Clément’s practice takes a more extroverted form—his work embraces the theatrical, the symbolic, and the surreal. Central to his contribution to this exhibition is the figure of Soupapke, a folkloric alter ego rooted in local legend and personal invention. Inspired by the discovery that Jos Depypere is not only a gallerist but also a celebrated folkloric figure, Clément reimagined Soupapke.

During a photoshoot for the campaign with Bart Ramakers—who is also close to the Depypere family—they decided to have Clément ride an untamed donkey. With wild eyes, the donkey charged in every direction, but only Soupapke could briefly calm it. The resulting images evoke the feel of a Flemish medieval tapestry. Soupapke even carries a beer bottle on his head, featuring a label Clément specially designed for the exhibition. Around him float a dragon and a donkey bearing a blazon, all set against a colorful rain-drenched island.

Clément’s deep connection to Belgian art history is reflected in his admiration for Lionel Vinche and Pjeroo Roobjee. “I have never known a world without Lionel Vinche,” he says. Vinche designed and painted his birth announcement, and his early, surreal, narrative works—full of humor—have been a constant presence in his family’s homes. Since Vinche’s recent passing, Clément feels the world without him.

His first encounter with Roobjee’s work was at the Biennale van de Schilderkunst in Deinze, where Clément also exhibited. He was drawn to Roobjee’s use of symbols, abstraction, and figuration to create narratives. There is a distinct Belgitude in Roobjee’s oeuvre, linking him to great Belgian painters like Roger Raveel, Fred Bervoets, and Raoul De Keyser—a lineage Clément and his generation of artists strive to continue.