Mark Verstockt (1930-2014) was a painter, sculptor, graphic designer and author. He attended classes at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, where he met his wife, Io Van Oostveldt (1928). The couple married in 1953 and had three children. Mark further immersed himself in abstraction, minimalism and the study of geometric shapes.

In the 1970s, Io made clothing and design sculptures, later her work evolved towards the visual arts. Using archival documents and works from the legacy of both artists, this presentation provides a picture of their practice, thought and mutual influence. It provides insight into the research around the constructivist and ‘geometric’ artistic  movements in Antwerp and beyond.

Since 2017, the M HKA has been showing varying archive presentations. The museum is taking various steps to support visual art archives and legacies, with a view to their preservation, documentation and disclosure. The programme of archive presentations is compiled by Evi Bert and Jan De Vree.

With special thanks to Io Van Oostveldt, Katarina Verstockt, Anthony Driscoll, Eléa De Winter, Anthe Heyninck, Tijs Visser, Johan Pas, Raoul Van den Boom and Verbeke Foundation.