What's going on in December?
Plus: Is the future no longer Europe??
Reading time: about 3 minutes.
Happy Monday, friends.
This issue includes a list of fun, interesting or else intriguing events taking place in December in Brussels or nearby.
But first, some news.
If life took you down Rue de la Loi last week, you might’ve noticed the sole pop of color to be found between Schuman Roundabout and Arts-Loi has now vanished.
A tragedy if I’ve ever seen one.
The mural was taken down on Wednesday, to make room for a new building.
Public art has a powerful role to play in lifting spirits. Diplomats, policymakers, journalists and other EU Bubble dwellers used to see that message on their way into work in the mornings and feel a sense that of purpose — of being part of something bigger.
I wrote about the role of public art, including this mural, in a previous issue of this newsletter. You can read it here.
Alright. Now let’s talk events.
Spoiler: Next week’s issue will feature an exciting Holiday giveaway. Watch this space.
One last fair to end the year with
The 4th annual edition of Art Antwerp, Art Brussels’ younger cousin, will take place from December 12th to the 15th.
The fair will have “a mix of mid-career and emerging artists” from 70 selected contemporary art galleries, as their website says. Compared to Art Brussels, which takes place every April, this one usually shows more locally grown art and invites fewer international gallerists. A personal favorite is always Antwerp-based Pedrami Gallery’s booth.
If you’re free this weekend, I hope you go and enjoy some contemporary art.
To wit: I have two entry tickets for Art Antwerp to give away! Let me know you’re interested by responding to this email.
Bonus tip: If you can make a weekend out of it, I recommend stopping by the KMSKA, the Royal Museum, while you’re there. Both their permanent exhibit and temporary one on James Ensor are sublime.
Family and friends visiting? Here are 5 exhibits you can see together in December.
Contemporary art: “Love is Louder” at the Bozar Center for Fine Arts remains ever present on Instagram stories all over Brussels. That’s because it’s great. Tickets here. There’s also an accompanying Love is Louder Festival this coming weekend; learn more here.
Design: The Design Museum, located near the Atomium, currently has 2 exhibits on women in design in the past century. One of them is focused on Belgian female designers, specifically. Tickets here.
Contemporary art: See the work of a few emerging Belgian artists at the Centrale for Contemporary Art, near Pl. Saint Catherine. Tickets here.
Modern Art: ‘Alechinsky: Traveling Brush’ is on at Villa Empain, the Art Deco masterpiece near Bois de la Cambre. (Pierre Alechinsky was a master of Abstract Expressionism). Tix here.
Old Masters/Modern Art: “Drafts: From Rubens to Khnopff” at the Royal Museum looks at the process behind the masterpieces we know and love.
Bonus tip: for more contemporary art, catch the MIMA’s last show before it closes. A 20-minute walk away from the Centrale, the MIMA has been around since 2016 only and is most well-known for its Jean Julien show a couple years back.
What about Christmas markets?
Thank you for asking; there are plenty of those around.
The main one at Saint Catherine, of course, which will be packed until January.
Every Saturday & Sunday at Sablon, you can find their Antique Market.
Continental Winter Market, taking place at Place Brouckère, December 13-15th, offers local products and festive drinks.
There is this one hosted by Silversquare on Rue de Bailli, in Saint Gilles, December 12-14th.
Flash Christmas Markets, also in the city center, features a string of “festive micro pop-ups“ until December 22nd.
The Maisons des Arts in Schaerbeek is selling “100% works of art created in Schaerbeek.“ It doesn’t get more local than that. This is a strictly digital market, apparently; you can make your purchases on this website.
And Christmas music?
There’s a Christmas Concert taking place at the big cathedral in the center, on December 27th at 5pm. Tickets are 20 euro each.
Over at Flagey, you can hear some Christmas songs performed by a lovely choir on December 21st — or hear the Flagey Academy (members aged between 8-20) sign a Christmas concert on the 19th. They both sound great.
Bozar’s annual family show is on the 20th and 21st.
Outside of Brussels, the Christmas Market in Leuven is a personal favorite and the one in Ciney is on my bucket list.
Have a good week,
Ana
Do you know who made the "The Future is Europe" mural? It was indeed strange driving down (or better: up) Rue de la Loi and seeing the building half demolished. Are the artists invited to make another mural elsewhere?