Snatching VOORUIT

The artist from Colombia is studying for some years in Ghent. He got the chance to create this work with support from the people from MiraMiro festival.
His words about this work:
" VOORUIT is a cultural centre that opened in 1913 it name means “forward” or “ahead” and has been the house of the arts in the city.
The building was planned to house cultural activities of all kinds, managed by the city’s workers' movement, with tickets, food and drinks on offer at low prices. Now run by the non-profit Arts Centre Vooruit vzw / Vier Nul vier. The name was originally taken by the socialist cooperative Vooruit created in 1891.
After many years and different administrations, the cultural centre does not have a relationship with politics but invests its forces to the development and support of arts in Gent.
In 2020 the Flemish socialist party, before known as SP.A decided to change their name snatching VOORUIT. The arbitrary decision caused disturbance to the city's memory and to the cultural centre that was, in a way, forced to change its name to Vier Nul Viers. It was not good news and it damages their independence and their image as something not related to politics.
I talked with Isabelle, a resident of the neighbourhood for many years, she did not like the news either- for me is always going to be VOORUIT ¡no one can take that away! "