Smile Safari

Welcome to Smile Safari, Belgium’s first ever Instagram museum. This is not just any old museum; it’s an adventure through optical illusions, pink palm trees, rainbows and lots more. They’ve joined forces with artists and designers to make it unforgettable. The search for the perfect photo has begun!

Location: Tour & Taxis
Dates: from 2 October to 30 November 2019
For more info visit the website.

Brancusi

The flagship event from EUROPALIA ROMANIA is a prestigious exhibition dedicated to Constantin Brancusi (1876-1957), the most influential sculptor of the 20th century. This is the first exhibition devoted to this enormously versatile artist in nearly 25 years.

A key figure in the history of art, Brancusi developed a new visual language, and is considered to be one of the pioneers of modernism. The exhibition presents several of Brancusi’s masterpieces, including ‘The Sleeping Muse’, ‘The Kiss’ and ‘Leda’, donated by museums and private collections around the world.

Location: BOZAR
Dates: from 2 October 2019 to 12 January 2020
For more info visit the website.

Dalí & Magritte

The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium have devoted an exceptional exhibition to Salvador Dalí and René Magritte. For the first time ever, the relationship and influences between these two great surrealist icons are in the spotlight.

Through more than 80 paintings, sculptures, photographs, drawings, films and archived objects, the exhibition reveals the personal, philosophical and aesthetic links between the two artists.

Location: Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
Dates: from 11 October 2019 to 2 February 2020
For more info visit the website.

The World of Bruegel in Black and White

Bruegel is famous the world over for being a painter, but did you know that, in his time, he was better known for his prints? In 2019, you can enjoy a unique opportunity to see Bruegel’s prints up close.

KBR owns a complete and so far, unrivalled collection of Bruegel’s prints, which will be exhibited exclusively during this special Bruegel year. The ‘World of Bruegel in Black and White’ exhibition will transport you into the imaginary world of the Flemish master.

Location: The Royal Library of Belgium
Dates: From 15 October 2019 to 16 February 2020
For more info visit the website.

Back to Bruegel – Experience the 16th century

The mythical Hall Gate, the last vestige of Brussels’ medieval city walls, opens itself onto the world of the painter Bruegel, by way of an astonishing immersion into a virtual reality version of his internationally renowned paintings.

This discovery, along with genuine treasures from the New World, as well as weapons, armour and musical instruments, will help the visitor discover the world of the 16th century as if they were actually there. At the top of the building, visitors will also be able to enjoy a magnificent panorama over Brussels and be transported to the times of Bruegel through virtual binoculars.

Location: Hall Gate
Dates: From 18 October 2019 to 18 February 2020
For more info visit the website.
For more information on Bruegel exhibitions.

Jerusalem

The more we advance into the 21st century, the more we become aware of the huge paradox that the 20th century was unable to resolve. On the one hand, our societies are ruled by an unbearable rationality, with codes and checks, goals and threats as a daily burden, while every day the news is filled with messages of religious pressure and intolerance, with conflicts carried out in the name of religion and beliefs. The latest trend is populism and fake news.

Location: VUB
Dates: 17.10.2019 – 14.12.2019
For more info visit the website.

Paul Delvaux, the man who loved trains

Paul Delvaux has developed a superb work inspired by the world of railways. Integrated into the amazing scenery of Train World, the works of the surrealist master resonate with the unique atmosphere of the museum. The exhibition invites you to experience this magic and discover the work of an artist who was passionate about trains and stations. The journey presents the evolution of the painter: from his drawings, watercolours and paintings from the 1920s to his imposing works of the 1970s, including some of his personal belongings. The artist was even given the title of Stationmaster of the station at Louvain-la-Neuve – a supreme honour.

Location: Train World
Dates: from 22 October 2019 to 15 March 2020
For more info visit the website.

Ekphrasis

Image and text are very close, complementary, even interchangeable; over time, numerous artists have experimented with the fine line that separates them. Ekphrasis – the written description of art, curated by Bruno Cora, presents the works and texts of more than forty visual artists from the 1960s who have experimented with words as a means of replacing or describing an image. The viewer is encouraged to explore this practice through the works of major artists.

Location: Villa Empain
Dates: from 24 October 2019 to 9 February 2020
For more info visit the website.

Have you visited the 3 exhibitions for the end of the summer vacation?

The post A wide range of exhibitions starting this October appeared first on Brussels Express.

