From inspiring sculptures and thought-provoking exhibitions to welcome detours through the worlds of design and architecture… it’s hard to know where to look in Brussels this spring.
Once again, the capital amazes us with the diversity of its arts scene and the wealth of its offerings.
Over the last few years, Brussels has made a name for itself as one of the beating hearts of European contemporary art. Exhibitions, a range of events, galleries and quality fairs make the capital a veritable creative crossroads.
This spring, with themes ranging from ‘a room of one’s own’ to designer birdhouses and family stories, Brussels’ exhibitions are seeking out intimacy and warmth.
Visitors will be treated to Jean Michel Othoniel’s joie de vivre and Lutz Bacher’s wry, ironic humour.
Also showcased, whether in two or three dimensions, will be wood engraving, tufted tapestry and contemporary glasswork.
As for events, Art Brussels builds on its momentum, The Rooms takes over the Mix Hotel for its second edition, and Downtown Art energises the city centre with renewed passion.
Here’s an overview of the unmissable arty events!
Themed exhibitions:
Diary of Happiness – Jean-Michel Othoniel Jean Michel Othoniel has made blown glass his medium of choice. His works, both monumental and delicate, include pearl necklaces, enchanted models of the cosmos and aquatic beads with iridescent hues. A poetic and playful world, perfectly showcased in the Villa Empain and its gardens. There, Othoniel has installed over 100 works inspired by 30 years of travels across the globe, from Japan to Armenia and Mexico. In addition to the sculptures, visitors can also enjoy watercolours on paper – rarely seen works that delve into the very heart of the creation of dreams. It’s a real delight! Dates: 10 April to 4 October Where: Boghossian Foundation
More info: www.villaempain.com
Caroline Achaintre – ‘Extrazimmer’ with Régis Jocteur Monrozier, Simone Morgenthaler, Anna Zemánková
Furry landscapes, tribal masks or colourful animals with hybrid features… Caroline Achaintre’s tufted tapestries lend themselves to all manner of transformations. For her exhibition entitled Extrazimmer, the artist draws on Virginia Woolf’s foundational extended essay A Room of One’s Own and continues La Verrière’s tradition of fostering dialogue between creators, a practice the venue has embraced for several years. For this ‘augmented solo’ exhibition centred on Caroline Achaintre, visitors will also be able to discover the drawings and cut-outs of Czech artist Anna Zemánková and several sculptural furniture pieces by Brussels-based artist Régis Jocteur Monrozier. Dates: 23 April to 4 July Where: La Verrière More info: https://www.fondationdentreprisehermes.org/en
Home sweet home
With a distinctly domestic focus, MAD presents a stylistic exploration of the birdhouse! Under the guidance of Swiss designer Connie Hüsser, over sixty creators took up the challenge of creating their own variations. Gone are traditional wooden birdhouses; here, they are blown from coloured glass, fashioned from ceramics or even moulded from porcelain. Sleek perches, fantastical birdhouses resembling palaces or shelters carved from precious tulipwood: each creator gave free rein to their imagination and favourite materials. Dates: until 25 April Where: MAD Brussels More info: www.mad.brussels
Art & Language, 1965 – 2025
This exhibition offers an overview of sixty years of experimentation and intellectual provocation. The works, texts, scores, paintings and objects on display reconstruct the key moments of the Art & Language movement, which was founded by a collective of British and American artists. These linguistic pioneers played a pivotal role in the development of conceptual art in the 1960s and 1970s. Here, language and concept take precedence over execution. Criticism is transformed into artistic material and both the artwork and the artist are reinvented! Dates: until 9 May Where: Fondation CAB
More info: www.fondationcab.com
