Modern & Contemporary Art Exhibitions in Brussel

A new room dedicated to art on paper. In a dynamic of rotating presentations of artworks, the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium continue to add newly arranged rooms to their parcours. From 21st of May, the Spilliaert room will welcome you into the poetic and mysterious world of the Belgian painter, illustrator and draughtsman. In this part of the museum, new displays of modern works on paper (19th century – today) are regularly shown. The artwork of Léon Spilliaert (Ostend 1881 - Brussels 1946), produced almost exclusively on paper, has a prominent place in the collection of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. Most of it was acquired directly from the artist and his family. As a mark of recognition, this room which is dedicated to modern works on paper, is named after him. His work will be in dialogue with that of other artists in the collections. This dialogue will begin with a #Focus1 on the BePaper research project. This will provide an initial overview and study of works on paper. In the interwar-period, art was constantly reinventing itself in Belgium: expressionism, constructivism, surrealism... Works on paper, once simple sketches, became creations in their own right. Affordable and versatile, this medium encouraged unprecedented artistic freedom, between figuration and abstraction. Last but not least, the Rousseau Album also takes its place in this new room. Compiled in 1883 by Mariette Rousseau, the Rousseau Album brings together drawings and letters illustrated by James Ensor. A unique testimony to a friendship and an era, it has now been given a new lease of life thanks to a meticulous restoration by KBR and the RMFAB.

A new room dedicated to art on paper. In a dynamic of rotating presentations of artworks, the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium continue to add newly arranged rooms to their parcours. From 21st of May, the Spilliaert room will welcome you into the poetic and mysterious world of the Belgian painter, illustrator and draughtsman. In this part of the museum, new displays of modern works on paper (19th century – today) are regularly shown. The artwork of Léon Spilliaert (Ostend 1881 - Brussels 1946), produced almost exclusively on paper, has a prominent place in the collection of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. Most of it was acquired directly from the artist and his family. As a mark of recognition, this room which is dedicated to modern works on paper, is named after him. His work will be in dialogue with that of other artists in the collections. This dialogue will begin with a #Focus1 on the BePaper research project. This will provide an initial overview and study of works on paper. In the interwar-period, art was constantly reinventing itself in Belgium: expressionism, constructivism, surrealism... Works on paper, once simple sketches, became creations in their own right. Affordable and versatile, this medium encouraged unprecedented artistic freedom, between figuration and abstraction. Last but not least, the Rousseau Album also takes its place in this new room. Compiled in 1883 by Mariette Rousseau, the Rousseau Album brings together drawings and letters illustrated by James Ensor. A unique testimony to a friendship and an era, it has now been given a new lease of life thanks to a meticulous restoration by KBR and the RMFAB.

A new room dedicated to art on paper. From 21st of May, the Spilliaert room will welcome you into the poetic and mysterious world of the Belgian painter, illustrator and draughtsman. In this part of the museum, new displays of modern works on paper (19th century – today) are regularly shown. The artwork of Léon Spilliaert (Ostend 1881 - Brussels 1946), produced almost exclusively on paper, has a prominent place in the collection of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. Most of it was acquired directly from the artist and his family. As a mark of recognition, this room which is dedicated to modern works on paper, is named after him. His work will be in dialogue with that of other artists in the collections. This dialogue will begin with a #Focus1 on the BePaper research project. This will provide an initial overview and study of works on paper. In the interwar-period, art was constantly reinventing itself in Belgium: expressionism, constructivism, surrealism... Works on paper, once simple sketches, became creations in their own right. Affordable and versatile, this medium encouraged unprecedented artistic freedom, between figuration and abstraction. Last but not least, the Rousseau Album also takes its place in this new room. Compiled in 1883 by Mariette Rousseau, the Rousseau Album brings together drawings and letters illustrated by James Ensor. A unique testimony to a friendship and an era, it has now been given a new lease of life thanks to a meticulous restoration by KBR and the RMFAB.

