March - June 1990 - Chronology
5 March 1990: the first floor of Beverhoutplein 7 (Sint-Jacobs Gent) is empty
15 March 1990: Installing 'art machine' (crox 1).
16 March: Hans paints the word croxhapox on the windows of Beverhoutplein 7. Un chien Andalou in Studio Skoop.
19 March: Edwin Carels takes pictures of 'art machine'. This series of pictures is, documentwise, the only relic of crox 1, and, apart from an early portrait of Frank en Hans the only photographical relic whatsoever of the early days of croxhapox.
27 March: crox 2 opens. Paintings by Hans van Heirseele. From the époque of the second series of still lives, oils, brushed roughly.
1 April: Ignace De Vos is the only visitor on that day.
2 April: the name croxhapox is replaced by 'upground'.
4 April: 'upground' is replaced by croxhapox.
10 April: crox 3 opens, 'Roest rust' assemblages by Edwin Carels. Hans finishes the wall painting on the first floor and manufactures the signboard.
12 April: 12 visitors.
13 April: visiting the workspace of Daniël Vandenbrande.
17 April: unanimous decision to start a VZW [non-commercial foundation]. Guido has a change of heart after he initially opposes the foundation of a foundation. From that moment on he will be a pain in the ass. He will only contribute from time to time. Hans and FF draw up a schedule.
26 April: crox 4 opens and Hugo De Leener doesn't turn up.
3 May: visit at the workspace of Michaël Borremans.
7 May: crox 5 opens, works by Peter Vandekerckhove.
10 May: visit at Johan Joos' workspace.
11 May: "schrappen wat niet past" [delete as
appropriate], the 1st poster-campaign takes off. Ghents inner city is flooded with the crox logo. The campaign consists of three posters positioning croxhapox as an artistic concept. Most of the oneliners are coughe up by Guido.
17 May: workspace visit at Annick De Zutter's.
20 May: crox 6 opens, works by Andre Posman.
28 May: the local copper urges us to remove the blue signboard from the facade. Hans removes the blue signboard.
29 May: The blue signboard is after all put up again.
A day of prospection, without apparent result.
4 June: crox 7 opens, drawings by Daniël Vandenbrande.
August-October 1994 - chronology
1 August: Basement of Aannemersstraat 54 becomes vacant. Perfect opportunity to restart croxhapox. Kristel digs the idea. Guido remains sceptical.
11 September: Herr Seele commits to a solo project at the end of October.
13 September: Registered letter to the 'Staatsblad' [Belgian statute book].
14 September: Postal package from Guido with second version of funding. Wallpaper of the basement is removed and the walls are cleaned. The signboard regains its honoured place. At the moment no idea how to design the lighting.
15 September: Walls smoothed out and treated with solarine. Primed.
16 September: A call by FF.
17 September: Croxhapox revisited. Direction - Spot. White walls and carpentry.
19 September: New bank account and a pile of remittance forms. Meeting - Kristel, Guido, Bram. Dotting the i's. Guido thinks 4 projects a year are the limit.
22 September: Erik begins installation of the lighting in the basement. Halogen spots are hung from a system of tubes.
27 September: Message from the Staatsblad. Herr Seele informs that he doesn't have the time to design the invitation.
28 September: FF considers to be standby.
29 September: Refurbishing of the basement kitchen. Invitations copied, A4-ish.
3 October: Stamps, 1000,- BEF. Dirk Peers promises to do a solo project.
4 October: Sandpapering of the tubes for the lighting. A coat of red lead to finish.
5 October: Bill from the electric shop addressed to Axoproxk. Contacting Olbrich. Guido is aggravated by the way things are going.
7 October: We have 1 patron, Lucien Posman.
8 October: 4 crox-cards are published. Call by Wouter Cox, something about the font they would like to use for Barbabelge.
