Hantrax Dolls is an artistic project by Antwerp-based composer, musician and performer Han Swolfs, better-known as Hantrax. A key protagonist of the Antwerp underground, Hantrax’s live performances of electronic music in particular create atmospheres of vitality and hypnotism. His life of creativity is so unbridled to extent that that he is equally embraced by Antwerp’s creative community, including its visual artists and designers as much as the music scene.
Hantrax Dolls is an ongoing project by the artist in which making a doll is part of his daily ritual. For Hantrax, these everyday dolls are 'non-intentional' creation, without a predetermined form, so intuition is the key. The exhibition shows a selection of his growing doll community with references from music, literature and the internet. During each exhibition, Hantrax organizes a workshop

where he invites both artists and the public to give free rein to the creation of unique dolls, made from every conceivable material, no matter how ephemeral.  Hantrax invited artist and designer friends to participate, the workshop dolls are all labeled "Hantrax Dolls by ..." and are added to the exhibition. Renowned names such as Ann Demeulemeester, Luc Tuymans, Carla Arocha & Stéphane Schraenen, Vedran Kopljar, Kati Heck and many others all created their own Hantrax Doll. Each of these dolls has its own

name and story, and together they form a growing family of symbols for free expression, fantasy, non-normativity and joy



MAISON ANDRE & ELISA BRETON

Summer residence of the renowned André Breton, the French writer, poet, and an international emblematic figure of surrealism. In 1951, Breton acquired this house, one of the oldest in this historic town, consisting of a main building and a tower dating back to the 13th and 12th centuries, respectively. Inspired by the World Citizenship movement, Elisa and André Breton chose to settle in Saint-Cirq-Lapopie. A year later, the poet expressed his feelings, stating: "Beyond many other sites, Saint-Cirq had on me the only enchantment: the one that fixes forever. I ceased to desire elsewhere."

with:
Current expo:            Maison Andre & Elisa Breton
Sept 28 – October 13As September unfolds, the grand finale transforms the village square into a banquet hall, constructing a village revelry around the Maison André  & Elisa Breton. On the occasion of the centenary celebration of the publication of the Surrealist Manifesto, it seems essential that the Radicale 1924 project continues the village's legacy as an artists' village, demonstrating its commitment to encouraging artistic exploration and collaboration. The 100th anniversary of André Breton’s First Surrealist Manifesto, published in 1924, offers us an exceptional opportunity to revisit surrealism in the light of our times. Collaborating with the avant-garde becomes a way to question cultural history and explore creative methods that combine research and practice to be both disruptive and propositional.





A.L. Steiner (USA)

Carlos Aires (ES)

Cédric Fargues (FR)

Corentin Canesson (FR)

Elias Cafmeyer (BE)

Georges Adéagbo (BJ)

Guillaume Bijl (BE)

Hantrax Dolls (BE)

Hans Demeulenaere (BE)

Idris Sevenans (BE)

Jack Davey (UK)

Jolijn Baekelandt (BE)

Jordi Colomer (ES)

Juli Susin (GER)

Luc Deleu (BE)

Michel François (BE)

Mikes Poppe (BE)

Nienke Baeckelandt (BE)

Nicolas Bourthoumieux (BE/FR)

Pierre Martin Vielcazat (FR)

Pieter Van der Schaaf (NL)

Pierre Bismuth (FR)

Ria Pacquée (BE)

Regan Elena (USA/FR)

Samyra Moumouh (BE)

Shulea Cheang (TW/USA)

Siham Mehaimzi (FR)

Simona Mihaela Stoia (ROU/BE)

Stéphanie Lagarde (FR)

Agence Future (BE)

Thomas Rodriguez/Archive Furkablick Furkart (FR)

Véronique Bourgoin (FR)

Wim Wauman (BE)

Zena Van den Block (BE)

Leendert Van Accoleyen (BE)




‘Dolls Anonymous’

performance with Ria Pacquée, Messieurs, Elko Blijweert and Hantrax




A doll made by talking-hantraxdolls-expo-m hka-inbox     
picture: Christine Clincx (c)

solo expo

M HKA INBOX
“A doll made by talking”



Workshop:







ARCADE

“HANTRAXDOLLSRACE”
^ to drive, v to break, > right, < left
HANTRAXDOLLS WORLD I“Walk around in the Hantraxdolls expo and jump”







dge


Logo by Tom Tosseyn

Previous expo’s:

CASSTL is proud to present Hantrax Dolls AFTER X-MAS
On Sunday, February 27, CASSTL presents the first solo Hantrax Dolls exhibition.
“Hantrax Dolls is a visual project by Antwerp based composer, performer, and pianist Han Swolfs (1984). Renowned for his live electronic performances and imaginative piano stage productions, his shows are kinetic, atmospheric, hypnotic, and cinematic. A multi-faceted musician who is both enigmatic and kind, Hantrax traverses music categories with whimsical ease from classical to jazz to sharp electronic music.
Dubbed ‘The Illustrious Prince of the Antwerp Underground’, Hantrax creates transformative music championed by connoisseurs and barbarians alike.”
Hantrax Dolls AFTER X-MAS
27/02/22 – 18/03/22
Opening: Sunday, February 27 from 2 - 10pm
Visiting hours: Monday-Friday, 2 - 6pm
Closed on Saturday and Sunday






Picture Pieter Huybrechts (c)

SPLASH!

summer in the city

Babette Cooijmans, Johannes Elebaut,
Fiona Koene, Johan Van Oeckel,
Hantraxdolls, Axelle Vertommen

25 June - 17 July 2021



Press: 

Vice