We are very proud to announce that the exhibition '100 x Congo. A century of Congolese art in Antwerp' has been chosen as 'International exhibition of the year' by the British Museums & Heritage Awards.
Military violence and mass persecution of Jews and dissenters during World War II broke the city. Personal stories and objects make this period very tangible in this new permanent MAS exhibition.
The MAS, together with a number of key partners, collected stories from Antwerper citizens about what a "home" means to them. A dozen families collaborated on the exhibition for a year.
On June 12, 1945, American Brigadier General Clare H. Armstrong donated two V-bombs to Antwerp as a reminder of the bitter struggle: an intact V1 practice bomb and a slightly damaged manned flying bomb. This bomb, the ReIV, we loaned to the Musée La Coupole near Saint-Omer in northern France.
The ancient glass collection is one of the hidden gems at the MAS. It's part of a valuable glass collection numbering nearly 700 objects. For the first time the subcollection of ancient glass is published in a comprehensive catalogue.
Except for a dozen or so loans, all the pieces on display in the exhibition come from the MAS collection. The objects have been chosen for what they portray, their significance or their (historical) story.
The Flemish non-profit organisation Sensoa donated its collection of quilts to the MAS. It consists of unique and personal canvases, each commemorating an AIDS victim. The creations are not limited to the traditional quilting (patchwork) technique. Some canvases were drawn or painted.
Pierre-Yves Kairis (b. 1958) is a doctor of art history at the Université de Liège. He was closely involved in the restoration of “The Mystic Marriage of St. Catherine,” a painting by Michaelina Wautier.
