Pierre Besson, Brussels

Thirty years ago, French artist Pierre Besson was a sculptor. These days he busies himself as an overlord of illusion. His artificially constructed and meticulously fabricated images are based on installations built from everyday objects, particularly bits of computers. In one instance, Besson uses the carcass of a computer to help him create the image of a futuristic building, blending aspects of architecture, sculpture and photography. In this artificial and deserted world, he exposes today’s technologic excess and questions our future whilst skillfully mucking around with perspectives, a technique that reminds us at times of Renaissance paintings, Braque or Picasso. Heavy stuff.

Until 3rd March

Joye Gallery, Chaussée de Vleurgat 125 Vleurgatsesteenweg – 1050 Brussels

www.joyegallery.be

Catclub, Brussels

A new era is nigh: Catclub kicks off the year in a brand new venue, a big-ass loft in Brussels Forest that can host an even bigger crowd than before – a move that had to come sooner or later, judging by the sets-appeal of upwardly mobile South African whippersnapper Culoe De Song on the decks. His Deep House-inspired Afro-Beat, characterised by tribal vocals and hypnotic thumps are set to keep you up all night. Support by Brussels-based DJs Soumaya Dancemachine and Ben Marzys. A late one, guaranteed.

4th February

Catclub, Studio 2, Avenue Van Volxemlaan 14 – 1190 Brussels

www.catclub.be

ProPulse Festival, Brussels

Belgium’s knee-deep in talent, and ProPulse Festival, a “do” organized by the Performing Arts Federation of Wallonia-Brussels, is the new place to parade it. Replacing the well-known Boutik Rock and EntreVues, this is the latest hot date for up-and-coming bands and theatre and dance artists, hooking them up with agents, managers and others from the professional art community for six days on the trot. This weekend’s events are all about music, with Friday night dedicated to pop (from Kupid Kids to Applause), while Saturday occupies itself with Belgium’s most promising electronic acts, including Squeaky Lobster, Ssaliva and Glÿph, to name but a few. In ten years you can tell your mates “I was there when (insert band name here) were just a weirdo garage band nobody had heard of.” That could be nice.

3rd and 4th February

Botanique

www.botanique.be

Atelier Solarshop, Antwerp

This is a good one. Antwerp’s Atelier Solarshop, a creative nerve centre for young artists and designers, is hosting a four day pop-up shop, selling vintage furniture and design bits and bobs. In its 7th edition, the shop offers a sumptuous selection of pieces rooted in Scandinavian industrial design, together with some hand-picked contemporary objects and army treasures. To spice up the shopping experience, they’re bringing out the booze on Friday, with a special cocktail night starting at 19h00. Featured designers include ANVE and Stephanie Schneider to HUI-HUI, Jan-Jan Van Essche and more.

From 2nd to 5th February

Atelier Solarshop, Dambruggestraat 48 – 2060 Antwerp

www.ateliersolarshop.be

Dubieus Design, Antwerp

Only 60 meters away from Atelier Solarshop there’s an even bigger vintage shopping mecca: For the fourth year in a row Designcenter Winkelhaak is hosting the winter edition of their annual design fair. The centre will be flogging curiosities, collector’s items and design classics dating from the fifties and onwards – a feast for vintage fetishists. Buying chairs as an investment may sound a bit strange, but we think it guarantees a bit more excitement than keeping a close eye on the boring old stock market. And what’s more: this year’s fair includes a special vinyl sale on Friday. Step this way, music nerds and nerdettes.

Designcenter Winkelhaak, Lange Winkelhaakstraat 26 – 2060 Antwerp

From 3rd to 4th February

www.winkelhaak.be

Heartbreaktunes presents LA DISPUTE vs. FORMER THIEVES vs. DEAFHEAVEN vs. HIEROPHANT, Antwerp

Three Americans and an Italian walk into a bar… or, three US bands and an Italian one walk into a youth centre in Antwerp, and pursue a dodgily loud evening of punk, exploring the range from hardcore and shoegazing to post-rock and black metal. Whilst American five-piece La Dispute wax delightful with a peculiar mixture of emotional introspectiveness and dynamic punk attitude, Californians Deafheaven make you think of My Bloody Valentine, shifting constantly between ugliness and beauty. Italians Hierophant are here on their mission to prove, once and for all, that punk is defo not dead. A dark, loud affair, and not for the tender-eared.

3rd February

Kavka, Oudaan 14 – 2000 Antwerp

www.heartbreaktunes.com

ITAL, Dynooo vs. Cupp Cave, Ghent

Introduced to Ghent by independent music platform Subbacultcha!, Daniel Martin-McCormick is set to fill the weekend stage with solo project ITAL. Conserving some of the musical mannerisms he acquired as a Sex Worker or as one half of Mi Ami, the New York producer wallows in classic house and techno. Challenging his audience with dissonant sound and unconventional structure, Martin-McCormick specialises in long, stretched-out synth sweeps and walls of feedback. Like many of his colleagues on 100% SILK records, ITAL takes pride in blurring the boundaries between artistic creation and dance music. As a special treat just for you, bustling Belgian producers Cupp Cave and Dynooo will join in for a riveting live set, merging slow tempo techno, atmocore and broken house.

5th February

DOK kantine, Koopvaardijlaan – 9000 Ghent

www.dokgent.be

Why is two better than one?

L: For so many reasons. You have someone to rely on and you are never alone. In our case that’s even more true, because when you work with a family member you have ultimate trust for each other. It gives you a sense of safety. And it’s important to get someone else’s opinions.

M: It makes everything so much easier. I work much better in a team, when there’s someone you can have an exchange with, someone to motivate you. I am less ambitious than Lisa and don’t like to be in the center of attention, so it’s good to have someone for that aspect.

Isn’t two harder than one?

M: No. For me it really makes everything easier. It’s good to be able to divide the work. For example Lisa takes care of the things related to communication which I don’t like that much.

L: I am very extroverted and my Mom is the opposite and rather introverted. But introverts and extroverts need each other, so we complete each other perfectly.

Does 1+1 always equal 2?

M: No. Lisa also does things on her own. That’s important, because she is younger and needs some freedom to develop.

L: Well, I don’t know. I don’t think that it’s important to do my own thing. I always want to take my Mom along. In private life that’s different of course.

Do either of you ever wish it was just 1? (Be honest!)

L: No. We would not be doing what we do now. Alone we would have never achieved this. It’s us together who make the images. And also it would be very boring to work alone.

M: No, never. There are fights sometimes of course, but that is normal, you also have that in a couple. But we generally work really well together and don’t stress each other. I really prefer working together.

Is 2 better than 3? They say never 2 without 3…

L: The third one could be my brother, because he believes in us and has supported us immensely the whole time.

M: I’ll answer with another saying: Two is enough and three is too much! It’s fine to work in a pair, but a constellation of three is always difficult. It’s an uneven number and someone might always feel left out.

Do either of you ever feel alone, even when you’re two?

L: It happens and that’s normal, we are still individuals. And the job includes tasks that require working alone, for example when retouching the photos on the computer. The moments at the screen are the loneliest.

Can you remember a life without your +1?

L: That’s really difficult, I mean, it’s my Mom and she has always been there. And before the photography project I was just a regular kid. It really formed me as a person because I started to early. It made me become someone who prefers to jump into wild waters than sitting at a desk.

M: For me it’s the same, she is my daughter. Before we started our project together I did some amateur photography, just for fun, but that was it. We really developed our art together.

Is it all 50/50?

L: If you start calculating it doesn’t work anymore. What matters is the entirety, the end result. It doesn’t matter who has taken care of which detail. In the end it’s always us together.

M: Sometimes we both take photos, sometimes Lisa takes them and I do the retouching or the other way round. But whatever we do, it always has our personal signature in the end.

Why is two better than one?

D: In the artistic field it is always better to be more than one. When you’re all by yourself there comes a point when you cannot judge your own work anymore. It’s good to get another opinion. You make each other better in the end.

F: That’s very simple: Because there are two brains instead of one and four hands instead of two. This means more creativity, more input. When you work alone you are never really confronted with criticism, and criticism is very important. Being two multiples our possibilities. For example we can go to different meetings at the same time or if one of us goes on holidays it doesn’t mean that the workflow stops. It also reassures our clients, because they know there’s always a back up.

Isn’t two harder than one?

F: No. Of course you have to deal with being confronted to another opinion and you have to let go a bit of your own idea sometimes, but that’s not really difficult.

D: You have to find compromises of course and you have to adapt yourself a bit, but it’s not harder, no.

Does 1+1 always equal 2?

F: I’d say 1+1 makes 3: Because it triples the possibilities.

D: It makes three because we created a third entity: Face to Face Design. It’s something that could theoretically even continue without us one day.

Do either of you ever wish it was just 1? (Be honest!)

F: No. Of course things are not always perfect, but it’s always better than being alone.

D: No. We function really well together and never have fights actually.

Is 2 better than 3? In French they say never 2 without 3…

F: Three is great! It means some fresh air, even more ideas and two more hands to help. That’s why we almost always have interns. And we are just in the beginning, maybe we’ll really be three one day.

D: Just when we have a bad intern, then we think two might be better (laughter).

Can you remember a life without your +1?

D: My memory is actually quite vague. I remember I was working home alone and tried to organise myself somehow…

F: I remember quite well. There were no fixed hours, I was working at night a lot, and it was very flexible. Now our hours resemble those of civil servants (laughter). Everything is much more structured. But that’s also because I have kids now.

Is it all 50/50?

D: Nearly. Just when it comes to some of our old clients we work separately. The spirit is definitely 50/50. But we are not pedantic when it comes to that, we don’t calculate the hours we work or things like that.

F: We basically divide everything, also money-wise. But we don’t compare all the receipts to calculate every single cent. I think that’s also one of the reasons why we don’t fight. It’s completely like being in a couple, actually.

Writer Charline Stoelzaed

With the collection In Sickness and in Health, a twenty-nine year project comes to an end for photographer Colin Gray. This is the final installment of a portrayal of Gray’s own parents, part of a piece of work that began in the eighties. The images that are often choreographed and humorous. Gray tracks the deterioration of his mother, Rene, in an attempt to find personal relief by immortalizing her agonising death. Bedridden following a stroke, the final chapter of the series The Parents depict Rene’s final days, no longer a caring wife and mother, but a ward of her caregiver husband, Ron. Assembled like a play, with blank pages indicating the succeeding phases of Rene’s illness, Gray’s images move back and forth between clinical registrations and impressionistic emblems with unseen colours and shapes. The voyeurism reflected in several scenes is strengthened by sub-temperature lighting, and brought back into balance by the subtle but unmistakable story of a life that is full of stories, and that shimmer through the images. In Sickness and in Health demonstrates Gray’s strong sensitivity to composition that is as just as often architectural as organic, while always making perfect sense. This concluding chapter puts the ugliness of the dependent and the concept of decay against the unconditional nurturing in the face of which the external disappears.

Colin Gray: In Sickness and In Health

Published by Steidl

Available from Amazon here

Art Truc Troc, Brussels

Courtesy of Truc Troc

If you’ve always dreamed of having an original art piece to prettify your apartment, but couldn’t foot the bill, now is the chance to get your hands on one. And lo, it won’t cost you any cash. Art Truc Troc is an art fair for the less-than-mega-rich art lovers amongst us, where works by 200 multidisciplined artists are displayed throughout the BOZAR, from sculptures to paintings to photos. Transactions here are not governed by cash: creativity, for three nights only, is capital. Visitors are requested to jot down their ‘payment’ proposals on post-it-notes and attach them next to their piece of choice, offering in exchange a service, a thing, or whatever can be dredged from the deepest pools of the imagination that just might be worth something to someone. It’s all terribly bohemian and accessible art-ish.

From 27th to 29th January

Bozar Centre of Fine Arts, Rue Ravensteinstraat 23 – 1000 Brussels

www.tructroc.be

Daan van Golden, Brussels

Courtesy of Wiels

Pop art, minimalism, postmodernism, geometric abstraction – Dutch artist Daan van Golden has been pinned to many art history ism’s, and yet continues to stand somewhere on his own, a unique claim in contemporary painting. The ‘Apperception’ exhibition is the first retrospective of van Golden’s work that Belgium has hosted, showcasing all aspects of his art, from major pieces to the newer additions. Using a special painting technique – a slowed-down, meditative exercise inspired by Zen philosophy – he creates art that manages to plaster the extraordinary all over the ordinary.

Opens 27th January, 18h30-21h30

Exhibition runs until 29th April

Wiels, Avenue Van Volxemlaan 354 – 1190 Brussels

www.wiels.org

Don Brown

Courtesy of Almine Rech Gallery

English sculptor Don Brown’s head-to-toe women illustrate his knack for combining two altogether contrasting worlds: whilst his large-scale sculptures show off his craftsmanship for Italian neo-classicism and the Greco-Roman era, references to the twenty-first century abound. High heels, sunglasses, modern hairstyles and, especially, far-from-voluptuous bodies, make it clear that the spectator is dealing with the woman of today. As an added bonus, Brown photographs his creations, using the images to highlight certain elements or perspectives. This exhibition juxtaposes, for the first time, Brown’s acrylic, bronze and silver statues with his large-sized photo prints. A fascinating translation of classical sculpture into our own time.

Opens 27th January

Almine Reche Gallery, Rue de l’Abbaye 20 Abdijstraat – 1050 Brussels

www.alminerech.com

Gym Class Heroes, Brussels

With elements of rap, rock, funk and R&B, Gym Class Heroes are difficult to typecast. Even though their sound has a strong hip hop feel, this Geneva, NY four-piece regularly star alongside rock, punk and metal artists. Plus, these guys from don’t use samples in their music, something rather unorthodox in hip hop. Having just released their fifth LP ‘The Papercut Chronicles II’ last year (a reference to their 2003 album that landed them their record deal), they’re rocking up to Brussels to show off some new stuff. Expect serious fun.

29th January

VK, Rue de l’Ecole 76 Schoolstraat – 1080 Brussels

www.vkconcerts.be

Yamamoto Masao and ARPAÏS du bois, Antwerp

Courtesy of Gallery 51

The exhibition ‘Where they met’ is as a dialogue between Japanese photographer Yamamoto and Belgian artist ARPAÏS du bois, two maestros from two different worlds. The exhibition juxtaposes Yamamoto’s subtle and powerful prints that focus on the relationship between man and nature, and ARPAÏS du bois’s drawings, his personal responses to the chaos of everyday life and the overload of image that constantly bombards us. A captivating approach to reopening the dialogue between photography and the graphic arts.

Opens tonight, 18h00

Fifty One Fine Art Photography, Zirkstraat 20 - 2000 Antwerp

www.gallery51.com

Last days to see: Wouter Feyaerts, Ghent

Young hot-to-trot Belgian artist Wouter Feyaerts’ ‘thing’ is posters, and the S.M.A.K museum is currently showcasing 452 pieces of his work in a dense, blocky grid in their Ghent gallery. We read an email exchange between the artist and art critic Wim Van Mulder, included in the exhibition book. Feyaert says: “Placards have an exciting ambiguity. They have been used both by those in power and the underground, the resistance. They are a tool of the establishment but also of the anti-establishment. For this series to function optimally as a whole, it had to be displayed ‘in a place of power’.” Intriguing exploration, worthy subject.

Until 29th January

S.M.A.K., Citadelpark – 9000 Ghent

www.smak.be

Les Transardentes, Liège

This weekend brings Belgium’s first major musical event of the year, Les Transardentes, the baby sister of summer outdoor festival Transardentes. The past four years have seen this shindig establish itself as one of the most important dates in electronic music. With this years headliners Boys Noize, Birdy Nam Nam and Cassius plus an eclectic laundry list line-up besides, it maintains the reputation. A must for electric lovers. Big red X on your weekend calendar.

28th January

Halles des Foires, Avenue Maurice Denis 4 – 4000 Liège

www.lestransardentes.be

What’s the idea behind Trash TV?

I was born with TV, grew up with it and realised how shitty it actually is. I just had to do something about it. First Trash TV was a term only used in the US, until about 10 years ago, when we could observe the same development here in Belgium. The Trash TV installation explores five themes: childhood, reality TV, sex, games and American sitcoms.

What’s the message you want to pass on?

There’s not really a message behind it. It’s more about just pointing out the current state of television, what we have to live with at the moment.

In your installation you throw TVs into a bin – do you own a TV?

Yes, I own one and I watch pretty much everything. But I look at it in a different way, to get inspired for my work.

What’s your biggest criticism of television as it is today?

It’s continuously becoming less and less interesting. We are watching emptiness. We cannot just leave it at that.

Who’s responsible for that? The viewers who make ratings of questionnable shows go up or the TV makers who assume that the viewers are stupid? It’s the old discussion of what was first – the chicken or the egg…

For me the TV makers are responsible. They try to copy the US where TV is horrible. They play commercials all the time, even when there might be an interesting programme it’s difficult to watch because of that. There’s a lot of money behind it, it’s nothing that can change overnight.

Your exhibition is quite eclectic actually and shows many different aspects of your work – can you tell me more about your fusion of magazines and iPods?

I wanted to play with technology and combine a medium of the past (the magazines) with a medium of the future (the iPod). Who knows how magazines will develop? Will they even still exist in 30 years? Will they maybe have moving images inside?

You also show your classic magazine cuttings that you are most known for.

Yes, it’s some of the newer pieces. My technique is much more refined now and I pay more attention to details.

Magazines are almost like a religion nowadays. They tell you how to dress, what to eat, where to go out, how to live.

The exhibition also includes an installation dealing with Belgian politics and recently you did a project on the G8 countries. Is your art becoming more political?

A big no. I really don’t want to be a political artist, not at all. But when something so absurd happens as Belgium being without a government for ages and politicians singing the national anthem wrong – then I just have to do something on it, I cannot ignore it. In the G8 project I focused on the flags and played with that aspect that countries can be like brands as Nike or Honda for example.

How would you describe your artistic development since you started?

My art evolved over time. I explored different themes but always went into the same direction. My artwork gets updated by what happens around me – take the technologic developments for instance.

What’s your working process like? How do you start out when you make a new piece? Do you make drawings?

Everything happens in my head. When I have an idea I get completely obsessed with it and cannot sleep anymore until I’ve figured it out. So I plan everything in my head and then I just do it.

Why magazines? Did they always have a special place in your life?

Yes, I’m very passionate when it comes to magazines. I’ve regularly been reading magazines ever since I’m 10 years old. There is so much information inside them, images, colours…and as they usually only survive for a limited amount of time and end up in the garbage after a week or so, I wanted to give them a second life. And I feel like the people behind them don’t get enough credit, they never have their moment of glory. Also, I find that magazines are almost like a religion nowadays. They tell you how to dress, what to eat, where to go out…how to live in society.

What is your favourite magazine?

The Word Magazine of course (laughs)! I like WAD, Photo, Playboy, Vogue, Wallpaper, Artpress, Graffiti Art, … there’s a lot of good stuff out there.

How long does it take you to transform one single magazine?

It depends – sometimes a few hours, at other times several days. I like to work parallel at different pieces so I can stop and come back to them later.

Which other artists have influenced you?

Artists who took objects and gave it a second life, as Marcel Duchamp or Marcel Broodthaers.

What inspires you?

Life. Life and its absurdities.

Christophe Coppers’ Trash TV runs until 25th February

Bodson Emelinckx, Rue de Henninstraat 70 – 1050 Brussels

www.bodson-emelinckx.com

Christopher Coppers, Brussels

Brussels-based cut-up artist Christopher Coppers has a thing about ripping up magazines. Whether carving out a new cover for them, stripping out their souls to give them a new life or shredding their pages to use as coating for other objects, Coppers reworks and revisits magazines with his signature, destructive touch. Although his latest work has taken somewhat of a political stance – he recently set about recreating the G8 countries’ flags using nothing but shredded magazine pages – Coppers retains his uncanny ability to infuse his work with a light-hearted irony that, really, is the single reason we like his work so much. Maybe that’s why we once asked him to recreate our very own flag.

Opening tonight at 17h00

Exhibition runs until 25th February

Bodson Emelinckx, Rue de Henninstraat 70 – 1050 Brussels

www.bodson-emelinckx.com

The Criime and Asura, Brussels

The Criime, a Brussels-based tribal-infused, tech-house two-piece from Luxembourg founded by Andrea Mancini and Fabio Picariello in 2009, have stirred quite some attention of late with the release of their debut EP ‘Fidji’ (released on Finnish label Top Billin). Confirming its place amongst the city’s nightlife circuit, newcomer Mr Wong puts on a night which pairs the fresh-faced duo with Parisian DJ project Asura (think sombre and melancholic beats). Their fourth album, ‘360’ came out in 2010 on Ultimae Records. Get your dancing shoes on because this one promises to be long.

