Flower Carpet
The Flower Carpet is 70 m long by 24 m wide. 1,680 m2 of begonias, dahlias, grass and bark.
A hundred volunteers assemble the carpet in less than eight hours.
The first Flower Carpet of Brussels was created in 1971 and has been a showstopper every two years on the Grand-Place since 1986.
SCENTS, COLOURS, LIGHTS AND SOUNDS…
Every other summer, on the weekend of August 15th, the Flower Carpet offers a chance to stroll across the Grand-Place, a jewel of Gothic architecture, to inhale the fragrant scent of the begonias and admire its details. This extraordinary spectacle is made complete by a visit to the balcony of the Town Hall, which offers a wide-angle view of the work. A musical theme is especially composed for each edition. A magnificent sound-and-light show on the Grand-Place accompanies the spectacle every evening.
Grand-Place
Brussels
Animations
Flower Carpet
Bruxelles en fleurs
Entreprendre/Ondernemen Asbl
Brussels
Animations
Bruxelles en fleurs
CURIOSA. Charles V, Dürer and the Aztec treasure
When the painter Albrecht Dürer arrived in Brussels in 1520, he encountered a flourishing city. In his travel diary, he left an astonishing testimony: he had seen, in the Coudenberg Palace, a treasure from the 'New Land of Gold', sent from Mexico by Hernán Cortés. These precious and stunning objects impressed his contemporaries, stimulated the imagination and gave rise to legends. This multi-sensory exhibition retraces the discovery of these riches and their fate during the reign of Emperor Charles V. A themed immersion in the underground passages of place Royale, as part of the 500th anniversary of Dürer's journey to the Netherlands.
An initiative of Urban in collaboration with the Royal Museums of Fine Arts and the Coudenberg Palace. Scientific curators: Véronique Bücken / Cecilia Paredes. Artistic contributions: Sabrina Montiel-Soto.
Price: regular ticket - €10. Groups of 15+ people and seniors (+65 years) - €8.
Concessions (unemployed, disabled, young adults aged 18-25) - €5.
Free admission for children up to 18 years old
Coudenberg Palace
Brussels
Exhibition
CURIOSA. Charles V, Dürer and the Aztec treasure
ID#2021 - Symbol
A digital experience, immersing you in sound & light.
With the temporary exhibition ID#2021 - Symbol, the Atomium, an architectural feat of Belgian heritage, becomes a symbol of digital creation... The poetic visual and acoustic journey proposed by Visual System invites the visitorsto a hypnotic experience that sweeps away the apparent antinomy between this metal building from Expo 58, emblem of progress and science, and an inner journey.
The sounds and colors, shadows and lights, notes and words of the installation respond to each other and are echoed through four distinct stages: the ascent with the escalator, the wandering through a symbolic labyrinth on the first floor before reaching the upper dome and finally closing the experience after a final flight of stairs. A pre-recorded choral chant, composed of verses that repeat and intertwine like a mantra, reinforces the immersive experience. Like an initiatory journey, the route raises doubts, questions and discoveries. At the end of this experience, the making off narrated through photographs and a film highlights the human and architectural dimension of such a project.
Visual System is a collective of multidisciplinary artists who since 2007 have been exploring the links between creative techniques and visual perception. It creates hypnotic immersive environments, with light and sound, that explore the relationship between space and time, nature and science, waking dreams and reality. Their installations, both permanent and temporary, allow the audience to move at their own pace to discover the spaces they walk through in a new light.
Previous collaborations between Atomium Expo and Visual System [https://visualsystem.org/] :
2013 : ‘Digital Poem’
2014 : Out of Control [https://visualsystem.org/project/out-of-control]
2016 : TALK [https://visualsystem.org/project/talk]
2018 : A Circular Journey [Link https://visualsystem.org/project/a-circular-journey]
Atomium
Laeken
Exhibition
ID#2021 - Symbol
(UN)COMMON VALUES. Two Corporate Collections of Contemporary Art.
