Art Guide – What To See In Brussels This October

Is it just me or Brussels’s art scene is starting to look (be?) as busy as its big sisters Paris and London? I have the feeling that there is always something new going on, and that the exhibition programme is getting always more dense and complete. I still believe though, that Brussels has its own identity when it comes to dealing with art. Unlike London and Paris, where making a living as an artist is an everyday struggle especially because of the rent situation, Brussels is primarily a city of creation.  It is more reminiscent of Berlin in this regard in my opinion.

Plenty of exhibitions are opening in Brussels in October, as you already know my goal here is not to make an endless list of all the shows but to share with you the ones I would go see. I’m also taking this opportunity to recommend you once again to go see Pierre Alechinsky, Karel Appel, Fred Bervoets : Works on paper from the Stéphane Janssen collection, which is on view at Rodolphe Janssen Gallery until October 8th only.

A L R E A D Y    O N   V I E W

Group Exhibition “Masha” at Super Dakota

Super Dakota is presenting until the end of October the works of John Cage, Lydia Gifford, Jan Groover, Yvonne Rainer, GL Rogier, Ariane Schick, Josh Tonsfeldt, and Lawrence Weiner: “Masha is a collective exhibition underlining the narrative potential of art, and the singularity of our experience.”

When : Until Oct.31 // Address :45 rue Washington, 1050 Brussels

Taryn Simon “Paperwork and the Will of Capital” at Almine Rech

We don’t present the American artist anymore, who is presenting for the first time in Belgium her famous series Paperwork and the Will of Capital at Almine Rech Gallery. Even though I had the chance to see her work several times, I’m still intrigued by the way Simon creates and manages to mix very common images, graphic design, texts to design very strong and politically charged artworks :” For this latest project, Simon explores the stagecraft of power, examining agreements, contracts, treaties, and decrees drafted to influence systems of governance and economics, from nuclear armement to oil deals and diamond trading.“

When : Until Nov.5 // Address :20 Rue de l’Abbaye 1050 Brussels

Mark Barrow and Sarah Parke “Matter of Time” at Independent Régence

In case you did not know, Independent Régence :”is a unique permanent exhibition space located in Brussels that supports the programs of Independent’s extended gallery network throughout the year.” Elizabeth Dee and Almine Rech Gallery are currently presenting a project called Matter of Time by Sarah Parke and Mark Barrow: “The artists continue their exploration of the intersection between textiles, painting, and digital media with a selection of objects, a site-specific installation, and a video.” A must visit.

When : Until Oct.22 // Address :67 Rue de la Régence , 1000 Brussels

Helena Almeida “Corpus” at Wiels

I’m very curious about this exhibition at Wiels, which is presenting the work of Portuguese artist Helena Almeida, who is a very important figure in the conceptual art field : “Helena Almeida’s work is characterised first of all by the importance of the body. As the conflicted site of both political and personal expression, the body encounters and manipulates the surrounding world – it acts, touches, senses and marks, leaving behind its mobile traces as drawn lines, shaping itself into a variety of outlines and expressive forms.” I did not see it myself yet, but I’ve only received great feedback about this exhibition, so go and remember that every first Wednesday of the month the entrance is free at Wiels.

When : Until Dec.11// Address :354 Av. Van Volxemlaan , 1190 Brussels

O P E N I N G    T H I S   M O N T H 

Oct.26  – Picasso Sculptures at Bozar

Oct. 27 – Sarah Ortmeyer at Dvir Gallery

Oct.27 – Walter Swennen at Xavier Hufkens

Don’t forget to join me on Instagram & Facebook.

 

Cover picture : Courtesy of Super Dakota