Belgian Private Collections: From Intimate Anthologies to Museum-Scale Ambitions

A survey of four major Belgian private collections reveals diverse strategies for preservation and public access. The Matthys-Colle collection, built since the 1960s by neuropsychiatrist Roger Matthys and his wife Hilda Colle, was shown at Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens in Deurle (summer 2007). It features conceptual and minimalist works by Kosuth, Ryman, LeWitt, and others, with a focus on small-format pieces from artists' early careers. Mark Vanmoerkerke, founder of Sun Parks, amassed 900 works since 1998, now housed in a converted 1942 German shooting range near Ostend Airport (750 m²), renovated by architect Peter De Bruycker. The space opens every four months with a new curator; Patrick DeBrock curated the first display. Walter Vanhaerents opened his 3,500 m² former sanitary warehouse in central Brussels (renovated by Robbrecht & Daem) as a private museum titled 'Disorder in the House,' featuring 70 works by 30 artists including Murakami, McCarthy, and Barney. The Ullens Center for Contemporary Art, founded by Guy and Myriam Ullens, opens November 2, 2007, in Beijing's Dashanzi district (6,500 m²), designed by Jean-Michel Wilmotte, directed by Jan Debbaut, with Fei Dawei managing the collection. Its inaugural exhibition '85 New Wave' focuses on Chinese avant-garde art from 1985.