9 October: Mailing of a statement to selected papers and magazines. Poster OK. Copying on 180g paper excluded.
12 October: Seven patrons and a preliminary total of 4600,- BEF. Final touch woodwork.
14 October: Herr Seele says Fabian will arrive with the paintings on Sunday.
16 October: A droll misunderstanding. Master obviously suffers from some hypertrophy of the ego. Difference of opinions on the selection. Too much immature work, is what we think. Final commitment by Dirk Peers.
17 October: To fetch two works by HS at Michiel Hendryckx's. Breakfast table, a cup of joe.
18 October: MH has three more self-portraits by HS. Guido tried 200grams paper for the crox-cards and doesn't have enough time. 10 paying patrons.
20 October: We order a set of drinking glasses at Rogge. Guido vetoes, he thinks the early work of HS below standard.
22 October: Bart and Surrender bring five bottles of white wine. The are a week early.
23 October: Fabian brings another small piece by HS.
24 October: Already 8400,- BEF of donations. Danny Dobbelaere from Het Volk [Dutch-language Belgian newspaper].
25 October: De Morgen [Dutch-language Belgian newspaper] publishes a version of the press text, edited by EB.
26 October: Guido angry about the article in DM. Some repairs. Booze, wineglasses and tankards. At Studio Brussel there is a short item about HS and Croxhapox. Erik tackles the kitchen. L'Atalante by Jean Vigo on television.
29 October: Opening crox 22, fifty-odd visitors. The photografer of Het Volk waits for HS till 10 p.m. HS arrives only at about eleven and almost immediately takes off again. Dirk De Neef introduces us to Patricia Smith, a New York artist.
September-November 1996 - chronology
2 September: Press text for De Morgen, Het Volk and AVS [local television station]. Karien, Dirk Braeckman, Ignace De Vos, Wouter Cox and Thomas Mistiaen. Johan Neyt doesn't participate. Installation window project halved - Onderstraat 51 no longer available.
3 September: Visit of the workplace of Dirk Peers. Appointments with Dirk De Neef, Johan Van Roy and Koen Vercaemer.
4 September: Meeting with graphic designer. DP moves to Tienen - under surveillance. Decision on the locations for Beatrijs Lauwaert, Philippe Vandenberg and Michaël Borremans.
5 September: Luc Van Soom and Wim Delvoye on the phone. A package of Thomas Hauser in the mail and a letter from Rumiana Popova. Het Volk informs us that they will publish a 'drop'-article. De Morgen also, says E. Bracke. Evening meeting about the Indonesia-project of Tramundi.
6 September: Prepress affiche becomes 9 September.
8 September: Kristel busies herself with the design of the brochure. In the evening on location in Wolterslaan, with Theresa De Smet and Philip Vermeulen.
9 September: Merlyn & Adriaan agree on a gig during opening crox 50. Appointment with Dirk Braeckman. Meeting with Philip VB.
10 September: AVS. Invitations crox 50 and Open Deuren dispatched. Extra press messages for AVS and Eric Bracke. Layout brochure almost finished. Location Scheldestraat 71 no longer available. Adapt. Two new locations: Scheldestraat 55 and Wolterslaan 119. PVB parasitizes. With Thomas Mistiaen prospection of a location in Bouwmeesterstraat.
11 September: Noordstarfonds considers sponsoring. Early afternoon: fetching works of Johan Van Roy. Build-up crox 50. A call from Lucy Slock. Evening appointment with Philippe Vandenberg. We dine in Ornek.
12 September: Paul Gees informs us he can't participate. Positive advice from the department of culture of Stad Gent. Regine C from BRTN culture desk. Communication with PVB below freezing point. Build-up exhibition Johan Van Roy and appointment with Krist Demasure. Quote from Sint-Joris Merendree [printer's]. Peter D, Mieja D and Wouter C. Marc De Clercq on location in Wolterslaan. Short working meeting with PVB.
