Working*Title*Festival /  by fariba mosleh

WorkSpaceBrussels is a really great organisation which facilitates artists of diverse disciplines (with a slight focus to performing arts) with space, network, funding, cooperation partners or the like. They are cooperating with several smaller and larger institutions in Brussels (and beyond) like Kaai Theatre, Kanal Centre Pompidou or Les Brigittines, and they are working with local as well as international artists.
Twice a year WorkSpaceBrussels offers a wonderful chance for the audience as well as the artists with the WorkingTitleFestival - as the heading already reveals, the one-weekend long festival is meant to open the artists’ studios and give the interested crowd the possibility to get into touch with their current work in progress. I find this approach quite nice on several levels - the artists kind of have to sum up their work in a interim’s stadium, they can reflect upon their work with visitors and colleges, and there are maybe producers, curators, gallerists, collectors passing by … so it can mean a drive for their work in progress.

For me it was a special pleasure to visit Flup Marinus and his brother Tuur Marinus, who are current residents. I’ve been working with Flup a year ago for an exhibition in Vienna at Krinzinger Projekte. Now the brothers are working on the quite exciting Stereoscope Project using a 100-year old kind of first 3D photographs and transforming them via painting into contemporary 3D photo objects.
Further we got an impression L’Océan, a performative project the artist Clara Guémas is working on. She works with and researches on newcomers in Brussels and their views on certain issues, perspectives and backgrounds.
At the studio of Antje van Wichelen we confronted ourselves with past, present and future possibilities of face surveillance and the indexing of face categorization linked to stereotype classification - The recognition machine.

For the whole blog of the brusselsARTproject click here.



Parliamentart* /  by fariba mosleh

The Artothek of the Republic of Austria, containing of about 37.000 works of Austrian artists (collected via annually selections by a jury) has chosen around 16 pieces to travel to the European Parliament in Brussels and to be shown in a 6-months exhibition during the Austrian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
I took the chance to see the selected works and went on a guided tour (only possible way). It was my first time in the European Parliament - and art is the best occasion to do so. On the way to the temporary exhibition Artspace Austria we saw several works from the collection of the European Union, from Peter Doig for instance. Some nice pieces. Most of them on a “functional” display which doesn’t “disturb” daily business in the building where European politics are/could be made.
So the Artspace Austria - on the walls of a busy corridor where most of the people have to pass - so it’s really seen - in a non-art environment. There where some a few good works by Austrian artists as Eva Schlegel or Ona B. for instance. But the selection of the work was all in all weak, kind of arbitrary and not at all a strong statement of contemporary Art originated in Austria. Yet, what does this corridor and walls even allow? …
And of course, unfortunately we are not allowed to share any pics with you.

I’ve to confess, my personnel highlight of the visit was seeing Guy Verhofstadt passing us :)

For the whole blog of the brusselsARTproject click here.

Cut around the world @ studioOne BXL /  by fariba mosleh

Every hair needs some love - so we invited our dear Carmen Subota to make a stop @ studioOne Brussels to spread some love with her unique project cut around the world for artists, friends and neighbors. After Barcelona, New York, Vienna or Traiskirchen (AT) it was fantastic to organise an event with this wonderful person and stylist in Brussels. And the best - to be continued in spring 2019 outdoor :)
thanx*love

Meanwhile check out her website and find Carmen as Stylist in residence at Frau Schneider in Vienna.

For the whole blog of the brusselsARTproject click here.

really? /  by fariba mosleh

I don’t want to sound like a fine art spectator entering contemporary exhibitions stating “what’s that? art? everybody can do that.”, and the like … BUT as a person who is following artistic practises, in all kinds of forms and around the world, for more than a decade, sometimes it is actually hard to keep calm and not freaking out when entering a high-end top gallery in Brussels seeing the solo show of a under 30 year old artists presenting, in this case, about 10 monochromatic large scale paintings in this great rooms. I enter - quite open-minded - and can’t other than ask myself really ??
Yes, of course I can find links to art history, to contemporary approaches, I can define it as daring and provocative, reflect upon technical experiments of the artist, I can talk to the art crowd which came for the opening and find interesting relations … yes, it makes one talk about it, and that’s maybe more moving than some other boring exhibitions which try to do something new or trendy. But woMan - we are talking about art pieces of young guys which are on the market for (ten)thousands of Euros, taking the spaces for works which are so much more interesting and contemporary.

