Françoise Schein, in collaboration with the association INSCRIRE, invites local residents to participate in the creation of a long ceramic table conceived as a space for dialogue around the theme of “Utopias”, through participatory workshops taking place on 28 or 29 April 2026. The work will be inaugurated on 5 June 2026 at the Strombeek Cultural Center.
Commissioned by the CultuurCentrum Strombeek, The Garden of Utopias extends Françoise Schein’s ongoing research into the relationship between art, public space and civic participation. The project is developed in close collaboration with the inhabitants of Strombeek.
The tabletop is composed of ceramic tiles painted by participants in response to the notion of utopia, understood as the representation of an ideal society. The ensemble forms a permanent installation, conceived as a living space within the cultural centre and the public realm, fostering dialogue, encounter and conviviality.
Participatory workshops with local residents
Take part in the creation of the work
Residents are invited to actively contribute to the production of the table through a series of workshops held at the CultuurCentrum Strombeek. Each participant is invited to paint ceramic tiles that will become part of the tabletop.
The workshops are conceived as moments of reflection and exchange around the theme of utopia. The artist proposes to address, among other topics, questions of the rights and responsibilities of living beings, as well as our relationship to the Earth, to nature and to society. These sessions also allow space for individual expression, personal narratives and the imagination of each participant.
Following a collective discussion, each participant translates their ideas into images on ceramic tiles, which will be integrated into a shared artwork installed on the town square on 5 June 2026.
Dates
Free workshops – registration required
28 or 29 April 2026
14:00 – 18:00
Location
CultuurCentrum Strombeek
Gemeenteplein
1853 Strombeek
Languages: French, English, Dutch
From age 16
