Brussels Region and cartoonist Philippe Geluck are in talks to end their long-delayed Museum of Le Chat and Humorous Drawing project after rising fit-out costs made it unaffordable for the artist.
The agreement to create the museum was signed in 2015, with the project itself dating back to 2014. It was intended to celebrate Le Chat, the iconic feline character created by the Brussels-born cartoonist.
In April 2023, the museum finally obtained planning permission. But three years later, it has still not opened, after repeated delays and several controversies since its launch.
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According to several media reports, Geluck, 72, has contacted the Brussels government to withdraw from the project.
“I am indeed in discussions to find a solution so that I can withdraw from the project,” Geluck said. “It is a terrible decision for me, because I have been working on this case with my teams for 12 years.”
He said he was expected to pay for a series of interior works, but that costs had doubled over the past decade. “It is no longer possible for me. It is untenable,” he said.
Brussels Minister-President Boris Dilliès said he still intended to see the project through. “I inherited this file, but I fully intend to bring it to completion to help Brussels shine, without any extra cost for Brussels residents,” he said.
“With or without Philippe Geluck, there will be a leading museum,” Dilliès added.