Fans of modern and contemporary art can now discover some of the Museums’ latest acquisitions, offering a fresh perspective on the works joining the collections. A great opportunity to explore these treasures while gaining insight into the RMFAB's acquisition policy! Several key directions emerge from this policy, often closely interconnected. The first aims to strengthen the presence of women artists, who remain underrepresented despite having played a pivotal role in shaping contemporary art from its earliest days. Similarly, another focus is to increase the visibility of non-European artists, as today’s art history is more than ever being written from a global perspective. A world marked by tensions, uncertainties, and pressing questions — societal issues also influence our choices. Finally, this display is an opportunity to express our gratitude to the patrons and artists who have helped enrich our collection, particularly in areas such as video art.

Un parcours poétique, personnel et profondément contemporain, porté par les mots de l’artiste Youssef Swatt’s. Ce projet invite les visiteurs à (re)découvrir les collections du musée à travers le regard et la sensibilité d’un poète de notre époque.

À l'occasion de la sortie du roman graphique Caballero Bueno, signé par Thomas Lavachery et Thomas Gilbert, le Musée Art & Histoire expose plusieurs planches originales de l'ouvrage, ainsi qu'une série de photographies et de carnets du Musée issus de l’expédition franco-belge de 1934 à l’île de Pâques.

Exposition personnelle de Hubert Wurth. Dans l’atelier d’Hubert Wurth, les gestes précèdent les mots. Avant de penser l’œuvre, il touche, il déplace, il écoute les matières. Une feuille de carton froissé, un éclat de bois lavé par le temps, un filet de plastique usé, un fragment d’image arraché au flux du quotidien. Ces éléments familiers, souvent disqualifiés, deviennent ses compagnons de jeu et entrent en dialogue avec des surfaces peintes rapidement, librement. Le regard circule, la main hésite, découpe, prélève, assemble. Rien n’est prémédité, tout commence par le contact. Depuis longtemps, Hubert Wurth travaille ainsi. Il ne dessine pas ses œuvres. Il les construit, les fait émerger, par couches, par gestes. Un peu comme l’enfant qui aligne ses blocs de bois colorés — non pour illustrer, mais pour comprendre, pour apprendre à maîtriser un fragment de monde. Ce n’est pas un collage : c’est un montage brut, un tissage de matières. Il y a du rythme, des silences, des tensions. Ici, un lacet violet suspendu. Là, une déchirure nette dans un carton brun. Plus loin, un emballage vert anonyme ou un bout de plastique qui retient la lumière. Les lignes guident l’œil, créent des failles, des échappées. On devine des totems, des cartographies mentales, des partitions muettes. Mais l’abstraction reste toujours dominante, comme une nécessité. Wurth ne cherche pas à raconter. Il ouvre des espaces vibrants et chaque fragment vient avec son histoire, ses blessures. Rien n’est neutralisé. Les déchirures restent visibles et les matières conservent leur mémoire. Avec ces Pièces récentes de conviction, quelque chose a changé. Les compositions se sont allégées pour plus de respiration. Le geste est confiant. La surface éclate parfois, devient volume, relief. Proche de la sensibilité de Supports/Surfaces, il y a cette volonté de revenir au matériau, à sa charge poétique propre. L’œuvre quitte le mur pour appeler un regard tactile. Ce travail est aussi un contre-temps. Dans un monde bruyant, violent, en perte de sens, Wurth pratique l’attention. Il regarde ce qui échappe, ce qui est rejeté. Il compose avec le lent. Il refuse l’image prête-à-consommer. Le spectateur est invité à s’approcher, à lire entre les lignes, à suivre les indices laissés par l’artiste — mais sans clé définitive. Peut-être est-ce cela, aujourd’hui, une forme de résistance salutaire : retrouver le plaisir simple et profond du regard, du toucher, de l’attention portée aux choses. Habiter un monde de formes, de couleurs, de volumes, en dehors du vacarme. Offrir à l’esprit une respiration, un espace pour se réinventer.

Elly Strik's paintings, drawings, and sculptures are characterized by dreamlike and poetic imagery, where materiality and energy, the evanescence of the line, and the power of evocation meet. This is particularly evident in the artist's treatment of materials such as graphite, colored pencils, oil paint, silver leaf, gold leaf, apoxy sculpt, and wood. Fascinated by the human psyche and the mechanisms of creativity in the development of consciousness, her work is multifaceted, multiplying the fields of perception both sensorially and symbolically. Les chaussures que ma mère m'a données is an exhibition in which Elly Strik's sculptures, drawings, and paintings interact to create real synergies in the gallery space.