Shhh, I’m thinking! Or: last days for summer exhibitions at Wiels (Brussels)

Still a couple of weeks to visit most summer exhibitions, but at Wiels (Brussels) the shows already end this weekend, with a special finissage. That’s why I’d like to quickly draw your attention to one of the finer exhibitions I’ve seen this summer: During The Exhibition The Studio Will Be Close. A group show curated by Lorenzo Benedetti, who curated Mark Manders’ show for the Dutch pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2013 and who was recently appointed director of De Appel, Amsterdam. He chose work by 8 artists who were involved in the Wiels residency programme (some 80 artists have been selected since 2007). Maybe it’s not a perfect show and maybe not all the works presented are that exceptional, but I liked walking around in those two rooms, imagining how these artists, in their studios, are wondering which way to go, what material to use, trying to find their own ‘voice’. And of course, just in case you might find this show disappointing, Wiels has plenty more to offer: Rossella Biscotti, Robert Heinecken and Allen Ruppersberg. The fall shows at Wiels will open September 11 (Ana Torfs) and 25 (Mark Leckey).

Gallery opening of the year? Five galleries open their doors at 67 Regentschapsstraat / Rue de la Régence (Brussels)

Opening of the year? It certainly looked like a smaller version of the Art Brussels vernissage. There even was a security agent blocking the entrance, making people queue to get in, as it was too crowded. I’m talking about the opening of 67, as in: Regentschapsstraat/Rue de la Régence number 67, the new art hotspot in Brussels. The office of Editions Bruylant, a publishing firm specialising in law, used to be there, now it’s the home of five contemporary art galleries: Jan Mot and Catherine Bastide (who have left the Dansaert area), Micheline Szwajcer (who left Antwerp), Waldburger (used to be near Hallepoort/Porte de Hal) and MonChéri (joint venture of two galleries from Paris: Valentin and Jeanroch Dard). Impossible, with the crowd, to get a good impression of the art (David Lamelas at Jan Mot, Ann Veronica Janssens at Szwajcer, Sarah Crowner at Bastide…), but the building sure looked great. Nice to notice also that the galleries seem to have managed to keep a different ‘feel’: the librarylike Jan Mot and a more classic gallery look for Szwajcer, both in the stately front part of the building, and the more New Yorkish, industrial loft feel of the building at the back, where the printing used to be done. A place to discover, now the Duvel and champagne sipping crowds have left.

Private home, plenty of drawings: ‘Forcefield’ at Institut De Carton (Brussels)

For the love of art. With all those stories about the art market, auction records and wealthy collectors, one might forget that some are actually really doing it just for the love of art. Take A.VE.NU.DE.JET.TE/Institut De Carton (Brussels) for instance, a place worth visiting these days for Forcefield – Drawing show, an exhibition focusing on drawings, with work by some 30 artists, such as Jos de Gruyter & Harald Thys, Mark Manders, Valérie Mannaerts, Bernd Lohaus and Philippe Vandenberg. Institut De Carton is run by a couple of artists and the exhibitions take place at the home of one of them, Henri Jacobs. Using their wide network of artists and collectors, they are able set up interesting shows such as Forcefield. Aglaia Konrad, one of the Carton-artists, is presently showing work at Netwerk (Aalst, through June 15), while Henri Jacobs is presenting 550 of his ‘journal drawings’ at Stedelijk Museum Schiedam (Holland), through August 31. Last day to visit Forcefield at Institut De Carton: Saturday June 14 (2-6 pm). At 4 pm a special event will take place: some of the artists in the exhibition will jointly draw a ‘cadavre exquis‘.

Selfie heaven for art lovers: ‘Man In The Mirror’ at Vanhaerents Art Collection (Brussels)

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It could be selfie heaven for art lovers, with all the mirrors. But alas, it is strictly forbidden to take pictures. Man In The Mirror (the reference to Michael Jackson is intended) is the title of the great new exhibition at the Vanhaerents Art Collection, that remarkable exhibition space in the centre of Brussels, devoted to the collection of Belgian private collector Walter Vanhaerents. The new show (co-curated by former Tate curator Emma Dexter) comprises work by some 40 international artists, such as Sterling Ruby, Bill Viola, David Altmejd and Elmgreen & Dragset. Once again, it’s proof of how Vanhaerents is used to seeing things on a bigger scale: there is not a single smaller work to be found in the show. Man In The Mirror will run through October 2017. As well on view (through January 30, 2016) is Philippe Parreno‘s large scale video installation Marilyn (2012). Individual visits: every first Saturday of the month, after inscription. Guided group visits: every first & third Saturday of the month. Info here.

