In Mechelen, the relocation of the very first artworks to the brand new heritage depot Depot Rato has begun. It is immediately the starting shot of the relocation of approximately 24,000 works from the collection of Museum Hof van Busleyden to the former Rateaufabriek in Muizen. As the very first artwork, the self-portrait Rik with the blue blouse by Mechelen artist Rik Wouters was given a place in one of the depot spaces.
This officially makes Rik Wouters the first resident of Depot Rato, the future repository of the Mechelen heritage collection. In the coming months, the bulk of the collection pieces from Museum Hof van Busleyden will be relocated from depots within and outside the city to Muizen. One by one they will be inspected, registered, labeled and placed in the proper conditions.
Björn Siffer, Mechelen Alderman for Culture: "It is no coincidence that we chose a work by one of our most celebrated Mechelen artists, Rik Wouters, for the premiere. The artwork moves from the recent exhibition Hidden Gems at Museum Hof van Busleyden to the new depot. The housing of the entire collection is a real feat: from the museum collection alone, approximately 24,000 pieces will be relocated to the heritage depot in the coming months."
In addition to paintings and other artworks, thousands of books from the library collection, historical pieces from the City Archives and building fragments will also be relocated to the depot in the coming months. This involves approximately 4,000 running meters of books from the Mechelen public library and approximately 3,000 running meters of archival documents from the City Archives. The Mechelen Heritage Department is responsible for the intangible heritage communities with collections in the depot, such as the Mechelen giants. Thanks to the choice for a sustainable and innovative depot, the city can preserve, treat and restore all these pieces in the most optimal conditions.
The relocation of collection pieces will continue for several more months, possibly until spring of next year. Only when all pieces have been relocated will Depot Rato officially open its doors with an opening celebration for a broad public. That opening is planned for spring of '24.