But he might have achieved his aim making me feel weird and annoyed … and the dialogue with other artists whom I respect a lot makes me calm down a bit after seeing such presentations. They are not angry about such developments, they are more concerned about the pulverisation and exploitation of young artists. One artists points out the short-living of such practises of young artists, he asked me ,what do you think he gonna do in ten years?`…

(c) Carmen Subota

Yet, such an evening is completely saved if it ends with two very close friends and a lot of fun at a concert at Beursschouwburg - British-Nigerian producer Tony Njoku and before the Bombataz from Brussels … even though this could end up in another discussion about really?

For the whole blog of the brusselsARTproject click here.

play*ground /  by fariba mosleh

Already for the 12th time two quite different art institutions in Leuven, a beautiful town about 25km or a half hour train ride away from Brussels, cooperate, and open their houses for artists experimenting on the intersection of performance and visual art at the PLAYGROUND Festival. This year the festival took place from 15th to 18th of November again at Museum Leuven and STUK - House for dance, image and sound. The festival title refers to the aim that the local and international more “emerging” than “established” artists from various fields should be given the chance to experiment within their artistic practise and - for those performing or presenting at Museum Leuven - getting into dialogue with the institution, the building, the permanent exhibitions and collections there.

“Playground” and the fact that the festival is scheduled during the whole day and in the eves might also suggest that it is an really vivid art festival for people of all ages … well, this year’s edition at Museum Leuven, where happens more the day program, came up with quite reluctant and sensitive performances. It is a kind of art history museum with a quite contemporary approach and also contemporary art exhibitions in a new & old architecture-wise interesting building in the city centre. I would like to mention the performance and installation Grammatica in the lobby; performance artist Evelien Cammaert and visual artist Joris Perdieus joint for the creation of a work which plays with the process of creating a piece of art. Using recent technological material discussing a highly art historical topic - the studio situation in the evolvement process of a canvas painting. Cammaert and Perdieus are sharing a quite unique and intimate moment with the audience. Grammatica opens up a mental space for the spectator, slowing down the individual’s speed and making it possible to let ones thoughts flow, at least for the period of the performance.
I further would like to mention the interventions by the artist Grace Schwindt, who designed costumes for two performers which she positioned in different rooms among the objects and visitors of the permanent collection - interacting with them with a minimum of movement, but a lot of power and for me as well humour. Addressing “humour” I’ve also to note these two strange but lovely big dolls dresses in swim suits made out for tulle moving around the ground floor of the museum within the performance Les Baigneurs referring to a plentitude of art history - a funny and visually catchy performance by Clédat & Petitpierre.
Whereas the evening program and performances at the fantastic highly interdisciplinary STUK building came up with a more powerful and “louder” program (which I couldn’t really enjoy as I had two girls on my side pleaguing me to drive back home ;).

For the whole blog of the brusselsARTproject click here.

one Night in paris*** /  by fariba mosleh

One really fantastic thing about living in Brussels is its great geographical location!
It makes it possible to go to Paris within 2 hours. So we kind of have to take the chance to go to this wonderful metropole to see some of the current exhibitions of our interest. Those large scale exhibitions are hosted by two very much different institutions, the 1977 opened Centre Pompidou in the heart of the city and the Fondation Luis Vuitton, which opened its doors in 2006, in Jardin d'acclimatation. These immense super-buildings couldn’t be more different - from the architectural point of view as well as from their mission.

Let’s start with FRANZ WEST at Centre Pompidou, a building & multidisciplinary institution that I still love so much! Especially the feeling one gets walking through the glazed hallways on the outside of the building, which kind of puts over the normally inner constructions to the outside. It’s a present to the public as it, among all the other specialities, allows the visitor to feel like walking above Paris with exceptional views. But let’s enter the exhibition, which is praised as the first posthumous large scale retrospective of Austrian artist Franz West, who passed away in 2012, which will go on to Tate Modern in London next year. There are three parties fussing around the meanwhile worth millions’ heritage of West, and therefore it’s quite hard to come up with an exhibition like this. As a confessing fan of his approach and œvre, I’ve been a bit disappointed about the space they gave this exhibition. It includes quite a lot of pieces from different periods, forms and materials brought together in a slightly narrow space. Everything shown in a strictly chronological way and somehow missing the necessary air to breathe. Still, it made a lot of fun to go through the exhibition, working with some of his pieces Passtücke, and reflecting on his audience including approach to art.

