The Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp (KMSKA) presents Hans Op de Beeck: Nocturnal Journey, the most extensive solo exhibition to date in Belgium by the internationally acclaimed artist. Running from 22 March to 17 August 2025, the show immerses visitors in a dreamlike, twilight world shaped by Op de Beeck’s signature lifelike sculptures, video works, and soundscapes. Blurring the lines between reality and imagination, the multidisciplinary artist creates an evocative, poetic environment that invites visitors to become part of the work, journeying through themes of memory, emotion, and everyday ritual.

“Questioning beauty is something artists have done throughout the centuries. Hans Op de Beeck’s work also explores the many manifestations of beauty. In the process, the artist has a keen eye for the poetry of the small, the everyday. It is precisely for this reason that Op de Beeck is a guest at KMSKA.” – Annelien De Troij, curator of the show said.

Set against a mysterious, monochrome backdrop, Nocturnal Journey explores universal experiences through a cast of characters and symbolic objects, evoking timeless themes like transience, beauty, and stillness. In dialogue with the KMSKA’s permanent collection, Op de Beeck’s works reinterpret classical forms with contemporary sensitivity, playing with scale, material, and mood to breathe new life into art-historical motifs. The result is a contemplative and immersive exhibition that resonates with viewers on both a personal and collective level.

Hans Op de Beeck: Nocturnal Journey is on view until 17 August 2025 at the KMSKA – Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp, Belgium.

–

Image: Installation views of Hans Op de Beeck’s exhibition ‘Nocturnal Journey,’ KMSKA, Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp, Belgium / © Hans Op de Beeck
Photos by Dominique Provost