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jUNE 24, 2015 \ newsweekly - € 0,75 \ read more at www.flanderstoday.eu current affairs \ p2

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New campus for tech

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Are you ready to rock?

As the debate on Belgium’s company car culture rages on, a new department chair will gather statistics for the first time

Antwerp’s University College has a brand new campus for its science and tech departments – and none too soon

Jazz, blues, pop or monsters of rock: Check out our festival guide to plan your summer of music

Nomads and ghosts

Questions of identity infuse Ghent’s new summer photo festival Sally Tipper More articles by Sally \ flanderstoday.eu

Ghent’s first citywide photography festival tackles themes of identity with powerful photo essays that explore what it’s like to be a Gentenaar, to lose your sense of self when you grow old and to be fat in a society that values the opposite

hent is a festival city. There’s Ghent Jazz, Gentse Feesten, Ghent Film Fest, Ghent Light Festival – all that was really missing was a photo festival. But no longer. To fill the gap in the city’s cultural calendar, heritage organisation Historische Huizen Gent has created 80 Days of Summer, Ghent’s first citywide photo festival, which takes in 10 historic venues with 30 exhibitions by 20 photographers. The focus is on identity, and the walking trail puts the identity of the city itself in the spotlight, too, inviting visitors to explore with photography as their guide. “We’ve collected a range of visual stories about identity,” says Anke D’Haene of Historische Huizen Gent. “But we also found it very important to make the link with our heritage, as we have so many beautiful monuments and buildings in the city.” The venues include the STAM city museum, Sint-Baafs Abbey and the Dr Guislain Museum, as well as Historische Huizen Gent’s Facebook page, where Lisa Van Damme is curating an ongoing series of photo essays about the city’s inhabitants called Humans of Ghent. But at the heart of 80 Days of Summer, and typical of the medieval-meets-contemporary ethos, is Sint-Pieters Abbey. It’s the nerve centre of the event, hosting four exhibitions and acting as a meeting place for visitors wanting to experience the parcours. Among its exhibitions is The Inner Circle of Europe by young Flemish photographer Gert Verbelen, who travelled to the geographical centre of 18 countries in search of a specific European identity, immersing himself in each community for a week at a time. The resulting images show a remarkable level of intimacy. A man sits asleep in a chair in his living room; a mother lies with her child in bed beneath a huge animal skin that hangs on the wall; a boy stands in the street clutching a rifle. Verbelen says he also saw his own identity reflected through his choice of subjects. London-based Swedish photographer Maja Daniels immersed herself in a community of a different kind for her series Into Oblivion. She lived in a geriatric hospital in France for up to a week at a time over the course of three years, photographing residents with dementia in an attempt to understand their lives. There are no carers to be seen in these images, where pastel tones and abundant light can’t soften the pervading atmosphere of loneliness. “The importance for me is really what it might be like to live in this place, from the point of view of the residents,” Daniels says. She’s interested in identity construction and in the body, she explains. “So my interest was in what happens with continued on page 5

\ CURRENT AFFAIRS

Antwerp to measure flow of crowds using mobile phone data Real-time information allows faster response to situations, says mayor Alan Hope Follow Alan on Twitter \ @AlanHopeFT

he city of Antwerp plans to begin monitoring how people move around in the city using signals from their mobile phones. The City of Things project, said to be the largest of its kind in Europe, is a joint venture between the city, digital research centre iMinds and mobile network provider Mobile Vikings, and is due to begin at the end of the year. The project involves installing sensors around the city, mostly in tourist areas and the main shopping and traffic arteries. The sensors will pick up signals from each phone in the vicinity. Once all the data are brought together, researchers will be able to map the flow of people at any given time or place.

London cultivates special rose for Talbot House centenary The manager of Talbot House in Poperinge, West Flanders, was in London recently to join a procession in honour of a rose cultivated to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the house during the First World War. The rose was carried on a cushion from All Hallows Church to the official residence of the Lord Mayor, Alan Yarrow. Raf Craenhals accompanied officials from the Worshipful Company of Watermen and Lightermen of the River Thames. The group arranges for a rose to be carried from All Hallows Church and presented to the Lord Mayor each year as part of a ritual dating from medieval times. But this year’s rose was specially cultivated to mark the centenary of the opening of Talbot House by British army chaplain Philip “Tubby“ Clayton in 1915. He was the vicar of All Hallows for 40 years after the end of the First World War. He founded Talbot House near the front line for soldiers, regardless of rank, to relax when they had leave. There was a canteen, library, theatre and a chapel, all now open as the Talbot House museum. Clayton also made the garden into a place of rest. The Talbot House Rose was created to recall the beauty of the garden. More than 2,000 of the rose bushes will be sold to raise funds for Talbot House. “We are honoured the rose was chosen for this ceremony, particularly with Tubby’s links to the city,” said Craenhals. “Many people who visit Talbot House are, like Tubby, very interested in the garden; some of them are descendants of soldiers who came there. We thought that by creating this rose, they could plant something from there in their own garden.” \ Mary Barber

Privacy is assured, mayor Bart De Wever said. “We only pick up the signal, we don’t know whose phone it comes from.” He explained one of the uses of the technology: last year’s winter sales, when the centre of Antwerp was brought to a standstill by dense traffic. The real-time information from the City of Things would have allowed a more rapid response, allowing visitors arriving by car to be diverted to parking places on the edge of the city, he said. The system will also be able to more accurately determine numbers at gatherings or protests. The system was already tested at last year’s Gentse Feesten, but the Antwerp project is much larger.

Belgians underestimate true risks of cancer The average Belgian underestimates the risks of some basic causes of cancer and overestimates others, according to the Foundation against Cancer’s latest Cancer Barometer. The foundation questioned 1,000 people between 16 and 70 years old. When asked to rank the causes of cancer in order from the most to least serious, the average person listed in order: smoking, sun and sunbeds, air pollution, obesity and food additives. In fact, while smoking does indeed come first, the order

then should go: obesity and physical inactivity, carcinogenic viruses such as human papilloma, genetic factors and type of work. The survey points out the persistence of some myths about cancer – not only the non-existent danger of food additives and the much overestimated danger of air pollution, but also the role of stress. Identified as a leading cause of cancer by 60% of survey respondents, stress does not figure on the real list of top causes at all, according to the foundation. On the other hand, the survey

shows a number of risk factors, such as the dangers of alcohol, are becoming better known, with 5% more people now aware of the link with cancer than when the survey was last carried out two years ago. Since then, 6% more people are also aware of the danger of eating red meat in relation to colon cancer. Among smokers, virtually all were aware of the risk of their behaviour, as were about 90% of those who use sunbeds. The risks of alcohol, however, were only recognised by about half of drinkers. \ AH

Nearly one million turn out to see Antwerp giants More than 900,000 people turned out over the weekend to see the giant puppets of French street theatre company Royal de Luxe on their latest visit to Antwerp. This year’s three-day event included two characters, the elderly Oma Reus (Grandma Giant, pictured) and Kleine Reus (Little Giant). The company constructed a narrative around the pair, who moved around the city according to a plan revealed each day in cryptic clues. Last weekend was the fourth time the giants visited the port city. They were accompanied by dozens of

red-clad puppeteers who manipulate them and the cranes and heavy

760,297

€2 million

invested by Screen Flanders in eight film projects, including a biography of British pop group The Kinks and British director Terence Davies’ film about poet Emily Dickinson

of secondary school students in Flanders light up a cigarette from time to time, or regularly, up from 19.4% in 2013

working days lost to strikes in Belgium in 2014, according to the government’s social security agency, the highest number since 1993 and more than any other European country

vehicles required to move them around. Each visit requires 18 months of preparation to accommodate the five-metre marionettes. “The city is not exactly built for two giants to go walking,” said Patrick De Groote, organiser of Antwerp’s summer festival, so some adjustments have to be made, such as removing lampposts and some overhead cables. Antwerp is accustomed to the procedure: The giants have visited there more often than any other city – in 1998, 2006 and 2010. \ AH

70th

years that a bee statue was missing from Meli theme park in De Panne. It was stolen by a man who, on his death bed, asked for it to be returned. It was given to Meli successor Plopsaland last week

birthday of Flemish cycling legend Eddy Merckx, celebrated on Brussels’ Grote Markt last week. He was later honoured by the city of Meise, where he was born and where a statue of him was unveiled

jUNE 24, 2015

WEEK in brief A baby elephant was born last week at animal park Planckendael in Mechelen, the fifth baby for Phyo Phyo and a little sister to the country’s most famous elephant, Kai Mook. The healthy birth comes just weeks after the park’s last baby elephant died after being rejected by its mother and suffering complications of jaundice. New elephant Qiyo is already on view to visitors. Ineke van Schoor, Julie van Gelder and Kaat Dumarey claimed three gold medals for Belgium at the European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan, with winning performances in the women’s group allaround, balance and dynamic events in acrobatic gymnastics. Fellow gymnasts Yana Vastavel and Solano Cassamajor took the silver in the mixed-doubles competition and in the balance and dynamic events – behind the Russians on all three occasions. European limits for fine particulates were not exceeded anywhere in Flanders last year, environment minister Joke Schauvliege said last week, in reaction to news that the European Commission is taking Belgium to the European Court of Justice for failing to do enough to cut particulates emissions. The Commission used figures from 2013, when three measuring stations in Flanders exceeded the limits.

face of flanders & Taxis site, as a result of delays in renovation works. Work was supposed to start this month, but an appeal by one of the companies that failed to win a tender is delaying the start. Works include new seating, air conditioning and a tunnel linking the house to rehearsal spaces on the other side of Leopoldstraat. Dirk Michielsens, financial director of Antwerp logistics company Katoen Natie, has been named Chief Financial Officer of the year by Trends magazine. Michielsens has been CFO since 1999 and oversaw a number of million-euro transactions, including the acquisition last year of a controlling interest in the waste management company Indaver. The prize goes to the CFO of a top 500 company; Michielsens was one of 10 nominees. Clothing chain ZEB has called off its competition to win €5,000 in plastic surgery, after being summoned by the HalleVilvoorde prosecutor’s office. The stunt – to draw attention to ZEB’s opposition to the embargo on price cuts leading up to the 1 July sales – came in for criticism from doctors, who also pointed out that promoting plastic surgery to the public is illegal in Belgium.

