New Photographic Perspectives: FOMU Antwerp Debuts Three Major Spring Exhibitions
The photo museum of Antwerp, FOMU, has refreshed its galleries with three distinct exhibitions launching on March 29, 2024. Presenting everything from deep archive transformations to global ecofeminist struggles and emerging local talent, these new showcases offer visitors a comprehensive look at the power of the photographic lens. The museum has also debuted a refreshed brand identity, developed in collaboration with the Antwerp-based creative agency Mutant.
What to Expect: Three Diverse Photographic Journeys in Antwerp
Visitors to the museum this spring will encounter three highly individual projects, each occupying its own space within the warehouse-style galleries of Antwerp's trendy South quarter ('t Zuid).
Dirk Braeckman’s Intimate Dialogue with the Collection
In the exhibition Echtzeit (running from March 29, 2024, to January 19, 2025), established Belgian photographer Dirk Braeckman presents a unique project. Known for his dark, quiet, and suggestive imagery, Braeckman has spent over forty years exploring the nuances of analogue and digital processes. To learn more about his background, visitors can explore his online portfolio.
For this exhibition, Braeckman worked directly with the museum’s own archives. He selected functional, historical, and non-artistic photographs from the collection and reinterpreted them. By photographing the original prints, physically manipulating them in his studio—using techniques such as painting, smearing, and cutting—and reprocessing them in the darkroom, he has created an entirely new body of work.
The exhibition also features:
- An audio guide featuring poetic reflections written and spoken by authors Alara Adilow, Yousra Benfquih, Peter Verhelst, and Niña Weijers.
- A special artist book, Dirk Braeckman - Echtzeit, published by Stockmans (€50), featuring essays by Tamara Berghmans and Clément Chéroux.
- An upcoming artist talk on June 6 at the museum.
Ecofeminism and Global Struggles in RE/SISTERS
On display from March 29 to August 18, 2024, RE/SISTERS - A Lens on Gender and Ecology explores the systemic connections between environmental destruction and the historical oppression of women and minority groups. Rooted in the ecofeminist movement that began in the 1970s, this large-scale group exhibition brings together photography, film, and installations from over forty international women and non-binary artists.
The exhibition is curated by Alona Pardo and organized in partnership with the Barbican in London. Through historical and contemporary pieces dating from 1969 to the present, the displayed works depict communities on the front lines of ecological defense, challenging existing political and economic power structures.
To accompany the exhibition, a comprehensive book published by Prestel featuring several thematic essays is available online and at the museum shop for €49. Additionally, FOMU has teamed up with MINO to develop a public program of events and collaborative discussions reflecting these local and global themes.
Emerging Talent: Nick Geboers and the FOMU Grant
From March 29 to May 12, 2024, the museum highlights the work of Belgian photographer Nick Geboers. Based in Balen, Geboers focuses on quiet, observational images that feel disconnected from time, drawing attention to abstract shapes and overlooked details in the world around us.
Geboers’ exhibition is the result of the 2023 FOMU Grant, an initiative organized in partnership with WIELS and VICE to support and promote photographic talent in Flanders. Recipients of the grant receive an artistic commission, a dedicated museum showcase, and have their work acquired for the permanent collection.
Planning Your Visit to FOMU Antwerp
Located in a converted historical warehouse in the South quarter of the city, FOMU is situated close to other major cultural landmarks like the M HKA. Visitors can round out their visit by stopping by the museum's design-forward shop or enjoying a drink at the onsite café, Pixel.
If you are planning your next cultural journey through the city, Musemap (musemap.art) can help you navigate local artistic highlights. To find more inspiration, you can browse Antwerp museums, view active galleries on the interactive Antwerp cultural map, or check out other current events on our Antwerp exhibition schedule.
