A General of Beauty. The Work of Jan Fabre

If there was ever an artist who entered the performing arts in an unorthodox way, that artist is Jan Fabre. A native of Antwerp, Fabre had no theatrical training, but studied at the Academy of Fine Arts and at the Municipal Institute for Decorative Arts and Crafts in Antwerp. Yet his development was nevertheless organic: during his studies, between 1976 and 1980, he not only produced his first theatre texts and his first visual work, but also gave performances. These originated from his training as a window-dresser. From the beginning Fabre was an artist who strove for freedom. This is why, in his performances — which he first staged in a shop window — he literally forced his way to the fore.He is an artist who continually explores his own limitations and attempts to push them back.