M Leuven and KU Leuven present three exhibitions to celebrate the university’s 600^th anniversary

10.10.2025-22.02.2026 - press preview Wednesday 8 October at 11:00

September 3, 2025

*'Superheavy Skies', Alicja Kwade, 2022, photo: Justin Craun © Alicja Kwade, courtesy 303 gallery New York*

On Wednesday 8 October, KU Leuven and M are organizing a joint press day at the University Library and the museum, respectively. Under the motto ‘Knowledge Knows No End’ we will preview three exhibitions:

ALICJA KWADE 'DUSTY DIE' – M Leuven

What if the unknown is not a boundary, but a starting point? In ‘Dusty Die’, her first solo exhibition in Belgium, Polish-German artist Alicja Kwade invites us to look at the world – and our attempts to understand it – differently. Massive stones appear weightless, mirrors offer a glimpse into a parallel reality, time loses its direction. What seems solid begins to move and what is familiar suddenly becomes strange. After remarkable exhibitions at the Voorlinden Museum and Venice Biennale, M presents a curated overview of her recent work supplemented with new installations created especially for Leuven.

THE PURSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE - M Leuven

Als oudste universiteitsstad van de Lage Landen heeft Leuven een rijke geschiedenis om op terug te blikken. Deze expo richt de schijnwerpers op de didactische collecties van de Leuvense universiteit. Van fluorescerende mineralen over het Leuven Chansonnier tot dinomodellen en fossielen: Kennis in zicht toont hoe onderzoekers al eeuwenlang de wereld proberen te begrijpen. De expo laat je verdwalen tussen zeldzame objecten, verrassende studie-instrumenten en markante stukken zoals het Reuzenhert met een gewei van 3 meter. Een ode aan de verwondering en de vraag.

ROUTES TO KNOWLEDGE - University Library

Who studied at the university in 1510? Why does a professor wear a gown? And what is a Samsonite suitcase doing in an exhibition? ‘Routes to Knowledge’ takes you on a journey through the stories – both large and small – of generations of students and scientists. You will discover how people from all corners of the world found their way to Leuven – and how KU Leuven itself went out into the world.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

The exhibitions open to the general public on 10 October and can be visited with a discounted combiticket priced at 19 euros.

Press preview on Wednesday 8 October
Opening on Thursday 9 October
Public opening on Friday 10 October
Exhibitions run until 22 February 2026

PROGRAMME: PRESS PREVIEW

11:00 Guided tour of ‘Routes to Knowledge’ in the University Library on Ladeuzeplein
12:30 Sandwich lunch at M Leuven (around the corner, on Vanderkelenstraat)
13:00 Welcome in M by the curators and Alicja Kwade

By appointment: interview with Alicja Kwade or the curators

1:30 p.m. Guided tour of ‘The Pursuit of Knowledge’ or ‘Dusty Die’ by Alicja Kwade
2.30 p.m. ‘Dusty Die’ by Alicja Kwade or ‘The Pursuit of Knowledge’ (or free visit to the exhibitions)
3:30 p.m. End

Please confirm your attendance and any requests for an interview with Alicja Kwade before 1 October via nica.broucke@mleuven.be or persdienst@kuleuven.be.