This exhibition will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the NBB art collection, in the Counter Hall of the NBB in Brussels: a hidden gem of modernist architecture.
With the joint exhibition (UN)COMMON VALUES, the contemporary art collections of the National Bank of Belgium and the Banco de España will engage in a dialogue about the intrinsic value of art, in the uncommon context of corporate collections.
Together we will explore how the artworks reflect the changements of the society, mirror the perceptions of different generations and embrace the kaleidoscopic world we live in.
Contemporary Art Collections of the National Bank of Belgium and the Banco de Espana
Counter Hall of the National Bank of Belgium
Brussels
Exhibition
(UN)COMMON VALUES. Two Corporate Collections of Contemporary Art.
Viva Frida Kahlo - Immersive Experience
The immersive experience about Frida Kahlo is coming to Brussels!
The immersive experience about Frida Kahlo is coming to Brussels! Full of colorful, exotic symbolism, as well as a series of powerful self - portraits, the expressive artist’s creations and her life are at the heart of this immersive exhibition, presented using high - performance video projection and light and acoustic effects. The exhibition will be presented in a brand new immersive venue: VIAGE – Digital Art Theatre.
VIAGE - Digital Art Theatre
Brussels
Exhibition
Viva Frida Kahlo - Immersive Experience
Magical Theatres
The paper theatre, miniature theatre or table top theatre was once a source of pleasure for young and old. These days, it has sunk into oblivion. The "Magical Theatres" exhibition brings back to life the magical world of this toy, its fantastic colourful decors and its small paper actors.
The Halle Gate opens the doors onto a world full of stories, from Shakespeare plays to the tales of the Grimm Brothers.
These delightful works of art, that appeared two centuries ago, reflect the magnificent European theatre stages and give insight in the private world of 19th-century families. The exhibition reveals complete theatres from this period and wonderful uncut original paper stages. Creations by contemporary artists are also on display. Visitors will be amazed by virtual dramatisations. Younger visitors are guided by a paper puppet, Puss in Boots.
The Magical Theatres exhibition is situated on the third floor of the magnificent Halle Gate Museum building. In a permanent presentation, this vestige of the second surrounding wall of Brussels reveals the period in which the city was fortified and offers impressive panoramic views from its rampart walk. The annual temporary exhibitions focus on different aspects of day-to-day life in the past and present, and often find their inspiration in the European Ethnology collections of the Royal Museums of Art and History.
Halle Gate – RMAH
Brussels
Exhibition
Magical Theatres
View from my window
A photo exhibition displaying the experience of connecting worldviews in a time of isolation.
Initiated in March 2020 by Barbara Duriau, the 3 million member Facebook group View from my window collects intimate and collective testimonies from millions of confined people around the world. At the Atomium, from March 24th, the temporary exhibition "View from my window" gathers a selection of more than 400 photographs among the 200,000 images from this Belgian success story with a worldwide echo.
From New York to Moscow, Brussels, Sao Paulo or Darjeeling... Every day, from their window, the members of this 2.0 community capture and share their view.
The exhibition "View from my window" translates a human experience and offers a sensitive and poetic dive into the intimacy of all those who have gone through this very special event. The exhibition, which is based on audio-visual installations, prints, webcams and time-lapses, gives a playful attention to the visit.
Ordinary or breathtaking, each photo is accompanied by a simple caption or a powerful life story.
Through this exhibition, the Atomium is delighted to dedicate its spaces and its exceptional panorama of the Belgian capital, the cradle of Europe, to a humanist project conceived as a powerful invitation to share and travel.
When one door closes, many windows open!
Atomium
Laeken
Exhibition
View from my window
Frida Kahlo : The Life of an Icon
DIVE INTO THE FRIDA KAHLO©'S BIOGRAPHY
Digital art and its 360º 3D projections take you on a journey through the life of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo ©. An immersive and colorful adventure, which uses the latest technologies to make your visit a truly unique experience.