Tonight, at 22h00

Mr Wong, Rue de la Vierge Noire 10 Zwarte Lievevrouwstraat – 1000 Brussels

www.mrwong.be

Tomas Alonso, Brussels

“I would like my objects to be used, lived with and enjoyed,” says designer Tomas Alonso about his work. Accordingly, his pared-down designs combine functionality and practicality with a quirky elegance. By working with different materials in an original way, the Spanish-born, London-based designer explores structure and form whilst eliminating all unnecessary elements. This exhibition puts forward some of Alonso’s most recent works, such as his Mr. Light series of lamps, and makes good his reputation for down-to-earth, pragmatic  furniture-making. It is no surprise, then, that his works have gained a place in London’s Design Museum‘s permanent collection. Not to be missed.

Until 5th February

Victor Hunt Gallery, Rue Lambert Crickxstraat 16 – 1070 Brussels

www.victor-hunt.com

Zero Gravity Revolt, Brussels

‘Zero Gravity Revolt’ is more than just your ordinary exhibition. The works of Moscow-based artist Nikolay Oleynikov, part of the Russian collective Chto Delat, are based on bringing people together from different backgrounds and disciplines and building temporary communities that actively participate in the creation of the artwork. The end result is a mural juxtaposed with sketches, scripts and research material stemming from countless group meetings. The subject: early Soviet science fiction from the 1920s. Subversive and thought-provoking, Oleynikov’s didactic murals are always influenced by surrealism, punk culture, comics and the Soviet monumental school.

Until 11th February

Zero Gravity Revolt, Avenue Van Volxemlaan 295 – 1190 Brussels

www.kmplt.be

Chilly Gonzales, Brussels

Grammy-nominee, world-record holder (longest ever piano play), prodigy producer, versatile vocalist. It’s fair to say Canadian-born, Paris-based Gonzales (whom we interviewed back in May 2011, read the interview here) has more than a talent up his sleeve. And, following his cancelled show on 22nd December, he’s (finally) back in Brussels touring his latest album: ‘The Unspeakable Chilly Gonzales’. Expect lots of laughter, wit and a good dose of playful arrogance.

22nd January

Botanique, Rue Royale 236 Koningsstraat – 1210 Brussels

www.botanique.be

Ben Murphy, Antwerp

The building of the United Nations‘ headquarters near New York City’s East River is without doubt an urban icon and an obligatory stop for all visitors to the Big Apple. Only a handful have been able to venture inside the building though, which adds to its sense of mystery and general aura. Over a period of 15 months, British photographer Ben Murphy had the opportunity to capture its hidden spaces on film, creating 100 images that in a way reveal a sublime and melancholic beauty on the backdrop of power-broking corridors.

Until 26th February

Stieglitz 19, Klapdorp 2 – 2000 Antwerp

www.stieglitz.be

From Back Home, Ghent

Anders Petersen and JH Engström are two of Sweden’s leading and most important photographers. The exhibition ’From Back Home’ is the result of a seven-year long collaboration between the two. From 2001 up until 2008, the pair photographed the Värmland region, a barely-populated region in Sweden from which they both originate. Their resulting captivating, melancholic and slightly dark pictures pay tribute to the people, places and landscapes of their childhood. A fascinating and very personal journey down memory lane.

Until 29th January

ZebraStraat, Zebrastraat 32 – 9000 Ghent

www.zebrastraat.be

American artist Shirley Jaffe’s works are all about colour. Colours are what determine her compositions and generate form, stimulating the viewer’s gaze and pleading for experiencing art just by looking at it. Her geometrical, flat paintings are clearly inspired by abstract expressionism and the innovative movements in American painting since the mid-forties. Jaffe was part of a group of young American and Canadian artsits that moved to Paris after World War II and became referred to as the Second Generation Abstract Expressionists, including artists as Ellsworth Kelly or James Bishop.

Until 14th January

Galerie Greta Meert, Rue Du Canal 13 Vaartstraat, 1000 Brussels

www.galeriegretameert.com

Design Brasil, Brussels

Even though for a long time design was not considered as a separate discipline but rather integrated in other related fields as art, industry or architecture, Brazil’s design history goes back to the 19th century. With the creation of the country’s first design agency in 1958 and the foundation of an Industrial Design School in Rio de Janeiro a few years later, design became more established. This exhibition especially puts forward products from the famous Brazilian designers Fernando & Humberto Campana who, inspired by their country’s street life and carnival culture, created objects made of found pieces as wood waste in combination with advanced technologies. At the same time Design Brasil gives a comprehensive overview of a large number of Brazilian designers whose works are characterised by vibrant colours and a certain playfulness.

Until 5th February

Design Vlaanderen, Rue de la Chancellerie 19 Kanselarijstraat, 1000 Brussels

www.designvlaanderen.be

Ferdinand Schirren, Brussels

Even though always a bit in the shadow of the most prominent Belgian Fauvist, Rik Wouters, Ferdinand Schirren was a pioneer of his time who in the beginning of the 20th century greatly contributed to the emergence of what we now refer to as “Brabant Fauvism”. With this exhibition the Royal Museum of Fine Arts continues to put forward some of Belgium’s lesser-known artists who clearly deserve more spotlight. Schirren’s paintings, that mostly display rather simple subjects taken from everyday life or landscapes, are defined by glowing, vibrant colours and a precise composition whilst rejecting symbolism. Reminiscing French Fauvists such as Matisse, Schirren’s focus on colours became the overriding theme in his oeuvre.

Until March 2012

Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Rue Royal 3 Regentschapsstraat, 1000 Brussels

www.fine-arts-museum.be

Baxter Dury, Brussels

Six years after his last album, English singer-songwriter Baxter Dury is back with his latest record ‘Happy Soup’, an intimate collection of laid-back, warm and intriguing songs. At times melancholic and dreamy, at others optimistic and uplifting, Baxter Dury has become quite good at something he originally never wanted to do: Be a musician and follow into the footsteps of his famous father (Blockheads punk-era hero Ian Dury). With the ten tracks on ‘Happy Soup’ that Baxter cryptically describes as ‘seaside psychedelia’, the artist proves once again that he does not have to be afraid of his father’s long shadow.

Listen to the single ‘Claire’:

14th January

Botanique, Rue Royale 236 Koningsstraat, 1210 Brussels

www.botanique.be

Best Vinyl Art 2011, Brussels

Over the years album artwork has become much more than just a marketing or promotion tool: Designing record covers is considered as an art by many nowadays. It is within this context that Brussels’ Jonas Gallery exhibits a selection of the 50 best album sleeves of 2011 with Das Pop being the only Belgian flag-waver. Also on display are the newest LP covers of The Horrors, Metronomy or Bon Iver, for example. Considering the rise of digital downloads and the decline of buying, it remains to be seen how important the CD format will be in the future.

Until 28th January

Jonas Gallery, Rue de Flandre 35 Vlaamsesteenweg, 1000 Brussels

www.jonasgallery.com

Peter Lindbergh, Antwerp

With his melancholic photographs of international supermodels Linda Evangelista, Kate Moss or even Tatjana Patitz marked by their effortless character and emotional depth, German fashion photographer Peter Lindbergh brought the new faces to worldwide attention. A master of black and white photography, he contributed more than any in shaping the fashion scene of the last 25 years. Combining a selection of Lindbergh’s world famous images with his more recent work as well as a series he shot for Vogue in Berlin in 2009, this comprehensive exhibition is a must for photography and fashion fans alike.

Until 29th January

FotoMuseum, Waalsekaai 47, 2000 Antwerp

www.fotomuseum.be

Johan Grimonprez, Ghent

Mixing reality and fiction, Belgian artist and filmmaker Johan Grimonprez, a child of the first TV generation, explores and documents the ever-growing influence television, cinema, advertising and the news have on our perception of the world and the imminent risk of manipulation. His video works, which play with delusion and deception whilst expos- ing the importance of the moving image in our lives, are based on recycled images taken from news broadcasts, documentary material, Hollywood movies, animated films and commercials as well as from archival items. In his award-winning video collage Dial H-I-S-T-O-R-Y for instance, Grimonprez explores the worldwide history of high-jackings. And it is exactly this kind of uncanny relevance that draws you in. Think of him as a Michael Moore but with an even bigger grin.

Until 29th January

S.M.A.K., Citadelpark, 9000 Ghent

www.smak.be

Just when you thought the efficiency of the digital age would wipe out any form of time-consuming expression, illustration is enjoying a revival. Faced with increasingly perfect – and overtly retouched – images, some artists reacted by embracing the spontaneous and lively act of drawing. Pablo Piatti‘s illustrations are stylish, inviting and evocative. Whether he depicts fashion, still lifes or interiors, the Antwerp-based Argentinian has an innate sense of elegance, making his pictures timeless and beautiful.

Where were you born?

I was born in Buenos Aires and grew up there. I went to art school, but quit at the beginning of my fourth Year. I met a couple at that time who worked in Belgium. The guy was a polo player and talked me into moving there. I had wanted to get away from Argentina for a while and ended up living in Antwerp.

When did that happen?

That was in the 90s. I met Brian Redding – who launched Scapa back in the 60s – and he saw some of my drawings, which he really liked. Even though I didn’t really have the intention to work in fashion, he commissioned me to draw some images he wanted to showcase in his stores. That’s how it all began.

And how was that first experience in fashion?

It was a great learning curve. Brian’s daughter started a new line and asked me if I could design for her. I worked on seasonal collections and learnt how clothes were made, even though I didn’t have any prior knowledge in that field.

Did you keep on drawing while you were designing?

Yes, I did both at the same time.

Do you remember your very first drawings?

I was a kid, probably 5 or 6 years old. My father used to draw well and I think I learnt from him. I was never attracted by photography or film, but drawing felt instinctive for me.

I think illustration has more to do with dreams than reality. There’s something unfinished about it, which opens up your imagination.

What do you think illustration brings, which feels fresh and exciting now?

I think illustration has more to do with dreams than reality. There’s something unfinished about it, which opens up your imagination. It doesn’t try to copy reality. Illustration lets you exaggerate certain things or play with proportions. It allows you to create a whole universe around one object.

Is illustration still relevant in advertising?

It’s not so much a question of relevance, but taste. I think there’s a return to things that are handmade and imperfect. Craftsmanship has never been so important and valued, especially in the shaky context we live in.

Fashion illustration had its heyday in the late 80s and early 90s. Several illustrators -such as Mats Gustafson or François Berthoud- had their work published in magazines like Vogue or Marie-Claire. Do you think illustration offers an alternative to fashion photography?

I don’t think there is a substitute for fashion photography. I’d rather think of illustration as a way to complement or enrich images. Why not have the two working together? You can use collage or other techniques to create new effects.

Can you tell more about the accessories and animals series?

I started out with one drawing and it kept on growing. People seemed to like the series and I thought it’d be interesting to continue along the same lines. I’m currently working on jewellery drawings with birds.

What do your clients expect of you when it comes to illustration?

It depends on the people you’re dealing with. Some clients give you carte blanche and others are much more directive. They either ask for sharp and detailed drawings or let you do what you feel. I guess they’ll give you more room if they like your style.

Which projects are you currently working on?

A famous Antwerp architect asked me to illustrate a new book about his work, with drawings of his home. He wanted to mix photographs with more impressionistic images.

Is there something more poetic about illustrations then?

Yes, definitely. Illustration is more suggestive than photography.

Which elements inspire you in everyday life?

It can be anything, like plants or a landscape. I’m not focused on one particular type of object.

What about people? Do you like drawing them?

Not really. I guess they feel more anecdotal. I try to avoid faces and portraits, too. They don’t attract me at all.

Do you think drawing is more appropriate for certain compositions? I like the way you create different atmospheres in your illustrations.

Well, you certainly don’t have to ship exotic flowers to make your drawing happen. You don’t have to worry about the light either. It makes the logistical dimension easier, I guess. With drawing, it’s all in your head.

All photography Yassin Serghini

(First published in the white album)

Wim Catrysse, Brussels

Courtesy of VidalCuglietta

Belgian artist Wim Catrysse’s new triple-screen video installations centre around Kawah Ijen, a volcano in Eastern Java. In September 2010 Catrysse spent 12 days in Indonesia to film the impressive natural spectacle, capturing a rather apocalyptic aura of the sulfur that emerges from the active crater. The chemical element has been associated with Satan’s realm as a symbol of hell, adding a rather sinister notion to the experience. Besides documenting nature in its full-blown wonderment, the artist also draws attention to the mining of sulfur, exposing the everyday business of exploiting the earth. Inspiring references to romanticists as Caspar David Friedrich, Cartrysse’s fascinating, awe-inspiring and somehow otherworldly works of nature motifs focus on the extreme and the outward-bound.

Until 23rd December

Galerie VidalCuglietta, Boulevard Barthélémy 5 Barthélémylaan, 1000 Brussels

www.vidalcuglietta.com

Fiction, Narrative & History, Brussels

Courtesy of D+T Project

Exploring themes of capitalism, corporate cultures and political speech, Fiction, Narrative & History touches upon some highly controversial issues of our times through the works of several different artists. With his video analysis of the Marxist and Communist legacies in today’s world, American artist Zachary Formwalt unravels its close-knit relationships to contemporary symbols and media imagery. Swedish artist duo Goldin&Senneby host a conference surrounding the movie Headless at Regus which delves into the artists’ research into offshore financing and the activities of an imaginary company called Headless. And finally, Dutch video and performance artist Nicoline van Harskamp uses footage of conversations, speeches or autobiographies to reveal the power of the spoken word. High-minded and high- browed stuff not for the faint-hearted.

Until 23rd December

D+T Project, Rue Bosquetstraat 4, 1060 Brussels

www.dt-project.com

Wunderkammer, Brussels

The history of the curiosity cabinet (Wunderkammer in German) dates back as far as the 16th century, when pharmacists and high-society people started collecting rare or curious objects without wanting to be encyclopaedic but trying to reveal the innermost secrets of reality and nature itself. Paradoxically, the pieces on display in the Botanique’s show focus essentially on pure creations made by contemporary Belgian or Belgium-based artists, including Jan Fabre, Michel Mouffe, Charley Case or Jean-Luc Moerman. Tattooed skulls, stuffed and stretched animals – step into a bizarre world of wonders.

From 8th December to 29th January 2012

Botanique, Rue Royale 236 Koningsstraat, 1210 Brussels

www.botanique.be

Is Tropical DJ Set, Brussels

After  having just recently set the Botanique on fire with their catchy electro rock, the London three-piece now comes back to Brussels to show their skills as DJs at the Wood’s monthly Indie Club. The newest Kitsuné output stirred quite some attention this year, not only with its radio hit ‘The Greeks’ that won them a prize at the UK music video awards, but also for covering their faces with scarfs and masks at all times (we interviewed the up-and-comers just a few weeks ago). Besides a mix of Is Tropical’s favourite tunes, Wood’s residents will keep you on your feet with the freshest indie music and timeless rock anthems (think The Clash, Blur or The Drums). Get ready for a hot sweaty night and some real rock’n'roll.

Watch the award-winning video ‘The Greeks’:

16th December

Wood, Chemin de la Meute 1 Jachtkoppelweg, 1000 Brussels

www.istropical.com

Black Lips, Brussels

Fireworks, vomiting, nudity, urinating, enflamed instruments, a chicken: The stage antics of the Atlanta four-piece can be quite a hardcore experience – nothing for the faint-hearted. The band with a penchant for provocation, evident in their latest video, just brought out their 6th studio album on Vice records this year: ‘Arabia Mountain’. Despite having Mark Ronson as a producer, Black Lips manage to keep their bad boy attitude intact. Guaranteed to be a memorable night.

Watch the newest single ‘Family Tree’:

17th December

VK, Rue de l’Ecole 76 Schoolstraat, 1000 Brussels

www.vkconcerts.be

Beyond Style, Antwerp

Courtesy Gallery 51

With its panoramic view on ‘style’, the exhibition at Gallery 51 does justice to the elusiveness and subjective nature of the term that means much more than just fashion. Focusing on the charismatic presence of the photographed subject ‘Beyond Style’ finds a common denominator in images that at first glance can seem rather opposed to the viewer. Anonymous African photos are presented next to international icons such as Brigitte Bardot or Paul Newman. The displayed works range from influential fashion images by William Klein or Frank Horvat and portraits by Irving Penn or Jaques-Henri Lartigue to Diane Arbus’ gripping photographs of eccentrics.

Opening 8th December, 18h00

Gallery 51, Zirkstraat 20, 2000 Antwerp

www.gallery51.com

Manor Grunewald, Ghent

Courtesy of Fortlaan 17

Manor Grunewald, the young Belgian painter that made it on the cover of our white album, is currently exhibiting at the Fortlaan 17 Gallery in Ghent. With the exhibition ‘I always wanted to be David Copperfield, but I turned out to be a painter’, the self-taught painter attempts to find a link between the magical and the arts, constantly bending reality and generating illusions. Nevertheless Grunewald’s works are always more defined by his paths towards the canvas rather than artistic techniques, always starting out from the observation of people and cultures and how reality is commonly perceived.

Until 28th January 2012

Galerie Fortlaan 17, Fortlaan 17, 9000 Ghent

www.fortlaan17.com

Charles Burns, Leuven

Courtesy of M Museum Leuven

Leuven’s M Museum presents more than 200 works from the past thirty years by American graphic novelist and illustrator Charles Burns, best known for his comic books referencing pop art and culture whose atmosphere ranges from kitschy nostalgia and cheap sensation to haunting horror and dark worlds. His stories touch themes as adolescence and sexual awakening and are combined with recurring images of mutation, plague, alienation and violence. What many people don’t know: Burns also designed album covers for Iggy Pop, illustrated advertising campaigns for Altoids or Ok Soda and even did covers for Time, The New Yorker and The New York Times Magazine.

From 8th December to 11th March 2012

M Museum Leuven, Leopold Vanderkelenstraat 28, 3000 Leuven

www.mleuven.be

Last minute christmas sales to catch:

Brussels: Dress is more pop up sale

From 16th to 18th December

Centre Bruxellois de la Mode et du Design, Nouveau Marché aux Grains 10 Nieuwe Graanmarkt, 1000 Brussels

www.dressismore.com

Antwerp: I/OBJECT christmas pop up store

Until 18th December

Closet, Volkstraat 9, 2000 Antwerp

www.iobjectstore.com

Ghent: I/OBJECT christmas pop up store

Until 18th December

A&Gallery, Schepenhuisstraat 17, 9000 Gent

www.iobjectstore.com

Courtesy Xavier Hufkens, Brussels

Writer Sam Steverlynck

Although many artists describe themselves as ’multi media artists’, few deserve the tag as much as Brussels based Hans Op de Beeck. Op de Beeck – who enjoys critical and commercial success all over the world – is mainly known for his installations, but expresses himself through sculpture, drawings, paintings, video, photographs, short stories. For his video Sea of Tranquillity (2010) – presented as part of a multi-media installation shown in Argos last year – he even composed a jazzy theme song. When Op de Beeck tells us in his Anderlecht studio that he is currently working on a black and white animation movie that will also be part of an opera in Versailles, it doesn’t even come as a surprise anymore. Op de Beeck selects the medium in function of his message. He is not interested in making a political statement or telling a story, however, but wants to immerse the viewer in a specific mood.

“Having a coffee at night in a deserted highway restaurant while looking out over the empty highway is just the same as staring at the sea. It is a kind of contemporary translation of dreaming away.”

Location (5) (2004) for example, is an accessible installation of a full-sized, nocturnal roadside restaurant with a view on an empty motorway. The entire atmosphere is dark and greyish, besides the orange halo of the high-way’s light. The work captures a sense of melancholia though Op de Beeck is quick to emphasise that he is not a nostalgic. That is also the reason why he places his work in deliberate contemporary settings like shopping malls or cruise ships, while tackling universal and timeless themes: “Having a coffee at night in a deserted highway restaurant while looking out over the empty highway is just the same as staring at the sea. It is a kind of contemporary translation of dreaming away.”

Courtesy Xavier Hufkens, Brussels

Op de Beeck’s installations are very realistically made, yet he does want to highlight their artificial nature by, for example, playing with scale and size (as with his long white festive board created in a scale of 1.5, making you feel like a six year old) or leaving out colours. His universe is subdued, often deliberately limited to white, black or grey. Extension (1) (2007) for example is an installation of an intensive care unit with a hospital bed, all in spotless white, while Extension (2) (2007) shows an office environment completely rendered in black. Both works deal with the way technology has become a body extension, the clinical colours emphasising the pronounced sense of dehumanisation: “As I pay so much attention to detail, working with monochromic colours is a way to make the image more silent. You get a process of dematerialisation, as a kind of after image of phantom image.”

“As I pay so much attention to detail, working with monochromic colours is a way to make the image more silent.”