Karaoke with Kafka… and seven dancers: Daniel Linehan’s ‘Karaoke Dialogues’

He sure is a smart thinker. But this time it seems Daniel Linehan has done a bit too much thinking. With the unfortunate result that the gifted, Belgium-based American choreographer has squeezed much of the air out of his newest piece. The Karaoke Dialogues? Seven dancers reading aloud fragments from literary classics that appear on tv-screens, while they dance. When describing a karaoke night you would probably be choosing words such as loose, funny, spontaneous and light. For Linehan’s take on karaoke, my guess is spectators will be ending up with words as formal, cerebral and tedious.

A dusty chunk of folded space: Peter Buggenhout’s ‘Distant Proximity Piece’

‘Great chunks of folded space’, New York Times-critic Roberta Smith recently wrote about Peter Buggenhout‘s work, in her review of the Belgian artist’s first show at that ever so important Gladstone Gallery in New York. ‘They add to a tradition of junk sculpture that begins with Picasso, but they relate especially to the crushed metal forms of John Chamberlain and Nancy Rubins.’ I just wanted to remind you that one of those dusty chunks of folded space is currently on view at Centrale For Contemporary Art (Brussels), that exhibition space that is still having a hard time trying to find its place in the Brussels art scene. Buggenhout’s work has beautifully been ‘dropped’ in the central hall of the exhibition space, for Distant Proximity (through June 6), an exhibition focusing on ‘seeing as a feeling’, comprising work by 10 artists. Buggenhout has just been selected as one of the 51 artists for the next Taipei Biennial, together with 2 other Belgian artists, Harold Ancart and Patrick Van Caeckenbergh. His work is currently featured in an exhibition (through July 18) at Fondazione Giuliani in Rome as well.

Exploding buckets and erupting volcanos, or ‘J’ai toujours voulu rencontrer un volcan’, by Gwendoline Robin

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All of a sudden: a fire, and a gust of heat that makes you quickly step back. Or how Gwendoline Robin succeeds, seemingly out of nothing, in what she set out to do: to arrange an encounter with a volcano for you. J’ai toujours voulu rencontrer un volcan, is the title of her performance: I’ve always wanted to meet a volcano. The Belgian visual/performance artist premiered it during Kunstenfestivaldesarts (Brussels), at a fitting location: the huge, empty customs depots of Tour & Taxis.

Twelve years in the making, finally finished: Mark Manders at Zeno X (Antwerp)

I don’t know why it gets to me, but every time I see his work, it does. A combination of fragility, beauty, childish naivety, a touch of elusiveness and mystery? Something like that? Anyway: two of his works have just been bought by Bonnefantenmuseum (Maastricht), the centre piece of his exhibition at the Dutch pavilion in Venice last year, has been acquired by MoMA (New York), and a new work of his will be installed in Central Park (NY) in the autumn, following a commission of the Public Art Fund. So, Mark Manders must be doing something right. His current show at Zeno X (Antwerp, through May 31) comprises Staged Android (reduced to 88%), presented at Documenta 11 (2002). The Belgium-based Dutch artist has continued to work on the piece and now, 12 years later, he considers it to be fully completed. And pay close attention, if you visit this small but excellent exhibition: what looks like clay, is often painted bronze. Manders currently has an exhibition in Italy too, at Collezioni Maramotti (the ‘Max Mara’ collection) in Reggio Emilia. The reason why I’m saying this, is because a part of thát collection is presently on view at Maison Particulière (Brussels, through June 29). More images of the Zeno X works here.

Ouch! Or how Jan Fabre will cure your brain (Galerie Daniel Templon, Brussels)

How I imagine a lot of people from the Brussels art scene must have felt, the morning after Art Brussels closed its doors. Rear View Mirror (2013) is the centre piece – it’s yours for 350.000 euro – of what Galerie Daniel Templon claims to be Jan Fabre‘s first gallery show in Brussels (through May 31). Do we feel with our brain and think with our heart? comprises mostly sculptures in white Carrara marble, plus a film for which the Belgian artist interviewed neurobiologist Giacomo Rizzolatti. Fabre has been in a coma twice, and remembers seeing a white tunnel. That’s why he has chosen to work with white marble. And he considers the brain to be some kind of bridge between life and death. More Fabre, for those of you living in Brussels: Cinematek is showing Doctor Fabre will cure you by Pierre Coulibeuf, at Flagey (till June 5). It’s the experimental documentary that caused a stir in Belgium, two years ago, when some cats were thrown in the air, in Antwerp’s town hall, during the filming. Other news: Stigmata, Actions et Performances 1976-2013, Fabre’s first retrospective about his activities as a performance artist, that was presented at MAXXI (Rome) last year, will travel to M HKA (Antwerp) in March 2015. More images of Fabre’s exhibition at Daniel Templon here.

