Museum dedicated to Magritte opens in Brussels

A museum showcasing the work of Belgian surrealist Rene Magritte is set to open in the heart of his home city Brussels, in June. Like the artist himself, the museum's ultra classic front gives little away of what magic tricks are inside.

But on a second glance, it can be seen that some of the windows reflect other clouds patterns than Belgium's notoriously unpredictable weather overhead. It would have made the man with the looks of an accountant and the fantasy of a wide-eyed eccentric, chuckle.

Over 40 years after his death, nothing is still quite what it seems. Now, over half a century after his naked bodies doubling as faces scandalised the public, the Magritte museum was embraced by the high establishment as the royals were on hand to officially open the Magritte Museum on Wednesday.

Although much of his work has spread over many of the finest museums in the world, there is still enough of his prodigious output available to make it a must-stop station along the tortuous road of surrealism, from Andre Breton, over Magritte to Salvador Dali.

"Magritte is not only one of the most important artists of his generation; but he has also had an enormous influence," said curator of the collection Virginie Devillez. It spilled well beyond high art.

The Belgian master's images have influenced videos and album covers of famous rock bands. "Today he is still influencing an entire young scene of painters," said Devillez.

Nothing though has made him as famous as a rudimentary painting of a pipe. And unlike so many other museums where works of art are explained in soft tones of expertise, the Magritte museum did enough research to find tape of Magritte explaining it himself.

This is not a pipe. I do not see any contradiction in this image; because a depiction of a pipe is still not a pipe," he tells the audience. Mystery solved.

To rub it in, the museum has a successor drawing with the subtitle: "This continues not to be a pipe."

He made a career of painting contradictory images to give viewers whiplash reactions. His work has turned him into one of the great painters in Belgian history with fame to match the brothers Van Eyck, Pieter Breughel, Peter Paul Rubens and James Ensor. The appeal certainly is not on the wane.

Belgium's byzantine politics and torturous decision-making to keep peace between the six (m) million Dutch-speakers and 4.5 (m) million Francophones is often compared to Magritte's inexplicable way of painting.

"In spite of himself, Magritte is very Belgian and he has the profile, the sense of humour and demeanour which is reflected in all his works and which makes him a distinguished Belgian," said Charly Herscovici, head of the Magritte Foundation.

The collection opens to the public on June 2.