The long-awaited Apple Store will open in Brussels on 19 September in the Guldenvlieslaan complex, according to Le Soir newspaper quoting “reliable sources”. It will be the first Apple Store in the country. Two more are reported to be planned, in Antwerp and in Ghent.

Flemish sailor Evi Van Acker has regained her world number one ranking after her silver medal success in the World Cup leg in Weymouth, England. Van Acker now leads the field with 987 points, ahead of Britain’s Alison Young on 958 and Denmark’s Anne-Marie Rindom on 949 points. Van Acker, 29, won this season at Cadiz, Mallorca and Trentino, as well as the World Cup leg at Hyères in France.

Productions for the 2015-2016 season of Brussels opera house De Munt will move out of the venue next spring to take up residence in a tent on the Tour

The remains of a man found in a sports bag in Wemmel last week were those of a 22-year-old Albanian law student at the Free University of Brussels (VUB),

police have revealed. The torso was found by council workers. The victim was a first-year student already known to police for drugs offences and fighting. The cause of death is not yet known. Work began in Brussels last week on a site infamous for urban decay between Grasmarkt and Beenhouwersstraat, directly opposite the Brussels tourist office. Vacant for nearly half a century, it is being developed into 22 student rooms and 29 apartments, with retail space on the ground floor. A square in the middle of the project will be named Tweemanspleintje (Two Men Square); the street linking the site to Beenhouwersstraat is already named Eenmansstraat (One Man Street). The Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Sciences in Brussels has been voted the third-best dinosaur museum in the world by the American news channel CNN. Timed to coincide with the opening of the new Jurassic World film, the poll listed places “that (safely) bring humans face to face with dinosaurs – and not just their skeletons”. “With the largest dinosaur hall in the world, this museum has an impressive collection of fossilized skeletons and casts,” CNN said about the museum. The Natural History Museum in Berlin came in first, followed by the Field Museum in Chicago. Belgium wins far fewer sports medals than it ought to, according to research by the Free University of Brussels (VUB). In the period 2009-2012 Belgium scored 18 points in Olympics, world and European championships, where a gold medal counts for three points, silver two and bronze one. According to criteria of wealth and population, the total should have been 29 points. “The reason lies in our sports policy and our mentality: too easily pleased,” remarked researcher Veerle De Bosscher.

OFFSIDE The green, green grass of home Could the people of Aalst be facing a new tax because their city is too green? The problem in Aalst, according to Bart Backaert, the head of the city’s green spaces department, is that people are too fond of their lawns. “At least 80% of gardens consists of grass,” he says. “That’s green desert: there’s nothing to eat there for a honeybee, a butterfly or a beetle. Some people cut the grass twice a week, with all of the carbon dioxide emissions that entails. And they treat their grass with toxic pesticides.” The lawn, that symbol of the bourgeoisie, apparently has nothing to

offer Mother Nature. People like an expanse of grass, but, for the environment, a lawn is land taken out of circulation. “There’s a lot of nature to be won back in private gardens,” Backaert says. “But then we have to manage them differently.”

If you’re growing flowers, have no fear. Flowers feed wildlife and provide the means for pollination. So do vegetables. If you’re a lazy bum and have left your garden to go to ruin, better still. A wilderness garden provides the best conditions of all for bio-diversity. The alternative is a tax on lawn space, proposed by Backaert. “A great idea,” responded Ann Van de Steen, alderwoman for public works. “We have to try to convince people to turn their lawns into something that’s more useful to nature. Though I’d prefer to do it in some less punitive way.”

Sven Ornelis For 14 years he’s been the first voice heard in the morning by a large part of Flanders, but now they’ll have to face the day without him. Sven Ornelis, presenter of the morning show on radio station Q-Music, will make his last breakfast broadcast this Friday, 26 June. He hands the reins of the show over to his current sidekick, Maarten Vancoillie. Ornelis, who has been with QMusic since it first saw the light of day in 2001, is not giving up broadcasting altogether; he will continue to appear on the airwaves but will now have more of a role in designing programme content. “It was time for me and it was time for Q-Music,” he said. “For years I’ve been thinking about when I would give up morning radio. When I came across someone as talented as Martine is, the pieces of the puzzle all fell into place. I’m able to pass the torch with an easy conscience.” Ornelis was born in Bruges in 1973 and seemed made for radio. At the age of 18, he was put on the air at Radio 2 to take the place of the award-winning presenter Michel Follet on the

Friday edition of his morning show Dag en Dauw during the summer holidays. He later followed Follet to his new station, Radio Donna. Ornelis hosted the breakfast show on Donna to great success. After just eight months, Ornelis and co-host Erwin Deckers were poached by the new station Q-Music, where Ornelis has remained ever since. In 2014, VRT, as part of its celebration of the centenary of radio in Belgium, carried out a survey to find the most popular radio personality of recent decades. Ornelis came second, after veteran broadcaster Lutgart Simoens. Speaking on VTM News, Ornelis recalled the many stunts he has taken part in: walking from the coast to Hasselt, which awakened a passion for walking that continues to this day; shaking the hands of 10,000 people for charity; broadcasting from an aircraft for 16 days. But one experience will be new to him: sleeping in of a morning. “I’m going to try. I don’t know how that feels, but I’ll do my best.” \ Alan Hope

Flanders Today, a weekly English-language newspaper, is an initiative of the Flemish Region and is financially supported by the Flemish authorities. The logo and the name Flanders Today belong to the Flemish Region (Benelux Beeldmerk nr 815.088). The editorial team of Flanders Today has full editorial autonomy regarding the content of the newspaper and is responsible for all content, as stipulated in the agreement between Corelio Publishing and the Flemish authorities.

Editor Lisa Bradshaw DEPUTY Editor Sally Tipper CONTRIBUTING Editor Alan Hope sub Editor Linda A Thompson Agenda Robyn Boyle, Georgio Valentino Art director Paul Van Dooren Prepress Mediahuis AdPro Contributors Rebecca Benoot, Bartosz Brzezi´nski, Derek Blyth, Leo Cendrowicz, Katy Desmond, Andy Furniere, Diana Goodwin, Julie Kavanagh, Catherine Kosters, Toon Lambrechts, Katrien Lindemans, Ian Mundell, Anja Otte, Tom Peeters, Daniel Shamaun, Senne Starckx, Christophe Verbiest, Débora Votquenne, Denzil Walton General manager Hans De Loore Publisher Mediahuis NV

Editorial address Gossetlaan 30 - 1702 Groot-Bijgaarden tel 02 373 99 09 editorial@flanderstoday.eu subscriptions tel 03 560 17 49 subscriptions@flanderstoday.eu or order online at www.flanderstoday.eu Advertising 02 373 83 57 advertising@flanderstoday.eu Verantwoordelijke uitgever Hans De Loore

\ POLITICS

5TH COLUMN Beauty is as beauty does

Geert Bourgeois (N-VA), minister-president of the government of Flanders, is a polite man, so in the rare cases he uses strong language, everyone listens. This happened last Friday, when he called remarks about one of his ministers “vomit” in a tweet in which he not only criticised the “garbage-spewers” but also the journalists who published the comments. It was the culmination of a week full of antagonism between members of the majority in the Flemish parliament. The main target was environment minister Joke Schauvliege (CD&V). She took coalition partners N-VA and Open VLD by surprise with a proposal for an “M-score” – a mobility score that indicates how accessible public transport is to residents. Open VLD president Gwendolyn Rutten called the proposal “beyond Kafkaesque”. N-VA pointed out that Schauvliege had “other scores” to work on. (This referred to recent criticism by more than 40 academics about the minister’s poor record on nature conservation.) Schauvliege’s party president, Wouter Beke, stepped in to defend her. He sees a damaging pattern in the continuing criticism, targeting first federal vice-prime minister Kris Peeters, then secretary of state for foreign trade, Pieter De Crem. He demanded an end to the polarisation, for which he primarily blames N-VA. Almost simultaneously, a member of the Flemish majority, speaking anonymously, launched one of the most vicious attacks in recent political history. The target this time was Liesbeth Homans, N-VA’s minister for housing. “She is no longer in public housing now, she is in parliament. It is time she starts behaving accordingly.” One can see why this politician would rather remain anonymous. The remark is ugly in many ways. References to someone’s background are always out of line. It is condescending towards the residents of public housing – as Homans herself once was. Moreover, it being uttered anonymously, it is hardly a show of courage. The remark was enough to provoke even the usually composed Bourgeois. It also served as a sort of wake-up call for the government of Flanders, which decided to show a united front from now on. Unsurprisingly, Bourgeois’ atypical choice of words led to new criticism, calling the remark “unfit for a ministerpresident”. But at least this time it came from the opposition, SP.A and Groen, and not from within. \ Anja Otte

