Relics of Trees and Angels: J. M. Coetzee, Zbigniew Herbert, and Berlinde De Bruyckere at the Venice Biennale

Belgian sculptor Berlinde De Bruyckere explores bodies in liminal states between life and death, fusing human, animal, and vegetal forms to expose their shared condition of suffering and decay. In 2013 she represented Belgium at the Venice Biennale with Cripplewood, curated by J. M. Coetzee. Eleven years later she returned to Venice with a side show part of the 2024 Biennale with City of Refuge III, a set of installations evoking catastrophe and collective trauma. Adopting an intermedial approach, this paper investigates the literary influences behind these exhibitions, highlighting the underexplored role of Coetzee and Zbigniew Herbert in shaping De Bruyckere’s aesthetics and ethical vision.