Music and art openings in Brussels, books in Ghent, more exhibitions in Antwerp, and more things to do in Belgium this week.

Concert: Greylag at Botanique

Tuesday, 18 November, 20h00 Brussels

We discovered Greylag this fall, when they made a pit stop in Brussels on their European promo tour. Their self-titled debut album released on Dead Oceans directly stuck a chord with us and is definitely a highlight among the folk rock releases this year. This Tuesday you can discover the rising three-piece from Portland, the city of microbreweries, coffee aficionados and home of Kinfolk magazine, live on stage at Brussels’ Botanique.

Talk: Komplot at Cervantes Institute Brussels

Wednesday, 19 November, 19h00 Brussels

Brussels art space Komplot takes over the Cervantes Institute this Wednesday for an artist talk on the occasion of Komplot’s current exhibition “Bright Like A Diamond”. Sarah&Charles and Carles Congost will give insight into the expo as well as their artistic practices in a conversation with curators with Laurence Dujardyn and Alberto García del Castillo.

Opening: Sébastien Bonin at Island Gallery

Thursday, 20 November, 18h00 Brussels

At Offprint, a fair for independent books and self-publishers this weekend in Paris, Sébastien Bonin’s photo book presented by Brussels’ Théophile’s Papers quickly caught our eye. His images are colourful and poetic, and after having recently participated in exhibitions at Super Dakota and Bozar, Island now presents a solo show of the rising Belgian artist, “Salon Indien”. The exhibition also inaugurates Island’s new space in Rue du Mail.

Books and more: Riot opening night

Thursday, 10 November, 18h00 Ghent

Equally present at this weekend’s Offprint book fair was Jurgen Maelfeyt, the founder of Ghent-based publishing imprint APE, which for instance released The Molem Collective earlier this year, a slightly bizarre but awesome record featuring a sneaker lover who talks about his favorite shoes. This week Jurgen launches a brand new endeavor: Riot, his very own book shop, focusing on independent international publishers of course, from Spector Books to Roma Publications. Make sure to come to the opening night this Thursday in Ghent: there’ll be performances by Pieterjan Ginckels and Hana Miletic and more.

Cinema: David Lynch at Galeries

From Friday 21 November until 1 March Brussels

American cult director David Lynch needs no introduction. Twin Peaks, Lost Highway or Mulholland Drive are absolute classics and a must for movie fans and film students alike. Brussels’ Galeries now dedicates not only an extensive retrospective to the filmmaker, but also presents “Small Stories”, an exhibition showcasing a selection of Lynch’s photographs, who’s also a musician and visual artist. The owls are not what they seem…

Opening: Vincent Delbrouck and Max Pinckers at Stieglitz 19

Sunday, 23 November, 16h00 Antwerp

A must-see duo exhibition kicks off at Antwerp’s Stieglitz 19 Gallery this week, bringing together some of Belgium’s (or at least Belgium-based) hottest contemporary photographers: Vincent Delbrouck and Max Pinckers. They both have made quite a name for themselves with their self-published photo books, and in this fascinating show Vincent presents images from his book “As Dust Alights” as well as new works from Cuba while Max exposes photographs from the series “Will They Sing Like Raindrops Or Leave Me Thirsty”.

Art: Neighbour Day at Extra City

Sunday, 23 November, 10-18h00 Antwerp

In an attempt to make art more accessible, Antwerp art space Extra City hosts a so-called “Neighbour Day” this weekend, openings its doors to the locals and everyone else. On the menu are free guided tours, a workshop led by artist Navid Nuur, food, drinks and special activities for little ones. The perfect programme for a family-friendly Sunday!

Cover photo Lisa Lapierre