GHENT, AUSTRIA.- On Saturday 8 May 2004 it will be exactly five years ago that the new S.M.A.K.-building opened and the collection could be presented to the public. This anniversary will be celebrated in two days of lively festivities in and around the museum. It is a pivotal moment in the life of the museum. Official tribute will be paid to the retiring director Jan Hoet and a festive start will be given to the artistic policy of the new director, Peter Doroshenko. Admission to the museum will also be free throughout the weekend.

Since its opening on 8 May 1999, SMAK has blossomed into the most-visited museum of contemporary art in Belgium. The collection presents a picture of developments on the international art scene from 1945 to the present and situates the art of the local region in this context. It is considered the most important collection of contemporary art in Flanders and its reputation extends far beyond the country’s borders. Over the last five years approximately 650,000 people have visited SMAK. What is more, its dynamic exhibition policy makes it one of the leading museums of contemporary art in Europe. To celebrate this anniversary, SMAK has compiled a weekend programmed including exhibitions, music, theatre, dance, visual art and performance. A varied programmed will be presented in and around the museum.

Two exhibitions will be opening on Saturday 8 May. The Spanish artist Juan Uslé and the American Sam Durant (who was invited by Peter Doroshenko) both have a one-man show. In the Kunst Nu space a project by Vaast Colson will open. At the same time, Peter Doroshenko will present his first selection from the collection, taking up the entire ground floor. This show will display the SMAK collection’s latest acquisitions alongside work by artists who will in future be having an exhibition here.

In the morning, official tribute will be paid to Jan Hoet in the main auditorium of Ghent University. Numerous acquaintances, artists and friends will briefly address the former director, each in a short film.

At 1 pm there is a lunch at the ICC building (behind SMAK). Two folios of editions designed especially for the occasion will be presented during this lunch. Ten international artists including Matthew Barney, Louise Bourgeois, Marina Abramovic and Ettore Spaletti have made a contribution to this folio in tribute to Jan Hoet.

2 pm sees the start of the programmed on various stages in and around SMAK. Together with the ‘Les nuits tout court’ organization, an original mixture has been arranged of music, dance and performances. Entrance to everything is free. The accent is firmly on the cultural potential of Ghent. Those performing include Moiano, Thou, Bolchi, Barbie Bangkok, Viktor Volta, Mascotte live, Aimé Ntayika, Yu Fen Chang, DJ Malente, Emilio Lopez-Menchero and Wayn Traub. The complete programmed will be announced in mid-April.

On Sunday 9 May SMAK will present a programmed geared to families and children. KunstLAB is organizing numerous activities to guide visitors of all ages in a surprising approach to the museum. A life-sized board-game will for example give children and their parents a chance to test the knowledge they have gained in the museum. There are also stage performances by Bal Tabarin, Lode Vercampt, Dick van der Harst and many more.

S.M.A.K. Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art, Citadelpark, B-9000 Ghent