Contemporary and new

Our contemporary art collection has grown considerably over the past year. We have received as many as 60 works on loan from the Flemish Community. In addition, Cera bought eight works by Belgian artists and gave them to M on long-term loan.

In 2021, the Flemish Community bought art for almost four million euros. This was done to support the sector which had been hit hard by the impact of Covid. M was closely involved in the selection of the works and has received 60 on loan. The works at M are by 33 artists working in various media such as drawing, sculpture, photography, video art and installations. In 2023, M will present its collection and showcase many of the new acquisitions.

In addition to these supportive purchases, M receives several contemporary artworks on loan from the Flemish Community on a yearly basis. Together with five other museums and the Flemish Community, we consider potential new acquisitions every year.

M also manages Cera's collection which continues to grow every year. Mostly with recent pieces by emerging talents, sometimes with older, somewhat underexposed work by established names. But always by artists from Belgium. Cera and M aim to support them with these purchases, .

In 2021, Cera bought a total of eight works by three Belgian artists: Anne Daems, Vincent Geyskens and Marie Zolamian. M has been given these on long-term loan. Marie Zolamian's works will be on display at the museum in ‘Museum in Motion’.

Marie Zolamian

Cera bought three paintings by Marie Zolamian: two untitled (2019) and 'Sophism'(2018).

Marie Zolamian (Born in Beirut, 1975) lives and works in Liège and creates installations, videos and paintings. She draws inspiration from medieval and Persian miniatures, her own dream and fantasy world and recent art history. Figuration and abstraction alternate each other. The three acquired works are new to the Cera collection: this is the first work by her that M has.

Zonder titel, Marie Zolamian, 2019, Cera-collectie bij M Leuven, foto: © Marie Zolamian — Without title, Marie Zolamian, 2019, Cera collection at M Leuven, photo: © Marie Zolamian

'Sophisme', Marie Zolamian, 2018, Cera-collectie bij M Leuven, foto: © Marie Zolamian — 'Sophisme', Marie Zolamian, 2018, Cera collection at M Leuven, photo: © Marie Zolamian

Zonder titel, Marie Zolamian, 2018, Cera-collectie bij M Leuven, foto: © Marie Zolamian — Without title, Marie Zolamian, 2018, Cera collection at M Leuven, photo: © Marie Zolamian

Vincent Geyskens

Cera acquired one copy of 'I, Tiresias' (2021) by Vincent Geyskens. This is a lithograph that the artist has produced by hand and printed in a limited edition of ten.

Vincent Geyskens (Born in Lier, 1971) explores the medium of painting and our contemporary visual culture in paintings, collages and drawings. The copy bought by Cera was made on the occasion of the solo exhibition M organised around his work in 2021. M also has two works from the Flemish Community collection on long-term loan. In total, we now have ten works by Geyskens of which we acquired one, a painting, this year thanks to the recent supportive purchases from the Flemish Community.

'Ik, Tiresias', Vincent Geyskens, nr. 8/10, 2021, Cera-collectie bij M Leuven, foto: © Vincent Geyskens

Els Nouwen

The Flemish Community bought the painting 'OXO' by Els Nouwen (Born in Bree, 1968).

Nouwen paints on and with a variety of materials, during lengthy working processes during which she manipulates and explores an image until enigmatic paintings emerge. Realistic elements are juxtaposed with abstract paint strokes and touches. '0X0' reads like an obscure rebus in which cut-open peppers and genitals enter into a dialogue with a game of 0X0.

'OXO’, Els Nouwen, 2020, Collectie Vlaamse Gemeenschap bij M Leuven © Els Nouwen

Anne Daems

Cera acquired four drawings by Anne Daems from the series 'Chair Gustave Serrurier-Bovy covered in garments' (2019).

This is a series of a total of eighteen drawings in pencil and watercolour which are representative of the artist's recent work. In 2021, M received several additional pieces on long-term loan from the Flemish Community: a drawing and several installations and sculptures.

