This summer, ArtBase Terneuzen and Vleeshal Centre for Contemporary Art in Middelburg (Holland) are joining forces to celebrate Vleeshal’s 50th anniversary. From 5 July to 13 September, they will present the Vleeshal Collection, in collaboration with M HKA, as part of a large-scale exhibition project across ten venues throughout Zeeland. M HKA, which manages the collection, supports the project and complements this extensive presentation with works from its own collection.
Presenting and Anchoring Art
The Vleeshal Collection began to take shape in the 1990s, driven by a clear ambition: not only to present contemporary art, but also to anchor it within the public realm. By acquiring works by artists who participated in the exhibition programme, Vleeshal built a distinctive collection. Today, it reflects the institution’s history while holding international relevance.
Since 2005, M HKA has managed the collection on long-term loan. The museum supports this unique exhibition project — spread across ten locations — through curatorial, logistical and financial contributions. In addition, M HKA presents works from its own collection in Middelburg and Terneuzen, where they enter into dialogue with works from the Vleeshal Collection.
“What once began as a temporary exhibition continues to live on through a network of artists, institutions and audiences that keeps evolving. By allowing artworks to circulate once again, we gain not only a renewed perspective on the collection itself, but also on the stories and communities connected to it. Vleeshal Collection On Tour demonstrates how collections forge new relationships and continuously generate new meanings.”
Jan De Vree, Head of Collections & Research at M HKA
A Dialogue Between Collections
At Vleeshal in Middelburg, works from the Vleeshal Collection — including pieces by Jimmie Durham, Rita McBride, Marlow Moss, JCJ Vanderheyden, Danh Vo and Ian Wallace — are brought together with works from the M HKA Collection by artists such as Lili Dujourie, Hana Miletić, Piet Dieleman and Varvara Stepanova.
At ArtBase Terneuzen, a second dialogue unfolds between the two collections, featuring works by Ann Veronica Janssens, Suchan Kinoshita, Mark Manders and Laure Prouvost. In addition, individual artists from the Vleeshal Collection will be presented at various locations throughout Zeeland.
A Joint Initiative with ArtBase Terneuzen
The project is a joint initiative of Vleeshal and ArtBase Terneuzen, a new player in the cultural field. ArtBase Terneuzen is a museum in development based on an innovative, connective museum model tailored to Zeeuws-Vlaanderen and the wider region. It combines an international outlook with a strong regional focus, bringing art closer to people in new and engaging ways.
More Than an Anniversary Exhibition
Vleeshal Collection On Tour is much more than an anniversary exhibition. The project demonstrates how collections not only preserve the past, but also create new connections between artworks, institutions and audiences. In doing so, Vleeshal celebrates not only its history, but also the future of a collection that continues to travel, connect and inspire.
Locations and Artists
- ArtBase Terneuzen: Ann Veronica Janssens, Suchan Kinoshita, Mark Manders, Bruce Nauman and Laure Prouvost
- Catharina Maria Hof, Kamperland: Ola Vasiljeva
- De Bewaerschole, Burgh-Haamstede: Róza El-Hassan
- Grote Kerk Veere: Maartje Korstanje
- Museum Het Bolwerk, IJzendijke: Rossella Biscotti
- Museum Het Warenhuis, Axel: Terry Fox
- VierVaart, Groede: Marijke van Warmerdam
- Vleeshal, Middelburg: Sara Blokland, Marinus Boezem, Nico van den Boezem, Piet Dieleman, Lili Dujourie, Jimmie Durham, Rita McBride, Hana Miletić, Marlow Moss, Varvara Stepanova, Remco Torenbosch, JCJ Vanderheyden, Danh Vo, William Verstraeten and Ian Wallace
- Watersnoodmuseum, Ouwerkerk: Pipilotti Rist
Practical Information
Duration: Sunday 5 July to Sunday 13 September 2026
Opening Vleeshal: Saturday 4 July, 3 pm – 6 pm
Opening ArtBase Terneuzen and 8 locations: Sunday 5 July
Location: Vleeshal, Markt 1, 4331 LJ Middelburg, Netherlands, ArtBase Terneuzen and eight other locations in Zeeland
Collaboration: ArtBase Terneuzen, Vleeshal Centre for Contemporary Art and M HKA
Exhibition page: More about Vleeshal Collectie on Tour
Tickets: €7.50 via Vleeshal
Main image: Marinus Boezem, l’Uomo Volante, 1979. In the exhibition Space Sculptures, Vleeshal, 15.09–06.10.1979. Photo: Wim Riemens