Culture cabinet sign-ups start Minister seeks citizen applicants to help decide culture policy Alan Hope More articles by Alan \ flanderstoday.eu

lemish culture minister Sven Gatz has launched his campaign for applicants to join his Burgerkabinet, or Citizen’s Cabinet, to help decide culture policy in Flanders. Interested parties have until 28 June to put their names up for consideration. Gatz staged an event at Central Station in Brussels to mark the start of the recruitment of at least 600 people for an online forum that will come together in early September to begin considering the first suggestions for where cultural policy should be heading. From those 600 people, an independent consultant will then recruit 150 to take part in a session

in the Flemish parliament, tasked with producing a report containing concrete recommendations. Gatz will then use the recommendations to reform the decree on culture, youth and sport. Anyone resident in Flanders or Brussels can apply online. The 150 participants in the parliamentary session will be chosen to create the most representative group possible, rather than being based on cultural experience. “I want to get a good picture of what the people in Flanders think about culture, and more specifically about taking part in culture,” Gatz said. “That will help us formulate a policy more in keeping with what people want.”

Culture minister Sven Gatz talks to volunteers and passers-by during the launch of the Citizen’s Cabinet

Dispute over financing of new national stadium

€11 million extra for federal scientific institutions

Brussels football club RSC Anderlecht intends to move from its home in the Constant Vanden Stock stadium to the new national stadium near Heizel in the summer of 2019, it has announced. Anderlecht will rent the stadium for 20 years and will receive the €4 million a year subsidy that Brussels-City currently pays to the existing Koning Boudewijn stadium. The announcement of the subsidy led to immediate criticism from environmental parties GroenEcolo in the city council’s opposition, which reminded the council that, when the new stadium was proposed, it was promised that it would be financed entirely by private money and would not incur any public spending. “€330 million is a lot of money for a stadium that was supposed to cost the taxpayer nothing,” said Groen’s Arnaud Verstraete. The city’s promise of €4 million a year over 20 years comes to €80 million, to which may be added, according to experts, an estimated €250 million for mobility and infrastructure works for the new stadium. Brussels mayor Freddy Thiele-

The federal scientific institutions will receive an extra €11.2 million from the state secretary for science policy, Elke Sleurs, partly compensating for earlier budgets cuts, according to De Tijd. The extra €11.2 million was originally meant for the European Space Agency but was not spent. The extra budget constitutes about 30% of the total subsidies the institutions will receive this year and is mainly meant for informatics and communication purposes. With the extra money, Sleurs somewhat softens the planned budget cuts for scientific institutions. At the start of the new government, the institutions protested after being told their total annual subsidies would decrease from €46 to €40 million. The Institute for Natural Sciences will receive an extra €1.8 million for new technology. The Royal Library gets roughly the same amount and will spend it on conservation and digitisation of its collection. The Museum for Central Africa, currently closed for renovation, can use an extra €1.1 million to update its general working ahead of its re-opening in 2017. The extra investment goes to the 10 federal scientific institutions in Belgium and to the federal Study and Documentation Centre on War and Contemporary Society. Next year, Sleurs will present a plan for large-scale reform of the way the institutions are organised. \ Andy Furniere

mans argued that the money was currently being spent on the Koning Boudewijn stadium. “This way a troublesome expense is being turned into an investment in the future,” he said. The stadium was not only a private matter, he said, but also a socialcultural project for Brussels and the people of Brussels. Groen-Ecolo also argued that Anderlecht will receive a boost in income from moving to the new stadium, which has a capacity of nearly 45,000 spectators, compared to the 21,500 at their current home. The amount of rent Anderlecht will pay for the use of the new stadium has not yet been revealed. Whether the stadium will also become the new home of the Red Devils has also not yet been decided. \ AH

Government approves new policy for master architect The government of Flanders has approved a new policy for the bouwmeester, or master architect. The new rules follow the decision earlier this year to end the term of Peter Swinnen amid allegations of conflicts of interest. The new document lays out the central mission of the office, as well as the job description and selection procedure for Swinnen’s successor, who will be the third person to hold the post. The government hopes to begin the search for a new bouwmeester after the summer. The new system followed a period of gathering opinions on the role of the post, taking account of the views of stakeholders, including governments, architects’ associations, developers, study bureaux, academics and others. “The mission of the bouwmeester is to promote architectural quality, while taking account of town planning, the user experience, construction technique, aesthetic value and energy and cost management,” said ministerpresident Geert Bourgeois. The new bouwmeester will be accompanied by a four-member panel of experts, which will meet several times a year. \ AH

Vandenbroucke new fraction leader in Flemish parliament Joris Vandenbroucke has been elected by his colleagues as the new fraction leader in the Flemish parliament for socialist party SP.A. Vandenbroucke takes over from John Crombez, who was elected as the new party president last weekend. Vandenbroucke (pictured) was a member of the parliament between 2005 and 2009, before taking up an appointment in the office of thenminister Freya Van den Bossche. He was re-elected to the parliament in last year’s elections, concentrating

on mobility matters. Vandenbroucke comes from Borgloon in Limburg but now lives in Ghent. He is a former chair of the youth wing of the Volksunie at the University of Leuven, where he met Liesbeth Homans, now deputy minister-president, whose government he will now face as effective leader of the opposition. “He knows how a debate should be carried out,” Homans told De Morgen. “He still has to grow into the job, but I think he will get there.” \ AH

\ COVER STORY

jUNE 24, 2015

Nomads and ghosts

Ghent photo festival combines medieval with contemporary themes

sintpietersabdij.stad.gent

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the body when our idea of self is fading. In our minds, our way of dealing with growing old and dying and losing our memory is connected with the self in a way that I don’t think is very healthy. “So this is a comment about what we allow ourselves to do with our elders when we believe that the notion of themselves is somewhat faded.” The festival organisers have chosen to highlight documentary work while exploring the point where it meets art photography. A case in point is Matt Wilson’s This Place Called Home, which ostensibly tells of an English childhood. Indeed, it started as a family album but later grew to encompass other places and times that would become home. The smallscale prints invite and reward close inspection, revealing the poetry Wilson creates in everyday scenes. From here, in contrast, you move to a series of large, bright canvases depicting deserts and endless skies, scenes that from a Western viewpoint immediately feel “other”. They’re the work of Katharine MacDaid, who’s led a nomadic existence as the daughter of expats. Born and raised in Oman until the age of nine, she returned to work there as an adult. “Having been away for 20 years, this fantasy of Oman had formed in my imagination,” she says. “I had a sense of it in my memory and a sort of hope.” She spent two years there, taking thousands of photos all over the country (pictured on cover) that she then took back to London. “I was looking at them and really trying to pull out what my unconscious was telling me and what my encounter with this place was,” she says. “For all my desire for it to be this place that was mine, it wasn’t; it was really unknowable, it was impenetrable. This work is about the impossibility of returning to that place.” Did she feel like an outsider, looking in to somewhere that had once been home? “When I look at the photos later, there’s an uneasiness in a lot of the pictures for me, defi-

nitely. There’s something underneath; my ghosts are in the landscape.” This is followed by a series by Sibusiso Bheka, Lindokhule Sobekwa and Tshepiso Mazibuko, the result of workshops led by Flemish photographers Bieke Depoorter and Tjorven Bruyneel. The photos by these three young South Africans are also full of demons. In one image, a posse of boys stare defiantly at the camera, at once desperate to be seen as men but with fear and haunting in their eyes; in another, double exposure lends a ghostly air to a night-time cityscape. The last gallery houses Self Portraits, a project about the body and identity by Jen Davis from New York. It began in 2002 with a group portrait on a beach and takes in the following years in which she confronted insecurities about her weight and eventually underwent a stomach operation. “That first picture was the beginning of the process of me looking at myself,” she explains. “It had been a while since I’d been in a bathing suit, and I had this intention to make some images, but I didn’t know what they were going to be. I just felt uncomfortable and wanted to see if I could capture that.” She was amazed, she says, by the way the photos caught the authenticity of the moment: “It didn’t feel contrived; it really felt like a slice of my life. That was the licence to continue working.” From that point, she started looking at her vulnerabilities, as well as at societal standards of beauty. “The camera became this outlet for me, a voice to articulate this otherness in my life that was missing,” she says. “Like partnership, a lover, a boyfriend.” As her work evolved and she became more comfortable in front of the camera, Davis started asking friends to play a relationship with her in the images. “I wanted to have that affection, to understand touch,” she says. “I would create a

Until 30 August

New Yorker Jen Davis photographed herself for nine years (above); Maja Daniels photographed residents in geriatric hospitals in France for the Into Oblivion series (right)

picture, and it would release the insecurity.” The years went by, until she came to edit the images for a publication and realised she’d never physically changed in that time. “It was only through nine years of looking that I was able to understand I wanted this change,” she explains of her decision to undergo surgery. “The rest of the pictures in the series are about that transition, about the body and how it’s shifting, how there’s this residual thing that’s still about battling insecurities.” And how does she feel about the woman in the pictures now? “Looking back, what affects me more is thinking about what it felt like to take that photograph or what it felt like to be held – all these experiences that author the pictures.”

