Zeno X Gallery in Antwerp Closes After 42 Years

Zeno X Gallery, a pioneering European gallery founded in 1981 by Frank Demaegd and Eliane Breynaert in Antwerp, is closing its doors after 42 years. The gallery will complete its program through December 2023 before shutting down permanently. The founders cited health difficulties exacerbated by stress and pressure as the reason. Zeno X was known for launching and representing major contemporary artists including Marlene Dumas, Luc Tuymans, Michaël Borremans, Raoul De Keyser, Mark Manders, and Martin Margiela. Initially focused on architecture and installation with artists like John Körmeling and Rem Koolhaas, the gallery shifted toward painting in the 1990s. It participated in top international fairs such as Art Basel, Frieze, and FIAC. Over its history, Zeno X produced more than 200 exhibitions and took part in over 100 fairs worldwide. The gallery operated from two spaces: a historic early-20th-century building in Antwerp's south district and a larger industrial space in Borgerhout, with the original space at Leopold De Waelplaats 16 reopened in 2020 for intimate projects. The founders expressed gratitude to artists, collectors, museums, institutions, press, and staff, stating "a gallery is defined by its team."