So yes, it looks like our Belgian summer got hijacked by heavy rains and a wintery spirit. “Let the Sunshine In” is stuck in my head like a broken record, my dresses are crying in my closet, and suddenly the refreshing and summer-like idea of sipping a Spritz in good company under a Brussels blue sky is GONE. Don’t worry arty folks, there is plenty of things to do in Brussels that don’t require a friendly weather.
This time we spotted for you “Summer of Photography“. Every second year, the Bozar Center of Fine Arts organises this international biennale that is mostly focusing on photography, but also on other related medias : “Various Belgian and European exhibitions and photography and media museums have been working together to create a themed programme that explores the cultural exchange between the European member states and places it in a global context. The result is a varied programme of exhibitions and related events, with talks, a symposium, and a portfolio day, with curators, photographers, and related specialists in different fields offering us an insight into their work and their vision*”.
The fifth edition is kicking this year with over thirty different partners such as the Wiels, Recyclart, Royal Museum of Central Africa, or the Central for Contemporary Art.
The gender issues and women are the main themes of the current biennale, with a central exhibition such as “Woman: The Feminist Avant-Garde of the 1970s”, they are hoping to bring debates and awareness on the situation of men and women in our societies today. It is also a great way to talk about the status of women artist (the exhibition stages the works of 29 female artists such as Francesca Woodman, Hannah Wilke or the oh so famous Cindy Sherman), a subject too often ignored.
I invite you to discover the several exhibitions presented by Bozar as part of the “Summer of Photography”, but also to not miss “Bachelorettes” at the Balassi Institute, “Sept femmes en résidence” at Contretype, and “Lessons in Posing Subjects” at Wiels.
You have until the end of August to discover their very rich and interesting programme. If you need more inspiration to fill your rainy summer days with some great art, don’t forget to check our “Summer Essential Exhibitions List“.
The Bubblist 