From 12 to 15 March 2026, the Leienpaleis in Antwerp hosts a major exhibition dedicated to the Dutch artist and musician Herman Brood, marking 25 years since his death and what would have been his 80th birthday. The four-day event brings together one of the largest selections of Brood’s artworks ever shown, including paintings, lithographs, drawings, screen prints and personal memorabilia.
Born in Zwolle, Brood was a singer, pianist, painter, author and actor whose flamboyant lifestyle embodied the spirit of sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll. During the 1970s and 1980s he focused primarily on music, blending rock, blues and jazz in both Dutch and English. His best-known success remains the international hit ‘Saturday Night‘ from 1978.
By the late 1980s Brood increasingly turned to visual art, developing a distinctive style characterised by bold lines, vivid colours and raw spontaneity. He often experimented with unconventional techniques, sometimes using injection needles instead of brushes to apply Indian ink and create shading effects in his drawings. Brood struggled openly with alcohol and drug addiction and died in 2001 after jumping from the roof of the Hilton Amsterdam at the age of 55.
Major works and rare memorabilia
The exhibition at the Leienpaleis presents around one hundred original drawings as well as paintings, screen prints, handwritten poems and personal objects, including jewellery, glasses, his diary and even the last bottle of Grand Marnier he kept. Many works come from the collection of gallery owner Patrick Hermans of Art Loft Maastricht, who acquired a large part of the collection after the closure of the Herman Brood Museum last year.
All pieces in the exhibition are offered for sale, with prices ranging from €395 for smaller framed texts to €55,000 for major works. The centrepiece is the monumental painting Horse Power, measuring two by two metres and valued at €55,000. The work is being presented outside Zwolle for the first time.
Music tribute during the exhibition
The exhibition also highlights Brood’s enduring musical legacy. Belgian singer and actor Ernst Löw will perform during the event together with singer and actress Deborah Ostrega, while the final evening features a live concert by the Herman Brood Tribute Band performing covers of Brood’s best-known songs.
Löw recalls first seeing Brood perform Saturday Night on television as a teenager, an experience that inspired him to pursue music himself. He later met the artist during the 1990s when his band collaborated with Brood’s guitarist Dany Lademacher, though their encounter proved chaotic rather than productive.
Event details
The exhibition runs from 12 to 15 March at the Leienpaleis on Maria-Henriëttalei in Antwerp.
Opening hours:
- Thursday, Friday and Saturday: 13:00–21:00.
- Sunday: 13:00–18:00
Admission is free.
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