Who does the museum belong to, and how do art collections shape the way we see the world? On Sunday, 22 November, art historian and de Volkskrant art critic Wieteke van Zeil will give a lecture at Bonnefanten exploring the meaning of art, the stories museums tell and the perspectives that shape our view of art.

Practical information

Date: Sunday, 22 November 2026
Time: 14:00
Location: Bonnefanten Maastricht
Entrance: Free with a valid museum ticket. Registration via Studium Generale is mandatory.

The lecture Van wie is het museum? (Who Does the Museum Belong To)? is organised in collaboration with Studium Generale and is part of the major exhibition Cooking from the Fridge. This is the final exhibition under the leadership of general and artistic director Stijn Huijts. During his thirty-year career as a museum director in Sittard, Heerlen and Maastricht, he has made a significant contribution to the development of Limburg’s art collection.

For the exhibition, 27 people who had previously worked with Huijts were given the freedom to curate their own gallery. The result is a multifaceted presentation of personal perspectives on art and heritage.

Wieteke van Zeil is one of the guest curators. In her gallery, she explores how the meaning of artworks changes over time, drawing on works by four female artists. Scent also plays a role: the gallery smells of pomegranate, a powerful feminine symbol in art history.

Drawing on her signature series Oog voor Detail (An Eye for Detail), Van Zeil takes visitors on a journey through remarkable artworks, revealing how art and museums connect to the world we live in today.

The lecture is organised by Studium Generale in collaboration with Bonnefanten and takes place as part of the farewell exhibition of Stijn Huijts.