This somewhat ghostly disposition is also the case in Location (6) (2008), a 300m2 installation. It is a kind of 3D panorama, an observatory of a vast and misty snow landscape where everything is so white you almost lose your sense of perception. The absence of colour is a pursued form of abstraction to reach a point zero. Leaving out colour can also be a way to emphasise what is underneath the surface, as in The Stewarts Have a Party (2006). In the video, a family is dressed for a party though the mood is rather more odd than festive. The fact that the entire setting lacks colour – even the balloons and cardboard party are in sterile white – contributes to the overall feeling of unease. The family members also behave like life-sized marionettes that are being manipulated by production assistants. It is a strong image, unmasking a fake sense of perfection, while revealing a feeling of emptiness and alienation the artist manages to perfectly capture.

hansopdebeeck.com

(This article was first published in the white album)

Charif Benhelima, Brussels

Courtesy of the artist and Crown Gallery Brussels

Memory, oblivion, identity and truth through images are the main themes that can be found in Belgian-Moroccan photographer Charif Benhelima’s works, an exploration of perception, time, space and invisibility. For ten years now, Benhelima has been experimenting with the Polaroid 600, his preferred working companion, whose limitations enable him to play with the (in)visible, creating fading and washed out images which serve to challenge photography as such as well as the viewer’s perspective.

Until 21st January 2012

Crown Gallery, Nouveau Marché aux Grains 13 Nieuwe Graanmarkt, 1000 Brussels

www.crowngallery.be

Russian Turbulence, Brussels

Sergei Borisov, Dialogue, 1983, courtesy of Galerie Volker Diehl

Looking back on 20th century Russian art spanning over 100 years, this exhibition showcases the works of 42 different Russian artists, touching upon the constructivist, avant-garde, non-conformist and contemporary periods to expose the country’s changing political and artistic ideologies. Celebrating the variety and powerful energy of the country’s artistic legacy‚ Russian Turbulence concentrates on the art of counter culture and underground resistance against the backdrop of Russia’s chaotic history – violence, revolutions and re-births. Whilst the older works offer an interesting glimpse as to the artistic expression that took shape behind the iron curtain, the newer ones address the challenges of the post-Soviet world.

Opening 8th December, 18h00-21h00

Exhibition from 9th December to 3rd March 2012

Charles Riva Collection, Rue de la Concorde 21 Eendrachtstraat, 1000 Brussels

www.charlesrivacollection.com

Thierry de Cordier, Brussels

Courtesy of Xavier Hufkens Gallery

Last days to see: By announcing that he had absolutely nothing to do with the 20th century, Belgian contemporary visual artist Thierry de Cordier deliberately distanced himself from the world, choosing self-reflection and personal exploration in its place. With his paintings, sculptures and drawings dominated by dark colors and grey tints, he creates a gloomy mental landscape full of fragility and inner suffering, exclusion and isolation. The search for protection, a central theme throughout his oeuvre, is best symbolised by his sculptures of semi-human figures and primitive buildings giving shelter.

Until 10th December

Xavier Hufkens Gallery, Rue Saint-Georges 6-8 Sint-Jorisstraat, 1050 Brussels

www.xavierhufkens.com

Black Out Party, Brussels

Catclub’s wild little sister is back with another memorable night blending old school house with italo-disco and new wave. Jessica 6 (NYC), Baris K (Istanbul) and Lady Jane (Brussels) behind the decks to make sure you’re kept on your feet until dawn. This is the last Catclub-infused party of the year, so make sure to get your dancing shoes on for one final boogie.

10th December

Mr Wong, Rue de la Vierge Noire 10 Zwarte Lievevrouwstraat, 1000 Brussels

www.catclub.be

Karel Fonteyne, Antwerp

Courtesy of Ingrid Deuss Gallery

Belgian photographer Karel Fonteyne, whose career stretches over almost 40 years, aims to recreate the feeling he experiences when pressing the button of his camera whilst at the same time challenging the spectators’ imagination by photographing his subjects so close that the result is rather vague. The exhibition ranges from Fonteyne’s photographs of recordings of a cinema performance in Budapest to his pictures of mysterious naked women whose faces he hides behind books or whose eyebrows he covers with numbers. Another highlight: his ‘horses’ series that reveals the importance of the darkroom for Fonteyne, who uses double exposure and craftsman-like techniques.

Opening 9th December

Exhibition from 10th December to 7th January 2012

Ingrid Deuss Gallery, Provinciestraat 11, 2018 Antwerp

www.ingriddeuss.be

Angela Bulloch, Antwerp

Courtesy of Micheline Szwajcer Gallery

Angela Bulloch, Turner prize nominee in 1997 and part of the Young British Artists’, descends upon Antwerp to show her famous pixel boxes which serve as a kind of signature surface for many of her works. Symbolising the smallest unit of technical images and touching the border between the virtual and the real world, these usually invisible digital measurements are brought to life by Bulloch who transforms them into autonomous individual objects used for the creation of her distinctive sculptures.

From 8th December to 21st January 2012

Micheline Szwajcer Gallery, Verlaatstraat 14, 2000 Antwerp

www.gms.be

Daniel Sinsel, Antwerp

Courtesy of Sadie Coles HQ, London and Office Baroque, Antwerp

Daniel Sinsel, London-based German artist who has already counts shows in New York, Berlin, Zurich or Athens, explores classical themes of space, volume and illusion with his paintings and sculptures whilst always focusing on the qualities and characteristics of the used materials. Including references to art history as well as his personal interpretation of it, Sinsel stays dedicated to traditional oil painting of multiple layers and ancient craft techniques as ceramics and metalworking. As a result his works avoid modernist inclinations and are full of a very human sensuality.

Until 14th January

Office Baroque Gallery, Lange Kievitstraat 48, 2018 Antwerp

www.officebaroque.com

Adam Leech, Ghent

Adam Leech "If your eyes are good...", 2011, courtesy Hoet Bekaert Gallery

Born in the US and trained at the Chicago Art Institute as well as at the Royal Academy in Amsterdam, painter and video artist Adam Leech, who now lives and works in Brussels, combines and creates interactions between these two artforms. For the exhibition ‘If your eyes are good…’ in Ghent’s Hoet Bekaert Gallery, Leech created a rather unique concept: In order to force the viewer to express an opinion on the displayed paintings and make a public judgement, each visitor will be given plates with  fake dog poo and rose-leafs that have to be placed underneath the paintings, leaving no room for greyness, allowing only a ‘very good’ or ‘very bad’ mention.

Until 15th January 2012

Hoet Bekaert Gallery, Rodelijvekensstraat 28, 9000 Ghent

www.iets.be

Writer Melisande McBurnie, Photographer Stine Sampers

Camden by Jean-Christian Bourcart – Images en Manœuvres Editions

Bourcart’s most recent publication – what could almost be described as a photo journal – sees him set foot into one of Americas most malignant areas. It portrays the subject in complete disarray, caught off guard. It’s as if the state had just come and repossessed the bed, the fridge, even the roof, just as he was about to click the shutter. Q-tips litter the floor, along with pen caps and exposed cables. From bitter cold streets to sticky tarmac and, every so often, a gesture, a kiss, an embrace. This is the stuff of “shit”… All the things you weren’t supposed to see. And to think he simply googled “most+dangerous+city+america”, result “Camden.”

Available from Amazon

Gone? by Robert Adams – Steidl

In his latest book Gone?, Robert Adams take us on a “Hansel and Gretel” journey into the landscape of a recollection based in Colorado. Shot in black and white, a series of photos taken in the 1980s document the slow evolution of a once wild region. Revisiting a place, where as a young boy Adams walked and the impact it now plays on reshaping his memory, Gone? is the disappearance of personal landmarks, of how one got from A to B and all the little pit stops in-between. There is something engaging upon seeing Adams’ vast lands devoid of colour that leaves us with an urge to fill it in, a true scrapbook of sorts. One can’t help but want to remember with him of how it used to be.

Available from Amazon

Black and White by Ellsworth Kelly – Hatje Cantz
Investigating the interplay of positive and negative, form versus colour and the space that surrounds us, Ellsworth Kelly brings us back to basics. With over six decades of study and observation into his everyday surroundings, having first gained worldwide acclaim for his paintings and drawings, Kelly now presents us with Black and White. Asking the viewers’ approach to be that of a child, who learns from disassembling and reassembling, the result is engaging and playful – looking somewhat simple at first sight though closer inspection reveals there’s an equation behind each move, a “working out” so to speak, a consideration of weight, balance and its tipping point. Indeed we are left with a querying feeling of “What came first?”

Available from Amazon

Red Roses Yellow Rain by Marrigje de Maar – Hatje Cantz
In Red Roses Yellow Rain, Marrigje captures the more humble abodes and their interiors over a period of several visits to the “Motherland”, a country rapidly hurtling into modernisation. Here she allows us to spy into a culture still steaming with history and traditions. A domestic journey into communist China and what lies behind the wall. It’s almost like walking onto the set of a Zhang Yimou film. The classic coral-red and jade-green with floral flasks and pink plastic bags taking on a form of true “minimal-decor” all captured with that similar somber light. So inviting are these images, one can almost smell the tea brewing.

Available from Amazon

Far Too Close by Martina Hoogland Ivanow – Steidlmack
Far Too Close entangles the boundaries between familiar and foreign. Drawing the viewer into something of a secret and what lurks in its shadows, Ivanow depicts the features of an almost faceless person, making it near impossible to make out where one subject ends and the other begins. Having traveled extensively over a seven year period to remote places such as Siberia, Sakhalin Island and Tierra del Fuego, on the southern tip of Argentina, the photographer sets out to explore and capture a personal history of “home”. The shape of sheets are here and the place on a pillow where a head had rested.

Available from Amazon

(First published in the white album)

“(I don’t have a fear of the blank canvas). I don’t start from pure imagination, but work with existing or self-made photos as a source material. My work forms an ongoing story in which there isn’t a real starting point; every drawing more or less follows the previous ones. In a way you could say I am obsessed with the idea of finding good and appropriate images. I just keep on looking for images and think about how the story should develop. I am mostly completely frozen just after I have finished a drawing. Then I sit in front of it for hours and hours, staring and not touching, figuring out whether it’s a good drawing or not. I do think the hours between 3 and 5pm are the most difficult ones. I just want them to be over really quickly.”

Rinus Van de Velde, 28, is currently working on a new series of drawings set to be exhibited in the group show ’Der Reiz der belanglosen Geschichte’ at Galerie Zink in Berlin.

galeriezink.de

timvanlaeregallery.com

(first published in the white album)

Normann Copenhagen Pop up Store, Brussels

With the end-of-year, Christmas shopping spree about to begin, Brussels-based design hotstop La Fabrika dedicates an entire space to the playful, innovative and often surprising world of Danish design imprint Normann Copenhagen. Open until the end of the month, the pop up shop features the Scandinavian designers’s entire collection, unique for its ability to challenge conventional design rules and use traditional materials whilst retaining a certain unpretentiousness.

From 1st to 31st December

La Fabrika, Rue A. Dansaertstraat 182, 1000 Brussels

www.lafabrika.be

Robert Devriendt, Brussels

Robert Devriendt’s miniature oil paintings tell intimate stories by showing fragments of people, animals, landscapes or spaces which greatly resemble film stills. With his special attention to detail and precise, realistic painting technique harking back to the Flemish Primitives, he creates an intriguing world full of sensuality. A fetishist, a young girl, a blood stained dog, a taxidermist – these and other figures make regular appearances in his at times obscure and gloomy series of work, set in a natural decor with Devriendt slipping into the role of a hermit living an insular life in the woods. Fittingly, the exhibition The woods of love and horror, which bears resemblance to an unfinished film, is inspired by murder mysteries and crime thrillers.

Until 23rd December

Galerie Baronian Francey, Rue Isidore Verheydenstraat 2, 1050 Brussels 

www.baronianfrancey.com

Depth of Field, Antwerp

Playing around and mastering the depth of field is probably rule number one of the dummy’s guide to photography. Indeed, the distance between the nearest and farthest subject or object in your composition – that magical effect that is achieved through adjustments to your optical lens – often is the best way for a photographer to balance the relevant with the superfluous, then and there deciding what, to him, should be in focus, and what deserves to be relegated to the background. Drawing upon the creme of the crop of current Belgian photographic talent (everyone from Bert Danckaert, Lara Gasparotto, Francois Goffin, Jimmy Kets, Charlotte Lybeer and Arno Roncada), the exhibition showcases the myriad of possibilities when experimenting with depth of field emphasising the dialectical connection between the sharp and the blurry whilst reviving the notion of the photographer as a painter-photographer.

Until 24th December

Stieglitz 19, Klapdorp 2, 2000 Antwerp

www.stieglitz19.be

Serge Strosberg, Antwerp

Antwerp-born, New York-based artist Serge Strosberg’s works draws upon the city’s energy and very much evolves around the fashion world – a world he is no stranger to following previous collaborations with art directors for Elle and Vogue. Combining German expressionism with American realism, the self-proclaimed Expressionist of fashion captures models by revealing the less glamourous side of the beauty business. His vivid depictions – portraits that owe as much to photography as they do to painting – touch upon themes of materialism, narcissism, voyeurism and uniformity, making Strosberg’s unique vision particularly relevant in today’s fashion-frenzied society.

From 2nd to 23rd December

Galerie Ludwig Trossaert, Museumstraat 29, Antwerp

www.strosbergserge.com

Pop/Zuid Pop up Store, Antwerp

From books, accessories and cosmetics to clothes and shoes, this temporary designer outlet offers everything the avid shopper can wish for. An eclectic selection of all the right brands offers a varied choice guaranteed to lay any fashion fiend’s end of year frustrations to rest.  With collections by Jil Sander’s and more playful pieces from Paul & Joe sister or Chloe’s See line, the pop up outlet store remains open until the end of January and remains your best shot yet at making an impression on a shoestring.

Until 31st January

Pop/Zuid, Scheldestraat 72, 2000 Antwerp

Thursday to Saturday and Monday, 11h00 – 18h00

Andy Butler and Jeremy Glenn, Ghent

Having done more than anyone in bringing some disco cool back to the dance floor with his Hercules & Love Affair crew (check out their newest album ‘Blue Songs’ released on Moshi Moshi earlier this year), New York DJ Andy Butler has since become the unofficial spokesman for a generation of nostalgic club music lovers. Playing a DJ set and supported by Toronto-based Jeremy Glenn (We Play House), expect a night of suggestive danse moves and sexy-hot dance grooves.

2nd December

Vooruit, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 23, 9000 Ghent

www.vooruit.be

Lineart Art Fair, Ghent

Often living in Art Brussels’ shadow, Lineart has nonetheless carved out a niche for itself as the art fair for the studious. Concentrating on contemporary art, modern and ethnic paintings can be found next to design items and sculptures. Celebrating its 30th birthday, this year’s edition comes with a special focus on Japan, as well as a newly established photography section, Photo Art Zone. Also not to miss: Belgium Calling, a section showcasing Belgian artists as well as The Border which gives young and upcoming artists the chance to shine.

From 2nd to 6th December

Flanders Expo, Adolphe Pégoudlaan, 9051 Ghent

www.lineart.be

Jasper Johns, Oudenbourg

Located in the Belgian countryside, far removed from the hustle and bustle of the city-slicking art scene, the De 11 Lijnen is a special place that puts on special exhibitions, a fact confirmed with its latest exhibition which shows works from world-famous contemporary artist Jasper Johns. World-renowned for his famous painting of the US American flag, Johns paved the way for pop artists such as Andy Warhol through his technique of capturing everyday, ordinary objects onto the canvas. One aspect of Johns’ career that often went unnoticed was his use of hand prints as artistic medium, first accidentally in studies for a sculpture, later as a focal point in many important pieces of his oeuvre. This exhibition now presents Johns’ works from a different angle, focusing on these hand prints that sometimes remind the viewer of prehistoric cave paintings and undoubtedly add to the mystery around his pieces.

Until 11th February 2012

Foundation De 1 Lijnen, Oudenbourg

www.de11lijnen.com

Photographer Sarah Eechaut

“(I don’t fear the blank canvas at all). I have learned to treat the canvas like a piece of paper. When you make a silly drawing on paper and it isn’t good at all you just throw it away or try to make something out of it. I work on different paintings at one time, it’s better to reflect and see how things work and get influenced by each other. If something doesn’t work out, I just paint it over or test something further on the image. In this way the relationship between you as a painter and the images is totally different when you would work on one canvas at a time.” Manor Grunewald is an artist currently working on a large oil painting for a group show at the Hermitage Museum in Amsterdam as well as on his upcoming solo show at Gallery fortlaan 17 and his new book coming out in February 2012.

Manor Grunwald

“I always wanted to be David Copperfield, but I turned out to be a painter”

Until 28th January 2012

Galerie Fortlaan 17, Ghent

(This feature was first published in the white album)

Exhibitions

Last days to catch: Harry Gruyaert

Photography Harry Gruyaert/Magnum Photos

In what essentially is a mini-retrospective, Brussels photography outpost Box Gallery showcases about 50 prints from Belgian photographer Harry Gruyaert, a member of the legendary photo agency Magnum since 1981. Combining standard-setting classics with smaller and unexpected surprises, all photographs were handpicked by the artist himself, with the exhibition including pieces from his acclaimed series of distorted TV screens. With a special focus on the subtleties of lights and the power of colour, Gruyaert’s work has for the last 30 years stayed clear of any cliches, constructing a unique body of work that sits somewhere in between Stephen Shore‘s realism and Eggleston‘s experimentations.

Until 26th November

Box Galerie, Rue du Mail 88 Maliestraat, 1050 Brussels

www.boxgalerie.be

Boris Tellegen

Photography courtesy of A.L.I.C.E Gallery

A visual artist since 1983, Dutch-born Boris Tellegen (also known as Delta by his street-savy peers) first began as a graffiti artist in and around Amsterdam, going on to build up quite the name for himself across European shores through his use of 3D techniques. Having now graduated to the world of studios and galleries, his current work still exudes the energy and spark of his graffiti years (the geometrical and three-dimensional nature of most of his works remains) although it has gained in maturity as far as the execution, and, most importantly, the narrative are concerned. His works tell a story now, come to life and battle for attention: it’s not always easy to look at Tellegen’s work, although that only adds to its sheer power and immediacy.

From 24th November to 23rd December

Alice Gallery, Rue du pays de Liège 4 Land van Luikstraat, 1000 Brussels

www.alicebxl.be

Valerie Snobeck

Photography Isabelle Arthuis

A study in the extent to which transparency can be stretched to its limits, New York-based artist Valerie Snobeck’s ‘Block Optic with Rope’ show at Galerie Catherine Bastide tests the meaning of seeing an object as well as seeing through it. Playing on perspectives, contrasts and illusions, Snobeck pits front against back and positive against negative in an ongoing battle of solid vs static, the end result often leaving the viewer asking for more. Indeed, the artist blends and mends opposing forces into works of art made all the more confusing by her ‘print-laminate-peel-transfer’ technique that transposes ghost-like outlines to bewildering effect.

From 25th November to 21st January

Galerie Catherine Bastide, Rue Vandenbrandenstraat 1, 1000 Brussels

www.catherinebastide.com

Concerts & Parties

Our white album release party

Our last edition of the year, the white album, comes out on Friday 25th November. It features artists talking about their fear of the blank canvas, professions that still wear white aprons at work and the oldest tennis club in Belgium (members are required to wear white). It also features a snow globe collector, a tribute to white socks and an interview with White Russia (the band whose song, Charmless State, was used for the teaser). Come on down, get your copy, have a Volga (Brussels’ latest beer) and a little boogie (Nosedrip‘s on decks). It’ll be fun.

Join the Facebook event page here.

25th November, from 19h00.

Galerie Catherine Bastide, Rue Vandenbrandenstraat 1, 1000 Brussels

www.thewordmagazine.be

Autumn Falls Festival

Reading like a rollcall of indie rock’s current cream of the crop (everyone from Suuns and Metronomy to Matthew Herbert and Fool’s Gold), Autumn Falls‘ second edition comes back with an ever bigger line up, overtaking the city’s live venues for a five day rampage. Our favorite this weekend are Suuns, probably the darkest (and loudest) thing to come out of Canada lately. The four-piece known for its intense live shows offers a hypnotic, pitch-black sound characterised by pulsating beats, howling sirens, shouting guitars and lead singer Ben Shemie‘s whispering vocals. Gloomy but nonetheless dancefloor-worthy, this will delight the fans of Can and Talking Heads alike. We have five tickets to give-away for the afterparty on Saturday 26th at Mr Wong with DJs Deer Pony and MOT. The first five readers to send an email to wewrite@thewordmagazine.be with Autmn Falls After party in the subject line will each be added to the guest list.

From 21st to 27th November

24th November

Suuns @ VK, Rue de l’Ecole 76 Schoolstraat, 1080 Brussels

26th November

Roll Dice and Autumn Falls Afterparty @ Mr Wong, Rue de la Vierge Noire 10 Zwarte Lievevrouwstraat, 1000 Brussels

www.autumnfalls.be

Bozar Night

Following its Bozar Electronic Weekend end of October, electronic music comes back to haunt the Bozar‘s halls for a night at the museum guaranteed to be high trebbles and bass. Top of the bill are live performances from London-based jazz rap band The Herbaliser and Legowelt.

