Belgian gallery Office Baroque, based in Antwerp, will close its doors after 17 years in operation. Founded in 2007 by Wim Peeters and Marie Denkens, the gallery announced its closure will take place on September 15th, following its final exhibition, a group show titled “What Men Live By.”

The founders described Office Baroque as an “idiosyncratic, experimental” space that carved out a niche in the art scenes of Antwerp and Brussels, away from larger art capitals. They noted that the gallery has hosted over 100 exhibitions and helped numerous artists gain recognition in leading institutions and fairs worldwide.

Initially opened in a modernist apartment, the gallery then moved to a storefront in Antwerp’s diamond district, and has participated in major art fairs like Frieze London. In 2013, the gallery relocated to Brussels, establishing a second space there in 2015, before returning to Antwerp in 2022.

In an open letter, Peeters and Denkens addressed the pressures facing mid-level galleries, highlighting the challenges posed by the rise of mega-galleries and the misuse of power within the art world. They lamented the bittersweet nature of their farewell, reflecting on the gallery's journey and contributions to the art community. Office Baroque joins a growing list of mid-size galleries that have recently closed, including several notable spaces in New York.

Sayart / Amia Nguyen, amyngwyen13@gmail.com