Contour 2011 presents a new work from Dan Graham. The famous American artist has designed a pavilion made from glass and steel for the city of Mechelen. The ‘Performance Pavilion for a Catholic City’ will be revealed at the opening of the biennial on 26 August. During Contour 2011 it will function as a stage for performances and concerts.

After the biennial, the pavilion will remain permanently in the public space of Mechelen, which means the city will soon possess a piece of art history.

At the end of the seventies, Graham’s pavilions were revolutionary. The artist decided to show his creations outside museum walls, in order to make his art accessible to everyone. Nowadays such practice is not so unusual, but at that time the pavilions were a remarkable phenomenon.

Apart from his pavilions, Dan Graham created a rich body of works including videos and performances. Rock music has been a great source of inspiration for the influential artist. He has collaborated with famous American bands such as The Feelies, Sonic Youth and Television.

Contour Mechelen is an organisation dedicated to art being made in the moving image. Its mission is to promote the creation and exhibition of art in the moving image. Contour is based in Mechelen, Belgium.

Every two years, Contour Mechelen organises the Biennial of Moving Image, also known as ‘Contour’, the project for which it has become most known. The biennial offers a platform to curators and artists working with different forms of moving image, from film and video to installation. The biennial also stimulates a dialogue between contemporary art and architecture in the city of Mechelen.

In between the Biennial, Contour also instigates and produces public projections and installations.