Today, 184 nationalities live together in Brussels.  Together they form this cosmopolitan region. The Belgians form the largest group, followed by the French, the Romanians and the Moroccans. Every day new people arrive and others leave. They all have their dreams, hopes and stories. These stories colour the story of Brussels.

The MigratieMuseumMigration gives a permanent home to the stories of the first generation of guest workers, of the earliest inhabitants of the Petit-Château, of the expats, the war refugees, the Europeans who move freely within the EU and many others. It is a warm environment where visitors can discover Brussels and the lives of others through memories and souvenirs. Above all, it is a museum with plenty of room to share your own story.

The MigratieMuseumMigration will never be finished. In this way, the museum is also a symbol of the constant dynamism of Brussels.

Here is the program of the opening day.

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Brussels and Bruegel are inextricably linked. A variety of original exhibitions and activities are on offer throughout the year to celebrate the 450th anniversary of the great Flemish master’s death. This is the perfect occasion to (re)discover the monumental work of the greatest Flemish painter of the 16th century.

Brussels was a major source of inspiration for Bruegel; two-thirds of his works were painted there. His most influential sponsors lived at the Mont des Arts, very close to his home. Today, it houses an important part of Bruegel’s work: after the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Art History Museum) in Vienna, the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium possesses the largest collection of paintings by Bruegel, and the Royal Library houses no fewer than 90 prints! All these treasures are on display in 2019. After his death, Bruegel was buried in the Chapel Church in the Marolles, where his epitaph can be found.

Brussels felt a duty to devote a number of events to this world-famous artist to mark the 450th anniversary of his death. Since January 2019, several organizations have been organizing guided visits based on Bruegel and all the sites linked to his history and his fascinating era.

More information on the themed year here.

Exhibitions

 

Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium

The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium are organizing a number of projects to celebrate the great Flemish master:

The permanent collection: visitors can (re)discover the second-largest permanent collection in the world of works by Pieter Bruegel the Elder in the Old Masters Museum.

‘Bruegel Unseen Masterpieces’ allows the public to discover the hidden secrets of the works of Pieter Bruegel the Elder. With a wide range of experiences accessible online and in situ, this original initiative allows visitors to immerse themselves in Bruegel’s paintings, accessing both the finest details of each painting and the knowledge of experts. The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium launched this event with the Google Cultural Institute, in view of the 450th anniversary of Bruegel’s death, in 2019. This innovative project brings together prestigious international museums, most of them European, around the figure of Bruegel. It is the expression of in-depth deliberations on the changes underway in the field of museum studies in the digital era.

Cultural and educational offer:

• Cycle of conferences based around Bruegel the Elder
• Visitor guide
• Creative trail for children
• Guided visits for all target groups (schools, cultural groups, families, vulnerable groups)
• Workshops and internships

Date: 2019-2020
More information here.

Red Cloister Art Centre

Bernard Van Orley. Red Cloister and the Sonian Forest in the 16th century.

The Art Centre puts the spotlight on Bernard van Orley, an artist inseparable from 16th century Brussels heritage and the creator of the cartoons for The Hunts of Maximilian tapestry. Their detailed representations of buildings, including Red Cloister, and hunting grounds are part of the richness of the decor, and the vegetation and flora are a direct testimony of what the Sonian Forest was once like. The exhibition also presents several previously unseen archaeological items from this historic site.

Date: until 20/12/2019
More information here.

Palais de la Dynastie

Beyond Bruegel.

‘Beyond Bruegel’ is an innovative artistic experience in which new technologies and classical works by Bruegel come together and raise the artistic experience to a higher level. In the first part of the exhibition, a multimedia installation immerses visitors in the painter’s life and work. An animated 360-degree projection then takes visitors into the imaginary world of the master. They can admire and even walk through his works; visitors find themselves in the heart of Dull Gret’s army, on a ship at the foot of the Tower of Babel and more. Figures from Bruegel’s work come to life and enter the visitors’ imagination.

Date: until 31/01/2020
More information here.

Atomium

Bruegel. A Poetic Experience. 

From 19 September 2019, to mark the 450th anniversary of the death of Pieter Bruegel the Elder, the Atomium presents an immersive, interactive exhibition on the famous Renaissance painter. Large reproductions of Bruegel’s works plunge visitors into the heart of his world. The ‘Bruegel, A Poetic Experience’ exhibition presents both known and unexpected facets of his work and personality.

Dates: 19 September 2019 to 20 September 2020

More information here.

Royal Library of Belgium

Bruegel in black and white. 

