Jennifer Tee officially unveilsWomb of Time at the Vilain XIIII castle estate in Leut

MAASMECHELEN, 22 June 2026 – The Vilain XIIII castle estate in Leut is set to welcome a special new artwork: Womb of Time, a permanent brick sculpture by the Dutch artist Jennifer Tee. The work ties in with the rich history of the estate, which is currently being repurposed by Tourism Flanders and is set to embark on a new future as a place for heritage, landscape and community. On Monday 22 June, the artwork was festively unveiled in the presence of the artist.

With Womb of Time, Art on the Meuse – the public art project in RivierPark Maasvallei – gains its sixth permanent installation. The artwork was commissioned by Tourism Flanders, which is also providing the majority of the funding. Kunstenhuis Z33 is curating the project and supporting the artist in its realisation.

Eight leaves as a starting point

For Womb of Time, Jennifer Tee takes her inspiration from the Vilain XIIII castle estate, a site with a rich history and a remarkable collection of trees. The estate owes this richness to Charles Vilain XIIII (1803–1878), a Belgian politician, diplomat and passionate dendrologist who had the park redesigned in the 19th century. He expanded it with numerous native and non-native tree species.

Today, this collection of trees is both a living archive and a landscape in flux. Some species from the historic collection have disappeared due to changing climatic conditions, whilst others have vanished after completing their life cycle. During a walk through the grounds, Tee therefore selected leaves from trees that still help to shape the landscape today. What remains is a meticulous snapshot of what is tangible here and now: leaves from, amongst others, the small-leaved lime, red beech, maple, magnolia, chestnut, oak and poplar.

Preserving time in brick

An impression of each leaf was made in brick, produced at the Dutch brickworks Vogelensangh. In this way, the immediate surroundings are literally embedded in the artwork. The landscape thus becomes a vessel of memory, whilst brick transforms the ephemeral form of a leaf into something enduring.

“Womb of Time emerged from the site itself. I chose leaves from trees that still stand on the estate today, and had their imprints made in brick. In this way, very temporary, fragile forms are nevertheless preserved. At the same time, the material carries with it the history of the former maternity hospital, as some bricks from that building have been incorporated into the sculpture. For me, the artwork thus brings together different layers of time: nature, the history of the site and the possibility of something new,” says Jennifer Tee.

Art as part of a new future

These different layers come together in the sculpture’s visual language. Central to this is the ‘womb’ pattern, a form that refers to the womb as a place of origin, protection and transformation. Above and below this form, two ship’s prows appear, opening up the motif to evoke an image of movement and crossing. The result is a sculpture that speaks not only of birth, but also of transition: between the past and the future, between what fades away and what can begin anew. Because the work is situated close to the River Meuse, this idea takes on an almost physical significance. ‘Womb of Time’ becomes a place where landscape, memory and renewal converge.

For Tourism Flanders, the artwork thus also fits within the new future of the Leut castle estate, where heritage, landscape and community are interwoven. “The regeneration of the castle estate is not just about giving buildings a new purpose. It is also about preserving the soul of a place and bringing it back to life. ‘Womb of Time’ does exactly that. Jennifer Tee takes her cue from what is already present here: the park’s tree history, the memory of the former maternity hospital and the proximity of the River Meuse. By bringing these layers together in a permanent artwork, the site gains a new anchor point that connects the past and the future,” says Leen Gysen, Administrator-General of Tourism Flanders.

Adinda Van Geystelen, General and Artistic Director of Z33, emphasises the power of the work within Art on the Meuse: “In Jennifer Tee’s work, the landscape breathes alongside it: leaves become bricks, time becomes tangible. She turns leaves into a compass, as it were: they point us towards what remains, what disappears and what begins anew. As curator of Art on the Meuse, Z33 aims to create artworks that not only appear in public space, but also give that space greater depth. Womb of Time does this in a particularly poetic way.”

Festive unveiling

On Monday 22 June, Womb of Time was officially unveiled at the Vilain XIIII castle estate in Leut. Following a welcome reception at Viertien – Gastrobar & Venue, the artwork was unveiled by Tourism Flanders, Z33 and artist Jennifer Tee.

About Jennifer Tee

Jennifer Tee (NL, b. 1973) is a Dutch artist with an international reputation. In her work, she often explores the relationship between nature, ritual, symbolism and craftsmanship. She works with sculpture, installation, collage and drawing, creating layered images in which material and meaning are closely intertwined.

For Womb of Time, Tee has, for the first time, translated her internationally acclaimed Tampan Tulip collages into a permanent public sculpture in brick. The result is a contemplative work in which organic forms, material and time converge.

Practical information

You will find the artwork at the Vilain XIIII Castle Estate in Leut, Maasmechelen. Parking is available within walking distance at Leut’s Dorpsplein (P 13) and the castle car park. There are several circular walking routes through the castle grounds. The artwork is situated close to the red (14km), blue (5km), orange (10km) and green (3.5km) walking loops of RivierPark Maasvallei. The castle grounds are also situated between cycle junctions 50 and 56. Reflection, the artwork by Germaine Kruip, is also just 1 km further along the River Maas.

View the map here

With thanks to

This artwork was realised through an additional commission from Tourism Flanders, which is currently redeveloping the Leut Castle estate. Z33 is co-funding the project, acting as curator and overseeing the artistic process from concept to realisation. The work is also supported by the Mondriaan Fund.

With thanks to artist Jennifer Tee and her team, the Leut tree working group, the Immovable Heritage Agency, the municipality of Maasmechelen, the Vogelensangh brickworks, the partners involved at the Vilain XIIII castle estate, and the project teams at Z33 and Regionaal Landschap Kempen en Maasland.

About Art on the Meuse

Art on the Meuse is an initiative of Z33 Centre for Contemporary Art, Design & Architecture (Hasselt) and Regionaal Landschap Kempen & Maasland (RLKM).

The project receives financial support from Flanders, specifically Tourism Flanders and the Cultural Infrastructure Fund (FoCI), De Vlaamse Waterweg and five municipalities in the Maasland region: Kinrooi, Maaseik, Dilsen-Stokkem, Maasmechelen and Lanaken.

The project was launched with ​ Mark Dion’s Tree of Life in Herbricht, Lanaken. This was followed by Moeder! Oui dream till the end by Laure Prouvost in Kessenich, Kinrooi; Echoes of a Landscape by Adrien Tirtiaux in Maaseik; Reflection by Germaine Kruip in Maasmechelen; and Future Fossil by Koen Vanmechelen in Dilsen-Stokkem. With ​ Jennifer Tee’s Womb of Time, Maasmechelen is gaining a permanent artwork that brings together nature, heritage and contemporary art.

Find out more about Kunst aan de Maas: kunstaandemaas.be.

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