Debate: A Museum of Contemporary Art in the European capital (FR)
The exhibition Unexchangeable consists exclusively of artworks from private Belgian collections, Belgium being the country with the most art collectors per inhabitant. All the works date from around 1989, the year that marks the start of the global story.
Jef Geys, Installation view 'Unexchangeable', WIELS, 2018. Photo: Philippe De Gobert
This public debate is the occasion to look into the question of whether it is possible to set up a Museum of Contemporary Art in the European capital in collaboration with private collectors.
What would be necessary for this to happen? What are the wishes and expectations of collectors, of the public, of the authorities? What are the obstacles and pitfalls involved? Are the tasks and activities of public art museums and those of private collections irreconcilable, as is often claimed?
Moderator: Sam Steverlynck, art critic and editor-in-chief of H ART magazine
Panel members:
- Beatrix Ruf: served as the Director of the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam and as Director and Chief Curator of Kunsthalle Zürich. She was active as curator at among others the Ringier Collection. Since 2010 she is a member of the think tank core group of the LUMA Foundation Arles.
- Sabine Taevernier: art historian and expert on the late 19th c. and 20th c., member of the Board for the preservation of movable cultural heritage at the Flemish Community.
- Benedikt van der Vorst: real estate developper, honorary notary, administrator of foundations and ardent collector.
- Walter Vanhaerents: former building contractor and ardent collector, Vanhaerents Art Collection Brussels.
Introduction: Dirk Snauwaert, artistic director WIELS
27.06.2018, 19:00
WIELS Mezzanine
In English and French
Free, on registration