Anne Daems (Born in Lier, 1966) lives and works in Brussels and creates photographs, videos, installations and drawings. The Cera collection already holds a fascinating ensemble of works by her and this has now been significantly expanded with the new acquisitions.

'Stoel Gustave Serrurier-Bovy bedekt met kledingstukken 8', Anne Daems, 2019, Cera-collectie bij M Leuven, foto: © Anne Daems, courtesy Galerie Micheline Szwajcer — 'Stoel Gustave Serrurier-Bovy bedekt met kledingstukken 8', Anne Daems, 2019, Cera collection at M Leuven, photo: © Anne Daems, courtesy Galerie Micheline Szwajcer

'Stoel Gustave Serrurier-Bovy bedekt met kledingstukken 3', Anne Daems, 2019, Cera-collectie bij M Leuven, foto: © Anne Daems, courtesy Galerie Micheline Szwajcer — 'Stoel Gustave Serrurier-Bovy bedekt met kledingstukken 3', Anne Daems, 2019, Cera collection at M Leuven, photo: © Anne Daems, courtesy Galerie Micheline Szwajcer

'Stoel Gustave Serrurier-Bovy bedekt met kledingstukken 14', Anne Daems, 2019, Cera-collectie bij M Leuven, foto: © Anne Daems, courtesy Galerie Micheline Szwajcer — 'Stoel Gustave Serrurier-Bovy bedekt met kledingstukken 14', Anne Daems, 2019, Cera collection at M Leuven, photo: © Anne Daems, courtesy Galerie Micheline Szwajcer

'Stoel Gustave Serrurier-Bovy bedekt met kledingstukken 6', Anne Daems, 2019, Cera-collectie bij M Leuven, foto: © Anne Daems, courtesy Galerie Micheline Szwajcer — 'Stoel Gustave Serrurier-Bovy bedekt met kledingstukken 6', Anne Daems, 2019, Cera collection at M Leuven, photo: © Anne Daems, courtesy Galerie Micheline Szwajcer

Paul Casaer

The Flemish Community bought 'Tropical Archive’ by Paul Casaer (Born in Etterbeek, 1967), which is representative of his recent work.

Casaer mainly makes large-scale metal sculptures. He explores that which lurks beneath the surface of our consumer society, questioning the way we try to give meaning to objects, our immediate environment and our world. Because he uses everyday objects and structures, his work often looks recognisable, clear and accessible.

‘Tropical Archive’, Paul Casaer, 2020, collectie Vlaamse Gemeenschap bij M Leuven © Paul Casaer

Leen Voet

Van Leen Voet (°1971) kocht de Vlaamse Gemeenschap een ensemble van zes schilderijen dat representatief is voor haar recente werk. Voet maakt programmatisch opgezette series schilderijen, tekeningen en installaties. Met schijnbare lichtvoetigheid, in levendige kleuren en een bewust anti-virtuoze hard-edge stijl schetst ze een afwisselend perspectief op breed gedeelde betekenissen van en verwachtingen over beelden. Ze stelt ook pregnante vragen rond kunst en kunstenaarschap.

‘Je Fais Ce Que Je Veux’ (2019-2021) is een reeks van zes duo’s, waarvan er drie zijn aangekocht. De duo’s zijn gebaseerd op de tekst en de scenografie van het gelijknamige lied dat Bourvil zong in het televisieoptreden ‘Rendez-vous avec...’ (RTF, 1961). Elk duo bestaat uit een schilderij op een staander (een verwijzing naar de deuren in de oorspronkelijke scenografie) en een kleiner schilderij met personages aan de muur. De titel van elk duo is een tekstfragment uit het chanson, dat op ironische wijze de charmes van huiselijkheid en familiegeluk bezingt.

The three duos will be on view in the solo exhibition that M is organising around Leen Voet in spring 2023.