'Putting Léon Spilliaert’s work on display for our visitors to enjoy poses a major challenge,” explains Mieke. “Moreover, we want to ensure it is preserved for future generations. It means we have to limit their exposure to light. Works on paper are extremely fragile; light can cause discolouration and damage the paper. That’s why we never display these works for more than four months at a time. After that, they have to be stored in complete darkness.'
As a curator and researcher at Mu.ZEE, Mieke Mels has curated numerous exhibitions and specializes in managing and presenting the museum's collection, which encompasses Belgian art from 1880 to the present. Her expertise lies in carefully balancing the visibility of works by iconic artists such as Spilliaert, Ensor, and Permeke—often in relation to contemporary artists like Luc Tuymans, Anne-Mie Van Kerckhoven, and Valerie Mannaerts—while ensuring their preservation for future generations.