DIVE INTO THE FRIDA KAHLO©'S BIOGRAPHY
Digital art and its 360º 3D projections take you on a journey through the life of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo ©. An immersive and colorful adventure, which uses the latest technologies to make your visit a truly unique experience. A whole new way to educate yourself and learn more about the artist's incredible life.
The immersive biography of FRIDA KAHLO© in Brussels is presented without reproductions of the artist's paintings in an effort to push the limits of immersiveness. The innovative idea explores the artist's biography through collections of historical photographs, original films, digital environments, art installations, collectibles and newly created music that recreate the most significant moments of her life, inviting visitors to discover the incredible story behind the legendary artist.
An immersive biography of the life of one of the world's most influential artists
Galerie Horta
Brussels
Exhibition
Frida Kahlo : The Life of an Icon
The World of Banksy - Brussels
THE WORLD OF BANKSY - BRUSSELS
Banksy exhibition with life-size reconstructions by the Bristol-based artist. A geographical journey through the cities around the world where Banksy has painted his most emblematic murals. An invitation to discover the most mysterious street artist of the moment from a new angle. Easy access and recommended for everyone!
The World of Banksy - Brussels is an exhibition that brings together the largest number of life-size murals by the Bristol-based street artist. These reconstructed works and other pieces of Banksy's rich career have been installed in the mythical premises of a former fabric house at 28 rue de Laeken (1000 BRUSSELS).
The exhibition aims to present Banksy and his original approach through the murals he has painted in the streets of the world. Visitors will discover the master of street art in a complete and immersive experience that breathes new life into Banksy's - almost entirely lost - creations.
The exhibition is open every day of the week from 10am to 7pm (last entry at 6.15pm). For more information, please contact: info@theworldofbanksy.be - 02/649.49.83
Banksy
THE WORLD OF BANKSY
Brussels
Exhibition
The World of Banksy - Brussels
Comics at the Louvre
The exhibition Comics at the Louvre, presented by the Comics Art Museum, invites visitors to rediscover the Louvre through the works of twenty reknown comic strip artists.
The exhibition Comics at the Louvre, presented by the Comics Art Museum, invites visitors to rediscover the Louvre through the works of twenty reknown comic strip artists. In focusing on each universe and the different thematic angles the exhibition shows how this cultural hotspot and its collections inspired them for a variety of powerful narratives and thoughts on Art and creation.
The exhibition, which stems from a partnership with the Louvre and publishing house Futuropolis, introduces a collection that invites comic artists and offers them a carte blanche as well as unlimited access to the galleries at the Louvre. The artists incorporate these iconic rooms and confront the works they meet, in order to give rise to unique graphic interpretations that are published as comic albums.
From Europe to Asia, from French-Belgian bande dessinée to manga, each of these diverse creations allows for a new view on different art forms, genres and eras. Twenty artists and about 150 works of art have been collected in one spot in order to immerse visitors in all of these approaches of the Louvre, which can be resumed to three main themes. Artists explore the history of the museum and its collections, they recreate daily life in the footsteps of the many visitors and staff, or they unleash their poetic imagination to magnify the works of art.
The exhibition proposes an overview of the works of Hirohiko Araki, Charles Berbérian, Enki Bilal, Florent Chavouet, Nicolas De Crécy, Philippe Dupuy, Christian Durieux, Etienne Davodeau, Christian Lax, Stéphane Levallois, Eric Liberge, Li Chi Tak, Marc-Antoine Mathieu, Taiyo Matsumoto, Minetarō Mochizuki, David Prudhomme, Jiro Taniguchi, Naoki Urasawa, Bernard Yslaire and Judith Vanistendael. Their strong stories reflect the richness and diversity of the museum's collections and are born from sensitive approaches filled with reflections on Art, its function and its universal language.
Curators : Mélanie Andrieu & Fabrice Douar
With the exceptional cooperation of the Louvre Museum
With the support of the Brussels Capital Region, Visit Brussels, Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles and the Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie
The Belgian Comic Strip Center
Brussels
Exhibition
Comics at the Louvre
Kasper Bosmans - 'Husbandry'
Kasper Bosmans (b. 1990, Belgium) is a shrewd observer of the ways in which images can teeter on the edge of nature and fiction, or art and craft. With an intuitive anthropological approach, he looks towards the remnants of local traditions and mythological iconography in contemporary life.
