Page 17 - Studio Internatinal - October 1974

democratization after the stages of political, In Ghent, since 1957, the Association of the (From top to bottom)
social, economic and educative democratization.' Museum of Contemporary Art has fought for a Action against the project for a Museum of Fine Arts
in Brussels
'The notion of culture must be purified of museum of contemporary art and is meanwhile
Photo: Jacques Evrard
certain bourgeois stigma. Culture is not buying works. It has just bought a great work
Commemmorative stone erected in 1970 at Antwerp
something belonging to a limited elite, or the by Carl Andre, exhibited in Brussels. Its latest where the Museum of Modern Art is supposedly being
privilege of the happy few. Culture is the acquisitions are works by Broodthaers, Christo, built. The foundation stones are yet to be laid.
heritage of the whole community and it is Dibbets, Fulton, Gilbert and George, Renovated hall at the Musee des Beaux-Arts, Brussels
sometimes a good idea to make the distinction Panamarenko and Van Elk. So if the museum
between so-called culture with a capital C and of contemporary art is ever built in Ghent, it
the other kind. I believe the latter to be more will have the only collection of international
important because it is the culture of daily contemporary art in Belgian museums and this
life, of the living environment, of food, of will be thanks to a private association.
human relationships and the eternal reply to The Palais de Beaux-Arts in Brussels, with
the eternal provocation of a rapidly changing its concert and exhibition halls and stages, the
community, in which all kinds of relationships biggest exhibition centre of the country, is also
are constantly taking on a new nature.' (1972) a private institution, though it exists because of
The Minister listed as priorities the following: State aid. The 'Internationaal Cultureel
educational guidance for young workers, Centrum' created several years ago by the
effective aid to socio-cultural organizations and Flemish Minister of Culture, in the old Palais
certain forgotten groups, like the old, the Royal in Antwerp, is well known for its
handicapped, foreigners etc., then followed the dynamism and its avant-garde exhibitions. The
public libraries, the protection of the Palais de Beaux-Arts in Charleroi follows a
environment, sport and recreation. He also policy of exhibiting more classical modern art.
spoke of the museums, but he and his After the war and encouraged by the
sociologists forgot them, in their ardent new APIAW, Liege became a very active centre,
belief that the cultural centres would be able to but has not maintained its reputation, despite
democratize culture, and in putting this belief the fact that several galleries and important
into practice. They thus accentuate the crisis of artists like Charlier want to breathe new life
the museums, seen as bourgeois and elitist, into it. There has been achievement of great
which have remained static in Belgium, making quality in 1974: the opening of new rooms in
no response to the demands of a profoundly the old Brussels art museum. Renovation of
changing society. other rooms has been promised. The distressing
Apart from the Middelheim in Antwerp, an situation of the museums of modern art can be
open-air sculpture museum, there is not a single countered by the interest and enthusiasm of
independent art museum with a worthwhile Belgian collectors for today's art. The era of the
collection of national and international modern four great men: Ph. Dotremont, F. Graindorge,
art. The majority of museums are mixed, that J.B. Urvater and G. Van Geluwe is past. With
is they have collections of classical and modern the exception of R. Vanthournout's group, few
art (Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent, Liege). Their collections have historical ambitions as yet. The
collections which are not hidden are less
modern collection is most often national, or
extensive and very often prefer group works of
favouring national art. Every one of them lacks
a recent period; for example B. Barman,
finance. Almost all are housed in old buildings.
In addition, run-away inflation does not make A. Goeminne, P. Janlet, M. Lejeune, R. Matthys,
purchasing any easier. In the long run, we even C. Van den Bosch. They specialize: H. Peeters in
wonder who will still be able to buy a whole pop-art and some hyperrealists, Daled and
category of contemporary works, apart from Herbert in conceptual art, L. Bogaert in
groups of speculators. Certain museums buy an constructive art and Permeke, A. Taevernier in
international work from time to time, but too drawings and graphic art, or are quite simply
often lack daring. eclectic.
Only Brussels has an international collection, The greatest number of collections is found
but since 1958, it has been awaiting the long in Brussels, but for some years, Flanders has had
promised construction of a modern art museum, a possibly equal number of collections. Certain
and remains in store or in a few provisional banks must also be listed among the collectors:
exhibition rooms. It does not seem as if the Paribas for national art and editions of luxury
plan for this museum is going to emerge from art books, Lambert for international art. In both.
the administrative maze. Moreover, there is a cases, the collection began for reasons which
lot of opposition to it, because of the site and have no direct connection with financial or
because it is not integrated into the urban investment concerns. At Paribas, it was
scheme as some see it. Naessens who was responsible for the
On 12 September 1970 in Antwerp, the artistic activity, because of his love for art and
authorities laid a commemorative stone on the Flemish culture, and a desire to promote this
site 'where the museum of contemporary art, art. At Lambert, it was an established feature
designed by the architect Le Corbusier, will be and a family tradition. In recent years, other
built'. While we wait for the first stone of the financial institutions have organized exhibitions,
museum to be laid, the monument is losing or bought the works of Belgian artists. It's the
letters; so it will soon be an unknown collectors who, generously and, why not, with a
monument to an unknown museum. touch of vanity, do the public-relations work for

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