Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens
The museum Dhondt-Dhaenens is a private foundation recognised by the Flemish Government. As a museum, it makes publicly accessible important modern and contemporary private collections with a social relevance. As a contemporary art centre, it aims to play an active role in the international art field.
Since 2005, with the arrival of Joost Declercq as museum director, a two track approach has been adopted: the museum operations include both the research and presentation of modern art of the twentieth century and a function as contemporary art centre. The key concerns of the past have been retained: respect for the wishes of the founders and using the specificity of the buildings and the location of the Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens as the basis of all activities.
Through its contemporary art operations the Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens aims to create exhibitions with artists who have been pivotal in certain artistic trends of the last decades but who have not been consistently shown Flanders (or elsewhere). Often, these projects represent a key moment in the career of the artist. The Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens does not want to limit itself to one single type of trend but is open to the diversity of the contemporary art world.
In recent years, the Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens has built a strong tradition of cooperation with artists who question the museum as an institution, the position of the artist or the fundamental relationship with the visitor. These radical projects are often controversial and quite often lead to violent reactions from the viewers. There were for instance in recent years the high-profile projects with artists such as Santiago Sierra, Gregor Schneider, Robert Kusmirowski, Thomas Zipp, and Thomas Hirschhorn, as well as others.
Museumlaan 14, Deurle, Belgium (BE).
