Annick and Anton Herbert were introduced to Marcel Broodthaers in 1973 by Fernand Spillemaeckers of Galerie MTL in Brussels. This meeting, and the many that followed, had a defining influence on their collection. The Herberts recall conversations about art and its position within society. Shortly after their first encounter, they purchased several works by Broodthaers. In the following years, he grew to become one of the most strongly represented artists within their collection and archive.
In honour of the centenary of Marcel Broodthaers’ (1924-1976) birth, Herbert Foundation presents a selection of key works from the collection, complemented by documents and printed matter. The works and documents reflect the Herberts’ interest in the poetic and literary aspect of Broodthaers’ oeuvre, as evident in Carte du monde poétique (1968) and Le Corbeau et le Renard (1967).
The presentation also reflects on the history of the collection itself, which was first exhibited at the Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven in 1984. The title of that display, L’architecte est absent, was borrowed from Broodthaers’ work Le Corbeau et le Renard. This not only underscores the Herberts’ views on art and exhibitions but also their commitment to artists.
Focus presentation – 100 years Marcel Broodthaers (1924–2024)
May 5, 2024 – Jul 27, 2025
Herbert Foundation
Ghent, Belgium
