On the day that the UK leaves the European Union, it is an important time to reflect on the power and politics of artists from across Europe. Wolfgang Tillmans was an active voice of the Remain campaign in Britain during the 2016 referendum, distributing posters that celebrated the diversity of the European creative community. One day after Brexit finally takes place, a major new exhibition of the German photographer’s work is to open at WIELS in Brussels—an apt metaphor for this historic political moment in time. The exhibition is to explore the richly varied work of Tillmans, from darkroom printing experiments to his early documentation of the youth culture of Berlin and London. Britain may no longer be a member of the EU, but the spirit of its international community, creativity and hope remains strong.
