In memoriam Anton Herbert

Anton Herbert, of whom we mourn the loss, was one of Belgium’s greatest collectors of international postwar art. Thanks to his efforts, and those of his wife Annick, generations of art lovers, artists, researchers and students can continue to discover and appreciate their world-class collection in the Herbert Foundation in Ghent.

For Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens, Anton Herbert’s passing is particularly stinging. It was through the (cancelled) exhibition “Deurle 11/07/73” organised by Fernand Spillemaeckers at MDD in 1973, and the publication that survived it, that Anton and Annick began collecting works by among others Carl Andre, John Baldessari, Robert Barry, Marcel Broodthaers, Joseph Kosuth, Sol LeWitt en Lawrence Weiner. Thanks to their generous support, this exhibition was remade at MDD in 2004.

In 2011, MDD organised an exhibition with works from the collection of Anton’s father, Tony Herbert. As recently as last year, MDD published the doctoral research of the late Tanguy Eeckhout, a chapter of which is devoted to the Herberts’ exceptional collection.

On behalf of the board and staff of MDD, we send Annick and the Herbert Family our deepest sympathies.