Reverse the decision to abolish M HKA's status as a national museum

AICA International would like to register its protest against the proposed restructuring of M HKA (Museum of Contemporary Art in Antwerp). It also expresses its support to the call by the Belgian and international art community to reverse this arbitrary decision.

Any plan to centralise the cultural landscape by margining institutions and moving national collections without any consultation with the museum, its stakeholders, museum experts or artists is a violation of their cultural rights. The exclusion of citizens from any conversation that will have a powerful impact on the cultural landscape is, by default, a restriction on freedom of expression.

The local artists and community are strongly opposed to the proposed transfer of a larger part of the collection of M HKA in Antwerp to Ghent and the downgrading of the museum into an art centre. This de-localization of the collection of M HKA is being seen as an act of cultural disruption. As you may be aware, a Museum is more than a repository of art, it is a hub of synergies between art, artists and the community. These cultural connections makes the museum a significant part of the city’s identity. This decision regarding M HKA will have both tangible and intangible impacts on Antwerp and beyond, including the Flemish contemporary art ecology and its existing international partnerships.

AICA International strongly recommends that the Flemish government, in keeping with the demands of the art community and local stakeholders, re-examine its decision to re-locate the art collection of M HKA and turn it into an art centre.

Malgorzata Kazmierczak, President of AICA International
Niilofur Farrukh, Chair of the Censorship Committee

*The above letter has been sent to Matjaz Gruden (Director for Democracy at the Council of Europe), Glenn Micallef (Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport at the European Commission), Ms Gennez (Ministry of Culture in Belgium) and to the Permanent Representation of Belgium to the UNESCO.

For further context, see: Earthquake at Flemish museums: M HKA dropped as museum, collection goes to S.M.A.K.

Sign the petition to reverse the decision to abolish M HKA's status as a national museum.