the Frans Masereel Centre will officially bear the name MASEREEL. This name change reflects the recent growth into a dynamic centre for contemporary art, where creation, development and dialogue are central.
As a contemporary art centre, the centre for some time operated based on the basis of two autonomous but complementary programmes: an artist-oriented artistic programme on the one hand, and an international residency programme for artists and critics on the other.
In several conversations with artists, staff and colleagues, it became clear that our old name lacked the clarity and dynamism we needed. The sustainable transformation our organisation has undergone since mid-2019 called for a new name. Moreover, without sacrificing our rich history – and that of printed matter – the name MASEREEL makes it clear that we are neither a research centre focused on the work of Frans Masereel – one of the most important Belgian artists of the first half of the 20th century – nor consider ourselves an institution. As such, the change responds positively to a number of issues that have occupied our team and supporters for some time.