The artworks in 'Duologue' have a lot to tell each other.

Five artworks from the Old Masters Collection enter into dialogue with their contemporary counterparts.

Timeless agreements

How much does the past differ from the present? The works in Duologue seem to have been made for each other, but they are from different centuries. Similarities can transcend time and give the works new meaning. What can the past tell us about the present, and vice versa?

Endless dialogue

Duologue invites you to give meaning to what you see. Curious about the underlying reasoning? Come to the museum, let your imagination run wild, find connections, and build bridges between the old and the new!

Make yourself heard

One of the five duos in Duologue discusses text in works of art. On a medieval panel, a speech bubble, known as a ‘banderole’, is used to convey a moralistic message. In Ed Templeton’s work, banderoles are no longer reserved exclusively for the word of God. A harlequin speaks out on the right to abortion using the lyrics to Reclamation by Fugazi. More and more voices are now audible, but who deserves to be heard?

Preliminary discussion

Duologue establishes connections between works of art across time. With this experimental installation that bridges centuries, Bonnefanten welcomes TEFAF Maastricht 2026. In terms of approach, Duologue can be seen as a prelude to the innovative reinstallation of the permanent Old Masters collection of Bonnefanten, which is currently in preparation.