On 28, 29 and 31 May 2026, Lucinda Ra, in collaboration with Dr. Guislain Museum and VIERNULVIER, is organising a three-day programme on grief to coincide with the performance of Katrientje (Barbara Claes/Lucinda Ra). In this performance, Barbara reconstructs the death of her sister Katrien in 1991, as seen through the eyes of the eight-year-old child she was at the time.

PROGRAMME

Location: Dr. Guislain Museum

Thursday 28 May 2026 / 20:00 / Theatre performance

Katrientje

When events are too profound, different scenarios unfold. With the tragedy and silence that marked her life story, theatre maker Barbara Claes wanted to write a new scenario. One that faces the bare facts, but dares to counter them with imagination, humour and, above all, solace. ‘Katrientje’ is a reconstruction through the eyes of the child she was back then, at a time when there was hardly any attention paid to the grieving process.

Friday 29 May 2026 / Discussion

We will be in conversation with film maker and documentarian Dries Meddens, contextual therapist Dieter Christiaens and theatre maker Barbara Claes. Literary scholar Zoë Ghyselinck will moderate. In this discussion, we will explore how grief, creating artistic work based on one’s own life story, and psychiatry intersect.

We are also inviting HYM, a Brussels-based a cappella group of six women. 

Sunday 31 May 2026 / Theatre

Full Stop, Comma, New Line

Wim Claeys brings the three-day programme to a close with his show Full Stop, Comma, New Line – a comedy about euthanasia and a personal story about Wim’s mum.

All events will take place in the lecture theatre at the Dr. Guislain Museum. In the days leading up to the event, Stefanie Claes will be working on a large painting in that space, whilst Barbara Claes will be collaborating with children and young people from Missing You vzw on a text for The missing song.

Grief and Komunikatsion is organised by Lucinda Ra, the Dr. Guislain Museum and Art centre VIERNULVIER.