The future Brussels Museum of Contemporary Art, now has a name: Kanal.
It is likely to be named after its Foundation. The name was indicated in Berlin, on Tuesday, by Yves Golstein. He has been authorised to establish the Foundation for the future museum. Mr Goldstein was involved in a section of the Brussels Days exhibition in Berlin, to bring the project in the German capital to fruition. Berlin is somewhat lacking in collections, but abundant in its wish for artistic creations.
Mr Goldstein took part on Monday and Tuesday in the section of activities of the Brussels delegation. These were dedicated to contemporary art and to the preparation of the museum project on the Citroën Yser site, as part of the Brussels Days exhibition.
Unlike Brussels, Berlin is deprived of art collections, but has an abundant desire for artists and creations in the contemporary art sphere. It thus accommodates the highly renowned Künstlerhaus Bethanien, (a visual arts residence and museum venue with international artists exhibited). This was created in 1979 and is known worldwide.
Benefiting from a public-private finance initiative, and granted an annual budget of €1.2 million per year, this organisation enables artists to train. Several renowned Belgians have stayed here. Those in residence have access to workshops with a total area of 50 m2 and are paid for a year. Yves Goldstein says that there is nothing of the sort in Brussels. The latter instead has art schools, contemporary art centres and private collectors.
The future Brussels museum will increase the prestige of the work of artists established in Brussels. The Brussels government has decided to devote a budget of €1 million for the acquisition and production of an initial series of artworks next year. Mr Goldstein is also counting upon gifts, loans and other legacies from private collectors, concerned to ensure the increased prestige of their country’s heritage.
However the museum preparations are being carefully planned. Although the contribution from the Centre Pompidou in Paris, is fundamental for the project construction, it is not a question of simply making Brussels a new branch museum of the French organisation.
Such an approach has, of course, occurred in other cities. This means, in particular, that there is a need for a specific name for the future Brussels museum complex. The Foundation which has just been created bears the name “Kanal”. Yves Goldstein further stated that this will “in all likelihood” be the name of the future museum.
The Brussels Times