25th November

Bozar Centre of Fine Arts, Rue Ravensteinstraat 23,  1000 Brussels

www.bozar.be

Catclub

You could say a page is about to be turned on Saturday with what is the Catclub’s last edition in its traditional hunting ground of iMal. Putting on one heck of a show to ensure it goes out at the top of its game, the night’s line-up is headed by legendary German tastemaker DJ Ata, founder of the Playhouse, Klang and Ongaku labels, owner of the famous Robert Johnson club in Frankfurt and on the DJ trail since the 80s. Add to that Brussels-based duo The Criime as dance-floor warm ups and New York-based artist Tara Sinn for visual works and smiles, smiles and more smiles are guaranteed all around.

26th November

iMAL, Quai des Charbonnages 30 Koolmijnenkaai, 1080 Brussels

www.catclub.be

Shopping

Maison Martin Margiela@Bozar shop

Mixing high and low has always been one of Maison Martin Margiela’s signature contributions to the fashion world. Their Ligne 13 – dedicated to objects and publications – has a poetic and timeless feel to it, one which escapes seasonal constraints to focus instead on surrealistic items which are given the MMM cachet. It references the past, yes, but without taking itself too seriously. Like its ostrich feather pen. It’s slightly on the outlandish side and elicits the odd incredulous look or two at first. Then it suddenly reminds you you haven’t received a handwritten letter in yonks, and then and there an ostrich-feathered pen might just be the thing you need to get you to put pen to paper again. Under the theme “White Christmas” the Bozar Shop now has a selection of mainly white MMM objects in offer – from the feather pen to snowballs, a cotton calendar or Matryoshka dolls.

Monday to Sunday, 10h00 until 19h00

Bozar Shop, rue Ravensteinstraat 15, 1000 Brussels

www.bozarshop.be

All images by Raya Rayax

Light. It sometimes points you in the right direction.

Light. It sometimes entertains you.

Light. It sometimes comes from outside.

Light. Sometimes you receive it.

Light. Sometimes you dance to it.

Light. It sometimes is captured on tape.

Light. It sometimes is imaginary.

Light. Sometimes you try to catch it.

Light. It sometimes is artificial.

Light. It sometimes is magic.

Light. It often can be found at the end of the tunnel.

Light. It sometimes becomes an addiction.

Instameet

When lens manufacturer Schneider begins manufacturing lenses for iPhones and the widely popular photo app Instagram hits the ten million users mark, you know the game has forever been changed. No surprise then that A&Gallery and Instameet, an initiative bringing together the global phoneography community, felt it timely to put on what is, essentially, Belgium first major phoneography exhibition, showcasing 100 selected photographs snapped up with mobile phones. Get used to these, they’re the future.

From 10th to 12th November

A&Gallery, Schepenhuisstraat 17 – 9000 Ghent

www.instameet.be

Olivier Cornil: La quadrature du vide

Photography Olivier Cornil

To celebrate the 60 year anniversary of Brussels’ North-South connection – the city’s so-called Jonction – the neighbourhood’s artistic institutions Recyclart and Congrès join forces to present artists exploring the present and the future of this urban renewal scheme. Top of our list: Photographer Olivier Cornil who’s just completed his first month of residency at Recyclart, Peter Downsbrough showcasing a site-specific installation of his at Congres as well as a historical exhibition tracing the North-South’s axis evolution. The perfect opportunity to spruce up your historical knowledge of Brussels in a very visual manner.

Recyclart, Rue des Ursulines 25 Ursulinenstraat – 1000 Brussels

www.jonction.be

Michel Mazzoni: Straight in the light

Abandoned spaces, lost places and the powerful and immaterial beauty of light – these are the themes French-born photographer Michel Mazzoni explores in his works for the exhibition “Straight in the light” studying the mystical vastness of North American landscapes. Think Stephen Shore and Alec Soth.

From 11th November to 11th December

Centre Culturel Jaques Franck, Chaussee de Waterloo 94 Waterloosesteenweg – 1060 Brussels

www.lejacquesfranck.be

Pink screens

Five different artists from New York to Paris explore gender and sexual diversity in different ways. Machado De Souza Jaqueline for instance focuses on motel rooms as a microcosmos of sexuality, whilst visual artist Carter presents a film installation in which Hollywood star James Franco (127 Hours, Howl) acts out excerpts from different films in an attempt to question identities. The show is part of the Pink Screens film festival’s 10th edition hosted by Cinema Arenberg, Cinema Nova and Genres d’à Coté.

From 10th to 19th November

Cinema Nova, Rue d’Arenberg 3 Arenbergstraat – 1000 Brussels

www.pinkscreens.org

The fashion show to catch: Customisez-moi

In its fifth edition this year, talent contest Customisez-moi created by vintage guru Bernard Gavilan and open to all fashion obsessives – from autodidacts through to fashion students – hosts its final catwalk show this Friday, putting forward the customised creations of the selected finalists. The winner will be given some space to shine through Modo Brussels as well as the RA store in Antwerp.

11th November, 20h00

Studio Indigo, Avenue Van Volxem 388 Van Volxemlaan – 1190 Brussels

www.customisezmoi.com

Paul Smith

Photography courtesy of Paul Smith

Last days to see: This Friday is the final opportunity to see Paul Smith’s stamped object collection – an exhibition of sometimes funny, sometimes weird pieces that designer Paul Smith has been receiving frequently by mail from an unknown fan. Usually situated in Smith’s home, the selection of quirky objects is now shown in Europe for the first time since its debut in Hong Kong.

11th November

Paul Smith, Kelderstraat 2 & 3  – 2000 Antwerp

www.paulsmith.co.uk

The night out: DIG.IT.ALL

German DJ and multi-instrumentalist Christian Prommer takes to the decks at Wood this Friday for a night of live electronic music. Expect a more eclectic vibe, one which places experimentation right at the centre of its game.

11th November

Wood, Chemin de la Meute 1 Jachtkoppelweg – 1000 Brussels

www.thewood.be

The festival to go to: I love Techno

Paul Kalkbrenner, Boys Noize, Birdy Nam Nam, Cassius…once again the Belgian indoor festival I love Techno brings the crème de la crème of electronic music to town. Top of our wish list: Totally Extinct Enormous Dinosaur, Drop the Lime and playboy DJ Brodinski.

Flanders Expo, Maaltekouter 1, 9051 Ghent

www.ilovetechno.be

The concert to catch: Atmosphere

Having probably done more than Prince himself to put Minneapolis on the map, indie rap imprint Atmosphere has over the years built up a considerable fan base with its blend of hardcore emo-rap. Led by eloquent wordsmith Slug, the band have just released their latest album, The Family Sign for which they are currently touring Europe. With other label mates getting on the bus with them (Brother Ali, Dilated Peoples‘ Evidence and Ohio producer Blueprint), this is one sure to bring the backpackers out in force.

11th November

L’Ancienne Belgique, Boulevard Anspachlaan 110, 1000 Brussels

www.abconcerts.be

The shop to drop by: La Fabrika

La Fabrika, a design store offering 230 m² of carefully-curated contemporary furniture, lighting and accessories, opened its doors a year ago and now celebrates its first birthday with a special treat for its customers: a 10% reduction on the whole collection, including pieces by established designers as well as rising talents.

12th November, 11h00 – 18h30

La Fabrika, Rue A. Dansaertstraat 182 – 1000 Brussels

www.lafabrika.be

The exhibition to go to: Walter van Beirendonck

Photography courtesy of Walter Van Beirendonck

Antwerp’s Six most exuberant and larger than life figure has relentlessly been challenging the fashion world for the past three decades. Known for his colourful designs, his maverick fashion shows in Paris in the 90s, and the critical messages on society he proclaims with his designs, Walter van Beirendonck will see the highlights of his career and creations celebrated in this comprehensive retrospective at Antwerp’s fashion museum. In addition to silhouettes from his collections, the exhibition will provide an overview of the world he lives in, taking a deeper look into the narrative character of his oeuvre, his fascination for etnography, rituals, science fiction and technology.

Until 19th February

MoMu, Nationalestraat 28 – 2000 Antwerp

momu.be

The concerts to catch: Gablé and Is Tropical

Gablé

Pigeonholing this joyful and whacky French quartet is simply impossible. Gablé criss-crosses genres and styles, overthrowing any expectations of what a normal “band” could possibly be, bringing to the game an unexpected freshness. Their bubbly and unpredictable live shows have cemented their reputation as a band that really exists for the  stage, incorporating hoovers amongst other many other off-beat instruments.

5th November

Beursschouwburg, Rue Auguste Ortsstraat 20-28 – 1000 Brussels

www.beursschouwburg.be

Is Tropical

Having just released their debut album ‘Native to’ on Kitsuné earlier this year, the mysterious London three-piece (the band members hide their faces behind scarfs and masks at all times) now brings their beat-driven, pop-influenced lo-fi dance sound to Brussels.

4th November

Botanique, Rue Royale 236 Koningsstraat – 1210 Brussels

www.botanique.be

The night out: Plastic

Photography courtesy of Plastic

Contemporary plastic and visual arts, photography exhibition, live shows and DJ sets – Plastic is back this year in its traditional location, Brussels’ White Hotel. Spread out across 10 floors of exhibition and party space, each room is given to a different artist or musician, who essentially owns the premises for the night. With a special focus this year on music, Plastic’s 8th edition promises everything from hip hop, jazz, electronica and disco-punk. Top of the bill: Belgian up and coming electro-rock band Great Mountain Fire. See here for the full programme.

4th November

White Hotel Avenue Louise 212 Louizalaan – 1050 Brussels

www.plasticfestival.com

The movie to catch: Central Do Brasil

‘Central Do Brasil’ is a movie about the friendship between a little boy and a middle-aged woman that won the Golden Bear at the Berlinale in 1998 and earned its award-winning brazilian director Walter Salles international acclaim. The director will be at hand on the night itself, revealing footage from his highly anticipated adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s cult novel ‘On the Road’, an enthralling portray of the Beat Generation.

6th November, 19h30

Flagey, Place Sainte Croix Heilig Kruisplein – 1050 Ixelles

www.flagey.be

Bringing the weekend to a close: Jazz at Potemkine

Photography courtesy of Potemkine

Almost every Sunday the Potemkine Bar marked by its wooden interior and a huge whale skeleton installation on the ceiling invites you to a cozy live jazz evening  – this time with the Fred Becker Trio performing. The perfect comfy and relaxed hungover Sunday hangout spot to let the weekend come to a close with some great jazz tunes and a cup of tea. And for the hard-boiled that simply never know when to stop, there’s Potemkine’s special Volga beer (offered with a shot of vodka).

6th November, 19h00

Potemkine, Avenue de la porte de Hal 2 Hallepoortlaan – 1060 Brussels

The exhibitions to go to: Dirk Braeckman and Florian Maier-Aichen

Dirk Braeckman

Photography by Dirk Braeckman, courtesy of Zeno X Gallery Antwerp

With a comprehensive retrospective of internationally renowned Belgian photographer Dirk Braeckman the exhibition at M provides an overview of his body of work ranging from the self-portraits of the early beginnings to the newer landscape images. The mysterious and anonymous quality of his photos prevail throughout Braeckman’s whole oeuvre, avoiding to emphasize the link with the subject and opting instead for unfocused presentations in dark shades of grey.

Until 8th January

M – Museum Leuven, L. Vanderkelenstraat 28 – 3000 Leuven

www.mleuven.be

Florian Maier-Aichen

Photography by Forian Maier Aichen

By combining traditional analogue photography and digital editing, Florian Maier-Aichen has managed to create a language of his own and redefine the concept of landscape imagery. Abstract, unsettling and at times surreal, his pictures contain a poetic nature. The images can originate from sources as varied as documentary or textbook photos to escapist landscape paintings. From there, the artist’s visual vocabulary and broad technical repertoire take over, fully aware that it is in the commingling of genres that an original view emerges.

Until 19th October

Galerie Baronian Francey, Rue Isidore Verheydenstraat 2 – 1050 Brussels

www.baronianfrancey.com

The night out: Catclub

Following its annual summer hiatus, Brussels’ Catclub gets the party season started again with, this Saturday, a live set by American-born and Berlin-based prodigy John Roberts, psychedelic visual arts by Panaframe from London and the night’s usual tribe of shiny, happy people. Without a doubt the only place to be this Saturday for all you party people out there.

Watch the teaser:

8th October, 23h00

iMAL, Quai des Charbonnages 30 Koolmijnenkaai – 1080 Brussels

www.catclub.be

The shop to stop by: Tea time with Paul Smith

Photography courtesy of Paul Smith

Drop by Antwerp’s Paul Smith shop on Friday afternoon to discover the quintessential British brand’s new collection in a very, erm, British way: tea, scones and maybe even those little triangular cucumber sandwiches.

7th October, 17h00 – 19h00

Paul Smith Shop, Kelderstraat 2-3 – 2000 Antwerp

www.paulsmith.co.uk

The concert to catch: Crystal Antlers

The California quintet from Long Beach started making a name for itself in 2008 with its highly acclaimed self-released debut EP. Known for their energetic live shows, Crystal Antlers now come to Brussels to present their new album ‘Two-Way Mirror’ with their typical mixture of psychedelic and progressive rock.

Watch the video of the new single Summer Solstice:

7th October, 20h00

Ancienne Belgique,  Avenue Anspach 10 Anspachlaan – 1000 Brussels

www.abconcerts.be

The exhibitions to go to:

Rinus van de Velde: The art of storytelling

Hailed as one of the most promising young artists in Belgium, Rinus Van de Velde’s charcoal drawings accompanied by witty texts relating to separate moments in his semi-fictional biography have caught the eye of the international art intelligentsia around the globe. His most recent exhibition will see him present a new series of drawings that circle around the theme of the artist studio. These drawings will tell stories that are to a certain extent autonomous and can be read individually from each other, leaving it up to the viewer to be directly challenged to imagine the larger story Van de Velde is aiming to share.

Until 22nd October

TIM VAN LAERE GALLERY, Verlatstraat 23-25 – 2000 Antwerp

www.timvanlaeregallery.com

Die Essenz der Dinge: design and the art of reduction

The question of sustainability has never been as relevant, be it in fashion, food or design, as it is today. The Design Museum’s current show examines the kind of design that illustrates the “art of reduction” – cutting back on materials and going for products with a longer life expectancy. The exhibition aims to provide the explanation behind the rational design logic in aspects such as the production process, spatial limitations or aesthetic trends, setting design icons ranging from le Corbusier to Eero Saarinen against similar figures from the worlds of fashion, food design and art.

Until 16th October

DESIGN MUSEUM GHENT, Jan Breydelstraat 5 – 9000 Ghent

www.designmuseumgent.be

The festival to catch: TodaysArt.BE 2011

Photography courtesy of TodaysArt

After having established itself over the last six years as one of the most exciting festivals in the Netherlands, TodaysArt set its sights on the capital. Its unique mixture of contemporary visual and performing arts including a wealth of concerts, exhibitions, workshops or installations in public spaces can be discovered throughout the city from 29th September to 1st October. See here for a detailed programme and here for a map with all festival locations.

TodaysArt Festival Brussels

From 29th September to 1st October

www.todaysart.org/be/

The night out: Nuit Blanche

Photography by Benjamin Brolet

An initiative of TodaysArt.BE Festival 2011, the Nuit Blanche is an all-nighter which blends national and international music acts together with audiovisual art. One ticket will get you entry to seven parties in seven different locations, ranging in genres from Minimal Techno and Drum&Bass to Folk and Swing. Check here for an overview.

Nuit Blanche Parties

1st October, 23h00 – 06h00

www.2011.nuitblanchebrussels.be

The movies to watch: Elles tournent

Photography courtesy of Elles tournent

Offering a platform to female directors, the film festival ‘Elles tournent’ will put 39 movies on the big screen, including 19 motion pictures and 20 short films. With a special focus on the Netherlands and Taiwan, the 4-day-programme takes into account established directors as well as rising talents from all around the globe. See here for the full schedule.

From 29th September to 2nd October

BOTANIQUE, Rue Royale 236 Koningsstraat – 1210 Brussels

www.ellestournent-damesdraaien.org

Photography courtesy of smart-urban-stage.com

Are you a ‘green’ person? Is being ecological important for you in your daily life?

I’ve always been interested in alternative solutions but at the same time have always considered technology as something positive. 25 years ago my band colleague Morten and I actually paid the import of the first electric car ever to Norway out of our own pockets – a Fiat. Afterwards we gave it to the environmental organisation Bellona, which collected parking fines with it to draw attention to the car. In the end this led to a new law in Norway allowing electric cars to drive in taxi lanes. We also collected money for anti-deforestation projects in the Amazon and supported the Green belt movement in Africa.

How did you link up with smart?

With the art collective Apparatjik that I am part of we did a project in Berlin. We organised symposiums about the role of creative people when it comes to eco-awareness and change. For this we chose smart as a sponsor because of their electric drive initiative.

It is impossible to interview you without mentioning a-ha – does it bother you that this is in a way haunting you?

I just find it rather unimaginative if people only refer to me as an a-ha member. Yes, I remember the 80s briefly (laughs) but that’s like 25 years ago. I’ve been working as a visual artist for 15 years now. If people want to reduce me to an entertainer, fine, I made my peace with it. It used to make me a bit angry, especially because I felt that my work as an artist was suffering from it, but nowadays it just bores me. I am not in this jury because I was a member of a-ha.

There is nothing more enjoyable than stepping on a sandcastle you’ve spent building all day.

Certain bands, such as Radiohead for example, recently started paying attention to the environment when organising their world tours, minimising their carbon emissions as much as possible. Is that something you ever thought about during your time with a-ha?

If we were a young new band today this would be a natural commitment for us. But in the end no one is perfect and we are all sinners, this wine that we’re drinking right now is probably imported from South America or elsewhere. It is important though to have a curiosity and interest in making the world a greener place. For example we are thinking about how to embed doing good for the environment into the process of buying a product. Something like ‘Buy music, plant a tree’. I’m very impressed by all the projects here tonight and hope they will live on and succeed.

You belong to the artist collective Apparatjik, can you tell us a bit about that?

The collective is an experimental forum that combines the artworld and entertainment and at the same time serves as a discussion forum. It’s a very flexible and open platform and deals with everything I’m interested in, resisting definition. We reject the mechanisms that ‘work’.

Is that maybe a rebellious reaction to the restrictions of the music business?

It is rather a need for freedom and inspiration. There is nothing more enjoyable than stepping on a sandcastle you’ve spent building all day.

www.magnef.org

Last week we already reported about The Peoples Supermarket, the final winner of the smart future minds award.  If you don’t agree with the final decision, you can vote for your favourite contestants and contribute to choosing the winner for the smart urban stage community award by clicking on the image below.

The concert to go to: Boots Electric

There’s no point denying the soft spot we have for Eagles Of Death Metal frontman Jesse Hughes. The self-proclaimed hillbilly and endearing sleazebag extraordinaire has taken some time off from the cock-rock band he shares with bestie Josh Homme to embark on a solo journey as Boots Electric. Cannot wait.

Watch the album trailer:

17th September

TRIX, Noordersingel 28-30 - 2140 Antwerp

Get tickets here

The show you can’t miss: Raw Edges, from flat to full

Design dealer Victor Hunt brings Israeli-born, London-based designers raw edges to town for an extensive overview of their most recent work, the lot to be exhibited in the city’s favourite style boutique Hunting and Collecting.

8th to 25th September

HUNTING AND COLLECTING, Rue des Chartreux 17 Kartuiserstraat- 1000 Brussels

The night out: Indie Club

You don’t have to wait for a weekend trip to London or Berlin anymore to dance to indie tunes: Brussels finally has caught up and hosts its own indie rock/pop party every month in the The Wood. Expect an eclectic mix ranging from Blur and Arctic Monkeys to The Doors or Metronomy. The season’s opening party is this Friday and we wouldn’t miss it for a thing.

16th September

THE WOOD, Avenue de Flore 3 Floralaan – 1000 Brussels

The walk to take: Design September’s Open Doors

You’ve always wondered how and where designers work? Now you have the chance to find out, thanks to Design September, the Belgian capital’s biggest design festival stretching out over four weeks. This weekend the two-day Open Doors event invites everyone interested to come visit Brussels-based artists’ workspaces and have a look behind the scenes. The perfect occasion to stroll through the city and discover its hidden creative laboratories.

For an overview of all participating studios have a look here.

The exhibition to go to: Alina Szapocznikow: Sculpture Undone, 1955-1972

Coinciding with the Polish EU presidency Wiels hosts one of the first large-scale exhibitions of this pioneering and provocative artist outside of Poland. Focusing on her experimental period, the show gathers more than a hundred of her works, among which the tinted polyester casts of her lips and breasts transformed into everyday objects like lamps or ashtrays.