Kasper Bosmans (b. 1990, Belgium) is a shrewd observer of the ways in which images can teeter on the edge of nature and fiction, or art and craft. With an intuitive anthropological approach, he looks towards the remnants of local traditions and mythological iconography in contemporary life.
Concerned with an associative beauty produced by play, Bosmans cuts across performance, painting, drawing, and sculptural installations made up of various components, such as milk, sand or marble—means through which he explores both functional and decorative forms, and evokes subtle correspondences between them.
Wiels - Contemporary art centre
Forest
Exhibition
Kasper Bosmans - 'Husbandry'
Antoine de Saint Exupéry. The Little prince among Humans
Brussels Expo
Laeken
Exhibition
Antoine de Saint Exupéry. The Little prince among Humans
Kidorama, 200 year of children's fashion
Children’s fashion is healthier than ever. More inclusive, more environmentally friendly, with an emphasis on handmade items: new labels appear each year. But dressing a child is not always easy! Through a trajectory that is both thematic and chronological, this new exhibition casts its eye on current fashion in the light of children’s wear since 1820.
Children’s fashion is healthier than ever. More inclusive, more environmentally friendly, with an emphasis on handmade items: new labels appear each year. But dressing a child is not always easy! Fashion is first and foremost a social phenomenon and children also care about what they wear.
Through a trajectory that is both thematic and chronological, this new exhibition casts its eye on current fashion in the light of children’s wear since 1820.
By delving into its collections, recently enriched by Belgian items as well as several prestigious loans, the museum raises questions about issues such as construction of gender, the development of mixed or unisex fashion, imitation of adult fashion as well as the growing interest in the luxury industry for kids. More than just a fashion exhibition, Kidorama tells the story of the place of the child and the development of his/her personality within our society.
An exhibition to enjoy through children’s eyes!
The exhibition is of course aimed at adults but also at children, discover all the activities of the museum on our website (interactive modules, coloring book ...)
Fashion & Lace Museum
Brussels
Exhibition
Kidorama, 200 year of children's fashion
Els Dietvorst - This is what you came for
The exhibition This is what you came for is conceived as an encounter and an invitation. The proposal grew out of the almost ritualistic actions and creations that Els Dietvorst started during the C19 lockdown. This is what you came for at CENTRALE and Bozar creates a fluid wave between the two places where one mirrors the other.
The exhibition This is what you came for (28.04 > 18.09.2022) is a project by Els Dietvorst and the BARЯA MOVEMENT at CENTRALE for contemporary art & Bozar in the mark of the BelgianArtPrize.
BelgianArtPrize 2021 laureate Els Dietvorst (°1964, Kapellen) is a visual artist and filmmaker who has been living in Ireland for the last 12 years. Dialogue, experiment and intuition are recurring strategies in her work. Ever since the 1990s, the artist has been moved by social issues such as migration, racism and climate change. She investigates the human condition, which in her oeuvre results in themes such as life and death, fear, alienation and desire.
The exhibition This is what you came for is conceived as an encounter and an invitation. The proposal grew out of the almost ritualistic actions and creations that Els Dietvorst started during the C19 lockdown. This is what you came for at CENTRALE and Bozar creates a fluid wave between the two places where one mirrors the other. A myriad of mediums including sculpture, installation, video and performance will introduce you to the universe of Els Dietvorst, in which she is always looking for connections with people and creates places for encounters.
The BARЯA MOVEMENT, (BE) ACM, Sadrie Alves, Angela Alsouliman, Alex Akuete aka Xray, Simon Arazi, Stefania Assandri, Els Dietvorst, Aurelie Di Marino, Daria Likhovitckaia, Flor Maesen, Asia Nyembo Mireille, Laurence Petrone, Philippe Vandenberg, Y, Yi Zhang, Honey Zinzs. (IRL) Laoise Garvey, Maria Cahill, Annette Doran, Sandra Whelan, Aine O’Grady, Mary Verling, Fiona Power, Ingrid Schumacher.
