Hunting & collecting

'HUNTING & COLLECTING: SELECTED SCULPTURES' – STIEF DESMET An examination of the artist’s ongoing dialogue with the natural world. 'HUNTING & COLLECTING: Selected Sculptures' offers a concise yet compelling introduction to the poetic and conceptual world of Belgian artist Stief DeSmet, whose work explores the complex relationship between nature, culture, and human intervention. Moving as "a collector" between painting, sculpture, performance, and installation, DeSmet creates visual narratives infused with irony, nostalgia, and critical reflection. This monograph highlights his ongoing exploration of the natural world — not as an untouched ideal, but as a landscape continually shaped by human desire and imagination. Richly illustrated, the book traces his evolution from urban observer to rural storyteller, revealing an artist deeply engaged with themes of longing, transformation, and environmental awareness. With contributions by artists and a curator, HUNTING & COLLECTING presents a focused overview of DeSmet’s practice, including his longstanding inspiration drawn from Thoreau’s Walden — he even built a replica of Thoreau’s cabin in his artistic garden.