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The week in Belgium from 21 to 27 April

Your arty agenda for Brussels and beyond, from a group show in a former Ostend hair salon to an indie rock birthday bash in the capital.

Art marathon: Art Brussels week

From 24 to 27 April Brussels

Art Brussels venue

It’s that time of year again when the art world descends upon the Belgian capital for what is one of the oldest art fairs in Europe. But what’s great about Art Brussels is – besides the fair itself, whose big size might not be for everyone – how it brings out the best of the city’s art scene as a whole. Brussels brims with openings, off events, studio open doors and more this week. Don’t miss the arrival of a new gallery in Brussels, Galerie Fontana, and local collective WillieWillieStudio invites you to their inaugural group exhibition, ‘Somehow We Manage‘, at Reset Atelier. 

Last days: OH! SEE at Ozee

25 and 26 April, 14-18h00 Ostend

Painting by Lieven Pyfferoen on view at Oh See! in Ostend

Lieven Pyfferoen

The Belgian art scene extends far beyond your usual suspects, Antwerp and Brussels. This weekend, head to seaside town Ostend, more specifically to a former hair salon, to get your art fix. It’s the last weekend of the group show OH! SEE, which features 14 different artists. From Lieven Pyfferoen’s paintings seeking to be outside the triangle of landscape, abstraction and still life and Martine Laquiere’s conceptual photography to Clive Barke’s metal versions of everyday consumer objects and Wannes Van Wijnsberghe’s paintings on wooden panels inspired by Japanese wood block art, the exhibition is worth the trip. Its curator is Philippe Braem, who runs the nomadic project [bu’ro], which, after stops in Oudenaarde, Brussels and Liège, has now found a permanent home at the Belgian sea.

Night out: Brussels Calling at Madame Moustache

Friday, 25 April, 22h00 Brussels

Libertines in the early days

The Libertines (Source: NME)

Indie rock parties seem to be an endangered species these days. At Madame Moustache, Brussels Calling is reviving the early 2000s with a night dedicated to the best the genre has to offer, from The Strokes to Arctic Monkeys. At the same time, it’s celebrating its 10th anniversary: “Snap Out Of It, they said, It’s just a Hype. A Fad that will blow over When The Sun Goes Down, but 10 Years On, We Are still Looking Good On That Dancefloor.” So take out that red lipstick and dust off your old leather jacket – happy hour runs till midnight.

Print Out Loud at Young European Artists

From 25th to 27th April Brussels

7 artworks by Young European Artists in postcard sizeThis weekend sees the very first edition of the Print Out Loud Festival, spotlighting artistic practices related to printmaking and publishing. This time, it takes place in a multi-level space in Ixelles, which has been taken over – under the helm of the organisation Young European Artists – by dozens of creatives, from visual artists and photographers to designers and musicians. If you’re interested in discovering fresh talent this is the place to be: The festival, supported by Brussels cultural venue Botanique, is dedicated to showcasing emerging artistic practices, with a special focus on artist multiples and limited editions.

Cover photo: Romane Iskaria for Young European Artists, Brussels