Art Security Service

In the spring of 2005, the property developer Robelco, gave wide media coverage to a project for "revitalizing" the Ravenstein Galleries in Brussels. With the intention of "improving the image" of the Galleries, they invited several art galleries to temporarily occupy the many empty commercial spaces. During the opening night of this project, the aggressive social discrimination of their whole method of "revitalization" became clearly visible (in a prevailing atmosphere of social confrontation?) On the first floor the art galleries were adorned with the virtues of the “culturally elite”, whereas the ground floor; with its doomed, undesirable local cafés and bars, were adorned with their “socially disadvantaged” customers.

The symbolic violence, exercised against the employees working in the cafés down below in the rotunda, is increased by the economic and policing violence analyzed in this film. A real illustration of the methods commonly used by most property developers. In addition to their own apparent blind and disillusioned lucidity, the undercurrent of social racism, expressed by the agents most involved with the property developer, leaves one speechless!