The Carmelite convent in Charleroi was occupied by the Museum of Photography in 1987. The building, built in successive stages between 1872 and 1905 in neogothic style, provided austere comfort. In 1995 the French Community, owner of the building, decided to renovate the convent in order to better the installation of the museum. L'Escaut took part in this first adventure, initially coordinating the interventions of the artists Francis Alÿs, Edith Dekyndt, Jean-Claude Saudoyez and Marc Feulien, and thereafter by taking over the rest of the project.

The transformation of an old convent into the Museum of Photography was a process of reversal of existing logics in the building. Starting from a place were looking at the world was forbidden, and with very simple devices, a place of revelation of the image appears. The hidden building becomes an exposed public space.

The intervention is barebones, integrating the technical devices discretely. The reception is entirely refitted, the furniture calling upon the history of the building: the space used to host an enormous piece of furniture with lattice and drawers, which was the only place of exchange between the nuns the outside world.

The Museum of Photography: phase 2
Phase 3
Phase 4

The Museum of Photography website