Well, the Jean-Michel Basquiat exhibition at Fondation Luis Vuitton was an absolute highlight - not only of this visit in Paris, but also of a personal long list of exhibition visits. I’ve been adoring Basquiat’s work for a long time, have seen some works in real here and there, but now this retrospective with 120 works, including several pieces first time shown in Europe, made a dream come true. Once in the exhibition you hardly feel the extroverted architecture except the huge and wide spaces - it takes about 10 rooms to navigate through the exhibition. I don’t know where to start - one can see the absolute peaks of his short, but extremely intensive career, but also less known and more quiet pieces. After looking so much into catalogues, books and documentations it is fantastic to see his works in real; the materials, colours, and the space-taking object character of his work can’t be communicated via printed documents. A fantastic exhibition*

Not enough, at the same time there is the œvre of another guy who already died at the age of 28 years on display at the Fondation Luis Vuitton - it’s the incredible work by Austrian artist Egon Schiele, who’s drawings I adore! Even though I can draw some lines between the work of Basquiat and Schiele, maybe it’s more recommendable to see their exhibitions separated from each other. It’s quite a stunning body of work they brought together at Fondation Luis Vuitton and as an Austrian it’s highly interesting how his work is looked at in France.

The building itself - well the money behind it makes such exhibitions possible, but I absolutely can’t link Frank Gehry’s architectural “masterpiece” with the things I highly appreciated to see inside. What sense does it make to build such an incredible building, where it is necessary to make build white cubes inside which display exhibitions as they could be anywhere in other white cubes (of that size) in the world?
When I reached the building I thought this could maybe fit for an opera house or philharmonics where it is necessary that the architecture goes along with sound qualities and the like … well, I am not an architecture expert in any way, but as an art producer I prefer buildings which go into dialogue with what the construction is meant to be used for. And of course money is an argument - can’t imagine how much that house cost and what could have been possible to invest into contemporary art otherwise.

… I don’t need to mention the many other little beautiful moments Paris offered to us. An especially cool thing - after staying in a squat at Place du Voges last time, an artist colleague’s mum invited us to sleep in the upper floor of her tiny little gallery and architecture office in the heart of the centre. Love such adventures! We’ll be back*

For the whole blog of the brusselsARTproject click here.

#weproclaim ed*** /  by fariba mosleh

Welcome to the Republic of Europe!
During days where constant negative perspectives on the future of our nation states, the continent and the whole world are defining our media, we took the chance and shared a beautiful moment with diverse people proclaiming the European Republic within the European Balcony Project yesterday in Saint Gilles, Brussels.
This EUtopean idea of a shared Republic with equal rights and status of all people living on this continent as a positive and logic answer to all of these nationalistic tendencies in Europe picks me personally exactly up where I am currently standing mentally - so it was clear we gonna proclaim the European Republic in our Brussels’s Studio Apartment with all the other over 100 participating initiatives all over Europe. Several people of diverse backgrounds and generations joined the informal event and read out the manifesto in 7 languages - one after the other as well as simultaneously together, what was really touching. The discourse was opened up on the prospects of the future of Europe - a political event accompanied by positive vibes and a European pumpkin soup ;)
Thanx to the everyone to come and celebrating these ideas with exciting dialogues in a great atmosphere!

For the whole blog of the brusselsARTproject click here.

