Opening: The Mirror of Peace

Prominently displayed in the main courtyard of the MuseumsQuartier, a work of art by Renee van Bavel invites visitors to reflect on peace and our place in the world. “The Mirror of Peace“ does not approach the question of peace in an abstract way, but rather allows viewers to have a deeply personal experience of reflection on this pressing issue of our time.

In her works, Berlin-based Dutch artist Renee van Bavel explores the themes of freedom, peace, and humanity, encouraging viewers to engage with these themes on a deeply personal level. Her immersive artwork “The Mirror of Peace“ illustrates this approach. Taking the form of a giant mirror, this artwork offers viewers a life-size reflection of themselves, accompanied by the text: “This is what people living in peace look like.“ Anyone standing in front of the mirror is not merely viewing a work of art but becomes part of it themselves. Peace does not appear as a historical condition or a distant political ideal, but as a fragile reality that shapes one’s own life and must be protected anew every day. “The Mirror of Peace“ brings the theme close to the body, to the present moment, and to personal consciousness. It makes it clear that peace cannot be taken for granted.

Since its first presentation in the Netherlands in 2020, “The Mirror of Peace“ has been exhibited in various locations and within different historical contexts. In 2022, the Draiflessen Collection, in collaboration with Benedicti Claustra Onlus, presented the work on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore during the 59th Venice Biennale. In 2023, it was exhibited in Germany to mark the 375th anniversary of the Peace of Westphalia; in the summer of 2025, another version was presented in the center of Ljubljana as part of the Global Hearth Summit.

The MuseumsQuartier sees itself as a diverse and cosmopolitan arts and culture complex—a place where people can come together, linger, and experience culture. A particular focus of the MQ’s artistic program—especially through its Artist-in-Residence program—is on highlighting and supporting international artists from repressive contexts or those affected by war and crisis. With the presentation of “The Mirror of Peace,“ we invite our visitors to reflect together on the fragility of peace and the urgency of dialogue on this topic.

Renee van Bavel, born in Vught, the Netherlands, in 1981, lives and works in Berlin. Her artistic practice spans the fields of visual art, performance, installation, and the culture of remembrance. Before turning to the visual arts, she established a professional career as a composer, lyricist, and performer. Since 1999, she has toured Europe with her own concert programs and developed works for official commemorative events, including commissions from the Berlin Wall Foundation and the Dutch National Committee for May 4 & 5. Between 2022 and 2024, she was an artist-in-residence at the Sachsenhausen and Ravensbrück memorial sites. The accompanying program for the presentation of “The Mirror of Peace“ is being developed in collaboration with the “Erinnern in Zukunft“ initiative at the Brunnenpassage.