Exhibition: Raoul Servais: Not to War

Raoul Servais: Not to War is a powerful plea against war and indifference. In a world where conflict and polarisation are on the rise once again, Servais’s message rings out more urgently than ever.

Raoul Servais (1928–2023), a filmmaker from Ostend and a pioneer of Belgian animated film, used his imagination as a form of resistance. Not to glorify heroism, but to expose the absurdity of war and the fragility of humanity. For him, Not to War was not a slogan, but a way of life: a call for empathy and humanity.

Internationally, his work was acclaimed for its artistic innovation and unique visual language, balancing magical realism, satire and sharp social criticism. In 1979, he became the first Belgian ever to win the Palme d’Or at Cannes with Harpya. As founder of the animation programme at KASK in Ghent, he inspired generations of creators, even far beyond the country’s borders.

The exhibition features original animation cells, sketches and archive material; screens five short films in their entirety; and presents an exclusive interview with Servais, recorded during the production of Rudy Pinceel’s documentary SERVAIS.

A unique opportunity to discover his visionary, humanistic universe.