Upcoming exhibitions

Histoires en séries. Astrid Ullens de Schooten Whettnall’s collection

This October, the Musée de la Photographie in Charleroi will be hosting the photographic collection of the Foundation A. This new exhibition follows in the footsteps of those devoted to corporate collections, previously organised by the museum, including works from IDEA, collections of the Janssen family and the Lhoist group.

Astrid Ullens de Schooten Whettnall’s collection, brought together within the Foundation A, comprises some 5,500 photographs by around 100 photographers, collected over the last thirty years. These photographers come from a wide range of countries and backgrounds, dealing with themes as varied as social documentary, architecture and life stories. In line with her own acquisition policy, Astrid Ullens has collected complete
series of photographic sets. The Histoires en séries exhibition will provide an opportunity to (re)discover, in particular, Nicholas Nixon’s Brown Sisters, Hans-Peter Feldman’s 100 Jahre and Walker Evans’ Labor Anonymous. Following on from the exhibition presented at the Rencontres de la Photographie d’Arles in 2024 – Quand les images apprennent à parler (When Images Learn To Speak) – the Museum will be showcasing this incredible collection.

No fewer than 42 photographers of various nationalities will be brought together in the museum’s temporary exhibition halls.
Works of Diane Arbus, Mitch Epstein, Walker Evans, Graciela Iturbide, Helen Levitt, Nicholas Nixon, Ed Rusha, Larry Sultan, Lee Friedlander, Adriana Lestido, Harry Callahan, Mark Steinmetz and others will be on display at the Musée de la Photographie.

The A Foundation of Astrid Ullens de Schooten Whettnall 
A committed space for contemporary photography

Created on the initiative of Astrid Ullens de Schooten Whettnall, the A Foundation opened its doors in Brussels in 2012. Recognised as a public interest institution, it is located in a former industrial district now largely invested by artists and cultural actors. The Foundation positions itself as a dynamic platform entirely dedicated to the photographic image.

The A Foundation houses an exceptional collection built by its founder since the 1990s. Mainly composed of documentary photography, this collection examines the social, political and environmental realities of our time. Often presented in small formats that encourage close looking, the works offer powerful and committed visual testimonies that invite reflection and debate. Many of the artists represented are now considered key figures in contemporary photography.

The A Foundation brings this collection to life through a thoughtful exhibition programme. Each year it presents two major exhibitions:
A group exhibition, bringing together multiple artistic voices — either drawn from the collection or invited for the occasion — and a monographic exhibition offering an in-depth look at the work of a single photographer.

These annual events are complemented by a dedicated month for students from photography schools, offering young artists the opportunity to experience exhibiting their work and to engage with the Foundation’s public. The A Foundation is strongly committed to transmission and education : guided tours, educational resources for both young people and adults, creative workshops for children, as well as readings and artist talks accompany each exhibition. Special attention is given to welcoming school groups, who are at the heart of the Foundation’s social mission.

Occasionally acting as a publisher, the A Foundation produces books that expand on or extend certain exhibitions or pivotal moments in its history. Recent publications include Regards de femmes (RM, 2022) and SAGA.

A Photographic Journey (Ludion, 2024), a comprehensive presentation of the collection.
The A Foundation regularly collaborates with other institutions, both in Belgium and internationally. It was invited to Paris Photo in 2019 with the Fragments exhibition at the Grand Palais, and was the guest of honour at the Rencontres de la Photographie in Arles in 2024 with When Images Learn to Speak, curated by Urs Stahel and presented at the Mécanique Générale of the LUMA Foundation.

The upcoming major events include the exhibition What’s the word? Johannesburg!, curated by Émilie Demon, on view at A Foundation in Brussels from September 11 to December 21, 2025, followed by Histoires en séries. Astrid Ullens de Schooten Whettnall Collection, presented in partnership with the Musée de la Photographie - Charleroi, running from October 4, 2025, to January 25, 2026.