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earaercircular · 2 years

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A museum where one pays with batteries

This weekend a new pop-up museum will open its doors in Antwerp. Under the impulse of Nina Maat, Muce wants to offer a surprising exploration of the circular economy. “That is the economy of the future.”

‘Yesss, finally a circular museum. I get my sense of life back.' Those words adorn the display window of the Muce (Museum for Circular Economy)[1], a temporary pop-up museum in the centre of Antwerp. The banner belongs to Rogier Roeters[2], but it is probably also the motto of the 25-year-old initiator Nina Maat, who is preparing everything inside for the opening weekend. That will be exciting, because a few days before, the museum is still a construction site. While Maat puts down the vacuum cleaner and we sit down at the only table in the building, the entrance hall is being renovated and now and then an artist drops in to put the finishing touches on one of the artworks.

Almost all of these works of art were specially made for the museum. The infrastructure also fits in with the theme. For example, the entrance desk is a light sculpture by artist Brecht Heytens[3], the banners are made from recycled PET bottles and the electricity comes from a green energy cooperative. The world's first pop-up museum about the circular economy therefore wants to be as circular as possible. ‘That means that you keep materials in the cycle for as long as it can be in a dignified way,’ says Maat. ‘Although I see the circular economy even broader: it is also a social economy in which everyone can participate. I regretted not being good enough at math to become a scientist. In the meantime, I know that a marketer, baker or cleaning assistant can also participate in the circular economy and thus tackle climate and environmental problems.'

A bit too hip

In order to spread that message, Maat went to museums before. During her studies in political and environmental sciences, she founded the non-profit organisation Antwerp Circular[4], with which she organised clothing exchanges in the MoMu (Fashion Museum)[5] and the Mhka.[6] ‘Those events were ideal for communicating circularity in a light-hearted way, but they became a bit too hip,’ says Maat. “The DJs and cocktails pushed the theme into the background.”

That is why she proposed to the MAS[7] to organize something around the circular economy on every floor. ‘When the museum turned out to be more interested in clothes swapping, I dropped out. I don't want to be the clothes swap girl forever.”

Maat decided to set up her own museum, where the circular economy does have a fully-fledged place. “What is important in society is reflected in museums: there is a fine arts museum, a natural history museum… Why not a circular economy museum? That is the economy of the future.”

Art made of newspapers

Over the past two years, Maat has linked artists and designers to companies that are involved in the circular economy to a greater or lesser extent. The artists were given free hand to work with the products or processes of those companies. At the entrance, for example, there is a flickering light projection by Hussein Shikha on a Q-lite[8] LED screen. In a dark corner hang fluorescent spheres, in which Dodi Espinosa incorporated the infinite loop from the Proximus[9] logo. Even old copies of De Standaard[10] are given a place: lawyer and poet Myriem El-Kaddouri[11] stacked them together to form the installation 'Krantenkoppen' (Newspaper headlines), with a matching poem about information flows.

At first glance it seems strange to connect art with economics, but in this context the link remains. The artworks are central, but the subtle collaborations with companies show how the circular economy is given a place in daily life, so that it does not remain an abstract concept. ‘Art should not necessarily play a social role, but of course it does in this museum, because that is precisely the goal,’ says Maat. That goal is twofold: to share knowledge by surprising. ‘A museum is a place where you go with an open mind to be inspired and to think critically. I hope that visitors will step out with new knowledge and feel more resilient as a result.”

Old cell phone

By collaborating with artists, companies, the University of Antwerp[12] and the Thomas More University of Applied Sciences[13], Maat aims to appeal to a wide audience. ‘The Muce should be there for everyone and not just for the select group that is already making sustainable choices. I hope that each partner will drum up their own target group. In addition, I consciously keep the museum low-threshold: as an entrance fee I ask for an old mobile phone or five empty batteries, which will be recycled.'

The artists also did not have to deal with sustainability in advance. 'Because they didn't know much about the circular economy, we were able to come up with new perspectives,' says Maat. ‘For example, I went to the Deceuninck recycling factory with interior designer Axelle Vertommen[14]. The only waste the company leaves behind is the filter where the old PVC material goes through one last time. Axelle therefore thought it more logical to get started with the filters instead of the recycled materials. Then I think: Geez, you got it. That's great fun.'

