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.
In 1873, the Antwerp Museum of Antiquities purchased a 16th-century retable of the Averbode Abbey, depicting the Lamentation of Christ. 150 years later, it is given on long-term loan to the abbey and thus returns home.
The photographer Herman Selleslags and the author Pascal Verbeken took an unforgettable journey through Europe. They packed the diary of the Jewish teenager Benjamin Kopp, who was born in a village near Warsaw and was a Red Star Line passenger in 1912, in their suitcase.
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.
The Eilandje was the place where people gathered on their way to the New World. The magnificent Red Star Line steamers moored on the quay just before the bend in the Scheldt River. When the steam whistle announced an impending departure, the quay swarmed with activity. The Eilandje is currently a sought after place in the city.
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.
It is with fond memories and the utmost respect that the MAS says goodbye to Jacob Sabakinu Kivilu, an esteemed bridge-builder between Congolese and Belgian universities and museums.