Els Dietvorst ; The BARRA MOVEMENT ; ACM ; Sadrie Alves ; Angela Alsouliman ; Alex Akuete aka Xray ; Simon Arazi ; Stefania Assandri ; Els Dietvorst ; Aurelie Di Marino ; Daria Likhovitckaia ; Flor Maesen ; Asia Nyembo Mireille ; Laurence Petrone ; Philippe Vandenberg ; Y ; Yi Zhang ; Honey Zinzs
CENTRALE for contemporary art
Brussels
Exhibition
Els Dietvorst - This is what you came for
Detours Festival
Various places in Brussels
Brussels
Festival
Detours Festival
"Invader Rubikcubist"
Invader Rubikcubist is a solo exhibition by Invader entirely devoted to Rubikcubism.
Invader
MIMA the Millennium Iconoclast Museum of Art
Molenbeek-Saint-Jean
Exhibition
"Invader Rubikcubist"
In the Streets
At IN THE STREETS, everything happens in the streets to allow the resolutely urban, family-oriented and diverse public will experience an agreeable, welcoming and inclusive city. A host of free and convivial events will allow for unusual discoveries in a city centre which is more attractive and dynamic than ever before.
The event will offer free sporting, cultural and artistic events, all of which will be convivial and Instagrammable. They highlight the identity of some of the capital's most attractive neighbourhoods and lead to some surprising discoveries!
The inhabitants of Brussels and tourists who amble through the narrow streets of the city centre have a surprise in store every 200 meters (at most):
•PLAY UP and PLAY DOWN, two urban villages: city sports and other summer activities;
•WALK, a route linking these two villages: five original art installations and various existing routes (Street Art and Comic Book Route, murals and other works of the Urban Art Committee);
•VIBE, a music festival: five iconic city centre staircases are transformed into open-air stands.
Practical information:
The event takes place from July 14 to August 14, Thursday to Saturday from 12pm to 10pm and Sunday from 12pm to 8pm.
Ville de Bruxelles – Hello Summer
Brussels
Various
In the Streets
Vivian Maier
The Self-Portrait and its Double
Over several decades from the early 1950s onward, Vivian Maier (1926-2009) worked as a nanny in New York and Chicago. She meticulously documented the world around her but rarely, if ever, created prints from her negatives, so her work was seen by almost no one during her lifetime. Her entire life was shrouded in anonymity until her body of photographic work came to light in 2007: more than 120,000 negatives, Super 8 and 16 mm films, audio recordings and more, which together form a previously-unexhibited collection that can now be explored for the first time. Her all-consuming photographic efforts eventually made her one of the most celebrated proponents of street photography. We see various recurring themes in her work: street scenes, portraits, the world of children, and a predilection for self-portraits. They are abundant in her work, in a multitude of forms and variations, to the point that it almost becomes a language within her language; a duality. Reflections of her face or her shadow: every Vivian Maier self-portrait is an affirmation of her presence. The self-portraits, more than eighty in number, take us on a journey through the streets of these metropolises.