Across Ghent

Dr Guislain Museum All but one of the venues in 80 Days of Summer are within walking distance of each other, but the Dr Guislain Museum is well worth the detour by tram. The former asylum is host to four exhibitions as part of the festival. For Facing Japan, 10 contemporary Flemish photographers spent time capturing the essence of the country through portraits, landscapes and images of food. Lichtgevoelig (Photosensitive) gathers

portraits of and by people with mental illness around the world, while New Zealander Robin Hammond’s Condemned is a collection of searing images of people with mental problems in sub-Saharan Africa, many of whom have spent their lives in chains (pictured). Finally, Het huis by Flemish photographer Karin Borghouts depicts her childhood home after it was destroyed by fire. In one, a charred family photo hangs next to a blackened mirror reflecting the photographer

back at the camera; another shows shelves of her elderly mother’s lovingly arranged antiques with a perfect circle where a single plate has shattered. “There were tears in my eyes when I saw that the entire interior and all my mother’s things had been blackened and devastated,” says Borghouts. “I was confronted with something irretrievable. After the fire, we no longer talked about ‘home’ or ‘our house’; we talked only about ‘the house’.”

\ BUSINESS

week in business Dairy Danone French dairy products manufacturer Danone is investing €13.5 million in its factory in Rotselaar, Flemish Brabant, the company announced during a visit by Flemish minister-president Geert Bourgeois last week. The investment will raise production by 40%.

Floor covering Balta The world leader in carpets, based in Wielsbeke, West Flanders, has been acquired by the US Lone Star investment fund for an unspecified amount. Balta, which was owned by the UK Doughty Hanson group, had been looking for a buyer since early this year.

Hotels Eiffage The Benelux affiliate of the French property development group has sold the 150-room Sofitel Brussels Europe hotel on Jourdanplein in the European quarter to the Luxembourgbased Debron Capital for €23 million. The company also sold its stake in the 140-room Radisson Park Inn, near Brussels South Station, this year to local interests.

Imaging Barco The Kortrijk-based screens and visual solutions developer has acquired the US Advan liquid crystal displays (LCD) producer for medical applications. Based in Fremont, California, the company employs some 45 workers.

Shipping Euronav The Antwerp shipping group has acquired four VVCC (Very Large Crude Carrier) tankers for €384 million from the Greek Metrostar group. Euronav, which is banking on an upturn in freight rates, has also taken an option for four additional ships. Meanwhile, the company is rumoured to be negotiating the acquisition of a further 10 smaller Suezmax tankers.

Steel Arcelor Mittal The Ghent-based affiliate of the steel producer is investing €80 million in technology to transform furnace gases into usable bio-fuels with the help of deep sea microbes. The process has been developed by the New Zealand company LanzaTech.

BSI to examine company cars New chair to provide statistics for raging debate on company cars Andy Furniere More articles by Andy \ flanderstoday.eu

he Belgian automobile federations are sponsoring a new chair in Company Mobility and Taxation at the Brussels Studies Institute (BSI). The purpose is to provide statistics on company cars, currently the subject of a major political debate. Automotive federations Renta, Febiac and Traxio are joining forces to create the chair at BSI, a research institute jointly operated by the Dutch- and French-speaking Free Universities of Brussels and the Université Saint-Louis. Companies often offer cars to employees as part of their salary package, because of the tax benefits involved. This kind of company car

is referred to as a “wage car” – a car that the employee drives to and from work. “Service cars”, on the other hand, are offered to employ-

ees like sales representatives who need the car to actually perform their jobs. Experts and politicians have called on the government to scrap wage cars and instead bring down the country’s infamously high labour costs – which would also help solve serious environmental and mobility problems. “There is a huge lack of objective data in the debate,” said Frank Van Gool, general director of rental car federation Renta. No government service has records of the number of wage cars in Belgium. Febiac has estimated there are about 560,000, while consulting firm Hay Group counted 650,000.

Compagnie Het Zoute to invest €30 million in Cadzand

VBM staff “relieved and proud” as CEO is asked to step down

Compagnie Het Zoute, the property development company established by the Lippens family of Knokke on the Flemish coast, is investing €30 million in Cadzand, the Dutch village on the other side of the nature reserve Het Zwin. The investment will see the construction of 62 luxury apartments and the renovation of a hotel on the shoreline. Unlike Knokke, Cadzand is relatively undeveloped, and the local municipal council seemed determined to keep it that way. The company’s plans date back to 2009, and it has taken this long to obtain the necessary permits. The first apartments were put up for sale several weeks ago, and 34 have already been sold, mainly to Belgians. Property prices in Zeeland have been rising but remain lower than prices on the Flemish side of the border. And Zeeland is becoming more popular among Flemish holidaymakers: last year 350,000 spent their holidays at the Dutch coast, according to the Dutch tourism and conferences bureau NBCT. The project also includes the renovation of the Strandhotel on the promenade and an extension from 37 to 70 rooms. There are also reports of plans for a collaboration with top Dutch chef Sergio Herman, whose Pure C restaurant adjoins the hotel, but details have not yet been revealed. \ Alan Hope

Michel Tubbax, CEO of the nonprofit Vlaams-Brusselse Media (VBM), has been asked to step down by the board of directors. Members of the organisation’s staff had demanded Tubbax’s resignation after a decision to close radio station FM Brussel. Staff issued a statement saying they were “relieved and proud” of the result. The planned changes in Tubbax’s restructuring plan – including the closure of FM Brussel – will now be put on hold until 15 October. As Flemish media minister Sven Gatz admitted earlier this month, the reaction to the closure came as a surprise. An online petition and a Facebook page were set up, and there was a demonstration outside VBM’s offices on the day it was announced. Staff called for Tubbax to be dropped, saying

The Strandhotel in the Dutch coastal town of Cadzand, with Knokke in the background

P-Magazine and other Think Media titles up for sale The Flemish magazines P-Magazine, Ché and Menzo have been put up for sale by their owner, Think Media. The company also applied to the commercial court in Antwerp for protection from its creditors. The measure, according to reports, is a last-resort attempt to avoid bankruptcy. The company has one month during which it does not have to pay its debts and its creditors cannot seize assets. An administrator has been appointed by the court to help Think Media look for a buyer for its magazines and their websites. Think Media, with newsweeklies that target men sporting photos

of scantily clad women, has been struggling for years, culminating in 2014 in a drop in earnings of 25% and a net loss of €10 million. Aside from the three main titles, Think Media also publishes Motoren & Toerisme and Culinaire Ambiance, and owns the websites clint.be, demotorsite.be and nr10.be. \ AH

he was an advertising man with no journalistic background, who lacked media skills and knowledge. He had said Radio Donna was a competitor for FM Brussel, despite it having closed in 2009. In the immediate aftermath of the announcement, Gatz defended both the CEO and his decision, though he later called, with Brussels minister Pascal Smet, for the closure to be suspended while an alternative solution was sought. Faced with rebellion from staff and management, the board that initially approved the closure has now shown the CEO the door. Tubbax will continue in post until a temporary replacement is found but will not appear on the work floor, the company said. A working group under managing editor Jeroen Roppe will examine the future of the restructuring plan. \ AH

Time has run out for buildings corruption case, says Leuven court A massive case against 55 staff of the federal buildings agency has been dropped because it exceeded its legal time limit, a court in Leuven has ruled. The case dates back to 2007 and alleges that property developers and building contractors paid bribes to officials of the agency – which maintains and manages the federal government’s real estate portfolio – in return for contracts. The contractors would then make the money back by inflating their prices for government work. One of the buildings concerned is the youth detention centre in Kortenberg, Flemish Brabant, which was contracted without going through the proper tendering procedures, and which ended up costing €10 million instead of the original budgeted price of €3 million. The investigation led to a number of searches in 2008, during which

two officials of the Leuven branch of the agency and five contractors admitted taking part in the bribery scheme. Two months ago, a trial in Brussels related to corruption in the same agency led to sentences of between three months and two years for officials and three months to one year for contractors. That case involved 12 officials and 60 contractors. Last January, meanwhile, five officials of the East Flanders branch and four contractors were acquitted, when the court decided that the charges were too vague and the period of the alleged offences too broad. The 55 people involved in this latest case will not be punished unless an appeal by the prosecutor’s office is successful. The court’s ruling also puts an end to any hope the buildings agency had of obtaining damages. \ AH

\ INNOVATION

jUNE 24, 2015

A breath of fresh air

week in innovation

New AP university college campus to boost Antwerp student life Senne Starckx More articles by Senne \ flanderstoday.eu

