Kicking off a new series of guest-curated agendas, we pass the pen to someone deeply rooted in the Belgian art scene: Thiernaud Panier. Born in Mons, he moved to Brussels six years ago, starting his art career at Galerie Nathalie Obadia before taking the reins of Galerie Eric Mouchet’s Brussels branch earlier this year. For him, “Bruxelles ma belle remains, for me, the best of all European capitals: a vibrant ecosystem where theatres and underground scenes, modern and contemporary art, concert halls and bar showcases, institutions and galleries, antique dealers and art merchants, cabarets and queer stages all coexist in a living, inclusive, and constantly evolving landscape.” His selection is not only a tribute to Brussels, but also to the Walloon cities Mons and Namur, part of the region where he spent his childhood years. See you there!
Our agenda guest curator Thiernaud Panier. Photo by Amélie Bataille
Exhibition: Magical Realism at Wiels
From 29 May to 28 September Brussels
Daniel Steegmann Mangrané © The artist and Mendes Wood DM
How could one suggest five cultural events for the week without mentioning the opening of ‘Magical Realism: Imagining Natural Dis/order‘ at Wiels on May 28? As one of Brussels’ leading institutions (and conveniently close to Galerie Eric Mouchet) Wiels once again delivers a powerful exhibition, this time exploring the relationship between ecology, myth, and reality. Through works that blend painting, installation, sound, and moving image, the artists invoke a magical sensibility to question our connection to a damaged natural world. The result is a necessary and poetic exhibition — at times uneven, but always rich in ideas and resonance.
Late night art: Timeless Gazes at Villa Empain
Friday, 30 May, until 21h00 Brussels
It’s hard to be objective when speaking about Villa Empain, the place where my professional journey began. But there’s no denying that this Art Deco jewel, a staple of Brussels’ cultural scene and home to the Boghossian Foundation for the past 15 years, continues to offer a program that is both coherent and daring. The ‘Friday Late’ is a perfect example: a chance to (re)discover the exhibitions ‘Timeless Gazes’ and ‘Echoes of Art Deco’ in an atmosphere that blends electronic music, conviviality, and heritage. What could be better than lingering by the villa’s iconic pool while enjoying a DJ set by Isabelle Catherine, somewhere between reimagined past and festive present? A suspended moment where culture is not just contemplated, but fully lived.
Festival: Namur en Mai
From 29 to 31 May Namur
‘Namur en Mai’ is an unmissable event in the Walloon capital, a region I remain deeply connected to. It’s also the perfect opportunity to explore a cultural form that remains underappreciated: fairground arts. Too often seen as minor compared to so-called “nobler” disciplines, they nevertheless hold a poetic, popular, and profoundly intergenerational richness that deserves far more recognition. From May 29 to 31, the city of Namur transforms into an open-air stage, bursting with a vibrant programme that brings together circus, storytelling, music, street theatre, and cabaret. This year, the cabarets will be led by the fabulous Edna Sorgelsen (seen in season 1 of ‘Drag Race Belgium’) who, alongside pianist Margaux Vranken, takes us on a sensitive and flamboyant fairground odyssey. These are moments where generations meet, wonder is shared, and magic fills the air. Grab your tickets now, Namur has never been so dizzyingly enchanting.
Drag show: La Débauchée by Chantaaaal at Cabaret Mademoiselle
From 28 to 31 May Brussels
© Julien Theuil
Cabaret Mademoiselle isn’t just a venue, it’s a refuge, a pause in time, a chosen family. It was one of the first queer spaces where I truly felt I belonged, welcomed, dazzled, transformed. I even worked there for two years while also managing my gallery work, immersed in its mystical, offbeat, and deeply human atmosphere. Since 2017, this joyful chaos — blending drag, burlesque, circus, and comedy — has become a staple of Brussels nightlife. From May 28 to 31, it will host ‘La Débauchée‘, the brand new show by the brilliant Chantaaaal, a French drag queen based in Brussels, renowned for her razor-sharp humour and innate flair for cabaret. Expect glitter, absurdity, and deliciously irreverent fun. Grab your tickets quickly, they’re bound to sell out fast.
Exhibition: Pulsations at Musée des Beaux-Arts de Mons
Until 17 August Mons
This choice is a tribute to the city where I grew up: Mons. Known for its rich folklore — most notably the Doudou, listed as UNESCO intangible cultural heritage — and its vibrant cultural scene, the city now hosts an exhibition as ambitious as it is moving: ‘Pulsations. Visages d’une Cité‘, at the Musée des Beaux-Arts. Designed as a sensory journey, the exhibition brings together nearly forty artists including Charley Case, Léa Belooussovitch, Tadashi Kawamata, Rémy Hans, and Pierre Liebaert and features Christian Boltanski’s monumental work ‘Les Registres du Grand-Hornu‘. Each room unfolds around a theme: memory, water, habitat, the sacred; offering a multi-layered portrait where the city becomes a reflection of all the world’s urban stories. Even after more than ten years away, every return reminds me that some forms of belonging never truly fade.
