On Friday 4 April 2025, the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp (Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, KMSKA) opens the temporary exhibition ‘Collected with Vision. Private Collections in Dialogue with the Old Masters‘.

The KMSKA cherishes its collection of old masters, which we mainly display in our nineteenth-century halls. Now and again, a contemporary work of art provides a topical commentary on rigid portraits and traditional mother figures. 

“With ‘Collected with Vision’ the KMSKA joins forces with Geukens & De Vil Projects for an exhibition in which we interweave post-war and contemporary art with the existing museum collection. The themed rooms and works of the old masters will be given a contemporary injection with works by internationally renowned and established artists, drawn from Belgian private collections, updating the KMSKA collection”, the art museum says.

‘Collected with Vision highlights’ the importance of collecting and questions the role of museums and private collectors. Belgium has a rich history of art collecting. 

“Collecting is in the Belgian’s DNA, so to speak. Moreover, the KMSKA’s collection has also grown into what it is today through several important donations and bequests. Visitors are now offered the unique opportunity to discover works of art from the hidden treasure troves of Belgian private collectors.” 

These include works by Cindy Sherman, Olafur Eliasson, David Claerbout, Francis Alys, Christian Boltanksi, Tracey Emin, Marlene Dumas, Luc Tuymans and Louise Bourgeois, among others.

“The carefully curated selection creates a fascinating dialogue between old and new, highlighting universal themes in surprising ways. Will a harmonious dialogue with 700 years of art history emerge, or will the works provoke through their challenging contrasts?”

The exhibition closes on Sunday 12 October 2025.

Art and museums in Antwerp

• ANTWERP | ‘Panamarenko. Infinite Imagination’ exhibition until 4 May 2025 at KMSKA.
• ANTWERP | ‘Compassion’ in the MAS: the many faces of compassion.
• 2025 at the museums of Antwerp.
• 2025 at Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Antwerp (KMSKA): René Magritte, Marthe Donas, Panamarenko, Hans Op de Beeck.
• ANTWERP | Graphics Museum De Reede ft. Francisco Goya, Edvard Munch, Félicien Rops and Albrecht Dürer.
• ANTWERP | Rubens Experience and Rubens Garden at Rubenshuis.
• Antwerp will have a new Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp M HKA.
• ANTWERP | Innovations in the Middelheim Museum provide a completely new visitor experience.
• A visit of the Flemish Tram and Bus Museum – Vlaams Tram- en Autobusmuseum (VlaTAM) in Antwerp.
• ANTWERP | Discovering queer(ed) art with the Queer Tour at the KMSKA fine arts museum.
• REVIEW | Illusion Antwerpen, an active and photogenic museum.
• Antwerp museums and sports facilities team up with European Disability Card for accessible leisure activities.
• Museum Mayer van den Bergh.
• ANTWERP | Inside Rubens House.
• Museum Plantin-Moretus in Antwerp.
• ANTWERP | Museum Vleeshuis up for restoration.
• BOOK | ‘Antwerp. An Archaeological View on the Origin of the City’ by Tim Bellens.
• Red Star Line Museum.
• Paleis op de Meir. 
• DIVA, Antwerp Home of Diamonds.
• ANTWERP | Red Star Line Museum of (e)migration.