10th September to 8th January

Wednesdays to Sundays 11h00 – 18h00

WIELS, Av. Van Volxem 354 Volxemlaan – 1190 Brussels

www.wiels.org

(first published in the blue album)

The store to drop by: Atelier Solarshop

A mix of playful yet modern aesthetic objects and items fill up the space of Atelier Solarshop in Antwerp for the third edition of their Pop-Up project. The selection of exclusive, limited and numbered works by international young talents is only available until 8th October – so make sure not to miss out.

ATELIER SOLARSHOP, Dambruggestraat 48 – 2060 Antwerp

Wednesdays to Saturdays until 8th October, 11h00-18h30

www.ateliersolarshop.be

(first published in the blue album)

The night out

Los Ninos is throwing another one of their memorable nights. This time they have Hot Chip‘s Alexis Taylor with his new super band About Group lined-up. Concert, visuals, and some of Belgium’s finest DJs will make sure you’ll dance till dawn and enjoy a proper Sunday hangover.

The movies to see: Ecran Total

Ecran Total, a film festival organised by Cinema Arenberg, is going into its last week. The concept: Give movie enthusiasts the opportunity to see motion pictures on the big screen that usually are rather hard to catch – including  classic and out-of-the-ordinary pieces or even recent films you might have missed first time round. This weekend the selection includes Frederick Wiseman’s celebrated documentary ‘Boxing Gym’.

CINEMA ARENBERG , Galerie de la Reine 26 Koninginnegallerij – 1000 Brussels

www.arenberg.be

The walk to take: Bookshop Days

A group of young booksellers from Brussels organises for the first time the Bookshop Days – an event that intends to showcase the bookshops of the Belgian capital including exhibitions, encounters and (re)discoveries. Grab the chance to take a walk around the city and rummage through piles of publications. Not just for bookworms!

Take a look here to see a list of the participating stores

Photographer Yana Foqué

Places, strange and quiet (2011) by Wim Wenders – Hatje Cantz

At times intriguing, at others downright hilarious, Wim Wenders’ photography captures the everyday absurdities he encounters on his many travels – everything from oversized cowboys sporting Wrangler denim skirts to windowless backyard sheds and deserted former submarine assembly plants. With characteristic wit, the celebrated filmmaker creates visual statements on non-descript places which draw meaning not from their subject matter but, rather, from Wenders’ watchful gaze, and the notes accompanying each photograph. Opposite a photograph depicting a Bavarian policeman looking onto Italian activists running amok through a field for example, the sentence reads: “The G8 in Germany…Protesters ran through the fields, Italian activists carrying a sign PACE. A Bavarian policeman turned to his colleague: “Look, these idiots don’t even know how to spell PEACE.””  It’s simple, self-explanatory and works wonders. Pure Wenders.

Available from Amazon

Behind the zines: Self-publishing culture (2011) – Gestalten

However limited their print run, the impact self-published fanzines have had on the growth of certain counter-cultures and musical movements make them the undeniable and ultimate voice of independent thinking. The precursor to blogs, what really distinguished these homemade, low budget boutique publications was their approach to art direction, graphic design and production. Antiquated print presses were preserved merely to achieve a particular finish, paper stocks mixed-and-matched to rainbow effect, 3D typefaces created out of pure ‘zine zeal and binding techniques so advanced even the Japanese couldn’t catch up. An exhaustive, well put together and, above all, accurate survey of the culture in itself, Behind the zines manages to succinctly capture the movement’s essence without reading like a how to guide.

Available from Amazon

In a lonely place (2011) by Gregory Crewdson – Hatje Cantz

Best known for his highly staged, film-like photography, Crewdson also has a more intimate and intuitive side to his work, one which somehow seems more improvised and less restrained. Although the celebrated photographer shot to prominence with his sometimes glacial series Beneath the Roses (2003-2008), Crewdson manages to counter his tendency towards the pre-determined with rather more personal series such as Sanctuary (2009), a black and white documentary which captures Fellini’s famed Cinecitta studios in Rome, or Fireflies (1996), which reflects the artist’s interest in nature. In each of the series though, Crewdson’s ability to contrast an overriding sense of sadness with an unquestionable and somewhat naïve beauty remains the unsettling element that makes of his visual aesthetic one of the most innovative in contemporary photography today.

Available from Amazon

From Polaroid to Impossible (2011) – Hatje Cantz

Along with the demise of the Polaroid Corporation came the realisation that its legendary Polaroid Collection housed in New York and Europe would need to be auctioned off to pay off angry creditors and administrators. Aghast, a movement made of artists, museums and photography lovers and led by the Polaroid-perfected artist Chuck Close came to life, mobilising itself to ensure preservation of the 16,000-strong collection which includes instant photography by the likes of Ansel Adams, Robert Mapplethorpe, Andy Warhol and Helmut Newton. The group succeeded in its quest to avoid a sale, and this book is the result of their perseverance.

Available from Amazon

Global Denim (2011) by Daniel Miller and Sophie Woodward – Berg Publisher

The dominance denim enjoys over other textiles in the fashion industry is unparalleled. It’s a natural monopoly of the global uniform, one which has rarely been investigated. From the streets of Mumbai and the back alleys of Mexico City to the urban townships of middle America and the rural villages of central Africa, nothing says effortless cool the way a pair of jeans does – be they boot cuts, slim fits or baggies. But what, exactly, makes them so ubiquitous? What is their anthropological meaning when taken in their local contexts? At times a heavy read that can make you feel like you’re back at college, Global Denim uses the Great Depression, Bollywood screenings and Rio de Janeiro’s funk balls to reach a set of conclusions explaining the unquestionable rise of denim as the global garment of the world.

Available from Amazon

Jeff Wall, The Crooked Path (2011) – Bozar Books and Ludion

The accompanying book to the Canadian photographer’s monumental exhibition of the same name currently on show at Brussels’ Bozar, The Crooked Path represents Wall’s attempt to make sense of his body of work in a very public manner by contextualising it, confronting it even, to the works of his contemporaries and icons. Using as starting point a simple picture of a landscape, Wall proceeds to historically reference his work – large-scale photography framed in light boxes for the most part – opting for total transparency as far as inspiration goes: he makes no secret, for example, of having taken inspiration from Delacroix’s La Mort de Sardanapale for The Destroyed Room, his 1978 depiction of a ransacked room. And that is the beauty of Wall’s work: conscious of its debt to the past, but keen to translate it for the future.

Available from Amazon

(first published in the blue album)

Eaux d’Artifice, the 13-minute short movie made by American avant- garde director Kenneth Anger in 1953, occupies a unique place within his body of work. Whilst Anger is best known for his experimental, transgressing work like the homoerotic reverie Fireworks – way ahead of its time when you consider that it was made in 1947 – Eaux d’Artifice has a deliberate anachronistic feel to it. Filmed in the baroque park of the Villa d’Este in Tivoli (30kms south of Rome), the silent film follows a woman dressed in an extravagantly intricate dress, suggestively gliding down staircases amongst cascading waterfalls. The gushing water has a certain subdued eroticism to it, which comes as no surprise from a director who used spilled milk and fireworks to evocate an orgasm. The sole protagonist in Eaux d’Artifice is a midget – an actress called Carmilla Salvatorelli Anger recruited from Federico Fellini’s motley crew of actors – which is a smart play as it amplifies the imposing presence of the water fountains. Though the subject matter is very classic – not unlike a Pre-Raphaelite painting brought to life – it really is the visual technique that gives the movie its tone. Shot in blue-tinted monochrome, Anger’s ability to present a mesmerizingly beautiful play of light on bubbling and cascading water defines the short movie’s nostalgic mood, further emphasised by its musical backdrop – Vivaldi’s Winter Concerto from the Four Seasons. To get to that luminescent visual effect, Anger shot the film in black and white through a red filter and then lined up each frame so it would set of the water drops. Camera speeds and shutter angles were also used to great effect. Eaux d’Artifice – which was selected back in 1993 for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” – is a visual poem that has no clear narrative direction, although that is where its beauty lies. It is pure form and a study of movement and colour. Its remarkable beauty (the word comes up a lot when discussing Anger’s work) charmed many writers and directors, including Jean Cocteau, Tennessee Williams (“the most exciting use of cinema I’ve seen”) and Martin Scorsese, who admitted it made him realise the importance of music in film for the first time. Not bad for a short with a jumping midget in the main role.

Written by Sam Steverlynck

(first published in the blue album)

Watch the video here

Photographer Yassin Serghini

From left to right: Natural Habitats (Steidl), Dirty Blonde (Faber & Faber), Landscapes (Hatje Cantz), Straight in The Light (ARP2 Editions), The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test (Picador) and What Would John Do? (BIS Publishers)

Straight in the Light (2009-2010) by Michel Mazzoni – ARP2 editions

Straight in the Light, Brussels-based Michel Mazzoni’s second book, captures his American road trip, taking as starting point the faded and fazed-out. A photographer who sees landscapes as a meeting of spaces, his sparse, eerie and intentionally over-exposed images document the departed, disappeared and decayed. Looking through the book, one cannot help but feel a mix of contrasting emotions: beauty vs sorrow, escape vs reality, soft vs heavy-hitting. Using Californian, Arizonian and New Mexican natural light to fabulous effect, this is an intimate and insightful account of the maturity Mazzoni’s work has gained over the last few years.

Available from ArpEditions.

The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test (1968) by Tom Woolfe – Picador

The Merry Pranksters were a colourful group of post-beatniks lead by One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest author Ken Kesey. Embarking on a summer-long road trip through America in a bus whose destination simply read “Further”, they went on to make history championing psychedelic drugs and band-of-the-moment Grateful Dead. Those epic days might have disappeared in a fog of hazy memories and acid flashbacks hadn’t journalist Tom Wolfe been on the bus, notebook in hand, religiously chronicling it all. The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test narrates their story, describing its kooky protagonists, their wild adventures, even including tips to guarantee a fruitful, freak-out free LSD experience… The vivid descriptions and stream-of-consciousness styles collide, making this cult classic the closest you could possibly get to actually being there. That’s until its cinematographic adaptation, directed by Gus Van Sant, hits screens later this year.

Available from Amazon.

What Would John Do? Flour Power – Baking your Way to happiness (2010) by William Georgi – BIS Publishers

A hilarious pastiche of self-help manual meets cookbook, What Would John Do? reveals the mysteries of how a humble cookie contains all the ingredients for a happier life. The author recounts the teaches of John Altman – an unemployed Dude-like neo-hippie who gives away free cookies on San Francisco’s Baker Beach draped in nothing but an apron – developing his “spread the love” mantra in seven chapters meant to resemble the seven steps to bake the perfect cookie. John’s seemingly simplistic leitmotivs – referred to as “Johnisms” (“Go natural”, “whatever man”, or our personal favourite: “no one is bigger than the cookie”) – are pure pearls of wisdom and whether or not he actually exists, or if his recipe is that good, matters little. What Would John Do? is about the bigger picture. A wonderful lesson in how to step back, relax, and enjoy the ride.

Available from Amazon.

Landscapes (2011) by Gerhard Richter – Hatje Cantz

Landscapes have a longstanding presence throughout Gerhard Richter’s vast body of work. As a matter of fact, their simple beauty have fascinated the German painter for the past 35 years, taking more of his time than any other theme. Despite the breadth of these explorations, only two exhibitions have been devoted to this subject matter so far and critics rarely made time to explore the values and meanings of these paintings, dismissed as purely “aesthetic”. This is the first book to examine these gorgeous and dream- like romanticised visions. Featuring over 80 plates that combine his photorealistic paintings, signature blur as well as a few rough sketches reminiscent of his abstract works, Landscapes is a must-have for the true Richter fan.

Available from Amazon.

Natural Habitats (2010) by Massimo Vitali – Steidl

Page after page, Massimo Vitali’s bright and monumental prints of holiday resorts packed with herds of people are both soothing and mind-boggling. Capturing these popular spots in Turkey, Italy, Croatia or the French Riviera from dizzying heights affording the best views, the humans depicted are reduced to tiny flesh- coloured pinheads swarming in a strange mass that seems to socially gravitate around each other. Some of Vitali’s tribes of beachgoers and bathers can be seen under temporary shelters (umbrellas, tents, canopies), whilst others simply attempt to make peace with their surroundings. In both cases, the depicted packs breathe tranquillity and peace, whilst evolving in these heavenly “natural habitats.”

Available from Steidl.

Dirty Blonde – The Diaries of Courtney Love (2007) – Faber & Faber

Few women in show business history have been as controversial as Courtney Love. Often bashed by tabloids and peers, Kurt Cobain’s widow and de facto queen of grunge never went down without a fight and has come to be known for her loud, spontaneous and unabashedly wild nature. Dirty Blonde features an intimate collection of notes, photographs and documents belonging to the peroxided anti-hero, turning out to be her most intimate release to date. Poignant excerpts of her childhood diaries, song lyrics written in juvenile hall, report cards from school, old flyers, promo pictures, intimate photographs of Kurt and their baby daughter make up this fascinating scrapbook containing everything you’d ever need to know about the MTV Generation’s most iconic and scandalous blonde.

Available from Amazon.

Is the Unspeakable Chilly Gonzales really the first ever all-orchestral rap album?

I have no idea. Abd al Malik probably sung with an orchestra, there’s been a lot of orchestrated hip-hop but there’s always those crashing beats in there. I’m sure there have been special projects but as far as a whole album? I’ll stand by that for now…

It’s definitely your most intimate to date. Every song’s lyrics read like a page torn from a diary. Having stressed the difference between “the artist as a masturbator” and “the entertainer as a love maker” in the past, do you feel you’re tilting more towards masturbation on this one?

I hope not. I just try to avoid putting anything on stage or on an album that I feel would not be entertaining. I think the only difference with this one was that I was really thinking about the people who know me, who follow me on Twitter (@chillygonzales), who are regularly at my shows. It could seem like masturbation to someone who’s not interested, but I do consider it to be a fundamentally communicative album because getting really personal is something I haven’t done yet.

You seem to feel very strongly about the notion of an entertainer as a servant – does the audience dictate a lot of what you do?

Yes, based on what I can provide. There are a lot of things I know audiences like but which I can’t do, such as dancing or singing in the way that some people get shivers at the back of their neck, like Leslie Feist or something. But the things I can do – my piano skills, talking skills, ability to have fun in a deep way with the audience – I put that in service. I don’t think I’m a rap genius or a cinematic genius. I’m a musical genius – it has to do with the scientific knowledge of music. That gives me the confidence to try other things.

Having studied music in such a deep and thorough way, do you ever feel the intellectualization of every note and chord might come in the way of instinct and spontaneity?

During my teenage years I was conscious that I had no taste. I’d listen to a lot of musician-y music like classical and jazz, and analyse the structures, just like a toy. And I wasn’t afraid to break the toy and go on to another one. Only later did I develop a taste, and it’s still hard to know what I like. Either it touches me or it doesn’t. It has to do with the image of the person, how they chose their name… Just like anyone else I wanna feel cool when I listen to music. And it goes both ways. I recently saw this Metallica documentary, Some Kind Of Monster, and suddenly became a Metallica fan, even though it’s not my cup of tea. I generally like to nod my head to music, not bang my head. But they had this really weird group therapist who’s like a sports psychologist trying to get them to get along. You saw them in these sessions and they become humanised and all of a sudden invested in the Metallica story.

You’ve been strongly influenced by rap – which names would you recommend to someone who has no real background in that genre?

My mini-mission especially with people who aren’t into this stuff is to get them into the rap of today. Everyone loves Biggie Smalls, Tupac, Wu-Tang and A Tribe Called Quest, but a lot of them have lost track. If they like crazy rap, I’ll get them to listen to Lil Wayne. If they like really good funky rap, then Rick Ross cause he’s kind of the Biggie of today, with a big huge voice. There are a lot of guys, but these ones are up there, in the NBA of rap. It’s the only meritocracy left. The most successful rappers are considered the best, which isn’t the case in other genres like French chanson.

It also has a lot to do with the Anglo-Saxon vs. French way. You have these dinosaurs that get to the top and are never brought down.

Yes, they get that “tenure” as we say. In the US you have to fight for your place until you die. I come from that capitalist continent so of course I always think competition’s great. I love pressure and I love risks. I like failing too. Soft Power was a big failure but I learned so much… It put me on the right path so I’m grateful.

You mentioned your education played a big part in your over-achieving nature and drive. Has it mellowed down over time?

It’s like people who grew up catholic – you may get out, but it’s always there and there comes a point when you have to accept it. “You’re nothing if you’re not successful” is the kind of sentence that’s hanging over my head all the time. The Ivory Tower movie was a bit about the moment where I was fighting it in a way. I think being a pure sell-out is not good and being a pure artist neither. My whole life will be reacting to this brainwashing I had.

“Unspeakable” sounds very intriguing and mysterious – yet it seems unspeakable because it’s just plain honest. Subjects like money and ambition have become very taboo. Is that why you chose this word?

Yes, those are the things you can’t normally say in conversations. But mostly it just has this supervillainous feel. When I heard the epic quality of the music my brother was making it just came right away. The supervillain imagery is something I’d always had floating around. I never dressed up with a cape and a mask, it’s more about the idea of being someone who’s very gifted but uses the gift more for himself. But of course a supervillain just wants to be loved so I’ve always seen myself in that character.

For how long were you part of Puppetmastaz?

Very briefly, like 10 years ago. I only performed a couple of times in its prototypical phase, back when there were only a few puppets. To be honest, I’m not a great puppeteer and I love to be able to see an audience and react to them so it was a little bit like torture performing with no idea of what the audience was like.

In Never Stop, one of the tracks from Ivory Tower, you refer to music as being a joke on two occasions. Is it better to laugh or cry about it?

Both I guess. Jewish humour is a bit about the “no difference” between laughter and crying. I think the first reference was about signing autographs… That’s the part that makes me laugh. The second reference was about a groupie situation, which is maybe more sad.

There’s a strange dimension of humour in what you do. You nail it pretty well in Crying: “I know it’s tempting to call me a sad clown, cause my mouth tells jokes, but my fingers make sad sounds”. But what puts a smile on your face? Are you a happy man?

Yeah, very much. I really like my job, I get to make a living doing pretty much what I was put on earth to do. A good gig, a good interview, a good listening session, a good meeting, a really well written email to Drake – so that I know that I can work with him again – all those things will make me a happy man.

Anything not work related?

Of course, like my friends. But in that case, I guess the friendship and the work is very blurry, because I’m part of this musical family with really wonderful people that happen to be great musicians too like Peaches, Feist, Mocky, Jamie Lidell, Tiga… That’s part of what makes me happy, everybody is doing so well, we manage to collaborate, still be friends and there haven’t been a lot of clashes that we couldn’t handle over 10 years. And you know, everything else that a normal person could enjoy, like relaxing.

Do you get to do that a lot? You definitely come across as being very productive, hyperactive and workaholic.

A lot of it usually comes at the end of a period of really heavy work. When all you want to do is just do nothing. And I can be quite good at that when I want to. I can watch an entire season of Mad Men in three days. You’ll know the kind of stuff I like cause it’s all in the songs.

Like South Park? By the way, what is the truth in Eric Cartman?

He lives in all of us. That little petulant, completely manipulative creature of pure ego and insecurity. I see myself and everybody else I’ve ever met in Eric Cartman.

Any good joke you heard recently?

I follow this guy called The Fat Jew on Twitter (@FATJEW), he’s really irreverent and funny. (Gets his laptop and reads a few jokes):

“This joke will never be not funny: What’s brown and rhymes with Snoop? DR. DRE”

“Hate is a strong word. Unless you’re comparing it to murderfuck. Murderfuck is a strong word.”

“Owen Wilson’s nose looks like a dick that was run over by a tank.”

“If hot people don’t stop pretending they’re funny, I’m going to start pretending I’m hot.”

“Ladies, sex with me is about as thrilling, magical and breathtaking as watching ‘Avatar’ on an iPod.”

“If everyone walked around with their orgasm face, nobody would ever get laid.”

This guy is actually LOL. I actually laugh out loud.

You’ve got strong views on wannabe artists/ poseurs. Who seems sincere to you these days?

I don’t know about sincere, but who seems like the real deal? Someone who is larger than life but manages to find something very poetic in it. Anyone from Daft Punk, with their robot costumes, to a million rappers whom I love, or someone like Philippe Katerine in France.

You moved from Canada to Berlin ten years ago and have spent the past eight years in Paris. What prompted your exile?

Total career frustration. When I signed a record deal in Canada, I thought my problems were over but that was just the beginning of my hell ride through the music business. I was grossly underprepared for being on stage, being in interviews, knowing how to act in meetings, so I made a bunch of mistakes and it was a disaster. I felt like a zero, I was going nowhere. So I just moved to Europe, as it was better for what I wanted to do. I signed to Kitty-Yo, this tiny Berlin label, and they released mine and Peaches’ album within a month of each other and it just blew up. We sold about 5,000 records but for them, we were like platinum artists!