CAMPUSSPOORNOORD.BE

ntwerp’s Artesis Plantijn University College (AP) is about to move its science and technology department to a brand new campus at Spoor Noord. In all, 1,500 students will be switching to the new buildings next to the Park Spoor Noord in September, in time for the new academic year. The move means AP will concentrate its science and tech education in one place. Students in the field of electromechanics, ICT, graphic design, energy efficiency and industrial safety are currently being taught in separate buildings in Antwerp, Boom and Mechelen. But due to the recent revaluation of professional Bachelor’s courses – now the core business of Flanders’ university colleges as Master’s studies have been integrated by the universities – the province of Antwerp found it advisable to bring them together. “Companies, especially those in the port of Antwerp, are crying out for graduates with these profiles,”says Amedee Beylemans of AP. “That’s why companies like Monsanto and BASF are also investing in our new campus. They

provide the means to furnish our laboratory with the newest equipment - an ultra-modern industrial pump installation, for example, – so our students don’t have to work with old material.” The opening of the new campus can’t come soon enough. “The buildings in Boom and at the Paardenmarkt were really coming apart at the seams,” says Beylemans. “In Boom we had 750 students this year, while there was only space for half of them. And the classrooms at the Paardenmarkt were nothing more than transformed townhouses

– devouring energy due to poor ventilation and high ceilings.” The air in the new classrooms will be much better, Beylemans promises. “We have integrated an advanced ventilation system in our new buildings. Poor quality air, contaminated by carbon dioxide, humidity and other components, is a major problem in schools. In our new system, a CO2 meter is coupled to the ventilation, so we can continuously enjoy clean air.” The design, by the architectural firm Stramien, is also thoroughly energy efficient. “We have

not scrimped on energy-efficient materials,” says Beylemans. “For example, we’ve chosen special ‘accumulation windows’. By altering the transparency of the glass, we can control the inflow and outflow of heat night and day.” Another innovation is the integration throughout the campus of the Wacom digital education system, as used in the US. “Lectures are given on screens on which teachers can make their virtual comments. Every slide they show and every scribble they make is saved on our server, so that students who have missed a lesson can easily catch up.” Beylemans is especially proud of the spacious open terrace inside the main building. “It offers a sense of relaxation and gives the students the opportunity to sit down with each other.” The campus will be expanded in the near future with another main building, meant for 3,500 students from the education and health departments. The two buildings will be connected by a tunnel. The new campus involves an investment of €20 million, of which 90% is paid by the province of Antwerp and 10% by AP.

Medical clinic opens in Brussels Central Station The country’s first medical practice housed in a metro station opened this week in Brussels. The practice in Central Station is intended for the use of commuters and local residents. “People no longer take the time to go to the doctor, so it’s essential for us to go to the patient,” said Annick Vanderstraeten of Brussels Quality Medical, which operates the clinic together with the medical group Chirec. “If

necessary, we can refer patients to a hospital or one of our other specialist centres. We will also provide patients’ family doctors of any results within 48 hours.” Plans to open a medical clinic in the metro station were announced earlier in the year, and the Belgian Association of Medical Syndicates expressed some misgivings. “We are moving steadily away from global care for the patient

towards a system of medical shopping,” spokesperson Luc Herry said. “I don’t believe medicine for people in a hurry can produce good care.” The practice is open from 6.30 to 19.30 on weekdays, and on Saturday from 9.00 to 13.00. A consultation costs €33. If the project is a success, Brussels Quality Medical has plans for a further two locations in Brussels. \ Alan Hope

Q&A Tom Martens is co-founder of the start-up UgenTec in Hasselt, which develops laboratory software and recently won the category of most innovative health-care product at the life-science Biomedica Summit for its FastFinder platform. What does your FastFinder software offer to labs? FastFinder helps lab technicians more efficiently check DNA information in, for example, blood samples. With our software, DNA can be examined 30 times faster than with older methods. In just a few minutes, the software automatically analyses a sample, while the process used to take about one and a half hours and manual work by staff. On top of that, FastFinder also interprets the DNA more accurately than previous techniques. That’s good news for patients, too, isn’t it? A faster and more accurate diag-

nosis can indeed save lives. FastFinder helps lab technicians track down respiratory infections, gastrointestinal infections and different types of cancer. Our software is also good news for companies in the sector, since it lowers the cost of the diagnosing process and liberates lab staff from having to spend too much time on routine examinations. When was UgenTec established? A little over a year ago. I founded the company with software engineer Wouter Uten, who came up with the idea during an internship. Wouter has the technical background while I have management

The City of Leuven has presented its economic collaboration platform, Leuven Mindgate, which will promote Leuven as a hub for innovation and improve links between the city’s healthcare, technology and creative sectors. The two main players are nanotechnology research centre imec and the University Hospital of Leuven, which will together in the short term invest €2 billion in the project, and the city is investing €500,000 in setting it up. Other partners include digital research centre iMinds, the University of Leuven and companies Materialise and ThromboGenics. The headquarters will include space for conferences, the reception of expats and the international school of Leuven. The platform will also support startup companies and be responsible for events in Belgium and abroad.

Researchers map Ebola’s evolution The Ebola virus is evolving more slowly than expected, which bodes well for the effect of a new vaccine, according to an international study published in the scientific magazine Nature. Scientists from the universities of Leuven and Antwerp and the Institute for Tropical Medicine participated in the study. The scientists analysed 179 blood samples from the thousands collected from patients in the European Mobile Laboratory in Guinea. The study shows that the virus changes genetically, but more slowly than expected. If it evolved very quickly, vaccines would possibly no longer be effective once available. The researchers now think they can examine the efficiency of the precautionary measures taken in the examined period.

€92 million invested in new satellites

experience, so we are very complementary. We received a lot of support from Flemish institutions like the University of Leuven and the digital research centre iMinds. In the meantime, we have assembled sufficient capital to grow. What investments have you attracted? We collected €1 million in venture capital funding from Belgian investors and €250,000 in research funding from the Flemish government’s agency for innovation through science and technology, as well as a loan of €100,000 from the Limburg regional investment agency LRM. This should help us to further fine-tune our product, develop new innovations and expand our horizons. Our software is already used in Belgium and neighbour-

Leuven Mindgate puts city on map

ing countries, but we now hope to reach the rest of Europe and are also looking to the United States. While we’re currently focusing on health care, we also plan to target other sectors – like the food safety sector – in the future.

State secretary for science policy Elke Sleurs is investing €92 million over 30 years in the development of meteorological satellites that produce higher resolution images with more precise measurements. Sleurs said the Royal Meteorological Institute would be able to use the data for more precise weather predictions each day. Various other Belgian institutions and universities will also benefit from the satellites to improve research on climatedependent phenomena like air pollution, deforestation, desert formation, the hole in the ozone layer and coastal management. Aviation safety above Belgium also relies on satellite data. \ AF

\ Interview by Andy Furniere

Whatever your tastes, make one of Flanders’ many festivals the soundtrack to your summer Rock Werchter

A festival’s worst nightmare: Just a few days ahead of the start, your opening night headliner – and arguably biggest band of the entire festival – cancels. Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl broke his leg being a rock star in Sweden. But you can’t keep Werchter down for long: Organisers managed – in one week – to get Faith No More to fill in, a worthy substitute. As usual, the line-up also offers many other chart titans (Pharrell Williams and Mumford and Sons, anyone?) for people to get psyched about, but we’d recommend Ryan Adams. The singer-songwriter returned to form with a lovely self-titled album last year, and his live performances are always interesting. Don’t put in a request for “Summer of 69”, though. He’s grown tired of that joke (and who can blame him?). 25-28 June Werchter (Flemish Brabant) \ rockwerchter.be

Summer

CRITIC’S CHOICE

Openluchttheater Rivierenhof

Feeërieën

If you want to add some picturesque scenery on top of your festival listening experience, there’s nothing to beat the open-air theatre in the Borgerhout Rivierenhof park, especially when darkness sets in. Since the organisers are not restricted to weekend days, they can offer a quality line-up. Be especially sparing with your Tuesdays and Wednesdays this summer, since highlights include the opulent crooning of Rufus Wainwright (7 July, pictured), the minimal keys of Wim Mertens (22 July), the cosmic trip-hop musings of Lamb (29 July) and the haunting country rock balladry of My Morning Jacket (1 September). Not in a melancholic mood? Check out hip-hop titans Public Enemy (14 July). During the second half of August the same organisers present the birth of Rivierenhof’s little brother in Ostend, mainly focusing on national artists. \ Tom Peeters

The archaic Dutch word feeërie gave i the free festival in Brussels’ Warande P the music Feeërieën serves up is anyth the concerts start when the sun is car for cutting-edge artists in musical gen it were a deadly disease. This year there terpretation of Nordic black metal, a sym tronic beats, and urban jazz with bewitc \ Christophe Verbiest

Gooikoorts

This festival for folkies and their kids focuses on English folk this year, while also featuring bands from Sweden, Hungary, Austria, the Basque country and even Flanders. Located in the heart of the Pajottenland, the bucolic west side of the Brussels-Capital Region, Gooikoorts can provide a cleansing break from city life. Artists include The Hut People, Andy May Trio, The Chair and Het Ukologisch Museum. 3-5 July Gooik (Flemish Brabant) \ gooikoorts.be

Couleur Café

Over the years, Couleur Café has been rapidly climbing the ranks of the festival hierarchy, while affirming its status as Brussels’ biggest festival treasure. The city-fest has long been considered the unofficial start to Brussels’ summer. The lineup is traditionally big on hip-hop, reggae and world music, and this edition is no exception: The headliners are New York rap ensemble Wu Tang Clan, best known for their 1993 album Enter The Wu Tang (36 Chambers), which hasn’t aged a bit. 3-5 July Tour & Taxis, Brussels \ couleurcafe.be

Cactus Festival

As one of the most stunning settings in Flanders’ festival landscape, Bruges’ Minnewaterpark is as much a protagonist as the artists who play there. Year after year, the festival increases its European appeal, while staying firmly rooted in its city’s tradition. Add to that the combination of cutting-edge acts (Anna Calvi! Perfume Genius!