Muce, from 1 to 30 October, Huidevettersstraat 55, Antwerp. www.muce.be.

Source

Maya Toebat, Een museum waar je met batterijen betaalt, in: De Standaard, 30/09/2022, https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20220929_97409876

[1] https://muce.be/

[2] https://www.rogierroeters.nl/welcome

[3] https://www.heytens.be/fr/inspiration/

[4] With her organization 'Antwerp Circular', Antwerp master's student of environmental sciences Nina Maat wants to introduce people to sustainability and the circular economy in an attractive way. She pays particular attention to the impact of clothing and fashion and organizes clothing exchange events at hip locations. In addition, it also organizes other awareness campaigns such as bicycle tours and film evenings. In this way she encourages peers to reflect on their consumption. She knows how to reach her target audience through social media like no other. https://www.futuregenerations.be/nl/portal/initiatives/antwerp-circular

[5] MoMu (Mode Museum) is the fashion museum of the City of Antwerp, Belgium. Founded on 21 September 2002, the museum collects, conserves, studies and exhibits Belgian fashion. The museum is specifically focusing on Belgian contemporary fashion designers due to the arising of a group of Antwerp-trained fashion designers during the Eighties and Nineties(Martin Margiela, Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester, Walter Van Beirendonck, Dirk Van Saene, A.F. Vandevorst, etc.). The museum's first director was Linda Loppa who was also the founder and the director of the Fashion school of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts (Antwerp).

[6] The Museum of Contemporary Art in Antwerp (Dutch: Museum van Hedendaagse Kunst, commonly abbreviated as M HKA, previously MuHKA) is the contemporary art museum of the city of Antwerp, Belgium.

[7] The MAS (Museum aan de Stroom) aims to be an international and pioneering museum about the global connectedness between people and collections from different cultures and environments. With a river of tales, viewed from multiple perspectives, we engage everyone to be curious about the present, past and future of Antwerp and the world.

[8] Q-lite is the largest full service organization in digital information systems and associated software. With more than 100 colleagues, 4 strategically located offices and factories in Western Europe, we are always close to our customers. Q-lite is part of the VP Capital group.

[9] The Proximus Group (previously known as Belgacom Group) is a digital services and communication provider in Belgium. The Group is also active in Luxembourg as Proximus Luxembourg SA, under the brand names Tango and Telindus Luxembourg, and in the Netherlands through Telindus Netherlands. The Group's international carrier activities are carried out by BICS. Proximus Accelerators, its ecosystem of IT partners (Be-Mobile, ClearMedia, Codit, Davinsi Labs, Proximus SpearIt, Telindus, Umbrio and Unbrace), support companies in their digital transformation.

[10] De Standaard (meaning The Standard in English) is a Flemish daily newspaper published in Belgium by Mediahuis (formerly Corelio and VUM. In recent years De Standaard has renounced its original ideological Christian-democratic ties.

[11] https://www.everest-law.eu/en/lawyers/

[12] The University of Antwerp (Dutch: Universiteit Antwerpen) is a major Belgian university located in the city of Antwerp. The official abbreviation is UA, but UAntwerpen is more recently used. The University of Antwerp has about 20,000 students, which makes it the third-largest university in Flanders. The University of Antwerp is characterised by its high standards in education, internationally competitive research and entrepreneurial approach. It was founded in 2003 after the merger of three smaller universities.

[13] Thomas More is a Flemish Catholic university of applied sciences, a member of the KU Leuven Association. It was created at the start of the 2012-2013 academic year through the merger of Lessius Antwerp, Lessius Mechelen and Katholieke Hogeschool Kempen. The registered offices are located in Mechelen (Thomas More Mechelen-Antwerp vzw) and in Geel (Thomas More Kempen vzw). The university of applied sciences offers professional bachelors and graduates on 14 campuses in 9 municipalities in the province of Antwerp. Four in Mechelen, two in Antwerp, one in Sint-Katelijne-Waver and four in the Kempen.

[14] https://axellevertommen.be/

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