Design in Antwerp, a music festival in Brussels, photography in Beveren, and more. See you there!

Design: Muller Van Severen at Graanmarkt 13

Thursday, 12 May, 18h00 Antwerp

You can’t speak about Belgian furniture and design without mentioning homegrown design duo Muller Van Severen. Starting this week their colorful but still sleek and timeless creations will be on view at super hip Antwerp concept store Graanmarkt 13.

Music festival: Les Nuits Bota 2016 at Botanique

From 12 to 22 May Brussels

It’s this time of year again: this week annual Brussels music festival Les Nuits Botanique kicks off the Belgian festival season with a bang. 10 days of indoor and outdoor concerts by new up-and-coming as well as established bands in one of the city’s most beautiful venues, featuring Cocorosie, Salut c’est cool, legendary prog-rockers Mogwai, or fresh Belgian talents Beffroi. See here for the full programme.

Birthday bash: 5 years MAS

From 14 to 16 May Antwerp

Antwerp museum MAS, not only famous for its great exhibition programme but also for its architecture and especially the stunning rooftop view, celebrates its 5th birthday this week. There are a multitude of different anniversary activities to choose from, from a food truck market to parties and fireworks. Simultaneously, a fascinating exhibition looking back on the oeuvre of Belgian painting star Luc Tuymans is opening its doors, a must-see!

Exhibition drinks: Memory Lane at iMAL

Friday, 13 May, 18-21h00 Brussels

“Memory Lane” is a joint artistic effort by Félix Luque and Iñigo Bilbao that aims to investigate space, memories, and our perception of reality. Their massive, multifaceted audiovisual installation consists of different elements, ranging from large prints to videos, sound, and light sculptures. This Friday you can discover the exhibition while sharing your thoughts with the artists and having a drink.

Opening: Collections at Le Maga

Friday, 13 May, 18h00 Brussels

Independent art space Brussels Art Department is leaving its premises temporarily to present you a bigger-than-usual exhibition at Le Maga. You might grasp quite quickly why “Collections” needs a bit of a bigger space: the show focuses on large-sized and quirky collections of unexpected items, ranging from weirdly shaped potatoes to posters of lost pets or transcriptions of phone messages. There’ll also be a performance programme.

Opening: Nadia Naveau at Base Alpha

Saturday, 14 May, 18h00 Antwerp

“I Spy With My Little Eye” is not only the title of Base Alpha gallery’s upcoming solo show featuring the works of Antwerp artist Nadia Naveau, but also the name of her upcoming book, which will be launched at the opening of the show. Get your hands on one of the 350 limited edition copies and gain insight into Naveau’s working methods and creative process.

Photography: Philippe Michiels at Fort Liefkenshoek

Saturday, 14 May, 19h30 Beveren

While many photographers search for the perfect light, Belgian-born Philippe Michiels seems to be searching for the perfect darkness. His sombre, minimal shots play poetically with different shades of black- and greyness, and the powder chamber of Fort Liefkenshoek provides a unique and fitting backdrop for his captivating work.

Opening: Matthieu Ronsse at SONS

Saturday, 14 May, 15h00 Kruishoutem

Kortrijk-born painter Matthieu Ronsse has already shown his work in major galleries such as Almine Rech, Ghent’s SMAK, or at the Bonner Kunstverein in Germany. Now he’s invading a bit of an unlikely venue: SONS, “Shoes or no shoes”, a museum about, of course, shoes, located inmidst the Flemish countryside. It’s also quite the architectural gem with its futuristic, minimal look, and Ronsse’s brilliant paintings are definitely worth the trip.

Cover photo Margaux Nieto