Luc Tuymans, two summer group shows in Belgium
Published on 08/22/2026 at 11:46 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Luc Tuymans is present this summer in two politically attentive group exhibitions in Belgium. As the Z33 House for Contemporary Art in Hasselt and Antwerp Pride's UNI program confirm, his work appears in Before Our Eyes and UNI alongside other artists.
Two Belgian shows in August
The exhibition Before Our Eyes runs at Z33 House for Contemporary Art, Design and Architecture in Hasselt from March 29 to August 23, 2026, addressing how artists respond to reports of genocidal violence in Gaza and the erosion of international law, according to the official press release. Z33 press release
Curated by Tim Roerig, Before Our Eyes includes works and new commissions by Marianne Berenhaut, Marlene Dumas, Mohammed Sami, Luc Tuymans and others, and focuses on how images of violence are mediated and ethically charged for viewers. The show emphasizes deliberate choices about what to reveal and what to withhold in depictions of conflict.
Queer-centered UNI at Antwerp Pride
In Antwerp, Annie Gentils Gallery presents UNI on the occasion of Antwerp Pride, held under the theme Fearless from August 5 to 9, 2026, bringing together LGBTQIA+ artists and allies such as Anne-Mie Van Kerckhoven, Kasper Bosmans and Luc Tuymans, per the Pride calendar. Antwerp Pride event page
UNI opened on August 1, 2026 at Annie Gentils Gallery in Antwerp and runs until September 6, 2026, with visiting hours from Wednesday to Saturday, 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM, positioning Tuymans's contribution within a broader dialogue on queer visibility and alliance.
All news and background on Luc Tuymans
Further reports on Luc Tuymans trace his exhibitions, auction results and institutional presence across Europe and the United States.
The work series at Z33 and Antwerp
Both exhibitions frame Tuymans's painting within broader political and social narratives, rather than as isolated canvases. At Z33, his work appears among pieces that explore complicity, spectatorship and the ethics of viewing images of suffering, foregrounding the slow and reflective gaze.
At Annie Gentils Gallery, his participation in UNI ties into Antwerp Pride's Fearless theme, where works by LGBTQIA+ artists and allies address visibility, vulnerability and solidarity in a city-wide cultural context. This dual presence underscores how Tuymans's images resonate beyond strictly national or historical subjects.
The position of Luc Tuymans
Luc Tuymans is widely identified with a restrained, muted palette and unresolved figuration, often sourcing images from photographs, television, historical documentation and digital screenshots. His paintings typically condense complex historical or political narratives into cropped, seemingly banal motifs that remain psychologically charged.
Over four decades, he has developed major work groups ranging from early Holocaust-related pieces to series engaging with colonial histories, media imagery and domestic scenes, establishing a practice that navigates between memory, mediation and doubt rather than explicit illustration.
Where the artist stands now
Luc Tuymans is currently on view in Before Our Eyes at Z33 in Hasselt until August 23, 2026 and in UNI at Annie Gentils Gallery in Antwerp until September 6, 2026.
Key facts on Luc Tuymans
- Artist: Luc Tuymans
- Medium / Genre: Painting (conceptual figurative)
- Born: 1958, Mortsel, Belgium
- Place(s) of practice: Studio in Antwerp, Belgium
- Active since: 1980s, with wider international recognition from the 1990s
- Key work groups: Der Architekt, Gas Chamber, Mwana Kitoko, The Fruit Basket
- Current/last exhibition: Before Our Eyes, Z33 House for Contemporary Art, Design and Architecture, Hasselt, March 29–August 23, 2026; UNI, Annie Gentils Gallery, Antwerp, August 1–September 6, 2026
- Major collections: Tate (London), MoMA (New York), Centre Pompidou (Paris), Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp (M HKA), Art Institute of Chicago
- Awards: Skowhegan Medal for Painting (2008), Max Beckmann Prize (2008), Flemish Culture Prize for Visual Arts (2012)
- Next date: Exhibitions Before Our Eyes and UNI running through August 23 and September 6, 2026 respectively
Frequently asked questions about Luc Tuymans
Where can I see Luc Tuymans's work in August 2026?
In August 2026, Luc Tuymans is included in the group exhibition Before Our Eyes at Z33 in Hasselt until August 23 and in UNI at Annie Gentils Gallery in Antwerp until September 6.
What themes frame Luc Tuymans's current exhibitions?
At Z33, Before Our Eyes focuses on artistic responses to reports of genocidal violence in Gaza and the erosion of international law, while UNI at Annie Gentils Gallery is organized for Antwerp Pride under the Fearless theme, centering LGBTQIA+ artists and allies.
How do these shows relate to Luc Tuymans's broader practice?
Both exhibitions situate Tuymans's painting within discussions of ethics, spectatorship and identity, echoing his longstanding interest in how mediated images of historical and contemporary events shape perception and responsibility.
This article was produced with a.i. support and editorially reviewed. All statements without guarantee; auction results, exhibition dates and awards may change at short notice.