*tristes blogs* /  by fariba mosleh

Sometimes I think I should do like Claude Lévy-Strauss had done with Tristes Tropiques, first published in France 1955, starting a parallel blog telling more about behind the scenes, the real ups and downs accompanying a project like this. Taking your kids out of school and kindergarten, moving into a new city without a paid job, knowing anybody … only to follow up your ideals in the search of a different and individual approach to life.
Being a mum, with kids on your side who really suffer due to the change of social environment and language (!), cultural manager & independent worker who did not follow a call by the EU or a splendid institution to come to Brussels (only a crazy idea in my head) … but I am also an anthropologist, with the aim of integrating this background into my work in the field of art.
Especially navigating through a field which it mostly smoothed surface - the art and culture field. Having reached a current low-point it may be the right time to also share this part of the story with the people who follow my blog. Blogging, especially in the art and culture field, is mostly an endless sequence art consuming’s manifestations - either critical or not.
Even though it might sound sometimes as if I am hopping and reporting from one art event to another, the content of this blog to write about an experiment. About navigating from one EU country to another and to get into to touch with how collegues, people in the field of art, deal with the current political shifts in Europe. Which answers do find artists and culture producers in their artistic practises and the programming in institutions? What are the socio-political realities in Europe’s informal capital? … Having prepared this stay in Brussels for a long time and very intensively still, we are facing so much contrary wind, not only from kids who have a more than imagined hard time to adapt to the new environment, but also from unexpected bureaucratic pressure which is enormous … in troubling times it feels so hard and ridiculous at the same time to go on with your work, develop further your ideas and keep on going.

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For the whole blog of the brusselsARTproject click here.

FEMIly*** /  by fariba mosleh

… it was awesome — 3rd time Femi Kuti! One people one world - tour!
Last year I saw Seun Kuti in Central Park NYC. Ten years ago the last time Femi … at Arena in Vienna. Yesterday at Festival des Libertés Bruxelles. He got older and more grey, as I am, but still has a lot of energy, as well as great things to spread! Splendid musicians - The Positive Force!
Africa for Africa***
Check out the tour dates and take your chance …

For the whole blog of the brusselsARTproject click here.

*fAstiWELL* /  by fariba mosleh

… bam, bam, bam. Though BXL is not the largest city, everyday starts another interesting festival in another exciting venue with a worth to checkout program. I absolutely can’t catch up with it. But well, that’s not the aim of this experiment, this blog. One never can have a holistic quantitative approach to culture and art production (and consumption), especially not if in favor of several (partly overlapping) fields. So I’ve to make choices.
This week’s highlights are definitely the Tashweesh Festival at Beursschouwburg and Festival des Libertés at Théâtre National de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles.

Tashweesh comes up with a very tense program in performing art, poetry slam, discussions, concerts etc. highlighting female artists with relation to the Middle East and Northern African Arabic world. I had the pleasure to attend Small Talk on feminist artistic practice by the poetry slamers Mona Moon (based in Berlin) and Samira Saleh (based in Brussels) before they and 6 other slamers rocked the house at the Slam Night.

Festival des Libertés host critical and reflecting events on a dialogue in the formats of screenings, debates, conference, exposition, DJing and concerts, all of them also in one spot which spreads a great vivid and on the topic festival affair.
Yesterday’s concert of political reggae singer Protege with The Groundations was fantastic. Full house, smaller concerts afterwards, and in the frame of the photo exhibition focussing the topic of becoming a widow in different areas of the world.
I am extremely looking forward of tonight’s highlight - Afro Beat with Femi Kuti! It’s gonna be my third concert to see from him, and I am sure it’s gonna be intense like ever.

The impression that the festivalisation of culture is tremendously far developed here in Brussels and beyond, is also approved if I am looking onto the upcoming program of diverse institutions, culture hubs and so on in the region. I am not sure, how I think about that. It is going into that direction in all major cities. Due to financing, merchandising, focussing, foregrounding the respective topics. That is highly interesting, intense and important on the one hand. It is possible to create a very focussing atmosphere for a certain period of time and therefore create a sensitivity and platform for these themes. On the other hand, it’s getting harder and harder to catch up with the multitude of festivals with more and less important and qualitative contents. It is such a speedy thing, either you jump into it or you just miss it. You have established festivals of high quality, fix starters for years, then those which are popping up and shutting down. How sustainable are the contents highlighted for a few days or weeks for the rest of the year? Where is all that energy going to? … It’s a huge topic I am addressing here, and I won’t further discuss it at this point. It’s certainly something culture producers as consumers are confronted with.

For the whole blog of the brusselsARTproject click here.

*being hot on Jürgenssen's heels* /  by fariba mosleh

… I have been very much looking forward tho the opening of Birgit Jürgenssen exhibition at Gladstone Gallery Brussels today. The Austrian artist, who passed away far too early, and her work has been acknowledged in the necessary manner way too late. I love her work and its apparent lightness and humor; many of her ideas and works facing that times’ private as well as public socio-political realities concerning emancipation and feminism.
Well, I’ve no thought of the fact that it could be a boring high end gallery exhibition as it turned out to be. Still, there were a few really good pieces in the show - some drawings, photographs and 3 of her splendid shoe series ♡

For the whole blog of the brusselsARTproject click here.