Centre for Fine Arts - Bozar
Brussels
Exhibition
Vivian Maier
Festival Théâtres Nomades
Bois de la Cambre: Carrefour des Attelages
Brussels
Festival
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Festival Théâtres Nomades
Feeërieën: Naima Joris + JFDR x Kieran Brunt x Benjamin Glorieux
Gripping tribute to Daniel Johnston and ‘classical meets electronica’
From 22 to 26 August, you can again count on AB’s free summer festival Feeërieën for a musical smorgasbord. In 2022, we’ll again be alighting at the extremely attractive location Gare Maritime, on the Tour & Taxis site (Rue Picard 3, 1000 Brussels). Find out here how to access Gare Maritime.This year, Feeërieën is taking on an extra dimension with the AB summer terrace: a programme of fringe activities and workshops.NAIMA JORIS plays DANIEL JOHNSTON +JFDR x KIERAN BRUNT x BENJAMIN GLORIEUX presents ‘The End Of Infinity’7:00 PM: SOUNDTRACK BY: DJ STONEWOOD8:00 PM: JFDR x KIERAN BRUNT x BENJAMIN GLORIEUX present ‘The End of Infinity’ (ISL/GBR/BEL)‘The End of Infinity’ is a unique collaboration between Icelandic singer-songwriter/producer Jófríður Ákadóttir (JFDR), British singer/composer Kieran Brunt and Belgian cellist/composer Benjamin Glorieux. This international triumvirate enters into a collective adventure, in search of connections between classical music and electronica. The search for exactly that musical symbiosis is not so surprising. JFDR has already worked previously with Ólafur Arnalds, while Benjamin Glorieux injected Bach’s famous cello suites with electronica, and Kieran Brunt has appeared aside the likes of Nils Frahm, Jónsi and Anna von Hausswolff. With ‘The End of Infinity’, the trio presents a song cycle with themes such as endlessness, uncertainty, life and death.This production was kicked off in the prestigious South Bank Centre and was made possible in part by the B-Classic Festival Van Vlaanderen with the support of Liveurope.Picture: Annika Wallis9:30 PM: NAIMA JORIS PLAYS DANIEL JOHNSTON (BEL)An Oor quote that can count and is spot on: “Soms hoor je van die stemmen die de tijd even stil zetten en je tot op het bot beroeren. Mimi Parker (Low) kan dat, Melanie De Biasio, maar dus ook Naima Joris.” We’d like to add musical outsider Daniel Johnston to that list too. Naima Joris became an instant fan herself after seeing the gripping documentary ‘The Devil And Daniel Johnston’. “Zijn gevoelige zieltje heeft me aangetrokken. Door hem heb ik geleerd om eerlijk te schrijven”, says Joris.Her admiration resulted in an outright arresting Daniel Johnston tribute of songs that touched her personally. And they then touch us. Listen to the stripped back/stunning versions of ‘Story Of An Artist’, ‘Poor You’ or ‘Cold Hard World’ and your breath catches in your throat. Naima’s mesmerising voice cuts straight to the bone and her versions are amongst the best Johnston interpretations ever. Live, she even outclasses – and we measure our words carefully – Daniel Johnston himself. Amen.Picture: Lien PetersA Liveurope concert:The first pan-European initiative supporting concert venues in their efforts to promote emerging European music.
Gare Maritime - Tour & Taxis
Brussels
Concert
Feeërieën: Naima Joris + JFDR x Kieran Brunt x Benjamin Glorieux
Charlotte Perriand
Design Museum Brussels
Laeken
Courses and workshops
Charlotte Perriand
Feeërieën: Eddie Chacon + Abel Ghekiere
Charlotte Adigéry: “Verslavend!” - Mac DeMarco: “Planet earth’s number one!”
