Brussels gallery Dépendance, known for its intimate scale and artist-focused ethos, has announced it will close after more than 20 years. The gallery will shut its doors on June 27, 2025, following the conclusion of its current exhibition featuring British painter and sculptor Alexandra Metcalf. Its project space VIEW will also close that day, ending with a presentation by Italian duo ReschWilleit. Founded in 2003 by conceptual artist Michael Callies and former banker Stephan Jaax, the gallery resisted the expansionist trend of the early 2000s, instead prioritizing a carefully curated program and championing emerging artists who later gained international recognition.
The closure marks the end of a distinctive model in the Brussels art scene—a gallery that deliberately stayed small while exerting outsized influence. Dépendance helped launch the careers of now-prominent artists such as Haegue Yang, Thomas Bayrle, and Ed Atkins, and its rigorous exhibition program and commitment to placing artists in biennials and major institutions set it apart. The decision to keep its website as an archive ensures the gallery's legacy remains accessible, but the shutdown reflects ongoing pressures on mid-sized galleries in an increasingly consolidated art market.