Without anyone noticing,
Brussels became cool; a city that artists are choosing to move to and galleries
and project spaces are thriving within. The catalyst for this change is
obvious—WIELS. Since it opened in 2007, it has become one of the most respected
international exhibition spaces for contemporary art. WIELS director Dirk
Snauwaert has overseen the development of this giant, ambitious hub, located in
a former brewery.
WIELS has more than filled
a city that lacked even a contemporary art museum. They have put on major shows
by artists hitting their stride, like
or
, or those seriously influencing artistic
dialogue, like
or
. “We intend to contribute to art history, in
complexifying the picture. Bringing in a number of artists who, for one reason
or another, have been forgotten or overlooked, we combine these survey shows
with monographical projects by artists who we believe are adding innovative
approaches to the notions and forms at hand in contemporary thinking and art. A
sort of middle ground between the mid-life career survey and a specific
project,” Snauwaert explains.
WIELS’ critical success has
shone a light on the private galleries in the city. Brussels has a long
tradition as a historical art market, going back to the 16th century. Its
gallery scene is intelligent and understated. Barbara Gladstone opened a space
in a townhouse here in 2008 to show work in a more intimate setting.
Almine
Rech and MOT International both
set up second spaces in the city. Antwerp gallery
Office
Baroque moved ship to Brussels
last year.
Brussels’
Xavier Hufkens has a roster of artists that would make any
international gallerist weak at the knees, from
to
. Upcoming exhibitions include
solo presentations by
,
, and
. “It was never a strategic
decision to open a gallery in Brussels: I was born in the city, and it’s the
city I know and love. Having said that, when I first opened in 1987, Antwerp
was the center of the Belgian art world. That’s changed over the years.
Brussels is the crossroads of Europe. It’s an incredibly international,
cosmopolitan city but, at the same time, very manageable,” Hufkens notes.
Hufkens
recently opened a second space in a concrete 1970s building down the street his
stunning white townhouse space. The interior was designed by ex-Herzog & De
Meuron partner Harry Gugger. “I
liked that fact that it had a very distinctive, contemporary feel. The idea for
the new gallery space was born out of the need for flexibility. The space has
allowed the gallery to show more experimental work and take greater risks.”
Since it opened last year, smaller galleries, start-ups, and architects have
settled near by. The whole area has had a dose of fresh energy.
Former artist Michael Callies opened his gallery,
dépendance, a decade ago,
showing the artists he had studied with under Kippenberger at the Städel School,
like
,
,
, and
. “I think Brussels is a very interesting
place,” director Ayelet Yanai considers. “Not only in the art world.
Politically, economically. You have the very established, very rich, very poor,
a lot of immigrants. It is really a city of contrast.”
The first wave of artists
settling in the city, like
and
, have been followed by younger names like
and
. Rumours are going around that Brussels is the
new Berlin—a place with cheaper rents and a thriving scene. Numerous project
spaces have emerged in the city: Etablissement d'en Face, NICC, De La Charge,
and Abilene. La Loge, which opened in September 2012, is set in a modernist
former Masonic lodge. “It is important for us that the artists, curators, and
cultural agents we invite are given the opportunity to look for the
characteristic and the peculiar within their practice,” points out director
Anne-Claire Schmitz. “Unlike any other institution, we benefit from a
small-scale format that allows us to address our audience and the diversity of
protagonists we work with in a straightforward and genuine way. That intimate
and direct conversation is an essential quality to the project and to the way
we envisioned it.”
Brussels is asserting
itself as a place where smaller galleries can get a serious audience.
Christopher Crescent, a respected gallery from London that made its name with
great early shows from
and
, has chosen to move to Brussels. The gallery is
in the south of the city, near stalwarts like Elaine Levy, Middlemarch, and
Almine Rech. “What I have noticed about the city is an openness and willingness
to share and disseminate information and connections,” founder Simon
Christopher explains. “It’s a platform that unfortunately doesn’t seem to be
provided by London right now.” Reflecting the camaraderie in the city, his
approach isn’t vampiric. “As with any art hub, it’s about connecting with the
local protagonists, the artists at all levels, the other galleries, the
institutions, the writers. It’s about becoming part of the fabric, the roots of
the place.”
Brussels is really about location—a short train journey away from
Paris, London or Amsterdam. For collectors, coming to the city to see and buy
work couldn’t be easier. For artists, it has some of the experimentation of
Berlin but with a touch more seriousness. Within the art world at least,
Brussels’ position as the capital of the European Union finally makes sense.
Images: WIELS Building © Sven Laurent; Flag WIELS © WIELS; Franz
Erhard Walther installation view at WIELS © Sven Laurent; Akram Zaatari
installation view at WIELS © Sven Laurent; Mark Leckey installation view of The
Universal Addressability of Dumb Things, 2013 at Nottingham; WIELS Cafe ©
WIELS; Almine Rech; Xavier Hufkens.