“Ayrton Eblé’s work explores transitional phases in urban public space, places under construction, in a state of flux, unfinished and raw, and our interactions with them. At the heart of his practice lies the question of ownership over these sites, and the boundaries that are imposed around them. Through unofficial installations and unannounced interventions or happenings, he investigates how these boundaries can be blurred and control can be subverted. His actions may resemble acts of vandalism, but are primarily rebellious gestures that reclaim forgotten spaces until they are reactivated.

The neon installation ‘… was here’ is permanently installed on the facade of the art collective Tarmac in Meermout. It was placed on the side of the building where a house used to stand, pressed directly against the wall, the traces of which are still clearly visible. For Doel Festival, we are inviting Eblé to create a second version of this existing work, to be installed in Doel. Once placed, it will resonate poignantly with the village’s history, its former residents, and the buildings that were illegally demolished. 

In addition, Eblé will present a series of metal coats of arms, made from repurposed car hoods, hung on the facade of the old city hall of Doel. These refer to tuning and car culture, expressions of personal identity, highly visible in Doel due to the weekly visits of car and tuning enthusiasts who use the village as a meeting spot and as a backdrop for photographing their vehicles. The coats of arms can also be seen as symbols of Doel as a final frontier, a bastion held up by activist groups and squatter communities.”


Text by Benny Van den Meulengracht-Vrancx for Doel Festival 2025 Newfound Heraldry, 2023-2024
A series of welded car hoods mounted on the former city hall of Doel, BE
Dimensions variable

Photography by Lina Van Hulle, as presented at the exhibition Dauntless Circus during Doel Festival
August 30th, 2025.

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