Hugo Roelandt – The End is a New Beginning

Hugo Roelandt (Aalst 1950–Antwerp 2015) was a versatile artist, at various times a performer, installation artist and photographer, who from the mid-1970s was a significant figure of the post-war avant-garde in Antwerp. Roelandt did not confine himself to a single artistic genre or style. His performances, photographic series and interventions in public space were characterised by their diverse and sometimes contradictory nature.

Throughout his career, Roelandt sought to deconstruct traditional notions of art. He believed that art should reflect the complexities of contemporary life and societal issues rather than adhere to aesthetic orthodoxy. Key themes in his practice included body image and gender norms, automation, and the bourgeois nature of the artistic field.

The End is a New Beginning is Hugo Roelandt’s first museum overview exhibition, and will mark ten years since his passing. M HKA and CKV (Flanders Art Archive Centre)  received the complete archive of Hugo Roelandt, which includes key artworks, and an array of material including documentation, notes, sketches, information on unrealised projects, as well as his personal library that served as an educational resource.

The exhibition is organised by M HKA in collaboration with Marc Holthof and Lydia Van Loock.

Hugo Roelandt’s work The Shape of Water will also be presented at the Fundació Joan Miró in June 2025, where it was originally installed by the artist in 1986. This collaboration between M HKA and Fundació Joan Miró as part of the 50th anniversary programme of the Fundació Joan Miró. Additionally, M HKA will host a presentation by the recipient of the Hugo Roelandt Prize 2024, Sean Peleman as part of the INBOX programme in May 2025.