The Royal Library owns a complete and unrivaled collection of Bruegel’s work « on paper » (90 graphic works) and is preparing to take them out of its warehouse for a very special exhibition to mark this Bruegel year. The ‘Bruegel in Black and White’ exhibition promises to be a unique experience. The exhibition will take place at the Palace of Charles of Lorraine, one of the rare 18th century jewels in Brussels.

Dates: 15/10/2019 to 16/02/2020

More information here.

Halle Gate

Back to Bruegel – Experience the 16th Century

The legendary Halle Gate, a remnant of the medieval Brussels city wall, is opening up to the world of the painter Bruegel. Take a surprising leap into a virtual reality version of his internationally famous paintings. Four works by the master come to life and, just for a moment, immerse visitors in the day-to-day life of the time. This is a journey into the heart of the 16th century, with authentic treasures from the New World, arms and armor, musical instruments and other works from the Royal Museums of Art and History. At the top of the building, enjoy the magnificent panoramic views of Brussels and use the virtual telescopes to be transported back to the time of Bruegel.

Dates: 18/10/2019 to 18/10/2020
More information here.

Mini-Europe

Bruegel on the Grand Place

On the (miniature) Grand Place in Brussels, visitors meet the painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder, who is working on one of his masterpieces, « The Fall of the Rebel Angels », a work in which the Archangel Michael is fighting six monsters.

Date: until 31/12/2019

More information here.

Events

 

The Chapel Church

Flemish Master in situ 

The church is in the district where Bruegel lived and where his epitaph can be found. A copy of a work by Rubens adorns the epitaph. For this occasion, additional information and a video offer more information about the location, Bruegel and Rubens.

Date: until 30/09/2019

More information here.

Bruegel. The Great Escape. 

The works of Pieter Bruegel the Elder have never been so alive. Ten characters have escaped from the Flemish master’s paintings, 450 years after his death and have come together to pay tribute to the man who painted them.

Date: until the end of 2019

More information here.

Bruegel Cultural

CentreThe Dance of the Rebel Angels

The Dance of the Rebel Angels will lead visitors through the Marolles, following in the footsteps of Pieter Bruegel. To mark the 450th anniversary of the Master’s death, the company No Way Back, together with a Congolese delegation from the Goma Dance Festival and key dancers from the Royal Flemish Theatre (KVS), will give a new « urban » life to the painter’s works, remastered by the Farm Prod collective. In a combination of tradition and modernity, visitors will meet angels who will encourage them to join in the dance and become an integral part of the living painting!

Dates:
– Friday 20 September from 7 pm to 9 pm
– Saturday 21 September from 2 pm to 7 pm – Sunday 22 September from 2 pm to 6 pm

More information here.

Guided Visits

 

Bruegel City Run (FR, NL or EN)

In the city center, find out Bruegel’s legacy while running at your own pace. Date: throughout 2019
More information here.

Bruegel and his Marolles

Come on this walking journey and discover the Marolles of the 16th century… and more specifically the protagonist of our artistic culture: Bruegel.
Pieter Bruegel, who then lived in Antwerp, fell in love with the daughter of his master, Pieter Coecke van Aelst. Before the marriage could take place, his future mother-in-law stipulated that the couple must live in Brussels. A few months after their engagement, their union was made official at the Church of Our Lady of the Chapel in the Marolles.

Bruegel, who lived through troubled times due to the unstable political and religious situation, was a contemporary of Charles V, his son and successor Philippe II and the Duke of Alba, and witnessed the execution of the Counts of Egmont and Hornes.
Free With the support of the Brussels-Capital Region

FR/EN on even Wednesdays – FR/NL on odd Wednesdays

More information here.

Bruegel the Elder and the secret of the two keys (FR)

Exploration of the works of Bruegel and his fascinating world, full of hollow trees, athanors, proverbs, dances, blind people and monkeys, plunging visitors into 16th century Brussels, where he lived and painted his most magnificent works. A true alchemist, did he know the secret of the two keys?

Date: Sunday 8 September 2019
More information here.

Walk through a Bruegel painting (FR)

A bucolic 14 km walk through the Pede Valley, the Vogelenzang reserve and a corner of the Pajottenland where Pieter Bruegel often set up his easel. His paintings will reveal the evolution of the landscape: wooded countryside, damp meadows, marshes, quiet paths adorned with pollarded willows and garden towns – La Roue and Bon Air – create a charming scene…

Date: Sunday 13 October 2019
More information here.

