Untold Stories – Women designers in Belgium, 1880-1980

For the first time, the works of more than 50 women designers and makers active in Belgium between 1880 and 1980 are brought together. Based on extensive research, objects from a wide range of disciplines and sourced from several museums and private collections are displayed, many of which have never been shown to the public before.

Examples range from the overlooked productions of Maria Sèthe to the Belgian Art Nouveau to Hélène Denis-Bohy’s bold modern typography for her feminist pamphlets printed on the La Cambre printing press; from extraordinary Belle Époque ceramics by designers trained at Belgium’s first professional school for women to anonymous lacework in raffia made in Congolese missionary schools. The exhibition showcases the significant but under-valued creativity of women in diverse fields of crafts and design from an original, thematic approach.

Through a focus on visibility, the show examines how women used design as a means of empowerment, signing their work, asserting their presence in exhibitions and making significant advancements in the field. Their work will be showcased as a testament to their resilience, innovation and creativity.