13 September: Karel D calls off. Second mailing of invitations. Appointment with one Colette from AVS. Reportage and interview Wednesday 25 or Thursday 26. Sint-Joris Merendree - printing will be with one support colour. Call from Koen Brams. Later Marc De Clercq and Michaël Borremans. Meetings with Dirk Braeckman and Peter Lein postponed till tomorrow. PVB drops in in the evening.
20 September: Interview by phone with someone from De Gentenaar. Poster run of 250 copies, print. Deadline layout brochure missed by a hair's breadth.
21 September: MacDonalds from Dendermondse steenweg donates 5.000,- BEF.
22 September: Kalken, In Den Bouw. In Wetteren a project by Tom Jooris, at Bart Baele's home. Danny vandenbossche agrees to give the opening speech. Extra sponsoring from Bakkerij Bacaert and Frituur Cathy.
23 September: Sint-Joris Merendree. Call from AVS. Later Gilde De Bal w/r/t project of Ignace. Somebody from Het Volk. In the evening fetch work of Robert Clicque. Marc De Clercq.
24 September: Definitive breaking up with PVB. Intolerable opportunism. Fax message from the press- and newsdesk of VTM [Dutch speaking Belgian commercial television]. Purchases for the installation window of Ije: board, white acrylic, plastic foil and neon lamp. Bart Maris agrees for a concert on Saturday. Sunday also ok. Invitation opening, 500 copies. Appointment with Michaël B. Locatie of Dirk B - Scheldestraat 70.
25 September: Ije Raaijmakers, Koen Vanderhaeghen, Dirk Braeckman. At 10am Jan Blondeel and the crew of BRTN [Dutch speaking Belgian public television]. Visit the houses of Korzakov, Vincent de Roder, Michaël Borremans, Karien Vanderkerkhove and Philippe Vandenberg. At half past two the crew of AVS. Appointment with Anneke and Thierry. Ruth. In the evening Yves and Christin.
26 September: Fetch work of Dirk Peers in Kortrijk. AVS: item in the news.
28 September: Solemn opening of Open Deuren > OPEN DOORS. Speech by Danny in the doorway of Aannemersstraat 54. Act by Kamikaze in the basement. A crowd. Estimated 500 to 600 interested.
29 September: Like yesterday, 600 interested, more or less.
30 September: Frank, Kristel - informal meeting.
5 October: A rainy day dag. New series of oil paintings. In spite of the rain still several hundred visitors. In the evening Huize Jacobus.
6 October: Approx a thousand interested. Impressive.
7 October: Interview with Veerle Vogelaere of De Gentenaar.
8 October: Article about OPEN DOORS in De Gentenaar.
11 October: Appointment with Czech artist Jaroslav Koran. Installation window in Serpentstraat. JK hardly prepared.
13 October: Vernissage of solo-project at Galerie Devos in Aalst.
14 October: Jaroslav has an alternative proposal.
15 October: video of crox 50. In the evening out with Jaroslav Koran.
17 October: Installation window JK is a disaster. And one of the most expensive at that. Evening at Gosbert and Antje's.
26 October: Get Thomas Broadbent at Zaventem. One Rolle C with a portfolio.
28 October: Installation window in Onderstraat, work by Nicoline VS.
29 October: With Thomas B from Gent to Calais. Rough ride at sea. TB demolishes the glove compartment. Rooms in Gower Street. On the Soho tour we end up in a jazz club. Concert by Cedar Walton. Tom snores like a pig.
30 October: Turner Prize 96 in Tate Gallery. Douglas Gordon. An alternative non-profit place in North Londen. Afterwards Covent Garden.
31 October: Rain rain rain. From Londen to Oxfordshire. Sublime landscapes. Marlow, Steirmett - a winery, Park Corner, Henley on Thames. Oxford, boring. We continue to Winchester.
1 November: Winchester, Petersfield, Arundel Castle. Brighton, Newhaven. The cliffs near Beachy Head. In Dover control by customs. Then Calais. We reach Gent at 10pm.