In August 2025, renowned French artist and photographer Raphaël Dallaporta embarked on a residency in Bastogne, a city steeped in the history of the Ardennes. The Bastogne War Museum, a key landmark in the area, offers a profound exploration of the Battle of the Bulge (1944–45), illuminating its enduring impact on soldiers and civilians alike. Dallaporta, whose work delves into the systems shaping our relationship with knowledge, memory, and space, is developing a new visual art project inspired by this memorial landscape as part of his involvement in the Art of Remembrance project.
During his residency, Dallaporta engaged deeply with the local community. One of his first visits was to Bois du Beuleu in Gouvy, the site where the first V-2 rocket was launched on September 8, 1944. There, he met André Wangen, who witnessed the event as a 15-year-old. Their encounter underscored the living connection between past and present.
To prepare for a public ceremony marking the 81st anniversary of the V-2 attack, Dallaporta led a series of three collaborative workshops at the Bastogne War Museum (August 22–24). Bringing together several participants—ranging from students and teachers to local historians and museum guides—the workshops explored how places hold memory, the invisible scars of conflict, and the role of trees as silent witnesses to history. Discussions also addressed contemporary commemoration practices and ways to involve diverse generations in acts of remembrance.
The ideas generated in these sessions were central to the September 8 ceremony, which Dallaporta coordinated. The event blended solemn reflection with moments of collective participation, including a poignant gesture by primary school students from Cherain Community School, who released seven balloons bearing messages in honor of the seven civilian victims of the V-2 rocket.
Dallaporta’s residency will continue this winter, with further community engagements planned. His project will culminate in a traveling exhibition, set to launch in March 2026. Follow our Instagram page for updates on this and other European residencies, as we explore the intersection of history and contemporary art.
