Description

The Flemish Lion

The Flemish Lion first appeared in the Middle Ages, a black figure on a golden field. In some images it was rendered plain, in others with red claws and tongue. Across centuries the emblem shifted, carrying with it the tension between heritage, power and interpretation.

During the Second World War it was adopted by collaborators, and the black and gold lion became stained by association with occupation and propaganda. In the 1970s, as Belgium entered its federal transformation, the debate re-emerged. Parliament chose the red-clawed lion as the official emblem, while the black and gold lion remained in the hands of those who sought resistance, struggle or a harder edge of identity.

Today the two versions live side by side. One speaks of institutions and formal authority. The other carries the weight of defiance and memory. Neither is neutral, both remain charged.

To hear the lion is to listen to political voices raised. To look is to see colour loaded with history. To smell is to sense the smoke of war and the ink of chronicles. To taste is to savour heritage, sharp and sweet. To touch is to feel belonging and division. To learn is to know that symbols never rest.

Created in Kalmthout, Belgium, August 2025.

Original artwork specifications

• Stretched Canvas
• Glossy Multi Colour Spray Paint
• Varnish
• 60 x 60 x 1.5 cm
• Unique artwork

Canvas may have a slight size deviation up to a few millimetres.