Announcement: Tower of Babel

From 21 November 2026, Stedelijk Museum Breda will host the group exhibition Tower of Babel – New Stories, a co-production with the Bijbels Museum. Twenty-eight contemporary artists will present work that reflects on how we communicate with one another in society in the year 2026. The exhibition draws inspiration from the age-old myth surrounding the famous Tower of Babel and the confusion of tongues. This diverse and multifaceted exhibition explores how, even today, we can – in the broadest sense – understand and misunderstand one another, and how we can (re)evaluate these interactions.

How we (mis)understand one another

Together, the twenty-eight works depict human communication in the broadest sense of the word. They encompass works from various artistic disciplines, by artists of different ages and backgrounds. Tower of Babel shows how, in an age of rapid technological advancement and a never-ending flow of information, communication can connect people, but can also lead to misunderstandings and divergent realities. The group exhibition presents a multi-voiced narrative and offers visitors the opportunity to reflect on their own voice and that of others.

An age-old myth

‘Once upon a time, a single language was spoken across the whole earth’. The confusion of tongues and the diversity of voices within society are timeless themes. Tower of Babel – New Stories emerged from an open call inviting artists to share their personal perspectives on the themes drawn from the myth of the Tower of Babel, and specifically on the role of language in society.

Tower of Babel features work by: Andrea Haandrikman-Schraets, Anna Jaantje van Hout, Amber Malaïka Hyacinth, Art van Triest, Brian Coutinho, Boris Deben, Carlijn Kingma, Çiğdem Yüksel, Elcin Marasli Ball, Elvis Flynn Kaltofen, Eva Blaak, Fré Calmes, Gamze Öztürk, Hanni Braspenning, Hamilton Chango Harris, Itie Langeland, Janpeter Muilwijk, Jip Schalkx, Louisiana van Onna, Marie Civikov, Nuno Orlando, Sander Bos, Sandra Koopman-Minten, Sonja Cabalt, Stichting Vrienden Coen Kaayk, Studio KASBOEK, Tamara Tantico, Uif Putters.

The exhibition was made possible thanks to financial support from Breda City Council, the Mondriaan Fund, the Cultuurfonds (with additional support from the Madelonia Fund), the Vermeulen Brauckman Foundation and the Doopsgezind Predikfonds.