On Saturday, 21 August 1971, the German artist Werner Kausch (1924-1993), dressed in a long white doctor’s coat, carried out a striking action in the streets of Aalst. Invited by Roger D’Hondt, founder of the newly established New Reform Gallery, Kausch, together with several passers-by, made prints of the manhole covers located on the Grote Markt and in the Molenstraat: finely designed industrial objects produced by the renowned Aalst-based company Vulcain.

Kausch’s Street Action was the very first performance organised by New Reform and marked the beginning of a dynamic programme of performances, concerts, events, and exhibitions throughout the 1970s.

Drawing directly on the New Reform Archive, preserved at the Aalst City Archives, this archival presentation explores the long-standing friendship between D’Hondt and Kausch, as well as the role Kausch played in the emergence of New Reform.

Compiled by Wouter De Vleeschouwer and Imogen Adams.

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Drawing inspiration from the Info~Angel group and the Centre for Societal Renewal, Info~Angel is a series of exhibitions that illuminate the history of Aalst and the Dender region. What lies concealed in our local past? What provokes (or ‘stings’) us? And what captures our attention?