Cover story
Chaos and possibility A panoramic view of Brussels's contemporary art scene
EN
With the city going all out in the slipstream of Art Brussels and the like, Brussels is again aiming for the title of European hotspot for contemporary art. Dirk Snauwaert from Wiels, and Alice van den Abeele and Raphaël Cruyt from the MIMA take a closer look at everything that’s going on in the city. — KURT SNOEKX • PHOTOS: WOUTER VAN VAERENBERGH
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I
t is becoming a recurring sight: in the second half of April, the Brussels contemporary art scene starts bursting at the seams. The biggest fish in the pond is Art Brussels, which is presenting its 35th edition this year, but there are also schools of other – “more critical”, “cooler”, “cheaper”, “more accessible”… – art fairs, as well as a gaggle of artists, collectives, galleries, and institutions, all preened to perfection. This growing momentum is undoubtedly one of the reasons why the international scene throws so many curious looks at the city. But the Brussels art week is first and foremost a commercial affair that is intended to mobilise possible (international) buyers and so it is relatively far removed from the energy that the city generates on a daily basis. The art fairs are a nuanced story, according to Alice van den Abeele, who exactly