24-28 August Warande Park, Brussels © Sean James

\ abconcerts.be

All summer Rivierenhof Open-Air Theatre, Deurne & Maria-Hendrikapark, Ostend

CRITIC’S CHOICE

\ openluchttheateroostende.be \ openluchttheater.be

Sjock Fest

Thurston Moore!) and international stars (Grace Jones! John Hiatt!), and you’re probably praying there are a few tickets left. 10-12 July Minnewaterpark, Bruges \ cactusfestival.be

Deep in the woods of Antwerp province lurks Sjock, the unabashed “rock’n’roll highlight of the year”. Leather, tattoos, Cramps T-shirts and bull fiddles abound. And just a hint of pomade. Sjock is 40 this year and will be kicking out the jams with three nights and two days of rockabilly, garage, punk and old school maximum r’n’r. Imelda May (pictured), Reverend Horton Heat and The Hives are headlining. Other treats include Heavy Trash (with Jon Spencer), Bloodshot Bill, Powersolo, The Fleshtones and Keith Morris’s (ex-Black Flag/Circle Jerks) “hardcore supergroup” OFF! Get ready to rumble. \ Mark Andrews

Ghent each July for the 10-day outdoor bash that never sleeps (quite literally). Every square is a stage, and the biggest are the Korenmarkt stage featuring a variety of acts, the Trefpunt stage of world music at Sint-Jacobsplein and the appropriately named Boomtown, with mostly local rock bands in the Kouter (see Critic’s Choice). Ten Gent Jazz Gent Jazz has always been the Days Off is, well, off and has been most open-minded of Flanders’ replaced by Klankfest, a 10 dayjazz-fests when it comes to pro- festival at the legendary Vooruit gramming. Its line-ups consist of building, consisting of all kinds of “true” jazz artists (Abdullah Ibrahim party music (from rock to techno). Mukashi Trio, Gregory Porter), and Next to the music and theatre there artists who are seen as “inspired by” are, as usual, lots of activities for the genre. This year, Tony Bennett the youngest. A sad note: these are and Lady Gaga, among others, fall the first Feesten without “father” into the latter category. Also keep Walter De Buck and party animal 10-12 July an eye out for the legendary drum- Luc De Vos (the two singers died Gierle, Antwerp province mer Ginger Baker (Cream) and his last year), so expect big tributes to \ sjock.com new project, Jazz Confusion. Gent these iconic figures. Jazz’s final two days overlap with 17-26 July the Gentse Feesten programming. Across Ghent Flemish performers such as Bart \ gentsefeesten.gent 10-18 July Peeters and Slongs Dievanongs. Bijloke, Ghent Loads of activities for the kids as \ gentjazz.com well. Sfinks Mixed It’s the 40th edition of this free mul- 23-26 July ticultural music festival. Spread out Boechout (Antwerp) Gentse Feesten The largest combined music and over four stages, Sfinks Mixed 2015 \ sfinks.be street theatre festival in the world, crosses cultural boundaries with Gentse Feesten draws more than Cheikh Lô (Senegal), Bunny Wailer Bruksellive a million visitors to the centre of (Jamaica), Bossa Negra (Brazil) and Bruksellive is a free festival organ-

music festivals Suikerrock

its name to tongue twister Feeërieën, Park, next to the royal palace. Luckily, hing but obsolete. The festival, where ressing the horizon, is always looking nres that eschew the mainstream as if e’s – to name but a few – a classical inmbiosis of Angolan tradition and elecching parlando vocals. Fairies included.

This sweet-as-sugar festival features many Flemish acts and traditionally blurs the line between mainstream and alternative (labels are so 90s, man). Clouseau, Yevgueni, K3, Oscar and the Wolf, Magnus and gothic rockers the Sisters of Mercy are among the names. 31 July-2 August Tienen (Flemish Brabant) \ suikerrock.be

Reggae Geel

Inhale the tunes of dancehall, ska and reggae artists such as Christopher Ellis, Andy Mittoo & Derrick Morgan, Spragga Benz and 90shit-wonder Shaggy. 31 July-1 August Geel (Limburg) \ reggaegeel.com

Lokerse Feesten

Although Lokerse Feesten can’t compete with their Ghent equivalents in terms of magnitude, they do give them a run for their money when it comes to attracting big names. This year, the main stage at De Grote Kaai hosts Italian discopioneer Giorgio Moroder, Scottish shoe-gazers The Jesus and Mary Chain, lovely indie-rockers Belle and Sebastian, cornflake girl Tori Amos and many others. And if you prefer underground electronic music, there’s always the option to party in the Red Bull Elektropedia Room. Lovely stuff. 31 July to 9 August Lokeren (East Flanders) \ lokersefeesten.be

Festival Dranouter

Still known as Folk Dranouter among the more hardened and experienced festivalgoers, Dranouter prides itself on programming more diversely every year. There’s even a place on the bill for sludge metal-heads AmenRa, albeit in an acoustic capacity. Other names include The Magic Numbers, Calexico, Triggerfinger, Jan De Wilde and Irish punk-rockers Flogging Molly. 7-9 August Dranouter (West Flanders) \ festivaldranouter.be

ised by the youth clubs of Brussels. The festival site is right at the foot of the Atomium, and the bill features Zap Mama, Huxley, The Geraldines and Chicago house innovator Marshall Jefferson. 26 July Groentheater, Brussels \ bruksellive.be

By Laurens Bouckaert unless otherwise noted

7 & 8 August Hoogstraten (Antwerp) \ antilliaansefeesten.be

Feest in het Park

Belgian acts (dEUS, TLP aka Troubleman, Pete Howl, Starflam, Willow) and dance (Surgeon & Lady Starlight, Buraka Som Sistema, Drumsound Bassline Smith) are the main ingredients of this charming little festival. The already decent line-up wasn’t complete at the time of writing, but headliners Band of Skulls are highly recommended. 13-16 August Oudenaarde (East Flanders) \ feestinhetpark.be

Pukkelpop

Flanders’ second biggest festival has sold out all its day tickets, but there are still combi-tickets available (be quick though). As usual, the line-up is pretty spectacular – too spectacular and comprehensive to have an extensive pick – so I’ll just leave you with a few

Leffingeleuren

This friendly annual festival by the coast is considered the official swansong to Flanders’ festival season. Leffinge is a small town near Ostend that has the legendary rock club De Zwerver on its territory. The club’s bookers are, not coincidentally, the organisation behind Leffingeleuren, as the two have, spiritually, a lot in common: experimental booking and alternative rock. Names that have already been confirmed are The Skints, Raketkanon and Flemish blues legend Roland Van Campenhout among others. 18-20 September Leffinge (Ostend) \ leffingeleurenfestival.be

CRITIC’S CHOICE

Boomtown This year will be a big one for Boomtown. After the bankruptcy and subsequent cancellation of Ten Days Off, Boomtown remains a precious haven for alternative-minded music geeks during the Gentse Feesten. Now in its 13th edition, it’s already becoming one of the Feesten’s pillars. The small city festival provides a platform for wayward singer-songwriters, innovative electronic artists and loads of local talent. Initially, it was an initiative of the proprietors of Café Video, at the Oude Beestenmarkt, but after six editions, the festival became too big for the venue and had to move. Eventually, the Kouter area was chosen and two stages were introduced. This year’s lineup features candid singer-songwriter Mark Kozelek, performing as Sun Kil Moon. His stream-of-consciousness lyrics and stripped-down style have earned him much praise from indie critics. His music has been called “sadcore”, and that description is not entirely inaccurate. If you have a melancholic soul, check him out. Also highly recommended: Andy Stott, an avantgarde techno producer who creates achingly beautiful soundscapes from hell.

Antilliaanse Feesten

This is actually the biggest Caribbean music festival in the world. If the likes of Farruko, Grupo Niche, Mr Vegas and Henry Mendez ring a bell, then I’ll gladly tell you these people will perform there. As I haven’t heard of any of these names, I’ll be there for the general atmosphere and, of course, the cocktails.

of my favourites: Four Tet, Evil Superstars, Hudson Mohawke, John Talabot, The Neon Judgement, Pissed Jeans, The Soft Moon and Strand of Oaks. 20-22 August Kiewit-Hasselt \ pukkelpop.be

21-26 July kouter, Ghent

\ boomtownfestival.be

RELAX!

Time to have fun in the sun. Brussels Airlines flies you to many sunny cities in Europe from €69 return, all taxes included. Bordeaux, Stockholm, Bologna, Riga, Venice or Bilbao? Hurry, book your summer flight soon on * Conditions: see brusselsairlines.com

brusselsairlines.com or your travel agency.