PLAY! 游戏 ! /  by fariba mosleh

What an incredible powerful performance … PLAY!
The Bruegel year not only led to blockbuster exhibitions like the one at Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, but also inspired artists of other fields to develop this contemporary dance theatre production for instance.
Basis for PLAY! is Pieter Bruegel’s famous painting “Kinderspiele”, also to see at Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna. Dschungel Wien and Het Paleis Antwerp did an exciting coproduction bringing together the Belgium choreographer Karolien Verlinden and her crew with six professional Austria based dancers. After the premiere in Vienna in September I took the chance to the Belgium premiere yesterday in Antwerp (by the way one of the last pieces where I did production back in Vienna ;) … The piece surprised, and has it all - great performers, an unique choreography (actually more sport than dance), sound, costumes, set design … and above all: games, games, games … without hardly more than some wooden slats these guys used their bodies to play a countless number of competitive children’s games*

Highly recommended. Don’t miss PLAY! in December on stage at Dschungel Wien age 10+

Well, once in Antwerp, I obviously seized the chance to visit Chinatown and have lunch there! The topic I was occupied with intensively for my publication Vienna Chinatown INvisible still thrills me so much. In 2001, Antwerp was Europe’s second city (after The Hague shortly before) to build up a dragon gate and call this quartier near the Central Station officially Chinatown, even though Chinese migration to Antwerp dates back to the 1970ies. It’s Belgium’s only official Chinatown, though there is a Chinatown INvisible, as I would call it, in the very centre of Brussels between La Bourse and St. Catherine. It felt so familiar to walk through this not more than 3 streets … and, it reassured me that Vienna’s decision against building up such an architectural sign like the dragon gate is a good one. It’s above all a marketing gag - what’s happening in this area is the interesting part, not its branding.
The food was delicious*

For the whole blog of the brusselsARTproject click here.

the sound of... /  by fariba mosleh

I’ve to confess, classical music is way to missed out on my cultural agenda — the more I loved the invitation of our very neighbour to an intimate evening of a semi-private concert in his house gallery. The audience in the age between 4 and 103 (!) years had the pleasure to listen to wonderful pieces by Ludwig van Beethoven and Dmitri Schostakovich interpreted by the pianist Damien Bossy and violoncellist Emmanuel Tondus. A real treat for the ears and soul*

For the whole blog of the brusselsARTproject click here.

*singing masks* /  by fariba mosleh

On Thursday I joined the opening performance of ASEM, the Asia meets Europe cultural festival at Bozar.
The renown Belgium visual artist Honore d’O has been invited to develop a piece for this occasion. I already had the pleasure to get know Honore half a year ago in Vienna, where he should have done a work in public space in the frame program of the current Pieter Bruegel exhibition at the Kunsthistorische Museum in Vienna. Unfortunately it seemed that the whole framework program of contemporary art has been thrown over board. Even more I was curious about Honore’s piece for Bozar.
The commission work for Horta Hall at Bozar, a Belgium architectural classic, with an orchestra and a famous Chinese pipa player already gave a strong frame to the performance. In the beginning I thought it’s gonna be a “nice” but probably boring piece bringing the musicians together with art through a video projection. However, even though he worked with the leitmotif of the mask (in his case from an industrial background) and a Chinese classic singer, the in-situ sound installation had something really inclusive and deep-going. Performers coming out behind the curtains into the audience positioning flowers made out of masks, the music, the projection … it was kind of contemplative. Everything fit together. Honore worked collaborative with other artists, got into dialogue with the architecture and also included the audience.
It’s a silent piece - but somehow it’s tangent in a quite sensitive and resonant way*

For the whole blog of the brusselsARTproject click here.

