Xavier Hufkens established his eponymous gallery in 1987 in an unrefurbished warehouse in central Brussels. From the beginning, the gallery played a pivotal role in introducing some of today’s most influential contemporary voices to Brussels, including British sculptor Antony Gormley—still represented by the gallery—as well as Felix Gonzalez-Torres and Rosemarie Trockel, both of whom had their Belgian debuts with Xavier Hufkens.

In 1992, the gallery relocated to a 19th-century townhouse in Ixelles, redesigned by Belgian architects Paul Robbrecht, Hilde Daem and Marie-José Van Hee. The elegant, light-filled space quickly became one of Brussels’ most prominent venues for contemporary art. That decade marked a deepening of the gallery’s programme with the addition of artists such as Richard Artschwager, Thierry De Cordier and Jan Vercruysse. In 1997, the gallery expanded into an adjacent building, allowing for larger and more ambitious exhibitions. During this period, Xavier Hufkens became the longest-standing representative of Louise Bourgeois, Roni Horn and Thomas Houseago, forging lasting relationships that would shape the gallery’s identity.

The 2000s saw a continued evolution of the programme and physical footprint. Sterling Ruby debuted in 2009 with a dual exhibition in dialogue with Robert Mapplethorpe’s photography, underscoring the gallery’s sensitivity to resonances between artists across time and medium. In 2013, a second location opened in the iconic 1970s Galerie Rivoli building, designed by Swiss architect Harry Gugger (formerly of Herzog & de Meuron). The Rivoli space has since hosted solo exhibitions by Paul McCarthy, Nicolas Party, Danh Vō, Cathy Wilkes and Zhang Enli, and many others. The gallery further expanded its roster with the addition of Belgian artist Walter Swennen in 2014, followed by acclaimed British artist Tracey Emin in 2015.

In 2020, the gallery welcomed several new artists, including Lynda Benglis and Huma Bhabha, and inaugurated a third Brussels location on rue Van Eyck. Two years later, the original St-Georges gallery reopened following a major renovation and extension by its original architects, Robbrecht & Daem. This period also marked the beginning of collaborations with Cecilia Vicuña, Christopher Wool and the Estate of Milton Avery, and Mark Manders.

Today, Xavier Hufkens stands as one of Europe’s leading contemporary art galleries, celebrated for its curatorial rigour, long-term dedication to artists and estates, and distinctive architectural settings. With a programme that spans generations and geographies, the gallery continues to play a vital role in shaping the contemporary art discourse in Brussels and beyond.