Experience

ANTWERP | 433,000 visitors for Ensor Year 2024 at KMSKA, FOMU, MoMu and Museum Plantin-Moretus

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The Ensor Year in Antwerp in 2024 was an overwhelming success. In total, more than 433,000 people visited the four exhibitions about the Belgian artist James Ensor, who died 75 years ago. A fantastic tribute to this innovative pioneer who still inspires many artists today.

Antwerp celebrated Ensor with four top exhibitions in the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp (Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, KMSKA), Museum Plantin-Moretus, photography museum FOMU and Fashion Museum MoMu. 

In the KMSKA and Museum Plantin-Moretus, visitors could enjoy the exhibitions ‘Ensor’s Wildest Dreams. Beyond Impressionism‘ and ‘Ensor’s States of Imagination‘ until 19 January. 

FOMU and MoMu closed the doors of the exhibitions on Cindy Sherman and ‘Masquerade, Make-up and Ensor‘ yesterday on 2 February 2025. 

This brings an end to the Ensor year in Antwerp with these four crowd-pleasers as the highlight.

Lien Van de Kelder (Vooruit), new Alderman for Culture of Antwerp:  “We can be very proud of our Ensor year! We completely immersed the city in Ensor atmosphere. During the day and even at night. The Ensor Night in November was also a great success and attracted many young people to the MoMu, FOMU, KMSKA and the Museum Plantin-Moretus. The four exhibitions welcomed a total of 2,500 visitors in one night, almost half of whom were between 12 and 26 years old. Getting more young people into the museums: check.”

‘Ensor’s Wildest Dreams. Beyond Impressionism’, KMSKA, 28.09.24 – 19.01.25

With more than 282,000 visitors, Ensor exceeded his wildest dreams. Impressionism beyond all expectations. As one of the highlights of Ensor 2024, the exhibition managed to captivate a wide audience: adults, young people and families found their way to the KMSKA.

“Audience research confirms the exceptionally high level of satisfaction, with almost 9 out of 10 visitors rating their experience as extremely positive. The combination of international loans, layered storytelling and impressive scenography was particularly appreciated. We therefore look back with great pride and satisfaction on an exhibition that brought Ensor’s artistry to life in a unique and compelling way”, according to Luk Lemmens, chairman of KMSKA vzw.

‘Ensor’s States of Imagination’, Museum Plantin-Moretus, 28.09.24 – 19.01.25

A surprising and rarely seen side of Ensor was shown at the Plantin-Moretus Museum: his printmaking, in which experimental etchings offered an intimate glimpse into his creative process. 

No fewer than 42,899 visitors were able to admire masterpieces such as the original etching plate ‘The Entry of Christ into Brussels‘ in 1889 and all his (experimental) states. There were also works on unusual media such as parchment and coloured satin, and unique hand-coloured etchings, such as ‘Pride‘, in which a small intervention transformed the satire into a sharp indictment.

As a highlight, the museum welcomed over 1,000 visitors during Ensor Night. They were able to discover their inner sinner with a sparkling programme in the context of Ensor’s work ‘The Seven Deadly Sins‘. From a gluttonous banquet to the anger of young musical violence and much more.

The exhibition was also a rare opportunity to see so many prints and drawings by Ensor at once. Due to the fragility of the works, they will be stored in the museum’s depot for a long period of time after the exhibition. The museum has more than 200 sheets in its collection.

Cindy Sherman, FOMU, 28.09.24 – 02.02.25

The major retrospective of Cindy Sherman in FOMU received 54,112 visitors. FOMU joined Ensor 2024 by translating the issues from Ensor’s oeuvre into a contemporary artistic context. Like Ensor, Cindy Sherman is known for her critical commentary on social conventions through masquerades.

In her photographs, Cindy Sherman examines identity as a concept and investigates the ways in which women are depicted in the mass media. She has been a model in her own work since the 1970s. Made up, dressed up and disguised, she takes on different guises. It is nice to see that she inspires so many visitors with her work. Both the art-loving public that already knows Sherman and a young audience that is only now discovering her work found their way to the exhibition.

Highlights were the VRT MAX series ‘Searching for Sherman‘ in which 5 famous Flemish people chose their favourite work by Cindy Sherman and talked about it. The collaboration with MNM radio for the Ensor Night was also a great success.

‘Masquerade, Make-up & Ensor’, ModeMuseum 28.09.24 – 02.02.25

With 54,680 visitors, ‘Masquerade, Make-up & Ensor’, was a resounding success. The exhibition in MoMu examined the role of masquerade and make-up in fashion and visual arts, inspired by the versatility of James Ensor. 

Visitors discovered how masks hide and reveal human identity, and how these themes are interwoven with contemporary fashion and culture. From extravagant masks to avant-garde designs: the exhibition managed to enchant young and old. Highlights included collaborations with leading (inter)national make-up and hair artists and the international platform Beauty Papers.

Art and museums in Antwerp

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