Straight-facedly in search of the superlative of slow motion: Maria Hassabi’s ‘Premiere’

Funny how the dullest evenings in a theater can be the ones that stay with you the longest. Whereas the only thing you could think while you were watching the performance, was: hope this ends soon. But when you’re home, you realize the questions keep your mind busy. Why on earth did they do what they were doing? What was it they wanted me to experience? Premiere, by Cyprus-born, New York-based, director/choreographer Maria Hassabi, whose work (aptly described by The Financial Times) ‘appears as often in white boxes as in black’.

How a tiny gallery from Brussels (and Tris Vonna-Michell) could win the Turner Prize

In a world where everyone and everything seems to be focused on ‘big, bigger, biggest’, it’s a comforting thought that the small ones can be winners too. Even if they’re from Belgium. (I’m talking about art galleries, of course.) Who would have thought that a solo show in a tiny gallery in Brussels would be nominated for the Turner Prize, celebrating it’s 30th year but still Britain’s most important prize for contemporary art? Cause that is what has happened.

A 92-year-old lady, an anarchist, an Afghan refugee, 51 women and 49 men, ánd one dog: ‘100% Brussels’ (Rimini Protokoll)

You wonder how they pull it off. On stage: 100 people, a group that is an exact representation of the city these 100 individuals are living in, Brussels. Women, men, older people (the oldest participant is 92) and children. Belgian citizens and foreigners, and of course a couple of illegal immigrants. (That’s why there are actually… 105 people on stage.) Through the answers all of them give to lots of questions 100% Brussels should teach you a thing or two about Brussels. The performance, by Berlin-based Rimini Protokoll, was one of the opening performances of this year’s Kunstenfestivaldesarts (Brussels).

All you need is… two straight lines, a circle and a red triangle (Walter Swennen’s ‘Le Grand Mogol’ at Xavier Hufkens, Brussels)

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A couple of straight black lines, a circle and a red triangle. Sometimes you don’t need much. I must have stared for at least 15 minutes at Le Grand Mogol (2014), the centre piece of Walter Swennen‘s show at Xavier Hufkens (Brussels, last day today; his first since his retrospective at Wiels). With that big belly and those two tiny black feet, a painting a child could have made. It’s these sort of encounters that bring me back to art. That reconcile me with a world that seems to have been taken over by numbers, by fairs, auctions and collectors, with a world that seems to have become an other world than the one that made me hooked to contemporary art. In this particular case, there’s a simplicity, a sense of poetry and unobtrusiveness that really appeals to me. In that way, it reminded me of Cathy Wilke‘s show at the same gallery earlier this year, comprising one work that made an equally strong impression. (images: courtesy Xavier Hufkens, Brussels)

 

An unusual poster campaign and a pink carpet: Kunstenfestivaldesarts takes over Brussels

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Don’t get annoyed if someone is staring into your eyes too intently, one of these. He or she is just obeying the orders of Tim Etchells, one of the guests of the Kunstenfestivaldesarts (Brussels), kicking off tonight and running through May 24. Apart from an exhibition and a performance the British artist, known for his theatre work with Forced Entertainment, presents a poster campaign with quotes from people who are for one reason or the other not allowed to vote on May 25 (election day in Belgium). ‘Don’t forget to look other people in the eyes’ is one of them. This year the festival center (box office, bar, party’s…) is located at an unusual place: the old Marivaux cinema (Boulevard A. Max 98). Do look at the floor, as you’re entering the building: the pink carpet has been chosen by Belgian visual artist duo Sarah & Charles. They have decorated the rest of the place as well, and named their project The Cover-Up.  As I paid the center a visit earlier today, they were still constructing and painting several of their props. Remarkable for this international contemporary theatre and dance festival: about a third of all productions is by local artists or international guests who present projects focused on Brussels. All info here.

 

Art Brussels: 190 galleries, 2.000 artists, 30.000 visitors, 3 days… An incomplete quick tour

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Art Brussels: 190 contemporary art galleries, more than 2.000 artists and probably 30.000 visitors, in 3 days. Curated by Katerina Gregos, and with a programme that tries to be a little bit different. With for instance a modest exhibition focusing on works from Belgian private collections (Portrait of the Collector as a Work of Art). With 29 solo shows, plus 6 thematic group shows selected by Gregos for the Curator’s View section. The most exciting, refreshing part of the fair? Probably the corner with 6 not-for-profit spaces, each presenting a special project for the fair. Just before Art Brussels opened its doors for the vernissage, and just before the crowds arrived, I did a quick tour.