Could you describe home?

Canada is a wonderful place in terms of quality of life and I am proud to come from a place that seems to have a little bit of the best of Europe and the best of America. Unfortunately the set of priorities there doesn’t really match mine. Musically, it’s more this indie rock that thrives, with bands like Broken Social Scene or Arcade Fire, who were the apex of it. I really respect those guys for building this whole Canadian scene but musically, it’s not something I can nod my head to. Humour and musical accomplishments are not a big part of it so I’m kind of fucked.

What made you kill Jason Beck “the purist artist” to give birth to Chilly Gonzales “the pragmatic capitalist entertainer”?

It happened right around the time I came to Berlin after the whole Canadian experience. One of the biggest problems was that I felt I had to suppress a lot of real character traits, like my egomania, the part of me that could seem arrogant but is really just a precise confidence in one certain thing I can do. My wanting to use humour didn’t really work out so I ended up acting like all the other indie rockers, for lack of a better plan, and I hated myself for doing so. Saying whatever everyone else says like “you know, I do what I do for myself and if everyone likes it, it’s a bonus,” which is stuff I don’t believe now and didn’t believe back then. So I just picked a name that was a bit far away from me. A Hungarian Jew with a Cuban name is impossible in a way but I like the impossibility of it. There are a lot of musical geniuses called Gonzales too, so it seemed like a good pedigree. Another thing was that people warned me about being too all over the place musically and that it could work against me. I was really not intent on repeating the same thing over and over so I decided to make the personality so intense that it could link it all together and people would understand how I can rap and play the piano.

It’s very hard to pigeonhole you as an act. You’ve been described as “Berlin underground prankster rapper”, “workaholic Grammy-nominated producer”, “melancholic piano virtuoso”, “Guinness World Record holder”…

I’ve had such a great life. Doesn’t that sound like a cool guy? See, my teenage self is now going like “yeah, cool!”

Those definitely are all very cool and accurate titles to have, but what would your epitaph read?

Oh jeez, you’re making me envision my death? I have no idea. I often think about what the title of my autobiography would be but I don’t have enough distance yet. I’d love to become the official piano guy that all rappers go to when they need piano parts. That would be a real achievement. I got a bit closer now with Drake, with whom I performed at the Juno Awards, which are like the Canadian Grammy’s.

Are you still in touch with Pharrell?

He came to me after I played at a Louis Vuitton show and he just gave me his number. I ended up calling him thinking it would be some answering machine but he did answer, so I just dropped off my Solo Piano album at his Georges V suite. Then every once in a while he’d just randomly text me “man are you in New York?!!!” But that’s when I realised that a lot of shit happens in North America and it’s just about being at the right place at the right time.

So that would be the next step – being accepted and solicited in what you call the “NBA of rap”?

Yes, because all the other solicitations, which are very nice for the resume, only fill me up to a certain amount. I didn’t even really grow up with rap, I discovered it more towards my 20s. Rap really came after the Canadian problem and I thought “who I think acts cool in interviews? Who says cool shit?” and then I realised it was rappers. The way they act like themselves but very exaggerated, the way they’re very honest about ambition, at the same time they’re also very artistically ambitious too, but they don’t really have to say it. In fact it looks a bit stupid when a rapper tries to be too artistic. Look at Kanye West: he’s overreaching a bit. He’s not Matthew Barney… He’s not Alejandro Jodorowsky…

You broke the world record for the longest solo-artist performance. Playing piano for 27 hours, 3 minutes and 44 seconds, how did you manage practicalities?

You know Guinness lets you have breaks, right? You get five minutes every hour, which you can cumulate. I did 15 minutes every three hours, but it’s still very short. I had a bit of everything; some muscle cramps three hours in, but Guinness has doctors on site. To get the Guinness stamp you have to be very formal. You have a notary, a witness, they don’t really fuck around and it’s also a bit expensive because you have to pay for the guy from Guinness to come down on a first class Eurostar.

So you actually paid to get your own record?

Well with selling tickets I think I lost a bit of money but yeah, a totally worthwhile investment (gestures towards the framed certificate hanging in his living room). That was some of the most poetic branding I could do. After the Soft Power feeling of dilution, it was about re-establishing the two most important aspects of me: musical genius and crazy competitive guy.

Could you describe what was going on in your head during the 27th hour?

There were some hallucinations as of hour 24, forgetting where I was, the piano,… this was during a three-year period where I had stopped smoking weed by the way, because if I had, I surely couldn’t have done it. I wanted to go one hour further than what I had announced. Because I thought that would be cool – that when I got to 27 and everyone was going crazy, I could still continue… I couldn’t though. I did four minutes more and then my hands stopped playing by themselves. Most importantly I saw the reaction the day I woke up. It had become the number two topic on Twitter that week. I didn’t even have a Twitter account! I called my manager straight away and said I had to go to the States to work asap. I would not be sinking further into the crust of this quiche in France. It’s a really funny period because I also gained a lot of weight so now when I see photos it feels like “my weird fat French exile.” Now I’m back to how I looked before, Ivory Tower was a huge success for us, I’m my own boss, I can put out a new album eight months after the previous one and do crazy shit like that – it’s wonderful.

What instruments do you play?

A bit of everything, but mainly keyboards. Drums were my first instrument and then I switched to piano a little bit later.

Is it true that you played drums for Iggy Pop?

Well yeah but I wasn’t in the studio with him. Motor Inn was an instrumental track I had done with Peaches and another friend in Berlin, and Iggy ended up hearing it and just sang on it – almost like he got a rap beat and did a song on it. I also played on their Kick It duo, which is on Peaches album. So yeah, you can hear my drumming behind Iggy Pop on two songs.

Is there an instrument you’re absolutely not familiar with but would like to have a go at?

It would be nice if I could just pull out brass and string instruments and play. But I like to delegate a lot. Boys Noize basically produced the whole Ivory Tower album, my brother took care of this whole album. I didn’t direct my movie, even though it looks like I controlled everything but I gave the most important job to someone else. I’m through trying to do everything…

Which is funny because you tend to project this image of a control freak…

Well, newsflash: I’m growing up and improving on my character defaults, very slowly.

You crowned yourself “President of the Berlin Underground” at one point. Do you still feel underground?

I’m a bit of a Where’s Waldo? I just pop up in weird places. As Chilly Gonzales, the albums I put out are still absolutely underground but a lot more people know about what I do, and who don’t necessarily know my music. I try to do most things like press and shows because I’m basically still hustling. On the other hand I’m mentioned so often in the same breath as Feist, Peaches, Tiga, do weird things like the Juno Awards broadcast, or the iPad commercial... Can I really say I’m underground when millions have heard my music?

You’re performing a Piano Talk show in Brussels, what can we expect?

That’s the way to see me. It’s the best thing for sure. When I have a group, it’s good, but is also always a bit of a compromise for me. When I’m alone on stage I can just really take it anywhere, like do something crazy in the middle of a song.

At what point did it become clear you’d only perform in a bathrobe and pyjamas?

Mainly since early 2009. I did it a bit on Soft Power circa 2007, but before that I had the rap costume, the pink suit, the safari suit,..

Could you explain the statement?

Like a lot of things I enjoy, it’s a really convincing illusion of intimacy. Seeing a guy in a bathrobe playing an upright piano is different than seeing Richard Clayderman in a smoking jacket playing on a white grand piano with a dove. I know it’s weird for French people, because a bathrobe and slippers are something you wear when you’re sick at home.

Which might explain this mental image we could have of you as a grumpy old man…

Hey I’m aware of the cranky uncle Gonz’ persona that I emanate but it’s more acute in France. In England, people would say: “he comes on in a dressing gown,” which has a very different connotation.

Are you looking to build up this new pop culture icon, like there’s The Hef’, The Dude, and now The Gonzo?

The Dude is definitely another big signpost cause he was a great character, but I don’t know to be honest. For this album, because it seemed so close to Ivory Tower, I didn’t feel like changing the look and suddenly become the parody of a rapper. And I think that given everything, it’s probably best to stay consistent for a while.

How many bathrobes do you currently own?

Only three. There’s a tartan one I sometimes wear around my house and two from Old England. A Swiss designer approached me because he wants to create a custom-made bathrobe with a monogram CG print all over it. That’s definitely how I see the future. With matching slippers.

The Unspeakable Chilly Gonzales comes out on 6th June on Gentle Threat.

Dont miss his Piano Talk show on 31st May at Theatre 140
Avenue Eugène Plaskylaan 140
1030 Brussels

Photographer Joke De Wilde

Photographer Joke De Wilde

Photographer Joke De Wilde

Brussels-based artist Matthew Crasner popped up on our radar about three years ago. At the time, his work was anchored in a deep street sensitivity, his brush stroke tilting more towards the urban than the classic. You got a feeling that he hadn’t yet made the transition from art student to fully-fledged ‘artist’. Now, having got down to business in his Schaerbeek studio for the last three years or so, he emerges with a body of work so strong and singular that you’d be forgiven for thinking that it was the work of someone entirely different. Playing with a contrasting palette of colours (he mixes black, grey and white with splashes of yellows and greens), his world is made up of intriguing characters – some tribal warriors, others office workers – whose intensity of character is made all the more poignant with Crasner’s realist and relatively heavy strokes. The work he produces at the moment is without a doubt serious in its approach and intent, but remains light-hearted and tongue-in-cheeked in its substance. “I just started painting for my own pleasure,” says Matthew when we spoke to him on the phone last week “I got tired of painting for people’s appreciation and feedback.”

Photographer Joke De Wilde

Joining forces with studio neighbour Christine Philipp, the pair open their doors this weekend for what promises to be an intimate and insightful peak into the universe of what is, to us, one of the up-and-comers on the local art scene.

Day In Day Out

Opens Friday, 20th May 20th 2011 at 18h00

Runs until Sunday 22nd May until 18h00

Address: Rue Verbiststraat, 95 - 1210 Brussels

In a bid to give the genre the support it deserves and shine a light on the up-and-coming talent emerging from the press corp the world over, Nikon bestows its prestigious Nikon Press Awards on what it believes is the most beautiful and/or original press picture taken by a Belgian photographer. It does so through two categories – The Nikon Press Award for 30 + photographers and the Young Promising Award for under 30s. This year, Olivier Papegnies wins The Nikon press award for his work in Haiti (a selection of which you can see below), whilst the Young Promising Award goes to Katrijn van Giel for her photograph of a Pakistani boy taking in his new reality following the devastating floods that occurred in the Swat valley.

Photographer Olivier Papegnies

Photographer: Olivier Papegnies

Photographer Olivier Papegnies

Photographer Katrijn Van Giel

The Brussels Drawing Fair
29, 30 April and 1st May
The White Hotel, Brussels
Avenue Louise 212 Louizalaan
1050 Brussels

Photographer Joke De Wilde

Paul McCarthy: Selected Works

Opening night Thursday 28th April
The show will also be open on Friday 29th of April, for Art Brussels’ Gallery night, and closes 2nd October
Charles Riva Collection
Rue de la Concordestraat 21
1050 Brussels
charlesrivacollection.com

The exhibition When The Circus Leaves Town, curated by Belgian artist Steve Schepens, will take place in the various corridors and the foyers of the Vooruit, showcasing the multidisciplinary nature of the Berlin art scene with works by Belgian artists Johan Tahon, Michaël Borremans, Steve Schepens, as well as Germans Olaf Heine and David Freidrich, and the American Matt Mullican.

Sound-wise, you’ll be treated to the Sound of Berlin’s crème de la crème two nights in a row with performances by Modeselektor, Tiefschwarz, Bodi Bill, Onur Özer, Tobi Neumann, amongst others, and the legendary Bar 25 will invest the venue’s ballroom with its trademark bohemian style, allowing visitors to have the illusion of being in the cult Berlin bar.

German duo Modeselektor

Brothers Alexander and Sebastian Schwarz, aka Tiefschwarz

A regular night at Berlin hotspot Bar 25

The daytime projection of documentaries and films, as well as forums bringing together specialists and major players of the contemporary art scene, discussion will take place in the Brugzaal on the subject ‘art-oriented similarities and contradictions between Ghent and Berlin’.

Inspired by German composer Paul Lincke’s 1904 hymn Das ist die Berliner Luft (This is the Berlin air), the festival will pay tribute to the unique lifestyle and culture of the city.

Berlinaire festival this Friday 8th and Saturday 9th April
At Vooruit
Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 23
9000 Ghent
+32 (0) 9 267 28 28
Full line up and program here

Photographer 354 Photographers

From left, clockwise: Urban Interventions (Gestalten), Gang Leader for a Day (Allen Lane), Bankrupt (Twin Palms Publishers), Anish Kapoor (Phaidon) and The Red Balloon (Doubleday)

Bankrupt (2004) by Phillip Toledano – Twin Palms Publishers

Bankrupt presents no foreword nor summary, its subject matter being quite self-explanatory. A handful of anonymous termination emails are featured as the only textual elements, eluding to the sense of incomprehension or disbelief their recipients might have felt upon first read. New York-based photographer Phillip Toledano started taking pictures of recently abandoned offices in 2001, documenting what he referred to as “economic archaeology”. The oversized dimensions of the book and Toledano’s large-scale prints emphasise the desolate character of these vacant offices. Page after page, we are faced with empty drawers, dying plants, the mess and chaos of desks that have been hastily abandoned, piled boxes, coatless hangers, lifeless rooms, ending with its most moving and ironic image: a cleared desk above which a blue sticker on the wall reads “We’re all in this together”.

Available from Amazon.

Anish Kapoor (2009) by David Anfam – Phaidon

From its beautiful and rich cover reminiscent of the textures of his wax works to the colour pictures that capture the intensity of pigment sculptures, this book – prefaced by art historian David Anfam – is a useful resource for understanding Anish Kapoor’s highly rated oeuvre. Famed for his larger-than-life pieces that involve trompe l’oeil and site-specific installations, the British sculptor has rapidly become one of the most respected artists of his generation. With hundreds of images ranging from reproductions of his work, photographs of Kapoor in his workshop, as well as sketches from his most ambitious projects, this weighty volume certainly lives up to its promise of being the most comprehensive monograph ever published on the artist.

Available from Amazon.

Gang Leader for a day (2008) by Sudhir Venkatesh – Allen Lane

When American sociology student Sudhir Venkatesh infiltrated a gang to gain an in depth understanding of urban poverty in early 90s Chicago, he certainly had no clue of how far it would take him and how drawn he would become to the subjects of his interests. Spending nearly a decade in the Robert Taylor Homes in Chicago, one of the worst ghettos in America, he quickly found himself in the midst of a crack dealing crime ring. Recounting his trials and tribulations with an unexpected candour, this book tells the tale of a curious young man that ended up getting far more than he had bargained for.

Available from Amazon.

The red balloon (1956) by Albert Lamorisse – Doubleday

Based on the French movie of the same name, The Red Balloon tells the story of little Pascal, a lonely only child whose vivid imagination leads him to befriend a large helium filled red balloon which he manages to tame and turns into an obedient pet. The pair embarks on a series of adventures through the streets of Paris, until a gang of jealous schoolmates “burst his bubble” by throwing rocks in its direction. The minimal amount of colour stands out amongst the beautiful black and white photographs taken during the filming of this 1956 children’s classic. As heart-warming as it is poignant, this naive tale will bring out your inner child, a few smiles and possibly even tears.

Available from Amazon.

Urban interventions: personal projects in public places (2010) by Robert Klanten – Gestalten

Part street art, part agitprop, urban interventions have become a permanent feature of cities’ landscapes in recent years, gaining both in notoriety and interest. Whether artists, that chose to make use of public spaces for creative expressions, or activists, who go to the street to spread political messages, both use the city as their personal drawing board. The results are often amusing, and whether political or simply aesthetic, always thought provoking. This book showcases the projects of over 70 individuals and collectives, who operate throughout Europe and America, taking art out of white cubes and into the agora.

Available from Amazon.

Hedi Slimane – Fragments Americana
Until 26th March
Almine Rech Gallery, Brussels
Rue de l’Abbaye 20 Abdijstraat
1050 Brussels

California Dreamin – Myths and Legends of Los Angeles, an exhibition curated by Hedi Slimane
Until 26th March
Almine Rech Gallery, Paris
19 Rue Saintonge
75003 Paris

alminerech.com

Photography: Nicolas Kengen; Movie: Gaetan Saint-Remy; Styling : Aylen Torres; Set design: Magalie Denoue; Model: Dorian Jespers @ IMM Bruxelles; Hair and Make up: Louise De Buck; Photo Assistant: Jerôme Konte Deloste

Credits: Cédric Jacquemyn, Jantine van Peski, Black Balloon, H&M, Essentiel, Agnes B., Episode

We have 10 tickets to be won for the fair’s private view on Thursday 24th February (tickets are valid for two persons, and remain available for the rest of the fair, which goes on until Monday 28th February). The 10 first readers to send an email to wewrite@thewordmagazine.be, with AAF in the title box as well as your full name, postal address and date of birth in the body of the email will each be sent a ticket.

The Affordable Art Fair

Tour & Taxi Brussels

From 25th february to 28th february 2011

Beavis and Butt-Head do America – Mike Judge (1996)

All our love goes to whichever genius at the Cinematek elected to program the 90s cult comedy Beavis and Butt-Head Do America on the most romantic of Hallmark holidays. Ideal for nostalgics who might have forgotten that once upon a time, MTV had so much more to offer than cringing reality shows and blingtastic videos.

Monday 14th February at 8pm
Cinematek
Rue Baron Hortastraat 9
1000 Brussels
+32 (0) 2 551 19 19
cinematek.be

True Grit – Joel & Ethan Coen (2010)

Although its official release is scheduled for 16th February, Coen brothers fans are in for a treat this Sunday. The Bozar has scheduled an advance screening of their latest feature, an adaptation of Charles Portis’ classic novel and remake of Henry Hathaway’s 1969 western. Don’t expect a chuckle fest along the lines of The Big Lebowski or Burn After Reading, but the Coens’ signature dark humour lies in this commercial and critical success.

Sunday 13th February at 6pm
Bozar Centre for fine Arts, Henry Le Boeuf Hall
Rue Ravensteinstraat 23
1000 Brussels
+32 (0) 2 507 82 00
bozar.be

Planeta Bur (The Planet of Storms) – Pavel Klushantsev (1962)

Nothing says: “I’m cool without even trying” like taking your beloved one to see a Soviet sci-fi film in an art house cinema. Especially one that has been hailed as the finest exercise in this genre of its era, featuring lo-fi special effects, volcanic eruptions, huge animals, hostile plants and a giant robot.

Sunday 13th February at 10pm
Cinema Nova
Rue d’Arenbergstraat 3
1000 Brussels
+32 (0) 2 511 24 77
nova-cinema.org

Photography Yassin Serghini

From left to right: Black material: volume 01 (00), Drawings (kunsthaus-Bregenz), The valley of the shadow (Gestalten), Catalogue déraisonné (Steidl), Contraband (Steidl)

Drawings – Work comes out of work (2008) by Richard Serra – Kunsthaus-Bregenz

Known for his steel sculptures, Richard Serra’s 2007 retrospective at New York’s Museum of Modern Art cemented his contribution to the world of contemporary art. His career has spanned 40 years and lesser known but just as formidable is his large body of drawings. The exhibition ‘Drawings – Work Comes Out of Work’ displays six series of his dramatic use of black paintstick, a wax-like grease crayon, in all his work. Dense layers of pigmented waxy material cling to the surface, absorbing light and weighing the work down with density and physicality not often seen in pieces of this nature. Large format illustrations and photographic insights into the artist working in his studio add to the penetrating portrait art historian James Lawrence included in this substantive book, celebrating an understated facet of this conceptual artist.

Available from Amazon

Black material: volume 01 (2010) by Robert Knoke – 00

Robert Knoke’s Black material: volume 01 acts more like a “who’s who” of this decade’s cool cats than your average monograph. Fortunate enough to have sat opposite those at the vanguard of contemporary creative practice, the German artist captured their essence with his monochrome and expressionist style, blending markers, grease pencils, ball pens, gloss paint and glitter. Along with reproductions of his large scale drawings, close-ups and views from installations, the book also offers an intimate peek at his atelier and candid shots of his subjects, that range from established icons (Patti Smith, Marc Jacobs, Jean-Baptiste Mondino), avant-garde designers (Rick Owens, Bernhard Wilhelm, Terence Koh), to hipster darlings (Leigh Lezark, The Kills) and underground heroes (Bruce LaBruce, Thomas Hirschhorn).

