Geluck Quits Cat Museum; Ghent Photographer Wins Prize
Two cultural stories from Belgium this week capture contrasting fortunes: celebrated cartoonist Philippe Geluck has abandoned his long-planned Cat Museum in Brussels, citing insurmountable costs, while Ghent-based photographer Kaat De Malsche has won international recognition for a breathtaking wedding photo taken in an Austrian ice cave.
Philippe Geluck Withdraws from Cat Museum Project
Philippe Geluck, the 72-year-old creator of the beloved comic strip “Le Chat” (The Cat), has announced he is withdrawing from the Musée du Chat et du dessin d’humour project in Brussels. In an interview with RTBF, Geluck said the economic equation had become impossible.
“Prices have doubled in ten years and it’s no longer possible for me. It’s untenable,” Geluck told RTBF journalist Jérôme Durant. The interior fit-out costs for the museum, originally estimated at €4.5 million in 2017, have ballooned to more than €7 million.
The project was first conceived in 2014, with a formal agreement signed between Geluck and the Brussels Region in 2015. The building — located near the prestigious Mont des Arts and Royal Palace — was originally slated for delivery in 2019, but repeated delays pushed the date to 2026. A contractual exit clause allowed Geluck to withdraw by March 31, 2026, a right he has now exercised.
“It’s a terrible decision for me, because I’ve been working on this file for twelve years with my teams,” Geluck said. He emphasized that no public subsidies were involved — the interior fit-out was to be entirely privately funded.
Geluck revealed he had turned down offers to build the museum in the south of France, Paris, and Geneva out of loyalty to his hometown. “I was born in Brussels, I live in Brussels, the Cat is Belgian,” he said.
Brussels Minister-President Boris Dilliès responded to the news, telling VRT NWS that he intends to see the project through. “I inherited this file, but I intend to see it through to make Brussels shine, without any additional cost for the people of Brussels. With or without Philippe Geluck, there will be a first-class museum.” The building is nearly complete, with delivery expected in September 2026, and two potential replacement projects are already in negotiation.
Ghent Photographer Wins International Wedding Photography Prize
In brighter cultural news, Kaat De Malsche, a 34-year-old photographer from Ghent, has been selected for Junebug Weddings’ prestigious “2026 Best of the Best Destination Collection.” The American wedding platform chose only 50 winning images from thousands of entries worldwide.
De Malsche’s winning photograph was taken last winter in an Austrian glacier ice cave, where she accompanied a Ghent couple to document their wedding. “It was insane,” she told VRT NWS. “I have a bizarre fascination for glaciers, and this one was unreal.”
The photographer specializes in “elopements” — intimate, adventurous ceremonies in nature where couples forgo traditional wedding parties. After shooting more than 200 conventional weddings, De Malsche shifted her focus to unique and challenging locations, including mountain tops, ski slopes, and dark beaches.
“The essence is to stay true: doing what you want,” she explained. “I encourage the couples I work with to color outside the lines and challenge themselves.”
De Malsche said the recognition feels like a personal milestone and a victory for her alternative approach. She has followed the Juneway Best of the Best list since the beginning of her career, making the award especially meaningful.
Two Sides of Belgian Culture
Together, the two stories highlight the dynamism of Belgian cultural life. Geluck’s decision reflects the real-world financial pressures facing large-scale cultural projects, even those backed by beloved national figures. De Malsche’s success, meanwhile, demonstrates how Belgian artists are gaining international recognition by embracing unconventional paths.
As Brussels looks for a new tenant for the nearly finished museum building, and as De Malsche’s ice cave photograph circulates in global wedding photography circles, both stories underscore the resilience and creativity that define Belgium’s cultural landscape.