Best of Belgium plus expat Directory 2015

FaMIlY

travel

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jUNE 24, 2015

A teacher at heart

week in education

New director of Antwerp International School is up for challenges ahead Bartosz Brzezinski More articles by Bartosz \ flanderstoday.eu

AIS-ANTWERP.BE

ndreas Koini is a man of many trades. A former competitive volleyball player, he worked as a maths and sports teacher in his native Austria before moving abroad, first to the German School in London, where he rose in the ranks from teacher to managing director, and later to the Strothoff International School in Germany, where he helped implement the International Baccalaureate programme. Since January, Koini has been settling in as the new head of Antwerp International School, one of about half a dozen educational institutions catering to the expat community in Flanders. “Before coming here, I knew of the school’s outstanding academic record and its well established history,” he says. “Now I need to make sure the school is prepared for the challenges ahead.” Situated in the leafy residential suburb of Ekeren, the school was founded by a group of American families in 1967. Based on the International Baccalaureate system, it offers primary and secondary education and has kindergarten facilities for children as young as two-and-a-half. “The education that we offer isn’t just about teaching knowledge and skills,” Koini says, “but also conceptual thinking and character building.” Despite its relatively small size, the campus is packed with amenities. There is a theatre with 400 seats and a movable stage, and a modern sports hall the size of three basketball courts. All classrooms are equipped with interactive whiteboards, and the students can make use of wifi on computers provided through the school’s oneto-one laptop programme. “The extremely good facilities are

Andreas Koini with some of the 400 pupils at Antwerp International School

one of the reasons I accepted this position,” Koini says. “The school’s holistic approach to education agrees with my teaching philosophy that combines academic subjects with creative arts and sports.” The school provides a support department for children with dyslexia and autism, and educational psychologists and high school counsellors are prepared to help them choose the right courses or fill out college applications. This year, all 32 graduating students have been accepted to universities worldwide. “One of our students is going to Oxford, two were accepted to New York University, and some got offers from six or seven schools,” Koini says. “This just goes to show our tradition of educating highachieving students.” As we walk around the campus, Koini greets each passing student. “My job is very administrative, but I’m still a teacher at heart,” he says. “I think it’s extremely important

to stay connected to the students because if you’re not aware of what’s going on with them, how can you make informed decisions about the direction your school should take?” AIS was the first school to be accredited five times by the Council of International Schools and one of the first in the world to offer the International Baccalaureate programme. “Now it’s time to prepare the school for the next 50 years,” Koini says. According to one study, wealthy local parents seeking Englishspeaking education for their children now make up 80% of the demand for places at international schools worldwide. The global trend can be felt at AIS. “In the past, every expat family sent their kids here,” Koini says. “The school catered to the needs of international professionals who moved around every two to three years. That’s changing.” The traditional expat culture is on the decline in Europe, he believes.

Q&A

BUDDYLEUVEN.BE

A record number of almost 700 are “buddies” in Leuven, working with more than 1,000 pupils. Ine Sevenant used to be a buddy and now co-ordinates the project in which socially vulnerable first-year students in primary and secondary schools are coached by adults. What is a buddy anyway? It’s someone who gives extra support to pupils after school. A buddy helps a pupil with questions they have, with studying... But, most importantly, since the collaboration lasts for at least a semester, it builds a relationship of trust. The buddy lends a listening ear and is a motivator. Most buddies are students themselves, often future teachers; but pensioners who had a career in education or unemployed people and volunteers who maybe want to shift careers also become buddies.

“The continent has opened up to frequent travel. It’s also a lot easier to stay connected with the use of Skype and conference calls, so multinational companies no longer send hundreds of employees and their families abroad. We have to make sure the shift is reflected in our school.” The 400 students attending the school represent 35 nationalities. Every year, more than 100 new pupils join, and more and more of them are Belgian. “We already have mother tongue programmes in Dutch, French and German, so all three national languages are included in the curriculum,” Koini says. The new director intends to bring the school closer to the local community. Students already volunteer at nursing homes and organise sporting activities for local children, and the annual International Day celebration is open to the public. “We want to be seen as part of the community,” Koini says. With fees ranging from €11,000 for pre-school to €26,500 for the final years of high school, the school remains out of reach for most local parents. “That’s not what we want,” Koini says. “It is unfortunate that as an international school, we don’t receive any subsidies from the government. We strive to provide only the highest quality education, and with 80% of our costs going to teaching staff alone, high tuition fees become an economic necessity.” In his role as director, Koini plans to strengthen the financial aid system already in place and find ways to make the school more accessible. “We want to open our doors to as many children as we can,” he says. “It’s not our intention to segregate by wealth or money.”

This has been a top year for the buddy project. Why is that? Since we started in 2007, approximately 2,000 buddies have supported about 4,000 pupils. During the first semester of this school year, we assigned 342 buddies, and this semester it was 349. The number increased partly because we decided that buddies who are with us because of a student internship will see their pupils once a week for a year instead of twice a week for a semester. And it was partly because the diversity internship

for future teachers at the University of Leuven, which used to be voluntary, has become obligatory.

Do the buddies get as much out of it as the pupils? The pupils receive free custommade support, which takes away some of the pressure already put on the schools and the parents. Both tell us that it improves pupils’ academic results, giving a boost to their motivation and self-confidence. But also for the buddies, it’s a challenge, enabling them to have a learning experience with one-onone coaching. It enriches not only their CV but also their personal life. I speak from experience. For the schools providing interns, it’s a way of earning study points by means of a setting where diversity plays an important role, and thus it also improves their curriculum.

Master’s graduates needed in class

The University of Leuven Association, which consists of the university and five university colleges, has presented a proposal to promote teaching among graduates. The proposal envisions the creation of education Master’s programmes that would allow students to obtain teaching degrees faster. Currently, students have to complete a year of teacher training after obtaining a Master’s degree. The proposal suggests integrating teacher training into regular Master’s programmes. “It would allow students to get two diplomas more quickly,” said the university’s vicerector of education, Didier Pollefeyt. The association also said teachers with Master’s degrees should be recruited more often by primary schools and even pre-schools.

Call for business management programme Students will no longer have to wait until they have their Bachelor’s diploma to start an enterprise, Flemish labour minister Philippe Muyters has announced. He is calling on higher education institutions to establish a programme that will allow students to become entrepreneurs. To launch a business in Flanders, you need a business management certificate, which is proof that you possess the necessary economic skills. However, any Bachelor’s degree is sufficient. A student without diploma had to follow separate courses in accountancy and economics to get the certificate, and most students waited until they graduated to set up shop. Muyters is calling on universities and colleges to develop a set of courses on business management, in addition to the regular curriculum.

SP.A presents school building plans More schools have to be built urgently, according to Flemish socialist party SP.A in its “Positive future plan for the school construction in Flanders”. According to SP.A’s estimates, more than 166,000 children will start in the first year of primary school in 10 years, and six years later they will start secondary school. The Flemish government has to act to provide more infrastructure, the party said. Some schools have been waiting 20 years for subsidies for new infrastructure. According to the SP.A, the current subsidy system is too complex. \ Andy Furniere

\ Interview by Tom Peeters

\ 11

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jUNE 24, 2015

week in activities Koksijde shrimp festival Annual celebration of Belgium’s beloved grey shrimp and the fishers who catch them on horseback. Highlights include the horseback fishers in action on Saturday and the Great Folkloric Shrimp Parade on Sunday. 27-28 June, Oostduinkerke (Koksijde) beach and promenade; free \ visitor.koksijde.be

Ramblas A cultural and creative street festival in Antwerp’s historic Schipperskwartier, or sailors’ district. Live music on four outdoor stages, street theatre, classic cars, international food stands and more. 27-28 June, Klapdorp & Lange Koepoortstraat, Antwerp; free \ ramblas.rocks

Plazey festival An outdoor family festival with activities, workshops and performances for young and old. Bike repair workshop, concerts, dance, giveaway/swap, games, storytelling and more. 24 June 12.00-20.00 (kids’ day), 26-28 June, Elisabethpark, Brussels; free \ plazey.be

Copacobana A free, volunteer-run, outdoor cultural festival with concerts, dance, theatre, circus acts and spoken word. 26-28 June, Rozebroekenpark, Ghent; free \ copacobana.be

Beersel Castle Festival A medieval fortress is the backdrop for a weekend of live music, dance performances, kids’ entertainment, street theatre and more. Also on the programme: a market of European and regional products and a musical fireworks spectacle on Saturday night. 27-28 June, Beersel Castle, Lotsestraat, Beersel (Flemish Brabant); €1 \ beersel.be

Maaseik ceramics fair More than 100 artists from Belgium and abroad will exhibit and sell their wares on the Markt. Functional pieces as well as decorative and artistic work. 28 June 9.00-17.00, Markt, Maaseik (Limburg); free \ maaseik.be