Available from 00

The valley of the shadow (2010) by Miron Zownir – Gestalten

We deliberately avoid numerous sights of our everyday life. A self-confessed ‘phenomenographer’, Miron Zownir has spent the past 20 years capturing those painful realities we try so hard to ignore or revealing the depths of lifestyles deemed so deviant we cannot fathom their existence. Haunted by childhood memories of post-war landscapes, crippled veterans and mutilated widows, Zownir journeyed across Berlin, Eastern Europe and New York, exposing the true face of society, be it hidden in the dens of counter-cultures or in the broad daylight of our streets. His coarse photographs, carrying an inevitably strong shock factor, could easily be dismissed as sensationalist and gratuitously provocative, if it weren’t for their brutal honesty and balanced subjectivity.

Available from Amazon

Catalogue déraisonné (2010) by Jean Pigozzi – Steidl

Jean Pigozzi, self-described international businessman, traveller and collector, takes his camera with him wherever he goes. And wherever he goes is usually somewhere glamorous and celebrity-infested. Everyone from Mick Jagger, Tim Burton and Jack Nicholson to Dash Snow, Gilbert & Georges and Roy Lichtenstein make appearances in this heady, good-looking and sometimes frankly hilarious insight into the underbellies of celebrity culture. Gigantic art dealer Larry Gagosian, for instance, is shown to be quite the joker, pulling faces whenever possible. Oh, and there’s also a photograph of Steve Jobs‘ (surprisingly hairy) feet sporting Birkenstocks.

Available from Amazon

Contraband (2010) by Taryn Simon – Steidl

Taryn Simon’s Contraband is a mesmerising visual account of four days spent photographing items intercepted at New York’s JFK airport. Boasting 1,075 photographs, everything from counterfeit American Express travellers cheques, overproof Jamaican rum, purses made from endangered species to pirated Disney DVDs, prohibited sausage and undeclared gold dust is minutely archived. With each and every item seized captured on a white background and playfully set directed, Simon’s approach somehow manages to demystify and categorise an otherwise bewildering array of contraband. Topping our list of intrigues was the unhealthy amounts of erectile dysfunction medication that seems to come through American borders.

Available from Amazon

At the Filip Kesteloot Sculpture Gallery, you are treated to the aquatic bronzes of Pieter Vanden Daele (Belgium, 1971) along with the slate and glass creations of mosaicist Sylvie Guyomard. Opening this Thursday, the artists will be on hand to talk about their art in the relaxed setting of this bijou gallery, located in the Sablon/Zavel neighbourhood.

Margareth by Pieter Vanden Daele

Pieter Vanden Daele’s fishes are wonderfully crafted sculptures of bronze, capturing the elegant and fluid agility of the aquatic creatures they are modelled on while exhibiting a robust and unpolished edge. Submersible and decorated with multicoloured patina, they exude the magical aura of being at an aquarium but without the screaming children.

Sylvie Guyomard

Less literal but equally evocative, the natural theme carries on with the slate mosaics of Sylvie Guyomard. Wall mounted textural pieces of interlaced slices and shards of slate and glass work together to create gliding visuals. Subtly, the silvers and greys of the slate glint and play with the light.

Sylvie Guyomard

A wonderful chance to see fine art and sculpture while also tasting Terre  de Trente, a wine produced on the vineyards of the gallery’s owner, Filip Kesteloot, in Sicily. Good people, great art and glorious vino is a recipe for a great vernissage; we’ll see you there!

Thursday 25th November 2010, 7pm-10pm

Exhibition runs until 9th January 2011

Filip Kesteloot Sculpture Gallery
45 Rue Lebeaustraat
1000 Brussels
+ 32 (0) 475 62 98 29

The Russian Issue is out and it only seemed right that we checked out the ‘Russian Criminal Tattoo Exhibition’ currently showing in London. Hosted by FUEL Design and Publishing, the creators of the lauded Russian Criminal Tattoo Encyclopaedia Volumes I, II and III, the original artworks from this popular series are displayed for the first time. Showing 120 original ink drawings by Danzig Baldeav and 16 photographic prints by Sergei Vasiliev, this is wonderful documentary art at its most intriguing, focusing on human subjects and the stories behind their body art. Working as a prison attendant, Baldeav used tattoos as a portal into the mysterious ritualism of the Russian criminal underground and an ethnographic recording of the lives and traditions of the Russian convicts.

© Sergei Vasiliev

© Sergei Vasiliev

Some of the images documented are tasteful and pleasant, others uncouth images of lust and violence; a powerful language of motifs and graphic complexity. Beyond the sheer artistry and volume of this collection, what stands out is the striking human tragedy of these poignant images. For all the awe and glamour these tattoos inspired in films like Eastern Promises (2007) and the recognition they gave to this closed facet of Russian society, you cannot ignore the inherent connection to the sad souls who wore them with inexorable pride and shame. A great documentary in a vast space which does them justice, this is a great exhibition to see on your weekend gander around Spitalfields and Brick Lane.

The exhibition runs until 29 November at 4 Wilkes Street, Spitalfields, London E1 6QF, Thursday to Sunday, 11am-6pm.

Bent van Looy from Das Pop

Raw and uncut. Two words that best describe Ulrike Biets’ photography. One of The Word’s closest allies pretty much since the magazine’s launch, Ulrike has over the last few years been developing a body of work highly personal in its approach (she essentially captures her everyday surroundings – be they people, musicians or even animals) yet heavy-hitting in its honesty. Indeed, Ulrike likes to get right into the face of her subjects, getting up-close-and-personal with them, often revealing a human sensibility one might not, at first, have expected.

For this exhibition at Brussels’ K-nal (which runs until 11th December), she teams up with fashion imprint Girls from Omsk (whom we recently covered in our Russian Issue), creating a fictionary tale of style soldiers under the ‘Omsk Army’ moniker. Expect an anti-dote of jokes, pokes and anti-glamour folks.

Omsk Army – Ulrike Biets

Until 11th December 2010

Libertine Supersport (K-Nal), Brussels

Facebook event and all info here

Els Pynoo of Vive La Fête

Photography Toon Aerts

Vladimir Kazakevicius, 55. Teaches legal Russian translation and ancient Lithuanian grammar at the Hogeschool-Universiteit Brussel (HUB)

Born and raised in Vilnius, Vladimir lived in Riga, Moscow and Warsaw before moving to Belgium about thirty years ago. He finds it hard to pinpoint the essence of Russian physical attributes, but definitely recognizes distinct characterial traits such as a strong dose of nonchalance and a tendency not to take futile matters too seriously, along with a great sense of curiosity and appetite for knowledge. If his long hair and Rasputinian beard may give away his origins, he feels his most Russian feature is without doubt his complete devil-may-care attitude towards life.

Nina Hansch, 69. Human resources consultant

Although she has lived in Belgium since she was ten years old, Nina is firmly rooted in her Russian heritage. Like many of their compatriots, her parents fled the country after the revolution, settling in Prague, where she was born. When the Communist regime spread its wings even further, they migrated further West to Belgium, as political refugees. A head-hunter for foreign corporations who wish to establish themselves in Russia, she spends one third of her time there and loves their generosity and true sense of hospitality. On a professional level, she points to Russians’ lack of initiative and fear of responsibilities, their fatalism being a direct consequence of the authoritarian regime that prevailed for decades.

Vadim Vosters, 31. Visual artist

Born in France, Vadim is only one-third Russian, although his close relationship with his grandmother – who was from Slavyansk – has forged his strong bond with the country’s culture. Fascinated by her tempestuous life, working in camps and later fleeing the country, he even wrote a biography about his grandmother when he was younger. He remembers growing up with traditional cuisine and the Orthodox Easter celebrations being a way bigger deal than Christmas. Inheriting a lot of pre-war books from his grandmother, he incorporated a heavy portion of their images in his artwork. His most Russian traits are definitely his name, melancholy and way of partying.

Dima Soroko, 22. Film student at INRACI

Dima was born and raised in Chernigov, Ukraine, and came here three years ago, after his mother married a Belgian. Born in 1988, his passport states that he is Soviet, which he fully identifies to. Even though he returns to his homeland once a year to see his family, he has no plans of moving back there. He doesn’t miss much, save for the general post-Soviet spirit and open-mindedness, although he does sport a tattoo on his arm that spells “tenderness” in Cyrillic. An act of sweet nostalgia, all of his memories from home being linked to the tender moments of his childhood that he wants to remember.

Pauline Gorelov, 29. Textile designer

Having lived in Belgium most of her life – she was ten years old when her parents left Russia during the perestroika – Pauline doesn’t feel any particular sense of belonging. If anything, she considers her most Russian attribute to be her lack of tact, and one she likes the least. She did develop a skill for spotting two things in the streets: Ladas (her father used to buy second-hand models) and fellow Russians (from their walks to their haircuts). That said, she hasn’t seen much of both in the last ten years. The cars have all disappeared and as for her compatriots, their singularity has faded since the country opened up.

Lily Ageva, 52. House maid

Originally from the Caucasus region, Lily has been living in Belgium by herself for the past eleven years. Born in Gudermes, a Chechen town, her bold move was prompted by the problems resulting from the perestroika. She hasn’t returned there yet, due to passport issues. She doesn’t really miss her homeland that much though, having found a new life here in Belgium – she socialises with many Russians from the local community. She recognizes Russians when she sees them, but has a hard time figuring out exactly how or why, reminding us that there is not one typical Russian face, but as many as its various regions.

Photography Gosha Rubchinskiy

The portfolio is a photographic carte blanche given to a photographer whose work we like. The idea being to give the possibility to emerging talent of seeing their work published on the magazine’s pages. Up to 8 pages at that.

Two conditions. One, the work submitted must somehow or the other relate to an edition’s given title. Two, the work must exclusively be created for the magazine’s pages.

Interested ? First thing to do is email your most recent work (a PDF portfolio of no more than 8 pages including your full name and contacts details) to wewrite@thewordmagazine.be, with ‘Portfolio submission’ as a title. If we see a fit, we’ll be in touch within a week.

In the meantime, and in order to get your inspiration going, our 2011 editorial calendar can be found below. Get to know our albums, get a sense of what’s on our mind for each colours throught the keywords and, by all means, do already start pitching ideas.

With this in mind, the Vivabox makes your gift-giving that much easier. Neatly packaged, it boasts a cultural bundle including two entrances to Brussels’ Magritte Museum, a book (‘Le petit musée Magritte / Het Kleine Magritte museum’), a DVD by Henri de Gerlache (‘Magritte : le jour et la nuit / Magritte: de dag en de nacht’), as well as a night at the city’s Hotel Bloom (with, wait for it, breakfast included ;-)). Total value of the gift box is €189, and we have one for a lucky reader of ours to win.

As usual, all you need to do is send an email to wewrite@thewordmagazine.be titled ‘Vivabox ‘, and stating your full name, postal address and date of birth in the body of the email. First reader to do so wins. Simple.

The historical building in which FA Gallery set up shop

In steps local entrepreneur and all-round creative strongman Ebrahim Al-Qassab, the brainchild behind FA Gallery, a potent but, most importantly, timely mix of art and fashion. Housed in a historical building overlooking the Gulf of Kuwait, the new space is astutely divided into three distinct entities: an art gallery on the ground floor, a style emporium on the first floor and a VIP/personal shopping space on the top floor (complete with a private terrace offering dramatic views of the sea). Adding to the boutique-come-boudoir feeling, the style section is divided into four distinct universes: menswear, womenswear, shoes and scents (the latter, 100% natural). With the sole purpose of providing discerning and hard-to-please regional shoppers with a singular retail experience, one which fitted their increasingly demanding lifestyles and changing retail therapy needs, the vision was evidently a clear one from the start.

The gallery space

The gallery space's front room

The boutique's menswear section, with exquisite tiles imported from Lebanon

The women's shoes section

The private terrace

The fashion on offer is nothing short of revolutionary for the region, with countries such as Brazil and Colombia being given centre stage instead of the usual Paris-Milan-London-New York quartet. Top of our wish list is Osklen’s distressed, loosely-shaped and seemingly unfinished collection of hoodies, jackets and coats as well as Native’s colourful array of perforated rubber shoes. The art gallery, intended as a showcase for regional as well as international artists (the first show is of Syrian artist Nizar Sabour), also presents Al-Qassab’s Echo collection, a poetic, refined and elegant series of tables inspired by the Arabic alphabet as well as, in the words of the designer himself, by ‘the beauty of the Arabic language’.

The Osklen selection

Native shoes

A table from Al-Qassab's newly-launched Echo interiors brand

Beyond the eye-opening nature of the trip (I was lucky enough to be invited out there for six days), the boutique in itself is testament to the region’s coming-of-age when it comes to the type of retail experiences on offer, and provides as good a view as possible of the shape of things to come.

Guests at the opening, which took place on 10th October 2010, in Kuwait

Words and photography Vincent Duraud

Liv Vaisberg

Nicolas Buissart

Liv Vaisberg and Nicolas Buissart (who took part in our Follow the Guide exhibition with his much-loved Mayonnaise bracelet), a Belgo-French pair, are the founders of Charleroi Adventure, a quirky concept tour paying tribute to the city’s most desolate and overlooked landmarks. The first stop will drop you right on the tracks of a ‘ghost subway line’, which was built before the authorities realized it was hardly used. Lunch is enjoyed aboard an empty plane, before heading to a slagheap from which one can admire a never-ending landscape of (partly abandoned) factories and warehouses, some of which have now been rehabilitated and are run by art collectives. The guides will point out the fake neon palm trees that clash with the diffuse greyness; they will drive through ‘the most depressing streets in Belgium’… And they will do it all with nothing but love.

The ghost metro line

The ghost metro line

One of the many slagheaps of the region

The view from the top of a slagheap

Charleroi Adventure is now about a year and a half old and has grown to attract an unexpectedly eclectic crowd. “I first met Nicolas at a gallery opening in Antwerp,” co-founder Liv recalls. “When he told me that he was from Charleroi, I said ‘great, take me there!’” Her enthusiasm wasn’t what Nicolas had been used to in the past, so he took her on a personal tour two weeks later. Liv fell in love with the post-industrial landscape of the city and saw in it a promising potential for the future. Liv further explains: “We decided to organize these ‘safaris’ around the city, but initially envisioned them as an art performance”. In order to attract attention, they chose to adopt a provocative stance; unapologetically admitting it was “for the media stunt”. At first, the Charleroi Adventure website was only available in Dutch, English and German – despite the fact that French is the official language of the region – and, to this day, it opens with the statement that Charleroi is the ugliest city in Europe, as proclaimed by a recent Dutch poll. The pair was aware this would shock the residents of the city and more generally the entire country… And it worked: they benefitted from a wide media coverage – appearing on BBC, The Guardian or France Culture to name but a few – before the safaris had even started.

Nicolas and Liv present these safaris as a ‘voluntary art project’. At first there wasn’t even any organisation to speak of, just a small van and big ideas. Then they started doing tours specifically targeting amateur photographers, and this gave the project even more scope. “We’ve seen posh Dutch couples climbing up the charcoal hill in their Tod’s shoes or professional photographers coming along”, adds Liv. She had always wanted to organise tours around industrial areas such as the Ruhr region in Germany and Nicolas was keen on placing his hometown firmly on the map. Yet similarly to the colonialist connotation which safaris carried in Africa, these urban tours have been met with a great deal of negative reactions. “Yet to me,” says Liv, “Charleroi possesses an industrial heritage worthy of UNESCO. At first, people did not realise that we actually like this city and are not trying to ridicule it. When there’s an interesting festival taking place, we take our visitors there. Many cities like Berlin or Leipzig have used art in their industrial areas and, in doing so, have emerged stronger yet.” In that respect, they believe they have managed to help the city, as demonstrated by the recent creation of art residency Hotel Charleroi, or the fact that three music videos were shot there since. They even created T-shirts specially for the occasion, which say “Ik hou van Charleroi’, i.e. ‘I love Charleroi’.

Photography Olivier Vandervliet

1. Sol LeWitt at Barbara Gladstone Gallery (until 30th October)

Sol LeWitt, Wall Drawing #792: Black rectangles and squares, 1992

Without a doubt the most talked about show of the weekend, this one tops our pick. Since the opening of a Brussels branch in 2008, the renowned New York gallery has allowed art lovers to see works of major contemporary artists in the cosy atmosphere of an elegant town house. This new season is inaugurated by a major figure of the history of 20th century art: the American artist Sol LeWitt (1928-2007), who presents a wall drawing. The drawing covers the gallery’s two floors, and consists of rectangles and squares of black paint applied directly onto the wall The extreme precision with which this is exectued is mesmerizing, as is the organic way in which the grid takes into account the premises’ architecture (the measurements of the windows, doors, fireplaces, etc.). The result is nothing short of radical,with LeWitt’s approach giving viewers as realistic and physical experience of his oeuvre as possible.

2. Manuel Graf at Etablissement d’en Face (until 23rd October)

Manuel is a young German artist based in Istanbul who mainly produces films. Mediterraneo is his new project specifically designed for the small but leading non-profit space, Etablissement d’en Face. Within the interiors of a retro living room, a ten-minute film shows delightful views of the sea, punctuated by images of ceramics handmade by the artist and visible in the window. Over this holiday landscape, a voice recites a text by French historian Fernand Braudel, about the development of the Mediterranean region, at once the cradle of civilization, a trade hub, a cultural reservoir, a victim of pillage and a war zone. This modest yet telling project plunges us into a universe that could be that of an amateur ethnographer, but which strangely resonates with the diverse reality of the Dansaert area to which we return at the end of the screening.

3. Novel group show at Dependance (until 16th October)

Novel exhibition

This exhibition gathers a selection of works by past and present contributors to Novel, a publication of writings by artists. In the the gallery’s limited space, visitors can discover an impressive selection of contemporary artists, such as R.H. Quaytman, Sergej Jensen, Oscar Tuazon, etc. Some works specifically use written language – such as Josef Strau’s typewritten texts or artists collective Bernadette Corporation’s books compiling customer reviews found on the Internet – and if others may seem more hermetic, they probably respond to one of the objectives of Novel, namely to « think of writing as something distinct from information, as at least one realm of cultural production that is exempt from the encompassing obligation to communicate ».

4. Sixeart at A.L.I.C.E Gallery (until 9th October)

Sixeart, Caminando en el desierto, 2010

The re-opening of A.L.I.C.E was always going to be the talked-about event of the weekend. Formerly situated on Rue A. dansaertstraat (an area the gallery is often said to have single-handedly redefinied), the purveyor of everything that is urban culture in the art world recently set up shop insomewhat of an upgraded fashion, going for the classic white cube with concrete floor look in a bid to cement her identity as an established gallery. For its first show, Spanish artist Sixeart has been granted the honour to consecrate the space’s white walls. The colourful compositions of this former graffiti artist blend heterogeneous sign systems in very coherent and fascinating images. A highly personal visual language that makes do with your usual street art clichés.

5. La Jeune Peinture Belge at La Marie Joseph Restaurant (Permanent exhibition)

Culinary art @ La Marie Joseph

After having braved the crowds and indulged in champagne glasses on an empty stomach, we were more than happy to head to La Marie Joseph on the Sainte Catherine square for a reinvigorating Belgian specialty. This Brussels institution dating from the 70′s exhibits an impressive collection of Belgian artists (similarly to the two other restaurants of the same family, the Vieux Saint Martin in the Sablon and the Canterbury along Ixelles’ ponds). Here, what is probably the city’s best ‘filet américain’ is enjoyed in the illustrious company of Alechinsky, Christian Dotremont, Maurice Wijckaer… If the menu may seem expensive, the quality of the food and the friendliness of the staff with an authentic Brusseleer accent matches the art on view. To see and to eat!

Last but not least:

Champagne sipping @ Almine Reich Gallery

Eddie Martinez, Bouquet for a Lonely Clown & Entertainer, 2010 @ Sorry we're closed

Vaast Colson, Dots (), 2010 @ Naked State

Camp David, Untitled, 2010 @ Dependance

Vintage framed puzzle @ Hunting & Collecting

Sterling Ruby, SP114, 2010 @ Xavier Hufkens Gallery

Aliceday Gallery

Aline Bouvy & John Gillis, Flag Bag, 2010 @ Komplot

© La villa hermosa

C’est arrivé près de chez vous (Man Bites Dog), by Rémy Belvaux, 1992

Misère au Borinage by Henri Storck and Joris Ivens, 1933

Pour vos beaux yeux (For Your Beautiful Eyes), by Henri Storck, 1929

From the 1930s on, the filmmaker’s predilection for social issues had a lasting impact on the history of Belgian cinema. The Dardenne brothers are obviously Henri Storck’s most illustrious heirs – they even paid him a public tribute in Cannes when awarded the Palme d’Or for their film Rosetta (1999). In just seven films, including two Palmes d’Or, the brothers from the Liège/Luik region have become the masters of social and realistic cinema, exploring themes such as illegal immigration, unemployment, and exploitation. Henri Storck is also present, this time as an actor, in Chantal Akerman‘s masterpiece, Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975). The film depicts the meticulous and alienating schedule of a young widowed mother who prostitutes herself to supplement her income. The more than three-hour long movie focuses on actions deemed insignificant, such as peeling potatoes, and is recorded in real time. These scenes function in fact like a time bomb: Jeanne, disturbed by a simple shift in her schedule, kills one of her customers with a pair of scissors.