EUtopia* /  by fariba mosleh

Meanwhile we have been living in Brussels for two months already***
The perfect time to focus the initial idea of leaving Austria for a while and researching on this European thought as a contra statement and vision against the European-wide growth of populist politics and nationalism like in Austria. As already stated in the first blog entry I’ve had a ambiguous relation to the idea of Europe and the Union as I prefer a global thinking and citizenship. Still, in times like those I feel like a European more than ever before. This residency in Brussels shall add to my transnational view and reception, in the private as well as professional sense. And, I want to forward this idea and everything surrounding this discourse. Through the discourse on this transnational approaches I got to know other people and initiatives who believe in the chances of a united Europe.
Hence, I became a member of the EUROPEAN REPUBLIC which will be officially proclaimed through the European Balcony Project on November 10th 2018 at 4pm from balconies and in public spaces all over Europe. The project was initiated by the political scientist, Ulrike Guérot, the author, Robert Menasse, and the theatre maker, Milo Rau. Background of the idea of a united European Republic is the fact that there exists a common market as well as a common currency within the EU, so this project promotes the aim of sharing a common democracy - a United Europe of cultural diversity beyond nation states with equal rights and opportunities for all its citizens***
This might be a EUtopie — but it’s about spreading a positive and transnational dialogue on the possible future of Europe!

Es lebe die Republik Europa!

Long lives the Republic of Europe!

Vive la République Européene!

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studioOne will participate at the Balcony Project with an event at our studio in Brussels. We’ll proclaim the European Republic by reading the manifeste the 10th of November at 4pm - further details coming soon - safe the date*

For further information on the European Balcony Project download the press release here: PR

For the whole blog of the brusselsARTproject click here.

Big bears cry too* /  by fariba mosleh

Theatre season has startet as well. And how could we have a better start than going to see a guest play of Miet Warlop’s production Big bears cry too for people age 6+ at BRONKS Theatre for young audience in Brussels?
I had the pleasure to see Miet Warlop’s performance Fruits of Labour last year the Festival of Regions in Upper Austria - she is simply a great artist with a vision! Couldn’t wait to see Big bears cry too with my kids and again it was an inspiring performance for all senses. She takes kids for serious and goes beyond certain borders - she confronts not only the kids, but the whole audience with contemporary art instead of a pedagogical approach.
The production is touring through Europe - so take the chance*

For the whole blog of the brusselsARTproject click here.

My first "visit" in Vienna - a new perspective* /  by fariba mosleh

BXL - VIE - BXL
I’ve been living in Vienna for more than a decade meanwhile. Moving to Brussels made me a visitor there for the first time: going there, leaving my family in Brussels, sleeping at wonderful friend’s houses, meeting people,… a new perspective.
Well, I had a few intense days, as I am more than linked to there, catching up with news, politics, culture etc. After not only the recent attacks on freedom of press or the intimidation of individuals and the pressure on NGOs in Austria, it was obligatory to take part of the #donnerstag demonstrations against the current far right Austrian government, which take place every Thursday eve and is organised each week by a different organisation of collective.

… zooming out and changing perspective is a real privilege which makes one see things differently sometimes … what kind of triggered me most this time in Vienna was the newly introduction of the prohibition of consuming food on the metro. After implementing a prohibition of alcohol consumption in the area of Praterstern in Vienna and the prohibition of full-face veil this is the third big impact into one individual’s liberty in Vienna and Austria. There are more constructive ways of organising live in a pluralistic society! Still, in Vienna the biggest problem seems to be malodorous food in public transport —— god save the BIM***

…well, saying goodbye to Vienna and coming back to Brussels felt quite good and right for the moment. Here have been communal elections yesterday, Sunday 14th of October, and I am happy and inspired by the fact of living and working in a neighbourhood and city with an election results that I wish to be similar for the next elections in Vienna.
So let us #donnerstag and see you on the streets of Vienna the 20th of December again***

For the whole blog of the brusselsARTproject click here.

Nuit Blanche BXL /  by fariba mosleh

Nuit Blanche BXL 2018 - in Austria a term which has the connotation of Fête Blanche, an event which I’ve always avoided to go to - in Brussels an yearly art event in early autumn like in other cities like Paris as well.
Nuit Blanche here made me extremely happy last Saturday - a night long installations, performances, and interventions of local and international artists on diverse places of the quartier Marolles immersed the visitors “in contemporary art in a friendly way” as the info folder states. And, it turned out to be fantastic. Highest quality performances for free in public space on well chosen locations with prevailing topics for everyone! I enjoyed that night with my 9-year old daughter who was as fascinated as me, and the other audiences as diverse as the neighborhood (and the artists) - simply as it has to be in my opinion.
This year’s Nuit Blanche picked up the topic 2018 Year of the protest and therefore opted for Marolles, a quartier historically known for resistance and protest, as the place to act.
Don’t know where to start sharing some impressions of that night with you - the installations PeoPL, an immense ice sculpture in the roofed courtyard and basketball site of a primary school in form of a statue of Leopold II was a perfect and surprisingly good beginning of our eve’s tour. The sculpture by the Belgian/Ruandan artist LAURA NSENGIYUMVA was meant to melt throughout this eve and a reflection on the slowly but gradually mental decolonialisation process.

