Lots of artsy things to do in Charleroi, Ghent, and Brussels. See you there!
Photography: Todd Hido at Galerie Particulière
Opens Thursday, 16 November Brussels
Tood Hido, whose haunting, dreamy and mysterious work made it twice into our favorites from Paris Photo, is finally exhibiting in Belgium. Evoking a Twin Peaks-like atmosphere, Hido’s cinematic visual language is heavily charged with psychological tension and emotional drama set in the suburban American landscape. This week sees the opening of “Twelve Portraits ” at Brussels’ Galerie Particulière, which you absolutely shouldn’t miss.
Opening: Jordan Seiler at Harlan Levey Projects
Thursday, 16 November Brussels
American artist Jordan Seiler‘s practice goes far beyond aesthetics. Based on the premise that advertising pollutes our environment by fostering a harmful consumerist ideology and a a homogenous corpo-political voice, he explores the infrastructures and mechanisms of advertising in the city. His practice on the crossroad between art and activism not only includes studio works but also street level interventions; poetic forms of critical and at times reckless resistance.
Photography II: Photo Brussels Festival at Hangar Art Center
Opens Thursday, 16 November Brussels
Just a few footsteps further from Galerie Particulière’s Hido exhibition you’ll find the Hangar Contemporary Art Centre, which is launching the Photo Brussels Festival this week. On show are about 200 photographs under this year’s theme “Portraits” featuring renowned photographers from Orlan to Karel Fonteyne. At the same time photography can have a glimpse of tomorrow’s talents: “New Faces” and “Under the Radar” showcase photography students from La Cambre and the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp.
Concert: Little Dragon at Vooruit
Friday, 17 November Ghent
After high-profile collabs with Gorillaz or Big Boi Swedish electronic pop outfit Little Dragon just released their fifth full-length record, “Season High”, this year. “A fresh and inventive record with a healthy disregard for current chart trends”, writes NME. You can see for yourself this Friday at Ghent’s Vooruit.
Retrospective: Thomas Mazzarella at BPS 22
Opens Friday, 17 November Charleroi
BPS 22, the art museum of the Hainaut province, currently presents an interesting exhibition looking back on the oeuvre of Charleroi-born painter Thomas Mazzarella, who combines a classic art education with a history in street art. His paintings depict strippers, bikers, super heroes and ordinary people in an urban microcosm that reminds of the visual language of video games.”I have to force myself to talk about my work. For me, the ideal is to make the painting speak. Nothing but the painting,” the artist says himself.
Art meets music: Géométries Variables at Galerie V2
Friday, 17 November, 19h00 Charleroi
Here’s another reason to make a trip to Charleroi: in the context of “Watch This Space #9“, a biennal co-produced by Charleroi’s Galerie V2, Fructôse in Dunkerque and Welchrome in Boulogne-sur-Mer, Galerie V2 invites you to the opening of Jason Michel, who presents the results of his residency at Fructôse. “Géométries Variables” questions digital interactions while placing the public at the core of his work. Also on the menu: Belgian rap by La Pieuvre, Zwangere Guy and le 77.
Art night: Etcetera V at S.M.A.K.
Thursday, 16 November, 19h00 Ghent
The Young Friends of S.M.A.K., a platform for and by young people, presents “Etcetera V”, a special evening bringing together performance, music, and video art. The eclectic, carefully curated program features works by Bruce Nauman, Filip Anthonissen, and many others.
Finissage: VI, VII at Independent Régence
Saturday, 18 November Brussels
The Brussels headquarters of New York’s celebrated Independent art fair regularly host exhibitions throughout the year. Currently on show: an expo by Oslo’s VI, VII gallery, which presently celebrates its 5th anniversary. The exhibition not only features artists that the gallery has worked with closely over the years, such as Ian Law, Than Hussein Clark or Eloise Hawser, but also newcomers to the program such as the Swiss artist Tobias Kaspar or New York-based artist Eva LeWitt. This Saturday you can have a last look while enjoying a traditional “High Tea” on the occasion of the finissage.
