SOUDAL wants to work together with KMSKA to make the art collection accessible to a growing audience

Construction specialty company Soudal, Europe’s largest independent manufacturer of sealants, adhesives, and PU foams, has a passion for the arts. The partnership with KMSKA is a natural extension of this, as founder and owner Vic Swerts explains in the conversation.

Why do you consider it important to engage in this kind of partnership?   

Vic Swerts: “As a company, we are very active in sponsorship, think of cycling, cyclocross, football with KVC Westerlo, and more recently golf with the Soudal Open. These are very deliberate investments to further build our brand. At the same time, we do not want to neglect our social role and support numerous projects within the framework of our corporate social responsibility (CSR), such as initiatives in the social, philanthropic, and creative spheres.

We also sponsor several museums. The partnership with KMSKA sits at the intersection of both approaches. On one hand, it allows us to reach a different audience than we do through our sports sponsorships. On the other hand, we value contributing to important societal domains, of which art is, in my view, one of the most essential. You will also find a significant collection of art at our headquarters in Turnhout.” 

Why did you choose KMSKA? 

“I have a connection with museums and the fine arts in general. I dare say that, after my company, they are my greatest hobby. My daughter holds a Master’s in Music and is a concert pianist. But I am also fascinated by the visual arts, which I enjoy both at home and at our headquarters. Moreover, KMSKA is located in Antwerp. Although Soudal is a thoroughly Kempen-based and even Turnhout-rooted company, and we are now active worldwide in around 140 countries with 73 subsidiaries and 24 production sites, our company was founded in 1966 on the Ossenmarkt, in the heart of Antwerp. That creates a special bond.” 

What is your favourite work from the collection?

“I founded Soudal on the Ossenmarkt, just a stone’s throw from the Sint-Jacobskerk, where Rubens is buried. Rubens is also one of my favorite artists, a remarkable all-rounder whose work the museum holds in an impressive collection. My favorite is 'The Incredulity of Thomas', the central panel of a triptych from 1613 to 1615. The panel depicts the story of the doubting Thomas, who can only be convinced of Christ’s resurrection after touching the wounds left by the nails and the spear. The theme refers to faith in the eternal and to Jesus’ words in the Gospel of John: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Christ, Thomas, John, and a third apostle are depicted with striking humanity. It’s a beautiful merging of religious tradition and heartfelt humanism, a combination that has always shaped my personal worldview.” 

What is your company most looking forward to during this partnership? 

“My answer here closely aligns with my response to the first question: through this partnership, we primarily hope to contribute to making our rich art heritage accessible to a growing audience. This fall, we will also be inviting our clients to admire the museum in all its renewed glory. In this way, we hope that more and more people, like myself, will learn to enjoy all the beauty that art in general—and the KMSKA in particular—has to offer.”