Fondation A Stichting opened its doors in south Brussels on the site of the former Bata factories in October 2012. Created in promotion of public interest upon the initiative of Astrid Ullens de Schooten, its vocation is to support the creation, knowledge, and preservation of the photographic image.

What is our capacity to see and to discern when we are surrounded by a superabundance of imagery, their immediacy complexified by both force and speed? The objective of the Fondation A Stichting is to explore the issues and contradictions of the image-document in order to question the world of images in which we inhabit. The collection is at the heart of the Fondation A Stichting. It is comprised of large ensembles of documentary-sensitive photographic works, many of which are world renowned, as well as the work of artists who have led long careers and are deserving of greater visibility. Since 2015, the Fondation A Stichting has dedicated an exhibition per season to a young artist. A veritable platform for the photographic image, the Fondation A Stichting also supports exhibition and publishing projects, organized in collaboration with other cultural institutions.

Photography looks to depict the world, bear witness to events that have happened, keep records, stimulate the memory and reflect on reality. Is making the visible stand out in a panoptic and digital society only intended for those who really want to see, as Lewis Baltz maintains in one of his writings? We are almost two decades into a new century yet the same questions remain unanswered, important and fundamental questions we must face up to more than ever today, beyond all forms of border. The Fragments exhibition presents a selection of these fragments of the world.