What’s on in Belgium this week: Fashion in Brussels, an art festival in Ghent, a concert in Brussels, photography in Antwerp, and more. See you there!

Shopping: Vide dressing at Epaulé Jeté

Tuesday, 18th March, 18h00-21h00 Brussels

Spring is just around the corner, the perfect time to get rid of your heavy knit sweaters and update your closet with some light, summery pieces. You can do so this Tuesday at one of Place Flagey’s nicest bars, Epaulé Jeté, which is hosting a vide dressing event in its premises.  A great way to get your hands on some cool second hand clothes with a drink in your hand and music in the background – even the boyfriends won’t get bored.

Art festival: Tumultingent#2

Wednesday, 19th March, 16h00 Ghent

This Wednesday artists are taking over the city of Ghent. Besides the usual suspects as museums and galleries even cinemas and clothing shops are participating, and artists open their studios to the public. The festival is the result of a collaboration of culture platform tumult.fm and renowned art school KASK, offering an eclectic, genre-crossing programme which includes established artists as well as newcomers. Discover Antwerp-based graphic design duo Cox & Grusenmeyer at underwear boutique La Fille d’O, have a look at artists’ personal working spaces in the Nucleo studios, check out Icelandic artist Sigtryggur Berg Sigmarsson’s performances at Tatjana Pieters Gallery, dive into the Belgian music scene by watching “The Sound of Belgium” at the Sphinx cinema or check out American-born Maggie Michael’s fascinating works at Cecilia Jaime Gallery. Photography fans should not miss out on Belgian talents Sarah Eechaut at Paddenhoek, Stine Sampers at Campo Victoria and Athos Burez at Ydee. And if your legs can still carry you after all this exhibition hopping there’s a concert and an after party at Café Charlatan. Phew.

Opening: Gemini – MAP#19 at KASK

Wednesday, 19th March, 16h00-22h00 Ghent

The duo show opening on Wednesday at Ghent’s renowned KASK art school displays the works of two very talented KASK Photography Master students: Pauline Miko, living and working in Ghent, and Antwerp-based Ode de Kort. Pauline’s works have a gentle, peaceful and delicate touch to them and her works have been published in publications as The Word Magazine and New York-based Capricious. Her series from Iceland and South Dakota which you can check out here are especially captivating. Ode has a particular interest in “absurd reality”, as she calls it, and is fascinated by space, humans and materials. A great opportunity to discover the photography generation of tomorrow.

Concert: Sophia at Botanique

Thursday, 20th March, 19h30 Brussels

Indie pop outfit Sophia especially made a name for themselves with 2004’s “People Are Like Seasons”, featuring the beautifully sad “Oh My Love”, a tune which became an indie hit especially in Germany and Belgium. Sophia, citing Neil Young and Sparklehorse as influences, are currently working on their eighth longplay effort and at Brussels’ Botanique you’ll be able to catch a preview of the upcoming album this Thursday. Judging from their newly released song “It’s easy to be lonely” it will once again encompass the typical Sophie melancholy we grew to love them for.

Opening: Broom &Chanarin, Rinko Kawauchi, Ed van der Elsken at FoMu

Thursday, 20th March, 20h00 Antwerp

Antwerp’s FoMu invites you to the opening of no less than three exhibition this Thursday, a vernissage accompanied by the sounds of Brussels-based DJ Sushiflow. “Everything was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt” takes a comprehensive look at the multifaceted creations of the last 17 years by London-based artist duo Adam Broomberg and Oliver Chanarin. Their works often tackle social and political issues and earned them the prestigious Deutsche Börse Prize for photography. Ed van der Elsken’s “Love on the Left Bank” takes you to post-war Paris, portraying the universe of its existentialist bohemians while Japanese photographer Rinko Kawauchi draws the viewer in with her pure compositions and poetic visual language. There’s an artist talk with Rinko on Friday.

Opening: Erik van der Weijde at Stilll Gallery

Friday, 21st March, 18h00 Antwerp

With “Unrecounted” Antwerp’s Stilll Gallery hosts Erik van der Weijde’s very first solo show in Belgium. The Dutch artist based in Brazil has created about 40 books and zines over the years, published by his own publishing house 7784 Zine as well as Kaugummi Books or Roma Publications. The photographer and zine aficionado is especially fascinated by architecture and at the opening of the exhibition he will also present his new book “Third Reich” which deals once again with German architecture during the Nazi era.

Opening: Carrefour at Komplot

Friday, 21st March, 18h00-22h00 Brussels

This week Brussels’ non-profit art space Komplot invites you to the opening of the group exhibition “Carrefour”. The expo brings together works from four different artists: German Wolfgang Fütterer, Swedish-born Karl Larsson, Caroline Pekle from France and American Nicolas Matranga. What they all have in common: their home-base, Berlin.

Party meets fashion: LA BOUM JACQUEMUS at Hunting and Collecting

Saturday, 22nd March, 19h00-04h00 Brussels

This Saturday Brussels’ leading concept store Hunting and Collecting throws a party to present Jacquemus’ new spring/summer 2014 collection “La Grande Motte”. It starts out at the shop in the presence of the designer Simon Porte Jacqemus himself and continues till the early morning hours just around the corner at Jour de fête. Behind the decks: Pop Rules, SixSixSixties, Röze and Herman de Brou. Not only for fashionistas.

Night out: Familietrek

Saturday, 22nd March, 22h30 Brussels

This Saturday sees the third edition of Familietrek, one of Brussels’ freshest and most recent party concepts aiming at reconciling a proper night out with a cozy house party. Hosted each time in a cool loft space, Familietrek comes back to Ixelles this weekend, offering a line-up which promises everything from Funk and House to Techno and Disco. Judging from the last sold-out editions you should hurry and pre-book your ticket here!

Opening and book launch: Lara Gasparotto at Stieglitz

Sunday, 23rd March, 15h00 Antwerp

Liège-born Lara Gasparotto, being hotly tipped for a while now as one of tomorrow’s biggest Belgian photography stars, is known for her spontaneous , intimate approach and images celebrating life and liberty. Antwerp’s Stieglitz Gallery now showcases  a selection of new works by the rising twenty-something under the name “Rivages” which is also the title of Lara’s brand new book to be launched at the opening.

See you there!

Cover picture Sasha Vernaeve