Art in Ghent, open studios in Antwerp, contemporary dance and concerts in Brussels, and more. See you there!

Exhibition: Philippe van Snick at Tatjana Pieters

Until 29 May Ghent

Over several decades Ghent-born artist Philippe Van Snick, mainly known for his post-minimalist paintings, has developed his own personal visual language evolving around a minimalist colour and numeral system. In its current show Galerie Tatjana Pieters juxtaposes brand new works with pieces dating back to the 70s, underlining the consistency of his highly interesting practice. Van Snick himself describes the characters he continuously works with as “a sort of pre-language, unfixed, unsettled. It’s like the language of paradise, in which words are not necessary.”

Cinema: Apichatpong Weerasethakul at Cinema Galeries

Wednesday, 18 May Brussels

Apichatpong Weerasethakul is one of Thailand’s most prominent and renowned filmmakers. Back in 2010 he won the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes film festival for his movie “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives”, a tale of a dying man who is visited by the spirits of his dead wife and vanished son. Weerasethakul’s varied practice exceeds the realms of film: the multitalent dedicates a lot of his time to creating installations and performance pieces. An exhibition at Cinema Galeries gives a glimpse into his vast oeuvre until 29 May. And if you want to meet the Thai superstar in person, make sure to attend his artist talk this Wednesday, where you can ask him everything you ever wanted to about movie-making, and more!

Write an email to sarah@seeyouthere.be with Uncle Boonmee in the subject line to win a duo ticket for the talk!

Studio opening: Air Antwerpen and Studio Start

Wednesday, 18 May, 17h00 Antwerp

International residency project Air Antwerpen and Studio Start, dedicated to providing affordable workspaces for artists, join forces: this week they move into four houses surrounded by a large garden in Antwerp’s Kielsevest, where the two initiatives created a huge space for homegrown and international artists alike. Come to the opening to discover the city’s new artistic hotspot and take in a great programme of performances and exhibitions featuring Ode de Kort, Alberto Garcia Del Castillo, and many others.

Art space inauguration: Sanne Vaassen at Krieg

Thursday, 19 May Hasselt

Contrary to popular belief Belgium’s art scene goes far beyond Brussels and Antwerp. This week a brand new independent art space is scheduled to open in the Flemish town of Hasselt (yes, there’s more to it than Pukkelpop.) The non-profit space, an initiative by the city’s PXL-MAD School of Arts, wants to explore art’s purpose outside of the market place, giving a platform to artists who like to experiment and those who might have escaped institutional attention. Krieg (German for war) kicks off its programme with an exhibition by Dutch-born artist Sanne Vaassen, who mainly deals with the complicated relationship between internal control and external forces. While in town, make sure to also stop by Hasselt’s art center Z33.

Launch weekend: The Hope

From 20 to 22 May Brussels

There’s a new kid in town: this week The Hope opens its doors for the first time ever in Brussels’ lovely Ixelles neighbourhood. The ambitious, multi-purpose project is interested in a lot of different areas ranging from art and culture to education and food. It’s a shop, art space and cultural meeting spot all in one that wants to provide a place for workshops, exhibitions, performances, lectures, and more. This weekend you can get to know the whole shebang during a three-day opening party. Come stop by for a drink!

Art marathon: Antwerp art weekend

From 20 to 22 May Antwerp

Three days, 55 galleries, art spaces and pop-up exhibitions: that’s the Antwerp Art Weekend for you. A must for all art lovers that takes you on an exciting trip through the city while discovering Antwerp’s buzzing art scene. Friday night all participating art spaces team up for a collective vernissage night with prolonged opening hours, Saturday there’s an artsy party at De Studio, and Sunday boasts a great lecture programme. Check here for the full agenda and download the free Antwerp Museum app to guide you through the jungle.

Opening: Locals at Brass

Thursday, 19 May, 18h30 Brussels

Anne Daems, Filip Gilissen, Jana Phlips, Roberta Miss and Filip Van Dingenen are the five locals that give this group exhibition its name. Initiated by Cosmos Cosmos, the project is an attempt at bringing local artists together to foster exchanges, inspire each other, and experiment together. In this case all artists are based in Brussels’ Forest and fittingly, the show takes place in the neighbourhood’s own cultural center Brass, more specifically in its magnificent machine room.

Concert: Naive New Beaters and The Sunday Charmers at Botanique

Friday, 20 May, 20h00 Brussels

Les Nuits, the annual outdoor and indoor Brussels music festival located in the city’s stunning botanical gardens, is in full swing. This week’s highlight: Naïve New Beaters, a Parisian group with a sense of humour that playfully mixes pop, electro, rock, and rap. Check out their new single “Heal Tomorrow” here. They’re supported by Belgian newcomers The Sunday Charmers, who are currently making a name for themselves with their surf pop-infused indie rock.

Dance: Simplexity at Kaaitheater

From 20 to 22 May Brussels

Thierry De Mey, Belgian musician, filmmaker, and director of choreography center Charleroi / Danses, has been exploring the blurry sphere in between dance and music for more than three decades. Now he created, for the very first time in his multifaceted career, an adventurous and stunning dance performance for the big stage that merges dance, music, and digital technology to one exciting mix: Simplexity.

Cover photo Ulrike Biets