Antwerp, gallery owners sue minister Gennez over future of M HKA museum

A group of contemporary art galleries active in Antwerp ’s Zuid district has announced its intention to initiatelegal action against Flemish Minister of Culture Caroline Gennez in connection with the management of the future of the contemporary art museum M HKA (Museum van Hedendaagse Kunst Antwerpen, Antwerp Museum of Contemporary Art)(we reported on it here). At the heart of the dispute is the suspension of work on the new museum building and the redefinition of the institutional status of the museum itself, measures that the collective says would jeopardize the continuity of the institution and its role in the local art ecosystem.

The decision to take legal action was announced by a collection of prominent gallerists based in the southern part of the city, including Tim Van Laere Gallery, Zeno X Gallery (represented by Frank Demaegd), Rik Rosseel Gallery, Sofie Van de Velde Gallery, Ibasho / In-Dependance, and Keteleer Gallery. According to the collective’s statement, the court initiative is necessary after months of confrontations with the minister and her cabinet that allegedly produced no concrete results. The interlocutions were described by the group as fruitless with respect to the demands made on the museum’s future.

The main bone of contention concerns the sudden interruption of the design of the new museum building, planned in the Zuidersluis area and signed by Bovenbouw Architecture in collaboration with Christ & Gantenbein. The project, previously approved by the Flemish government, now appears to be suspended, a circumstance that the gallery owners interpret as a step without adequate legal and administrative basis.

In parallel, the collective disputes the decision to no longer recognize the M HKA as a Flemish museum and cultural heritage institution. Under the new administrative approach, the museum would no longer be classified as a museum institution in its own right, with direct consequences on its regulatory framework and funding structure.

According to the disputed documentation, an “action plan” was reportedly sent to the Flemish government on January 30, which the gallery owners describe as a summary of the political and administrative plan, but lacking any indication of the financial consequences. In that document, the M HKA would no longer be considered a Flemish museum or heritage institution. In order to continue receiving operational funding until 2028, the museum would be required to sign a so-called “cooperation agreement.”

Such an agreement is at the center of a further dispute. Indeed, the M HKA’s legal advisers would have described it as non-compliant, arguing that the presence of vague and ambiguous wording would make it legally problematic. For this reason, the board would be recommended not to proceed with the signing of the document.

As part of the controversy, the gallerists speak of a political intervention that would call into question the museum’s continuity and also its patrimonial function and its ability to operate as a cultural institution with an international dimension. According to the collective, the proposed changes would risk compromising the entire artistic ecosystem revolving around the museum and the quartieres galleries.

“We consider it our duty to defend M HKA’s status as a museum and cultural heritage. The minister is trying to force the M HKA to accept a binding short-term contract without any guarantees regarding its status, autonomy, management of its collections, or even its survival. The promised operational resources can be revised at any time. With this subpoena, we ask the court to examine the legality of the sudden halt in construction of the new museum and the revocation of M HKA’s status as a museum.”

The demands made by the gallery owners, also supported by the artists’ association Museum@Risk and the neighborhood association Team Zuid, are on several levels. First, full museum status is demanded, with unconditional inclusion in the Heritage Decree. Second is a demand for the immediate construction of the new museum building according to the original plan already approved by the Flemish government. A further demand concerns the preservation of the mission of collecting and managing the collections and archives, which according to the collective should remain with the museum institution without structural changes.

Finally, the need is indicated for a guarantee of structural financial stability that can sustain the museum’s international ambitions and its role as a leading cultural institution. These points, according to the statement, also echo demands made directly by M HKA itself in a letter dated January 20, 2026 addressed to the Minister of Culture.

“Despite all the pressure and intimidation, we remain willing to dialogue,” Frederick Keteleer concluded. “But only on the condition that our basic demands are met. We do not consider other solutions; we refuse to cooperate with any violation of the law, the duty of care, and the Cultural Heritage Decree.”

The collective also appealed for ASBL M HKA and its board of directors to explicitly support the legal initiative, which is deemed necessary for the protection of the institution’s survival. Gallerists and associations involved have also invited other cultural institutions and stakeholders to intervene in the proceedings if they see fit. For further information regarding the legal action, attorney Stijn Verbist, who is following the matter on behalf of the collective, has been listed as a reference.

Antwerp, gallery owners sue minister Gennez over future of M HKA museum

The author of this article: Noemi Capoccia

Originaria di Lecce, classe 1995, ha conseguito la laurea presso l'Accademia di Belle Arti di Carrara nel 2021. Le sue passioni sono l'arte antica e l'archeologia. Dal 2024 lavora in Finestre sull'Arte.

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