Belgium's Controversial Art Museum Demolition Plan Sparks Outrage from Artists
The nation's oldest contemporary art museum faces the axe as Flanders seeks to cut public spending by dismantling it and relocating its 8,000 artworks to a smaller institution in Ghent. Prominent artists have come out swinging against what they call "arbitrary reshaping" of Belgium's museum landscape.
Artists and directors at the Museum of Contemporary Art (M HKA) in Antwerp describe the situation as "flagrant illegalities." The city is home to Flanders' biggest population, boasting a legacy as a hub for avant-garde art in Belgium. Artist Luc Tuymans, widely regarded as the nation's most influential living artist, called the plan "insane," stating that degrading a museum into an arts center would be "simply unacceptable."
The collection at M HKA includes notable works by Kerry James Marshall, Anish Kapoor, and Marina Abramović. British artist Kapoor has publicly expressed his dismay over plans to relocate his pieces, stating he cannot accept they might be removed from the institution without proper consideration.
As Belgium grapples with a 5.4% budget deficit, which is one of the largest in the eurozone, the arts sector is facing extreme cuts. The proposed shake-up aims to streamline art collections into three main museums – focusing on historical, modern, and contemporary art. However, financial concerns have raised doubts over whether this will actually lower costs.
Belgium's financial inspectorate has issued a memo questioning the impact of these changes on the budget. While relocating the permanent collection could reduce costs from €8m to €5m in initial years, subsequent investments would be needed to borrow works or purchase exhibitions to attract visitors. The recipient institution, Smak in Ghent, is also facing issues with storage capacity and may require significant investment.
The move has sparked outrage among artists and museum professionals who fear that this plan could have long-lasting consequences for the nation's cultural landscape.
The nation's oldest contemporary art museum faces the axe as Flanders seeks to cut public spending by dismantling it and relocating its 8,000 artworks to a smaller institution in Ghent. Prominent artists have come out swinging against what they call "arbitrary reshaping" of Belgium's museum landscape.
Artists and directors at the Museum of Contemporary Art (M HKA) in Antwerp describe the situation as "flagrant illegalities." The city is home to Flanders' biggest population, boasting a legacy as a hub for avant-garde art in Belgium. Artist Luc Tuymans, widely regarded as the nation's most influential living artist, called the plan "insane," stating that degrading a museum into an arts center would be "simply unacceptable."
The collection at M HKA includes notable works by Kerry James Marshall, Anish Kapoor, and Marina Abramović. British artist Kapoor has publicly expressed his dismay over plans to relocate his pieces, stating he cannot accept they might be removed from the institution without proper consideration.
As Belgium grapples with a 5.4% budget deficit, which is one of the largest in the eurozone, the arts sector is facing extreme cuts. The proposed shake-up aims to streamline art collections into three main museums – focusing on historical, modern, and contemporary art. However, financial concerns have raised doubts over whether this will actually lower costs.
Belgium's financial inspectorate has issued a memo questioning the impact of these changes on the budget. While relocating the permanent collection could reduce costs from €8m to €5m in initial years, subsequent investments would be needed to borrow works or purchase exhibitions to attract visitors. The recipient institution, Smak in Ghent, is also facing issues with storage capacity and may require significant investment.
The move has sparked outrage among artists and museum professionals who fear that this plan could have long-lasting consequences for the nation's cultural landscape.
! Like, can't they just leave M HKA alone?! It's like, their history is tied to Antwerp and its people... they're not just pieces of art, you know? 
The fact that they're gonna relocate everything to a smaller museum in Ghent just feels so... unnecessary. And what about the 8,000 artworks that are gonna be affected?! 
It's like they're just gonna lose their context and significance, you feel? 
I mean, Flanders is already cutting public spending, but can't they find ways to save M HKA instead of just getting rid of it?! 
The thought of Luc Tuymans saying the plan is "insane" makes me wanna scream 
... I'm totally with him on this one! 
i mean, i get why they wanna cut costs & all but i feel like relocating those 8,000 artworks is a huge step too far 
... like, what if it ends up being a money pit for Smak in Ghent? 
and artist Luc Tuymans said it's "insane" which is kinda fair imo 
but on the other hand, maybe they just need to get creative with the space & find new ways to display the art without breaking the bank 
... i'm torn rn 
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. Those artists are speaking truth when they say it's "arbitrary reshaping" of Belgium's museum landscape 
. And what about the artists who can't afford to have their work removed from the collection without proper consideration? It's just not right 
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. I mean, what about all the history & context behind those pieces? Where are they gonna display that in Ghent?! It's just not right 
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That's what museums are for anyway. Luc Tuymans is being super dramatic about this... I think he's just mad 'cause it's his personal fave museum getting axed 
. I'm all for making some sacrifices, but we can't expect everything to stay exactly the same... sometimes change is what's needed 
it makes me wonder who decides on this stuff and why they cant find a way to make it work without cutting corners 
i mean, if youre gonna cut public spending then you should at least try to preserve the cultural institutions that bring people together 
its not just about the art itself but also the community and the history behind it 
cant imagine how they can just get rid of a museum thats been a hub for avant-garde art in belgium for ages 
british artist anish kapoor even expressed his dismay over plans to relocate his pieces 
marina abramović is another artist who's gonna be affected by this plan 
smak in ghent cant handle the collection and they're asking for investment 
It's also sad that artists are having to speak out against what they see as "arbitrary reshaping" of Belgium's museum landscape. The M HKA has a huge following, and it's definitely worth preserving for the sake of the arts community and visitors alike 
i feel 4 them, degrading a museum int0 an arts center wud be soooo wrong... luc tuymans is like a legend in the art world & hes not havin it 
u gotta wonder whats next tho? will they just scrap everythin else?
. What kind of decision do you make when you know it'll have such long-term effects? I'm all about streamlining costs and making smart investments, but this just feels like a knee-jerk reaction to financial struggles.
. And Kerry James Marshall, Anish Kapoor... they're all legends! It's heartbreaking to think that their pieces might be relocated without proper consideration or even warning.
. The arts sector deserves so much better than to be chopped up like a cost-cutting measure. Can't we find a way to balance the books without sacrificing our cultural heritage?
it's like they're trying to get rid of their creative past or something 
what's next, gonna sell all their cultural heritage online or something? 
the question is, who's really losing out here? the artists or the wallet 
. What a shame.
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. While I understand why Luc Tuymans and Kerry James Marshall would be upset, shouldn't they also consider the bigger picture? What will happen to the artists who rely on M HKA for exhibitions and collaborations? The decision-makers need to think about how this will impact the entire art ecosystem in Belgium 
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. The M HKA in Antwerp is like a national treasure, and to just... dismantle it? 
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The art world is already super competitive, and now they're threatening one of Belgium's crown jewels? This would be a huge loss for the country's cultural identity 
And Anish Kapoor's installations are meant to be experienced in person, not crammed into some tiny storage space 
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