Jan Fabre (b. Antwerp, 1958) is well known both at home and abroad as one of the most innovative and versatile artists of his day. Over the last 25 years he has produced work as a performance artist, theatre-maker, choreographer, opera-maker, author and artist. He expands the horizons of every genre he engages in. His artistic course has always been controversial.

In the late Seventies, while still very young, Jan Fabre caused a furore as a performance artist; in his 'money performances' he set light to bundles of money the audience had given him and did drawings with the ashes. In 1982, with Het is theater zoals te verwachten en te voorzien was he placed a bomb under the theatre establishment of the day. This was confirmed two years later by De macht der theaterlijke dwaasheden which he created at the invitation of the Venice Biennale. These two pieces are mentioned in all the literature on contemporary theatre and have toured the world. In the meantime Jan Fabre has grown into one of the most versatile artists on the international scene. He breaks away from the codes of the existing theatre by introducing 'real time performance' -- sometimes called 'living installations' -- and explores radical choreographic possibilities in order to bring renewal to classical dance. The body in all its forms has been the subject of his investigations from the early Eighties to the present. His plays form an exceptional collection of miniatures with an open style. His recent productions Je suis sang on the Cour d'Honneur in Avignon and Tannhäuser at De Munt/La Monnaie opera house have been well received internationally. The invitation to help give artistic shape to the Avignon Festival in 2005 can undoubtedly be seen as the pinnacle of his performing arts work to date.