#8216;Blueberry Hill&#8217; by Robbe De Hert and in &#8216;Het Sacrament&#8217; by Hugo Claus. At Antwerp Zoo he is responsible, among other things, for the development of the reptile house. At Planckendael Zoo, the phenomenon Ben becomes head keeper of the elephants and other large mammals. It goes without saying that the animal world becomes an important source of inspiration for his oeuvre. His painting can be divided into large, semi-realistic works with nature as their theme, and cartoon-like paintings in the recurring colours of black, white and red. Ben studied at the art secondary schools in Aarschot and Lier, and then followed a directing course at the RITCS. In his boundless imagination, the giant Ben Van Dyck continues to perfect himself at the Academy of Fine Arts. This bon vivant and artist draws, paints, makes graphic work, writes, performs puppet theatre with self-made puppets of foam rubber or rubber latex and gives lectures on, among other things, the usefulness of the zoo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-3-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-36718\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-3-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-3-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-3-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-3-973x649.jpeg 973w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-3-508x339.jpeg 508w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-3.jpeg 1350w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-light-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-40 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>&#8220;There are four things that interest people: other people, animals, children and misery.&#8221; &#8211; Ben Van Dyck <\/strong> (photo: David Legreve)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"828\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-4-828x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-36773\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-4-828x1024.jpeg 828w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-4-243x300.jpeg 243w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-4-768x949.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-4-973x1203.jpeg 973w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-4-508x628.jpeg 508w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-4.jpeg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 828px) 100vw, 828px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-light-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-41 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Ben Van Dyck in action<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video height=\"1080\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 1920 \/ 1080;\" width=\"1920\" controls src=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_19251.mp4\"><\/video><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-2.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-36879\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-2.png 480w, https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/image-2-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-light-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color has-normal-font-size wp-elements-42\">Ben Van Dyck is an Aarschot Greeter<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-light-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-43 wp-block-paragraph\">Besides academics who guide visitors around ducal Aarschot, there are non-professional guides.  Volunteers who show their favourite gems of the Hageland.  They call themselves &#8220;Greeters&#8221;.  The passionate Ben Van Dyck is one of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-light-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-44 wp-block-paragraph\">More information and reservations:  toerisme@aarschot.be<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-light-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-45 wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;I want to introduce people to my fantastic city in a cheerful, relaxed and pleasant atmosphere, because I am proud of my city.&#8221; &#8211; Ben Van Dyck<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-light-gray-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-46 wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Light, air, water and movement 100&#215;120 cm acrylic on canvas With this series of works Ben Van Dyck wants to point out the fragility of our nature. Light,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":36628,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-47976","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-artists"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47976","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47976"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47976\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36628"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47976"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47976"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.museum-aarschot.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47976"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}