Pierewaaien met Bruegel (NL)

The route goes from the upper city to the lower city or from the ducal site to the centre of Brussels. The focus is on the civilisation process and highlights the changes in eating habits, sleep and dress in the time of Bruegel and the impact of etiquette on human behaviour. This context is reflected in Bruegel’s work. The route is included in the publication « Pierewaaien met Bruegel », interspersed with humorous drawings by Pieter Fannes, who completely immersed himself in the painter’s world.

Date: Saturday 16 November 2019

More information here.

The World of Bruegel in Black and White

Everyone knows Bruegel as an internationally famous painter, but he is also known for his engravings. In 2019, visitors are invited to take a closer look at Bruegel’s engravings at the Royal Library of Belgium (KBR), in the ‘The World of Bruegel in Black and White’ exhibition, accompanied by a guide.

Date: Saturday 23 November 2019

More information here.

Wall Frescoes

Bruegel Street Art Route

visit.brussels, in collaboration with the Brussels Farm Prod collective and with the support of the City of Brussels, has developed a Street Art ROUTE in the heart of the capital that pays tribute to the great Flemish Master Pieter Bruegel. As many as 11 frescoes now adorn several facades in the Marolles district. This is a wonderful opportunity to see Bruegel in a different light.

More information here.

 

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On Saturday, August 17 and Sunday, August 18 a special event is organized by the 1815 Memorial to commemorate Napoleon’s figure.  This event will immerse visitors in the civilian and military life of the late 18th century.

The 4 points of interest:

1. The Memorial Museum : explore the history of the battle through uniforms, historical items, animated maps, a pioneering 3D film and much more…

2. The Panorama : discover this immense historic panorama painting, which is 110 metres long and 12 metres high!

3. Lion’s Mound : climb the 226 steps to enjoy an exceptional view of the Waterloo battlefield.

4. Hougoumont Farm : hear the story of “the battle within the battle” in a multimedia show that combines innovation and memories.

Register quickly, only by email at the following address events@waterloo1815.be 

Check out the full program on their Facebook page.

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From September, Brussels is overflowing with varied and original exhibitions aimed at everyone. Here’s a selection, in chronological order.

Crossroads

After Amsterdam, Bonn and Athens, Brussels will host the great Crossroads exhibition. Travelling through the Middle Ages, it portrays a period often referred to as the “Dark Ages”. Straddling several themes (connectivity, diversity, the heritage of Rome, knowledge, identity, warfare and faith), the Crossroads exhibition brings together distinguished collections of Early Middle Age masterpieces from museums both in Belgium and abroad, including the Netherlands, Germany, Greece and Hungary…

Location: Art & History Museum
Dates: from 27 September 2019 to 29 March 2020
For more info

Obsessions

“Obsessions” is an exhibition that will take the visitor on a journey through the universe of artists’ obsessions.

The exhibition will present each of these intimate worlds in a small nave to recreate an intense atmosphere. The visitor will delight in discovering these while weaving through a labyrinth designed by the “Superstructure” collective. Hundreds of amusing, figurative and abstract works, big and small, will make up a journey full of surprises.

Location: MIMA
Dates: from 27 September 2019 to 5 January 2020
For more info

Open Skies

Open Skies is an exhibition that challenges the ever-growing call for transparency in society.Seven artists delve into our public and private spaces of so-called freedom. The exhibition addresses the issue through artists who aim to escape from the domination of the “like” button, to undo the reductive statement of intent. They have created works which play with veils and masks, codes and devices, projections and fantasies.

Location: WIELS
Dates: from 27 September 2019 to 5 January 2020
For more info

Stay tuned for the next round starting in October.

The post 3 exhibitions for the end of the summer vacation appeared first on Brussels Express.

Apart from being a great story of friendship and humour, Billy and Buddy is first of all a poetic theatre. The series was first released by the graphic artist Jean Roba in the comic magazine Spirou in 1959. With the help of some 1,500 gags and nigh on 40 beautiful hardback comic books, the series caught the imagination of three generations of children. The main ingredients of the success are the close bond between Billy, a little boy, and his dog and a tender sense of humour. The parents too soon became enthralled with the series, as they loved the way in which the author managed to perfectly translate the universal world of childhood, family, relationships with the surrounding world, into gags, starting with the pets. The latter actually seem to have a really good insight into the human mind…

The adventures of Billy and Buddy were translated into some 15 languages, and from 1969 onwards they were turned into several animated television series. They subsequently also became the subject of a feature film in French with the actor Frank Dubosc playing the part of Billy’s father (2013 and 2017). In 2003, Jean Roba put Laurent Verron in charge of the production of the comic books. Since 2017, the series has been in the capable hands of two new artists: Bastide (graphic artist) and Cazenove (scriptwriter). They now walk in the footsteps of this great Belgian master.

