There are always certain circumstances which exercise a determining influence on a collection to a far greater degree than is the case with planning, concept or finances. These certain circumstances, however, are difficult to regulate. They consist of factors which resist being controlled by individuals. Thus coincidence and luck must be considered to be the crucial variables of these certain circumstances.

An examination of the history of museums teaches us that it is often these coincidences along with a good bit of luck which first made an acquisition, a donation or a permanent loan possible. These factors exercise their influence long before contracts are signed or financial transactions are made, and they have a fundamental impact on a future collaboration. For example, when owners decide to give their works of art into our hands as permanent loans, then this occurs because they trust us. The IKOB has enjoyed this trust for twenty-seven years.

In recent years, our collection has accordingly grown larger not only through acquisitions, but also through permanent loans. For this reason, we have decided to present the new additions to our collection. In parallel, we have invited friends of the IKOB to enter into a dialogue with us and our collection in the framework of parallel events. They were invited to let us participate in their artistic practice in the form of exhibitions, open ateliers, screenings and workshops. For these actions, we have made two spaces of the IKOB available to be used in different ways. The artists can spread out across the ground level with exhibitions, concerts, lectures and presentations. On the upper storey, we have set up a so-called Black Box which can likewise be used for video art and performances. The major part of the exhibition surface, however, is reserved for the collection itself. It constitutes the framework – or more precisely, the artistic horizon – in front of which there unfolds what we call the ‘critical present’.

Artists featured in the collection presentation are or were:
Marcel Berlanger
Franck Bovet
Guillaume Bijl
André Blanck
Jean Pierre Bredo
André Butzer
Bert De Beul
Julie De Bleeckere
Dirk Dietrich Hennig
René Korten
Andrea Lehnert
Adrien Lucca
Léopold Plomteux
Pat Rosenmeier
Jana Rusch
Paul Schwer
Heinrich Siepmann
Ton Slits
Johan Tahon
Johan Van Geleuwe
Marcel Warrand
Yves Zurstrassen

Artists invited to the parallel events are:
Aline Bouvy, Benoît Jacquemin, Tanja Mosblech, Francis Schmetz