From 22 to 26 August, you can again count on AB’s free summer festival Feeërieën for a musical smorgasbord. In 2022, we’ll again be alighting at the extremely attractive location Gare Maritime, on the Tour & Taxis site (Rue Picard 3, 1000 Brussels). Find out here how to access Gare Maritime.This year, Feeërieën is taking on an extra dimension with the AB summer terrace: a programme of fringe activities and workshops.EDDIE CHACON + (ROTKAT PRESENTS) ABEL GHEKIERE7:00 PM: SOUNDTRACK BY: LORIE BEVENS (BOROKOV BOROKOV/ROTKAT RECORDS)8:15 PM: (ROTKAT PRESENTS) ABEL GHEKIERE (BEL)We’re pretty sure that this is one of the finest Belgian albums to see the light of day in 2021: ‘Voor het verdwijnt, en daarna’ by Abel Ghekiere, son of the late visual artist Joris Ghekiere. An album that pretty much remained entirely under the radar, unfortunately. Unjustly so, as the most accurate point of contact vibe-wise is undoubtedly Alabaster dePlume’s ‘To Cy & Lee’ or his latest gem ‘Gold’. What’s more, Abel Ghekiere has mastered the art of slowing down time. Immerse yourself in a pool of tenderness and tranquil splendour.Feeërieën this year spotlights the 5th birthday of Antwerp’s Rotkat Records. The label is home to good folk like Borokov Borokov, the musical output of Voetvolk, Brik Tu-Tok and Abel Ghekiere! The latter three are – just as label boss Benny Boogers – now present at the Feeërieën.9:30 PM: EDDIE CHACON (USA)“Heerlijke, stijlvolle soul. Verslavend!" - Charlotte Adigéry“Eddie Chacon is planet earth’s number one musician. Yesterday, today, and forever.” - Mac DeMarcoHigh praise that we can only heartily agree with. You are sure to still know Eddie Chacon from the hit ‘Would I Lie To You’ from the ’90s. The classy track is by the duo Charles and Eddie, of which Chacon was thus the ½. After a silence of almost 30 years, he surprised pretty much everyone with the album ‘Pleasure, Joy and Happiness’ that he recorded with John Carroll Kirby, who was also to be heard on Solange’s superb ‘A Seat At The Table’.The Fader described Chacon just recently as “a low-key R&B legend”. Mojo praised the album with a ***** review and hailed it “a modern masterpiece”. Eddie Chacon was then embraced podium-wise by Le Guess Who? and also by Gilles Peterson at his We Out Here festival. Now followed by the Feeërieën, of course!
Gare Maritime - Tour & Taxis
Brussels
Concert
Feeërieën: Eddie Chacon + Abel Ghekiere
Feeërieën: Hailu Mergia + Nyati Mayi & The Astral Synth Transmitters
Mulatu Astatke, Sun Ra, Jimmy Smith, Ayalew Mesfin & Fela Kuti fans: unite!
From 22 to 26 August, you can again count on AB’s free summer festival Feeërieën for a musical smorgasbord. In 2022, we’ll again be alighting at the extremely attractive location Gare Maritime, on the Tour & Taxis site (Rue Picard 3, 1000 Brussels). Find out here how to access Gare Maritime.This year, Feeërieën is taking on an extra dimension with the AB summer terrace: a programme of fringe activities and workshops.HAILU MERGIA + NYATI MAYI & THE ASTRAL SYNTH TRANSMITTERS7u00 PM: SOUNDTRACK BY: MONSTERA OCCULTA8:15 pm (BONGO JOE PRESENTS) NYATI MAYI & THE ASTRAL SYNTH TRANSMITTERS (BEL/DRC)(Les Disques) Bongo Joe – the Swiss label that took its name from the American street musician George ‘Bongo Joe’ Coleman – is still a good measure of musical quality. Just think: Altin Gün, Derya Yildirim, Lalalar or L’Eclair. And now too – brace yourself – Nyati Mayi & The Astral Synth Transmitters.Nyati Mayi & The Astral Synth Transmitters is the curious Congolese/Belgian project of multi-instrumentalist, singer and improv dancer Nyati Mati and Brussels producer DJ Sofa (see too: Mameen 3). The result of which is soon to be heard on their debut ‘Lulanga Tales’. An effervescent vat full of outsider music or – if you will - free form music. With echoes of nineties hip-hop, folk, dub, Fela Kuti and Sun Ra.9:30 pm (AWESOME TAPES FROM AFRICA PRESENTS) HAILU MERGIA (ETH)Mulatu Astatke-soulmate and living legend Hailu Mergia actually drops by the Feeërieën! The now 76-year-old keyboard player and accordionist has been an innovative force in Ethio-jazz since the ’70s. He began as bandleader of the Walias Band and made a name for himself as a pioneer during the ‘golden age’ of Ethiopian jazz-funk. Their album ‘Tche Belew’ (1977) saw appearances by good folk like Mulate Astatke, and collectors pay more than €2000(!) for an original copy.Astatke also spoke praise of the man in the liner notes: “To arrange and perform music like Hailu Mergia requires special talent.” His career received a solid boost by the re-release of his ‘forgotten’ music by the label Awesome Tapes from Africa (see too: Ata Kak, Antoinette Konan, Nahawa Doumbia, …), followed by a series of new releases such as ‘Lala Belu’ in 2018 and ‘Yene Mircha’ in 2020.