With an amusing glimpse into the human condition, an environment of love and tenderness that needs to be preserved, as well as a certain feeling of nostalgia for all those ingredients that make for a simple and happy life, the portrayal of a dog’s life surrounded by a pet tortoise and the birds in the trees; the exhibition reminds us, as Saint-Exupéry once wrote, that one is the product of one’s childhood as one is the product of one’s country. So, we all somewhat belong to the country of Billy and Buddy. Or at least, that is what we aspire to.

Jean Auquier, Belgian Comic Strip Center

The exhibition is open until 31.12.19

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From guided tours of interiors usually closed to the public, conferences, events, activities for families, a fair for period objects, the Festival will once again be the unique opportunity to discover unpublished places that are part of the jewels of these two architectural styles.

Forty houses will open this year again to introduce the general public to these two architectural trends of which Brussels shelters some of the most emblematic places. In 2019, some of them will be accessible for the first time: this will be the case of the Maison Vizzavona in Ixelles, from Seeldrayers House in Saint-Gilles, from Maison Boelens to Forest, from Maison Delville to Uccle, House Boelpaepe in Sint-Agatha-Berchem, and Maison Saint-Cyr in the district of Squares.

The public will be able to discover the lifts, true heritage of Ixelles. The route will find some of the most famous buildings of Horta, such as the Solvay Hotel, the Max Hallet Hotel, or the Hotel Tassel, but also other exceptional places like Maison Autrique, the office and the hotel van Eetvelde, the Maison Devalck, the Maison Taelemans, the former workshop and home of the sculptor Ernest Salu or the Church of St. John the Baptist, to name a few.

The first Festival weekend will introduce you to Art Nouveau and Art Deco at a conference March 16th or to participate in a debate on « How to resurrect the interiors of Villa Cavrois? « , during the Heritage Apéros, 19 March.

During the weekend of March 23rd and 24th, a special « families » program will introduce the youngest with visits and workshops designed especially in collaboration with the CIVA, KANAL – Center Pompidou, Maison Autrique and BOZAR, and specific visits for the visually impaired and hearing impaired will be organized. A conference on the Gödöllö artists’ colony will be held at the cultural center while the German-speaking public will be able to attend guided tours for the first time in German for the duration of this second Festival weekend.

During the closing weekend, the usual fair of Art Nouveau and Art Deco objects that will take place on Sunday from 10h to 18h.

This concept is unique in Europe! Check out the full program on their website.

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To celebrate the museum will unveil three new exhibitions on March 15th until June 30th. The three exhibitions related to these anniversaries will take place simultaneously in the three buildings of the museum, namely the Horta house, the workshop and the extension.

The Horta Museum is located in the private house and studio of Victor Horta (1861-1947).

Collecting, accumulating, concealing, revealing. Victor Horta’s personal collection – Japanese art and rare marble – will be recreated as displayed in his private home. A remarkable collection of Art Nouveau furniture, on public display for the first time, will be exhibited in his adjacent studio. And finally, in the exhibition hall, the act of collecting itself will be explored in depth, through contemporary embroidery portraying present-day collectors.

In the wing extension, different works from 12 collectors will be displayed by the visual artist Elisabeth Horth.

Meanwhile, in the workshop of Victor Horta, the collection « Belgian Art Nouveau », reunited by the young Brussels collector Jonathan Mangelinckx, will show major works by Paul Hankar, Henry Van Velde, Victor Horta and Gustave Serrurier-Bovy.

The post The Horta Museum celebrates 3 anniversaries with 3 fantastic exhibitions appeared first on Brussels Express.

The 12th edition of the Museum Night Fever is the largest one ever organized with 30 participating museums taking part.

Similarly to the past few years, museum night tours can be combined with the official after-party which lasts until 8am Sunday at C12 in center of Brussels.

What’s new this year is the addition of new participating museums such as the Brussels Design Museum ADAM, the Magritte Museum, the Planetarium, the CIVA, the MOMuse- Municipal Museum of Molenbeek Saint-Jean and also the Halles St-Gery.

The Museum Night Fever is all about major exhibitions, performances, installations, live music, DJs, film, eccentric animations, extraordinary guided tours and an electr0-beat filled after-party to create the most beautiful of sleepless nights.

The initiative seduced 17,000 visitors in 2018, which was a record attendance.

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