Trailer Rosetta, by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, 1999

Trailer L’Enfant (The Child), by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, 2005

The potato peeling scene from Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles, 1975

Monstrosity and banality appear again and again as two sides of the same reality which Belgian cinema strives to show. As for human perversity, Strass (Vincent Lannoo, 2002) is probably the most shocking example after C’est arrivé près de chez vous. The only Belgian movie made in compliance with Lars von Trier‘s Dogme95 manifesto portrays a despicable theater teacher, imbued with vulgarity and violence. In the burlesque vein, the characters of Camping Cosmos (Jan Bucquoy, 1996), from porn actress Lolo Ferrari to singer Arno, are just as politically incorrect. More recently, Ex-Drummer (Koen Mortier, 2007) tells the raw story of three losers united by their respective handicap to form a heavy metal band. If more poetic universes exist (remember the dancing flowers in the social housing of Toto le Héros, Jaco Van Dormael, 1991) attachment to marginal subjects remains a constant. Through this apparent harshness, signs of hope also arise, such as in Les Convoyeurs Attendent (Benoît Mariage, 1999) which ends with the dancing celebration of the new year 2000. In the end, the lesson of Belgian cinema might be : despite the “Helaasheid der dingen” (to borrow the title of young filmmaker Felix van Groeningen‘s latest masterpiece), chances of success still exist.

Strass by Vincent Lannoo, 2002

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC3srNktZ6k

Camping Cosmos by Jan Bucquoy, 1996

Ex Drummer by Koen Mortier, 2007

De Helaasheid der dingen (The Misfortunates) by Felix van Groeningen, 2009

© Yassin Serghini

Slaughter on a snowy morn by Colin Evans, Icon Books (2010)

Charlie Stielow is one unlucky man. The Berlin-born farmhand and his young family, following years of hardship (no job, no prospect, no money), finally catch a break when landowner Charles Phelps employs Stielow for one year on particularly generous terms. A couple of days after moving into the property’s tenants’ house, Phelps is brutally murdered, setting off a chain of events which would forever revolutionise the proceedings within a courtroom. Evans’ novel, which hops from fiction to forensic disaster tales, gives us a glimpse of the prejudiced and hurried manner in which a man is sent to his death, on a string of flimsy and constructed evidence. Set in the United States during the 1910s, the book can at times be heavy on detail, although the way in which Evans vividly depicts Stielow’s descent to hell gives the narrative considerable impetus.

Available from Amazon

Mapping the invisible: EU roma gypsies by Lucy Orta, Black Dog Publishing (2010)

Gypsies have always been captured in fairytales and literature fabling them in the European consciousness as the mysterious pariahs of society. Eschewing the accepted normalcy of traditional concepts of property their appeal has laid mainly in our ignorance and misunderstanding of the Roma way of life. This book looks to realign these misconceptions and throw light on this diaspora’s plight through breathtaking and some-times disturbing visuals of displacement. Here’s an uplifting and eye opening read exposing the lives of an all-to-often marginalised people.

Available from Amazon

Shoot the artist by Bjorn Tagemose, Ludion (2010)

“I am not Bjorn Tagemose the photographer, or Bjorn Tagemose the solo artist. I am a director, a translator of other people’s desires… a multimedia manipulator.” Such is the way ‘Shoot the Artist’, Tagemose’s book recounting many of the shoots he’s produced, begins, in classic self-deprecating form. Spawning the fashion, commercial, music and art worlds, ‘Shoot the Artist’ (which also happens to be the name of Tagemose’s collective of animators, technicians, light people, holograph experts and the likes) is a copious, behind-the-scenes look at the photographer’s prolific career as a masterful jack-of-all trades – which began with a first photograph for Walter Van Beirendonck (the now-cult ‘Finally Chest Hair’ image). A somewhat difficult book to navigate (it is actually made up of smaller albums each devoted to one of his jobs), but an enriching page-turner nonetheless.

Available from Amazon

Michaël Borremans: paintings by Jeffrey D. Grove, Hatje Cantz (2009)

The first of its kind to include all of Michaël Borremans’ work, this volume provides a complete overview of the Belgian artist’s universe. Hailed as one of the finest contemporary painters in Europe, his compositions explore complicated psychological states while vexing logic. Displaced objects are depicted as though they were breathing subjects and the human body is replicated as a figure of unconsciousness. The most striking are his ghostly portraits, based on random photographs picked from magazines. Deprived of identity, they express only silence. Unsettling yet captivating.

Available from Amazon

Viewbook: photostory, Blurb publishing (2009)

Annually held, the Viewbook PhotoStory competition is a platform for photographers from all around the world to submit their work and gain exposure on an international level. A brilliantly vibrant and varied anthology of the winning portfolios, These span from the emotive documentary of stoneworkers in Jaflong, Bangladesh to the whimsical portraits of the very dapper members of Congo’s Société des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Élégantes. PhotoStory 2009 isn’t your average coffee table book but a series of incredibly powerful and thought provoking works.

Available here

No wave by Marc Masters, Black Dog Publishing (2007)

Ask anyone who was there; it didn’t get any rougher than the New York of the late seventies. It’s therefore no surprise that the wastelands of the Lower East-Side spawned a sound described by critics as musical sadomasochism, ferociously avant-garde, militantly anti-melodic, inaccessible and anti humanist, also known as No Wave. Complete with live photos, artwork of the era and first person accounts by its protagonists and witnesses, Marc Masters traces the whole history of this anti-movement and spells the key to understanding its essence in two simple letters: N.O.

Available from Amazon

Hunting and Collecting: book corner

What’s impressive about Hunting and Collecting is the careful selection of brands and products defined by distinctive identity, edge and quality. What can be seen as a part of the contemporary zeitgeist acutely focused on independent craftsmanship and artistry, the chosen collections are meticulous representations of Aude and Neils’ aesthetics and are proving popular with not only the fashion-conscious of Brussels but also a wider online audience and international clientele. Largely enabled by the online shop, which has been running successfully since May, a few short months after the store opened in February of this year.

Hunting and Collecting: changing cabin

Hunting and Collecting: garlands

This season see’s the boutique decorated in an ‘Alpine’ scheme, eschewing cliché with its amusing and whimsical arrangement of wooden furniture, ski-gear, furs and even trees. Amongst this one can find womenswear gems from designers like Mouton Collet, Rag & Bone and personal favourite Stine Goya while the men’s range boasts Alexander Olch, White Mountaineering and Our Legacy to name a few. Check out an exciting new collection Silent by Damir Doma as well as jewellery by Arielle de Pinto and the much-lauded Pamela Love. An eclectic portfolio of designers and brands are continually rotated to create a captivating and unique retail space which extends to a heady mix of books, magazines and even technology in the form of AIAIAI‘s very slick TMA1 headphones .

Hunting and Collecting: the store

Upcoming exhibitions, events and note-worthy collaborations include the fore-mentioned Kwangho Lee exhibition Lifelike Design running from 10th September- 30th September as well as the launch of the Le Mont St Michel menswear range designed with Das Pop frontman Bent Van Looy, which is being celebrated with a party and catwalk on 15th September.

Hunting and Collecting

Rue des Chartreux 17 Kartuizerstraat

1000 Brussels

+32 2 512 74 77

huntingandcollecting.com

Photography Yves Decamps

The series’ last image will also be making a brief cameo in our September edition, out this Friday. Distribution points and subscription info available from here.

Words and photography Vincent Duraud

The idea behind the event burgeoned in the mind of Joke Termonia, who owns a furniture shop and a café in the area. She wanted her part of town to finally step out of Antwerp’s shadow and attract positive public attention to an area usually associated with run-down buildings and lower living standards. Local businesses were closely associated to the event, as a mixture of music performances and artworks were sprinkled around the neighbourhood and mostly on the main street Turnhoutsebaan. This section of the city has become more and more desolate, yet its decline also comes with a very particular history, which has given the little side streets much charm. In what the official program calls “shelter art”, one could spot paintings and sculptures in such random places as DIY stores or electric equipment secondhand shops. The concept encouraged a dynamic relationship with the passerby who could enjoy the thrill of finding the artworks in the middle of old rusty tools or washing machines. The main galleries of the area were also active, such as the Djikstra Gallery, hosting a big opening on the first night.

The gallery manager, André Adriaanse, was the curator for an outdoors art “viewpoint” of the festival as well: he installed seven small containers whose metallic colours and cubic shapes perfectly suited the nearby local cultural centre’s 60s building. “The idea for the festival was there for about a year,” he explains, “but it was only a week before the official start that I was asked by Joke to help.” So he borrowed the containers from the Verbeke Foundation located in rural Flanders, and asked local artists to fill them in. Some of them chose to reflect on the concept of place, whether through photography, sculptures or installations, with model containers or rusty cylinders for example.

The heart of the festival lies in the Salle Jeanne Simons, a bar attached to the Pluym furniture store. There, one will find a young crowd chatting next to older patrons in what could be a romantic movie decor. Anther space Joke Termonia recently acquired was also used for “sleeping room art”, whilst in the back a small warehouse improvised as a concert place saw a string of performances, from modern jazz gigs to poetry reading entitled “the creation of the earth for dummies”. The bohemian atmosphere inherent to the place will enchant the visitor and “help bring attention to Deurne in a more positive way”, according to Joke. “This place is so free, open. Anything goes here”, adds André – who’s casually smoking up in the quiet background garden. Although he readily admits that more organisation efforts, especially regarding publicity, will be necessary next year for the festival to attract more people, he remains optimistic about the future of Deurne.

Photography and captions Jimmy Edgar

"Should I put on some lipstick before we do this?"

"Stay like this while I show you my 'intensions'"

"Re: 'look what I did to you', perfection too bad it's not permanent"

"Despite falling out of bed head wounds, cigarette burns and chest xrays we are actually quite normal bloodsuckers"

"When the flash is too bright black nails licking bleeding lips"

"Re: 'can I wear your shirt?' yes, can I wear your everything?"

"Don't scare me like that, xoxo"

"From this angle is how I will steal your heart"

"And this is how I will steal yours"

"I have a cardboard play house in Berlin, and this weekend I don't give a fuck about being in complete disarray"

La Centrale Electrique

As its name aptly suggests, the contemporary art centre is housed in a former power plant. Design aficionados counting the days until September can satisfy their crave with Fighting The Box (until 3rd October), an exhibition celebrating the relationship between designers and their industry. Your chance to see 20 Belgian designers (among which Marina Bautier, Sylvain Willenz, Xavier Lust or Nathalie Dewez) who open their “box”, confess about the design challenges they face and unveil the association between the creative approach and industrial production.

Place Sainte-Catherine 44 Sint-Katelijneplaats
1000 Brussels
+ 32 (0)2 279 64 52
www.lacentraleelectrique.be

Baronian Francey

Opened in 2002 by two well-known figures of the art world (Albert Baronian and Edmond Francey), Baronian Francey has a knack for finding the best new talent, unrelentlessly nurturing and championing it through solo exhibitions, liaising with international galleries and museums as well as creating a historical archive for each of its protégés. Make sure to catch Xavier Mary’s Over Game installation (pictured above) before the gallery closes for the summer on 17th July.

Rue Isidore Verheydenstraat 2
1050 Brussels
+32 (0) 2 512 92 95
www.baronianfrancey.com

Galerie Sans Titre

Drawing its name from a timeless habit recurring amongst uninspired artists, the “untitled” gallery has hosted solo exhibitions by international emerging artists such as Ninar Esber, Ane Graff, Sarah Westphal, Rui Calçada Bastos (pictured above) as well as group shows of local young talent and certified names like Richard Kern or Lee Ranaldo. Opened just over a year ago, the Galerie Sans Titre has established itself as one of the compulsory stops of the Canal district’s flourishing art scene and our favourite address when it comes to exciting, experimental and avant-garde work.

22 Boulevard Barthélémylaan
1000 Brussels
+32 (0) 2 513 35 32
www.galeriesanstitre.be

Wiels

It was about time the capital of Europe had its own proper contemporary art centre. Therefore it’s no wonder the highly anticipated Wiels generated a fair amount of buzz when opening in 2007. The likes of Mike Kelley, Luc Tuymans, and Ben Cain have displayed their work in the in the former Wielemans-Ceuppens brewery since, confirming the success and necessity of such an institution. Currently showing are Rehabilitation (until 15th August), a group exhibition by young artists exploring modernist architecture and design, and Wangechi Mutu’s My Dirty Little Heaven (until 12th September), which we reviewed last week.

Avenue Van Volxemlaan 354
1190 Brussels
+32 (0)2 340 00 50
www.wiels.org

Aeroplastics

© Aeroplastics

Jerome Jacobs provoked quite the stir by opening a gallery in an old building of the upmarket Stephanie Square area in 1998, when the main trend was to occupy vast, disused warehouses along the sides of the canal. Purposely drawing attention to the bourgeois aspect of art collections that others were seeking to dismiss, Aeroplastics offers visitors a refreshing alternative to the standard – if not trite – white cube aesthetic. Summer exhibition The Alchemy of Delusion (until 14th August) introduces the work of Pat Andrea, Ion Bîrlàdeanu, Martin Kasper and Wolfe von Lenkiewicz amongst others.

Rue Blanche 32 Wittestraat
1060 Brussels
+32 (0) 2 537 22 02
www.aeroplastics.net

Words Renasha Khan

Mutu, Intertwined, 2008

Surrealism characterises this exhibition in which painted female forms coagulate organically with magazine cutouts of motorcycle parts and animal heads. On my first viewing much of the work was quietly shocking with its overt female sexuality, embodied in the images of splay-legged figures, collaged breasts, full lips and glazed eyes. This all lends to the idea of female sexual power, but at once, we are also invited to consider the frailty of this apparent power to exploitation with the vivid distortion of these feminine forms. I went back the same evening to see if the work had the same effect. On second look, much of the art seemed more beautiful, losing the shock the random and eclectic collage pieces and magazine cutouts had had on initial inspection. Now, all that struck me was the beautiful array of colours, shapes and figures highlighted by the use glitter and accenting the surreal and dreamlike quality of much of the work.

Mutu, The Bride who married a Camel's Head, 2009

The installations traverse the shanty towns and slums of Cape Town, Rio with their makeshift environment of improvised shacks made from leftover building materials and plastic refuse to the clinical with nascent consumerism in Mutu’s own experiences of post-1990 Berlin. With this broad context Mutu tackles issues of needless waste and pervasive commoditisation with images of glamour, glossy magazine cutouts and other more mundane materials such as refuse sacks, felt and twine. Mutu uses these materials and media, which extend outside what the artist describes as the ‘White Cube’ of western modern art, without making her African heritage the basis of her work. Instead much of the exhibition speaks of alienation and transience of people in the modern age and the residual dilution of cultural identity rooted, traditionally, in historic and nationalistic and even racial constructs.

Wangechi Mutu, the artist in her studio

As Deutsche Bank’s Artist of the Year, Mutu has created in My Dirty Little Heaven something more than a retrospective, something special, which has the power to comfort, excite and at times, disturb. Go see it at Wiel’s Centre for Contemporary Art from 25th June to 12th September 2010.

The first, shot at Delvaux, was projected during the party, greeting and entertaining guests whilst waiting to get in.

The second, shot during the exhibition’s Collectors’ Brunch, gets some of the exhibiting artists talking.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpOSz8toD8Q http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=267SkWQdx3A

And here are some pictures Melika took at both the opening and the party itself.

Words Alex Deforce, photography Gunter Blokken

Precinct 5's Tom wearing Nike Sportswear AW77 hoodie by South-African artist Kronk, Nike Sportswear kit tee by Kronk, Norse Projects pants and Nike Sportswear Dunk High AC by Kronk from the Nike Sportswear Six collaborations with a "State of the Art" Twist

Precinct 5's Tom wearing Nike Sportswear AW77 hoodie by South African artist Kronk and a Nike Sportswear kit tee by Kronk from the Nike Sportswear Six collaborations with a "State of the Art" Twist

Nike Sportswear Dunk High AC by South African artist Kronk from the Nike Sportswear Six collaborations with a "State of the Art" Twist

“Precinct 5 is a logical next step after years of running sneaker store Patta together with Edson”, says Mr. Wix. “The shop is located in a former precinct, police station number 5. The beautiful thing about the P5 store is the modular system we’ve gotten designed for the location. Since the opening we’ve changed the set-up already three times. We’ve recently started with Nike Stadiums as well, so from now on we’ll be developing projects together with Nike.”

Precinct 5 store

Malwin Wix aka Mr. Wix wearing a long sleeve t-shirt by Nike Sportswear, Levi's Denham-Enplus 495 jeans and Nike Air Footscape Freemotion by Mister Cartoon from the Nike Sportswear Six collaborations with a "State of the Art" Twist

Precinct 5's Denia is wearing Nike Sportswear tank by UK artist James Jarvis from the Nike Sportswear Six collaborations with a "State of the Art" Twist and a shirt by Folk

Nike Sportswear LunarLite Rejuven8 Mid by James Jarvis from the Nike Sportswear Six collaborations with a "State of the Art" Twist)

Here’s what Delta had to say about repping his country the World Cup way: “It’s fun to work within the constraints given by this type of work, as opposed to what I do in my personal work. This is of course in my style, but let’s say that this was made with my designer cap on, while the rest is with my artist cap on. I’ll always experiment, but with this World Cup concept for instance, I had to experiment within the limits of four colours: black, white, orange and blue. The best thing was the tight deadline. For some reason that calms me down, whereas with exhibits, I’m stressing out like crazy. For this one, I had my work done on time, amazingly.” Delta, aka Boris Tellegen, has created a geometric world with his art that is a colourful reflection of the constructivist movement that brings to mind both block-like cities as well as pixelized digital environments. His artwork for the assortment is an extension of his blocky visual language: the boxy mascot is a simple-yet-dynamic running man, the crest is a cubic puzzle of numbers, and the font is heavy as concrete.

Precinct 5's Tom is wearing a Precinct 5 white tee, a Nike N98 track jacket by Dutch artist Delta and Nike LunarLite Chukka Woven by Delta from the Nike Sportswear Six collaborations with a "State of the Art" Twist

Dutch artist Delta on his bike outside Precinct 5

Each collaboration includes classic staples of the brand like the N98 Track Jacket, AW 77 hoodie, kit tee, polo shirt and short for both men and women; a tee for men and tank for women. Each kit includes a selection of Nike Sportswear footwear coordinated with the apparel. The Football Six collection can be found in selected shops throughout the world such as Precinct 5 in Amsterdam or Colette in Paris. Some items from the collection can be bought online in the Nike store.

Photography Melika Ngombe.

The serie’s first image will also be making a short appearance in our May edition, out this Friday. Subscription info available from here.

So you have it, our second exhibition. This time, we’ve gone for something a little closer to home, presenting the works of five of the magazine’s photographers: Ulrike Biets, Sébastien Bonin, Kris De Smedt, Sarah Eechaut and Sarah Michielsen.

The show opens on Friday 23rd April, from 18h00, in the centre of Brussels. Strong work, free drinks and a good vibe. Come and have a look.

Attend (or not) on Facebook by clicking here

To put it in the words of the game’s creator: “…The game is to be played as often as you can, in order to be prepared for any kind of disaster. The game is to be played with anything you can lay your hands on as a pawn. You just have to feel that this button or sipping top or whatever you use has the potential to represent you and save the earth. Best played with two or three survivors. You’re free to decide what to do with them when you reach the centre square and win the game.”

Monopoly it ain’t. Then again they say love is the new green…

Illustrations Félicie Haymoz, photography Aggloweb

A pawn of choice

The domino was covered in shiny tacky stickers. When it fell on the "I love you" sticker, she had to kiss all of us. Love conquers all... yet she sort of lost the game.

That's my blue bird of paradise car! I came second, thanks to its powerfull non-toxic engine.

The five of us were full of Christmas cake and eager to win the race...

The winner of the game, the Red Horse gave a vigorous speech about how wooden toys would overcome and save the earth.

This is a good demonstration of how to hide under the table when you cross the TWISTER path on number 36. Also, you'll need a huge stack of chocolates to eat when arriving in the Swiss Shelter.

Photography Yassin Serghini, Art direction Melisande McBurnie, Defacto model Lalita Davis

The shot we ran with

For Amazon links:

Design Revolution (Thames & Hudson), Remake it Home (Thames & Hudson), Birth of the Cool (Prestel Publishing), Like Lipstick Traces (Dokument Press), Men in the Cities (Schirmer/Mosel), 60 Innovators Shaping our Creative Future (Thames & Hudson), Tatoo Book (Maurizio Carraini)

Tryouts

And more tryouts

First off, the six photographs we ran with in The Morning After Issue. Then, the unprintable ones…

And now for those you weren’t supposed to see….