Along the frayed fault line between the city and port lies a raw and rusty area. For many Antwerp residents, this represents a blind spot on the map. However, this area oozes history linked to the once bustling in-city port.
At the request of the city of Antwerp, the Antwerp artist Guillaume Bijl created the artwork Saluting Admiral Couple for the fifth anniversary of the MAS. The work gives the monumental building a playful and surprising touch.
Together with the MAS, theatre producer, writer and actor Dimitri Leue gathered stories from the collection and the city for the new exhibition 'Listen'. He wrote a compelling audio play that you can listen to in the exhibition. Tine Embrechts plays the role of Kameleonie.
The tile panel 'The Conversion of Saul' is one of the most important pieces of the MAS I Vleeshuis collection, the collection of applied arts and history from the city of Antwerp.
Napoleon's visit to Antwerp in 1803 was a high point for the city on the Scheldt. Joséphine de Beauharnais, Napoleon's wife, ordered a painting to immortalise the entry. This is a preliminary sketch for that.
The exhibition also tells the story of Antarctica today. You will find out how scientists are still conducting groundbreaking scientific research there. This topical part of the exhibition was created in collaboration with the International Polar Foundation.
FREE ENTRANCE | Maria Nijs assembled 200 precious dolls, made in Europe between 1830 and 1930. From her remarkable collection, MAS acquired eleven of these dolls. A painting of Maria with her favorite dolls, created by her father, is also part of the MAS collection. The 11 dolls, together with the painting, can be admired in the Visible Storage starting June 9.
