Suske and Wiske [Spike and Suzy] have been capturing the collective imagination for 80 years. Generations of readers and viewers grew up with their adventures, absorbing a wide range of images, atmospheres, emotions, and expressions. Just as their creator, Willy Vandersteen, drew inspiration from visual artists, many generations of visual artists have in turn been consciously or unconsciously shaped by Vandersteen’s visual and verbal universe. How does Vandersteen’s universe function as a collective memory? Antwerp folklore, Flemish surrealism, Belgian politics, local and international pop culture, global conflicts, new technologies, ecological challenges, historical storytelling, and imaginative reenactments — the world of Suske and Wiske, as presented in some 300 albums, offers a wealth of inspiration. On the occasion of 50 years of Suske and Wiske, the cultural centre De Warande organised in 1995 a group exhibition about these Flemish comic heroes and their ambiguous relationship with contemporary Belgian art. Exactly thirty years later, M HKA picks up that thread with an exhibition in which the iconic Suske and Wiske albums once again resonate with the work of visual artists from different generations.

An initiative by comic book enthusiast and producer Lode Geens and art historian Johan Pas, in collaboration with Standaard Uitgeverij. With thanks to the Vandersteen family, all lenders and De Fameuze Fanclub.