Gare Maritime - Tour & Taxis
Brussels
Concert
Feeërieën: Hailu Mergia + Nyati Mayi & The Astral Synth Transmitters
Feeërieën: Voetvolk presents ‘Into The Open’ + Brik Tu-Tok
De Morgen: “An LSD trip from heaven.” - De Standaard: “Een geile voorstelling.”
From 22 to 26 August, you can again count on AB’s free summer festival Feeërieën for a musical smorgasbord. In 2022, we’ll again be alighting at the extremely attractive location Gare Maritime, on the Tour & Taxis site (Rue Picard 3, 1000 Brussels). Find out here how to access Gare Maritime.This year, Feeërieën is taking on an extra dimension with the AB summer terrace: a programme of fringe activities and workshops.8:15 pm (ROTKAT PRESENTS) BRIK TU-TOK (BEL)A fierce attempt to describe Brik Tu-Tok: Brik Tu-Tok equals ‘Kenji Minogue meets The Residents meets Charlie Chaplin meets The B-52’s meets CocoRosie meets Sparks meets Commedia dell’arte’. Fact is: this duo takes you along on a roller coaster ride through an amazing parallel universe, where sounds are brought to life with cassettes, household knick-knacks and crafted objects. Brik Tu-Tok – the brainchild of theatre makers Maxim Storms and Linde Carijn – reveals itself to be colourful characters. Sometimes grotesque, sometimes humorous, always mysterious and dancing on the border between music and theatre. Catchy, absurd, powerful and mesmerizing. Or, as they themselves say: “Too Sushi for my Pony.”Picture: Kim SnauwaertVOETVOLK presents INTO THE OPEN + BRIK TU-TOK7u00 PM: SOUNDTRACK BY: BENNY BANG (ROTKAT RECORDS)9:30 PM: VOETVOLK PRESENTS INTO THE OPEN (BEL)“An LSD trip from heaven.” - ***** in De Morgen“Zonder meer een geile voorstelling.” - **** -in De Standaard“Virtuoze muzikanten leveren het muzikale stuff waarvan de dansers compleet geil en gek worden.” -**** in FOCUS KnackIn ‘Into The Open’ four dancers and three musicians goad each other with pimped krautrock anno 2022. Or: the repetitivity of Can crossed with the high voltage of The Chemical Brothers. The sophisticated scenography and the light show lift the performance to a whole other level. With this cross-over, Voetvolk is aiming for an audience that also likes to dance themselves. What takes place in the hall is equally as important as what takes place on stage.The premiere at AB earlier this year was ecstatic: “At least fifty people stormed on stage during the encore to go wild together with the dancers.” The rave reviews were immediate. If it had been God’s will, then this could quite easily have blown away the audiences of Pukkelpop, the brand-new CORE festival, Primavera or Tomorrowland. CHOREOGRAFY: Lisbeth Gruwez & performersPERFORMANCE: Wei-Wei Lee, Celine Werkhoven, Artemis Stavridi & Misha Demoustier MUSIC: Dendermonde (Maarten Van Cauwenberghe, Frederik Heuvinck & Elko Blijweert)CO-PRODUCTION: KVS, AB (Ancienne Belgique), Theater Im Pumpenhaus, Dansens Hus and Vooruit GhentWITH THE SUPPORT OF: Kunstencentrum NONA, the Flemish Community & the Belgian Tax ShelterPicture: Danny Willems
Gare Maritime - Tour & Taxis
Brussels
Concert
Feeërieën: Voetvolk presents ‘Into The Open’ + Brik Tu-Tok