In another primary school there were robot like self-moving protest sign under the title Activists by the Slovenian artists NIKA OBLAK and PRIMOZ NOVAK.
Place Jeu de Balle, the daily setting for the city’s most famous fleamarket surrounded by bars and restaurants was venue for several performances, among them the Mission Roosevelt by the French-Italian Tony Clifton Circus - not only fun, but a well drafted and penetrative production. About 25 wheel chairs, a tabu object, symbol for inferiority, immobility and marginal groups, were bound together for a tour with the artists and participants from the audience who navigated through the quartier adding a whole lot of diversity.

Our absolute highlight of the night took place at La Dalle in front of two massive high buildings (“Plattenbau”) in an L-shape, a residential complex for hundreds of families, where I’ve already seen a great opening performance of Kunstenfestival two years ago. The concrete place became venue for the production D-Konstruktion by Compagnie Dyptik — a stunning and moving performance on the topic of contemporary revolutions and urban movement! It’s a must-see for everyone, would love to invite this French group to Vienna.

Well, last but not least we got involved in the first KLAPPING event in Brussels, a global movement in urban dance originating in Australia. Simply a great approach to dance developed from the incorporated moves in soccer these guys are developing at least to me completely new kind of body movement and co-creation between each other. Ahilan Ratnamohan and Feras Shaheen, both dancers and former soccer players introduced us into the world of KLAPPING in a public soccer field and with the youngsters playing soccer there every day*

For the whole blog of the brusselsARTproject click here.

Les femmes dans l'art brut? /  by fariba mosleh

I’ve to confess that I’ve a quite problematic feeling towards the Austrian Presidency of the Council of the European Union due to the current politics in Austria … but I have to mention that there is a whole body of events in the cultural field organised in Brussels within the framework of the presidency. … With the cooperation of the Austrian Cultural Forum Brussels and the Austrian collector Hannah Rieger with the Art et Marges Musée Brussels they came up with a really good project.
Under the title Les femmes dans l’art brut? they brought together over hundred works by international art brut artist from the collection of Hannah Rieger. Female art brut has ever since rarely been supported and much less collected. The ? in the exhibition title refers to that point that it is hardly possible to see and collect female art brut, also in the renown Maria Gugging female art brut is an exception - as for instance the work of Leila Bachtiar, who attended the opening last thursday. About 22 female and 19 male artists were represented in the show, among the works were many of actually high quality - above all the smaller sized drawings.
Besides some people affiliated to Austria many local people joined the opening, what I really appreciated. I even met some of my neighbours :)
Still, I am asking myself - is it really necessary to put a ? into the title and hanging all these great works by (less known) female artists next to the well known big names of art brut instead of putting an ! and highlighting this hardly existing female part of the brut story?

For the whole blog of the brusselsARTproject click here.

WIELS again* /  by fariba mosleh

… as it´s simply interesting and a pleasure I went to WIELS again yesterday to the opening of Belgian artist Koenraad Dedobbeleer’s exhibition Kunststoff: Gallery of Material Culture, curated by Zoë Gray and attended the accompanied talk Musée des Accessoires by Patricia Falguières, an art critic and historian based in Paris - again a challenge as it was in French, but a good training to listen to museology, material culture and the topic of display :)
Actually I really like Dedobbelleleer’s approach to the topic of display in the exhibition space - his mix of found object installations and his own sculptures. Even though the first part displays older works dating back till 2003 everything fits together and makes you feel like in an indoor sculpture park until you go up into the second floor of the exhibition where the artist kind of takes care of the visitor installing an salon like environment with a heating stove and a room full of wood bullets and an incredible view over Brussels.

For the whole blog of the brusselsARTproject click here.