STUDIO CATACOMBS
Since 2021
Located in the industrial area of Sint-Truiden, Catacombs is a 1,300 m² creative space founded by Belgian artist Tom Herck. It functions as both an art studio and exhibition site, featuring a wide range of contemporary works while fostering collaboration between art and industry. The space reflects Herck’s commitment to innovation rooted in cultural heritage.

Choosing to base Catacombs in his hometown, Herck reinforces a strong sense of local identity, pushing back against the trend of urban migration. The venue showcases striking sculptures and installations that explore global social and cultural themes, offering inspiration and encouraging new artistic and collaborative projects.

Visitors experience an immersive journey through the space’s winding layout, designed to spark curiosity, reflection, and connection. Whether you're an art enthusiast, student, tourist, or business partner, Catacombs invites everyone into a shared creative dialogue.

"On Grandmother's Way" by Tom Herck is a personal and provocative installation at Catacombs, paying tribute to his grandmother, Josee De Duvel, a former brothel owner who died by suicide. Through this work, Herck reflects on family, identity, and how personal lives intersect with social taboos and history.

The installation recreates a nostalgic brothel environment with vintage decor—oriental rugs, a piano, a bar, and even a swing—inviting visitors to linger and reflect. Framed references to his grandmother’s life and death are mixed with satire and symbolism, including a human skeleton in a coffee table as a nod to mortality and memory.

Located near Brustem’s "Chaussée d'Amour," a known prostitution zone, the installation’s neon signs like Club Tropical and De Cupido highlight society’s conflicted views on sex work. The gritty, industrial backdrop of Catacombs—with iron bars and fencing—adds themes of confinement and societal judgment.

Originally developed in 2022 at the nearby Castle of Ordingen as Chateau D'Amour, the piece gains added depth from its geographic and cultural context, bridging personal memory with broader conversations about sexuality and stigma.

Special thanx: B&K Strauven.
Pictures: Bart Ramakers, Erik Jamar, Stijn Elshout.
Text: Lara Van Oudenaarde.