To step or not to step on that black carpet: ‘The Body Decides’ (Franz Erhard Walther, Wiels, Brussels)

Visitor participation. It takes courage. Certainly in the solemn, highbrow environment of a contemporary art museum. And however tempted I felt, I lacked that courage too, upon visiting The Body Decides (Wiels, Brussels, through May 11). It is one of the largest retrospectives to date of German artist Franz Erhard Walther, emphasizing the participation and process at the heart of his practice, bringing together key pieces from the late 1950s and early 1960s, lots of sculptural elements, drawings and photographs, and Walther’s seminal First Work Set (1963-69). Copies of 15 elements from that Work Set (there are 58 pieces in total) can be manipulated by visitors. Pictures on the wall show you how to do so. Some of those pieces can be handled by one person, others have to be manipulated in group. But it takes courage to step on that mat and unfold a piece of fabric. So come on, take your friends to Wiels, and make this somewhat sterile looking corner of this interesting exhibition come alive. Or: book your ticket for a demonstration by the artist, April 26, here. More pics after the jump.

Mind your head: iron out of control in a room full of smog (HeHe at Aeroplastics, Brussels)

There’s a rope. But even without it, you wouldn’t think of stepping into that room. Because it looks as if that flying iron could hit you any minute. And then there’s the threatening, hissing sound it makes as it releases steam. Once again Aeroplastics proves its position as one of the more peculiar galleries in Brussels. Most of the time their shows are too over the top to be my thing, but I rather liked Anthroposphere (through March 15). It is the first Belgian show by Paris-based duo HeHe (Helen Evans & Heiko Hansen). Their works focus on the conflictual relation between the unbridled quest for new energy and our fragile environment. They were awarded the Golden Nica in Linz in 2008 (Belgian artist Koen Van Mechelen received the award last year). Apart from that crazy iron, you’ll find a nuclear plant plunged in an aquarium, a flooded room with an oil platform, and a hilarious video with a toy car in the streets of NY. The works will make you smile & think. And it’s exactly the show to visit, now we’re having to deal with a two-day smog alarm in this country. More pics here.

Band of outsiders in a renovated warehouse: celebrating 40 years of Albert Baronian

Still haven’t set foot in CAB, that rather impressive exhibition space near Flagey (Brussels)? That renovated warehouse from the 1930s turned into a private contemporary art center? Hurry up then, as it is hosting (through March 15) a nice exhibition celebrating four decades of Baronian, one of the longest running contemporary art galleries in Brussels. Bande à Part (‘band of outsiders’, a reference to a 1964 Jean Luc Godard movie) showcases the work of a dozen Belgian artists (or foreign artists working in Belgium), such as Thomas Bogaert, Fiona Mackay, Robert Devriendt and Helmut Stallaerts. Can’t make it to CAB this week? No worries, next up at CAB is Pionnières (March 28-April 6) bringing together works from renowned women artists (Louise Bourgeois, Marlene Dumas, Tracy Emin, Cindy Sherman) from private collections. Out Of Character (April 23- June 7) looks really promising: a special project with new work created by 8 artists not represented by a gallery, generously financed by 8 Belgian/French collectors. At Baronian, in the meanwhile, you’ll find work by Mekhitar Garabedian (through March 29).

BOOK OF THE MONTH: ‘Belgian Solutions’, or 300 traces of odd ways of tackling problems

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One for the foreign readers of this blog, as this amusing tiny photography book has already received ample coverage in the Belgian press. Understandably, as it is a book tapping into something we Belgians feel is typically, but at the same time rather inexplicably… Belgian. Belgian Solutions (published by MER. Paper Kunsthalle) gathers ‘over 300 images of witty, absurd and at times hilarious hands-on solutions for our everyday environment’. It started as a private project, but by now lots of people have already contributed pictures. After the jump Brussels-based artist David Helbich offers some explanation.

What are you grinning at? Ugo Rondinone at Sorry We’re Closed (Brussels)

Note to self: must drive past Sorry We’re Closed more often in 2014. Still one of the oddest galleries in Brussels (and by now a copied formula): just a storefront window, but one often presenting nice art. Such as that grinning face by Ugo Rondinone right now (through December 26). I can’t help but think that it is mocking the Xmas rush. All those people passing by in a hurry, on their way to the Christmas market, or stressing: where to find that very special gift. Well, umm, if you can afford to spend a few euro’s more: right here, for instance. The sculpture is actually drawing attention to a jewellery project by Rondinone: seven masks (one for each day of the week) in 23 carat gold, made in collaboration with goldsmith Pierre Hugo (whose father used to be Picasso’s jeweller). Info here. And for those who might be thinking: I’ve seen that face before… Indeed: Rondinone’s series of Sunrise East sculptures was on view in the garden of Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens (Deurle) in 2010.