In Centrale | vitrine, Grégoire Motte presents a new version of L’apparition mythologique de Witloof, a narrative-driven work that revisits the curious birth of one of Belgium’s most emblematic vegetables. Set against the backdrop of the 1830 revolution, the story unfolds in a dark cellar in Schaerbeek, where witloof—arguably the most contemporary and unsettling of salads—comes into being. At the heart of this tale lies the wonder and delight of the farmer who discovers it, portrayed as a kind of agricultural Pygmalion, bringing an unexpected creation to life.

This episode, drawn from a Belgian founding myth that blends history and imagination, serves as the central chapter of the great chicory trilogy. The project was initiated by Motte in 2019 in collaboration with composer Gabriel Mattei, and it weaves together sound, narrative, and visual elements to explore how myths are constructed and transmitted. Through witloof, a humble yet symbolic object, the work reflects on notions of origin, invention, and national identity.

Grégoire Motte’s broader practice is rooted in storytelling, which he unfolds across a wide range of formats. Visual art and literary practice intersect in his work, allowing historical events, personal experiences, and real or imagined myths to take on multiple forms. These narratives may become novels, lectures, films, musical compositions, or hybrid objects with shifting statuses, reinforcing Motte’s interest in how stories evolve as they move between mediums and contexts.