Het Erf

Het Erf [The Yard] explores the collection of Irma and Jules Dhondt-Dhaenens, for which they had their own museum built in Deurle in 1967. Now, 56 years later, Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens is studying the origins of its own existence through a selection of historical artworks and never-before-shown archival material. The exhibition is the result of an intensive search for personal stories about the collection and its founders.

MDD’s collection is a time capsule that tells the story of a committed patron couple dedicated to promoting the ‘Flemish culture’. Irma and Jules Dhondt-Dhaenens bought art out of a strong commitment to the artists and the Leie region, as evidenced by some radical choices.

Het Erf reflects on the personal nature but responds also to the artistic and political climate in which the collection was created and aims to enable new dialogues between the artworks with a fresh perspective.

Within Het Erf, Guillaume Bijl’s Sorry installation extends the historical synergy between heritage and contemporary art in MDD.