All summer long

Antwerp kicks off summer with months-long party Catherine Kosters More articles by Catherine \ flanderstoday.eu

zva.be

t’s that time of year again: summer in Antwerp, which means Zomer van Antwerpen. Once again, the city festival’s line-up is jam-packed with a mix of parties, performances, music, movies and plenty of ice-cold drinks in between. The months-long party kicked off last week with a visit by the Royal de Luxe giants. If you live in Antwerp or visited the city during the summer of 2010, chances are you might remember giants surfacing on the Scheldt river in a submarine or taking a leisurely stroll in Park Spoor Noord. The gigantic creatures are a family of larger-than-life puppets created and operated by French street theatre troupe Royal de Luxe. For three days last weekend, they made their return, with Grandma Giant along for the first time ever. That gargantuan event (see related news, p2) was just the beginning of a summer’s worth of activities for the whole family. Aside from loads of theatre, both inside and in the streets, the Nofit State band of crazy circus artists will stage dramatic trapeze and trampoline acts. Cinema Urbana is showing old and new screen classics in open air. The only thing you have to do is bring a foldable chair and blanket. Theatre company MartHa!tentatief, meanwhile, have created a Flemish version of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and will perform the ultimate western on the desolate plains of Spoor Oost. With only a dash of imagination, the dreary stretch of land on the outskirts of Antwerp turns into the Wild West – tumbleweed and all. Drinks will be served all summer long in the Zomerbar hammock hub, located on Sloepenweg near the port, while the Zomerfabriek is

Learn a little ballroom at squares across the city

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Flemish style

Party down at the Zomerfabriek

the go-to location for dance workshops during the day and killer parties by night. Future Bass Fridays tend to draw hipster crowds, while Urban Saturdays usually end in a fullfledged dance-off between Antwerp’s uncrowned trap kings and R&B queens. If, for you, summer is more about unwinding than excitement, why not catch a romantic sunset by the river with your significant other?

The banks have been outfitted with wooden bleachers for the occasion. Or check the Muziek in de Wijk calendar to find out which square near you will be transformed into one big ballroom. In case your apartment gets too hot – or your neighbours too noisy – the Nulsterrenpension (zero-star hotel)

Until 30 August

is open for business. A night in this old gas factory turned democratic hostel will only cost you €20, and that includes breakfast. Now blast that summer anthem by The Lovin’ Spoonful through the speakers – you know which one – and head online for the full programme.

Across Antwerp

BITE Brussels pizzeria marks anniversary with new look Mamma Roma. If these two words prompt a sudden craving for pizza, you probably live, work or often wander about Brussels. The popular Brussels pizzeria chain is celebrating its 10 anniversary this year with a revamped menu and a new Italian deli with a range of quality tomato sauces, olive oils, coffees and wine. And there’s even more good news. If all goes well, Mamma Roma will open its first location in Flanders next year. It all started in 2005, when Brusselaar Anthony Coopmans opened a small eatery on Flageyplein in the Elsene district. The concept was simple: tasty pizzas with many different toppings, served in rectangular slices. Flavours ranged from a simple margherita to a fancy patate al tartufo

with truffle oil. They even do a sweet version with Nutella chocolate spread – without the tomato sauce and cheese, of course. Today, Brussels counts six Mamma Roma eateries, all located in bustling parts of the city like the trendy Kastelein and the chic Dansaert neighbourhoods. You can also find three outposts in Paris, and number four is set to open this September. The future location in Flanders is still a secret, as talks are ongoing. To mark its 10th anniversary, the Mamma Roma team are planning something new. Not only will they put more refined desserts on the menu, they will also start offering a larger selection of Italian beers and wine, and the eateries themselves will also get a makeover. The man behind the new Mamma

Roma look is Lakhdar HaminaLakhdar. He was also responsible for the interiors at Mano à Mano (a popular Italian restaurant on Bonifatiusplein in Elsene) and Gazetta (a smart Italian deli near Stefaniaplein, also in Elsene).

mammaroma.be

Mamma Roma at Jourdanplein in the European district is the first and so far only to see the new changes. The fast-food vibe is gone and has been replaced with the atmosphere of an authentic Italian deli. There’s a make-yourown-Italian-salad bar, and the shelves and racks are packed with Italian sauces, pasta and olive oils, which double as colourful decoration. But no worries, pizza is still king at Mamma Roma, and the menu includes seasonal specials such as the burrata (with burrato cheese) and fesa marinata (with beef and rocket salad). The restaurant recently set up a delivery service by cargo bike for pizza lovers in the city centre (those further afield can use takeeateasy.be). \ Katrien Lindemans

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\ ARTS

“We all want to mean something” Brussels choreographer and TV judge Ish Ait Hamou explores roots in second novel Rebecca Benoot More articles by Rebecca \ flanderstoday.eu

ishaithamou.be

sh Ait Hamou is probably best known as a judge on the VTM dance competition So You Think You Can Dance. But the 28-year-old Brussels choreographer with Moroccan roots started writing long before that. In 2014, he published his first novel, Hard Hart, and he hasn’t looked back since. “I’ve been writing since I was 12,” he tells me. “I just like creating stories or texts. I got bored easily at school, so I wrote down ideas during class – which were mostly rap lyrics at the time. But when I got older, my writing eventually evolved into the manuscript for my first novel.” Starting out in breakdance and moving on to hip-hop choreography, Hamou (pictured) has worked with some of the greatest performers in the sector across the globe. For Hamou, writing is a lot like dancing. “It’s a magical feeling, starting with a blank page and ending with a story full of wonderful characters and twists,” he says, pointing out that he likes creating everything from A to Z himself. Still, he relies more on feeling when dancing, while when writing, he usually starts with a clear idea. “This time I wanted to write something about a little boy from the south of Morocco who involuntarily has to leave home,” he explains. “After a while, it turned into something else. The premise stayed the same, but I added some extra dimensions.” Cécile tells the story of Djibril, an 11-year-old boy who lives in a small village in the south of Morocco. Curious and adventurous, he follows his brother when he ventures out one night. This impulsive decision will change the

course of Djibril’s life and that of his family as he ends up embarking on a journey that takes him far from home, guided by a photograph that his brother Kareem left him.

home, he will have to confront his own demons as well as those of his loved ones. The main inspiration for Hamou’s second novel was his own roots, since both his parents are Moroc-

It is a completely different lifestyle than we have here in Belgium Djibril ends up in Paris years later, hoping to finally find out why his brother left and what role a woman named Cécile played in his departure. Before he can finally return

can and his father is also from the south. As preparation for Cécile, Hamou travelled to his father’s birthplace for the first time and stayed there for a month.

“The majority of the story is set there as well as the background of the main character; it’s his roots that make him who he is.” Hamou asked his father to join him on the trip and show him his childhood home so he could get first-hand experience of the place. “It turned out to be an incredible voyage. The time I spent with my father especially was one of the best bits of the trip, together with the overall atmosphere and traditional way of life.” On the whole, “it was a very memorable experience,” he continues, “as it is a completely different lifestyle than we have here in Belgium. But I was also there to write, so I was in a very different mind-set than if

I’d been there on holiday.” Another theme of the novel is fate – something Hamou strongly believes in. “There is a Moroccan phrase that says: ‘It is written’ – meaning your fate has been sealed.” Hamou’s own trajectory offers a case in point. When he was 17, he spent a year in the United States. When he returned and tried to enrol at the then Vlekho University College in Brussels, he was turned away because he didn’t have a secondary school diploma. So, at the age of 22, he decided to finish school, even though he was already working as a choreographer. As fate would have it, his English teacher didn’t make him attend her classes after his year in the US. Instead, she made him read books, cultivated his growing interest in writing and even helped him with his manuscripts. Cécile is a quest to understand both for the main character and Hamou himself. “We’re all looking for something; we all want to mean something to someone,” he says. Filled with tragedy, bravery and love, it is a novel that will touch and inspire. Reminiscent of the work of American novelist Khaled Hosseini, the novel’s brooding atmosphere alternates with crystal-clear descriptions and haunting dialogue, not to mention characters so vividly described they seem to stand before you. Universal yet exotic, Céline proves that Hamou is a real creator. Whether he uses words or movement, the result is intoxicating and lingers in the memory. Cécile is published in Dutch by ) Manteau (

More new books Vijftig (Fifty) Bavo Claes • Vrijdag Almost 20 years after the publication of his debut novel, Kraai, former VRT news anchor Bavo Claes returns with a tale of two media professionals who turn 50 in the year 2000. Claes, respected and reserved, may shock some readers with this deep dive into the human underbelly. He presents us with two despicable men who see women as nothing but entertainment. Vijftig is a satire on modern-day marriage and midlife crises. Topped off with a whiff of John Updike, the novel confirms that Claes has earned his place in Flemish literature. Lichterlaaie (Ablaze) Pat Donnez • Vrijdag Set in the 1970s in the quintessential (but fictional) Flemish village of Bouweldonk, author and radio host Pat Donnez’s new

\ 14

novel is a strange little story about a man who decides to break the “grave lying” world record. Louis decides to spend 80 days below ground, hoping to put himself and his town on the map. Johanna, an unhappily married woman who is allergic to sunlight and only comes out at night, stumbles upon his casket while looking for the restroom at a party. Will they together find redemption? Predictable yet quirky, Lichterlaaie is light-hearted beach reading.

Orgelman (Organ Man) Marc Schaevers • De Bezige Bij Humo journalist Marc Schaevers recently won the prestigious Gouden Boekenuil prize for Orgelman, a fictional account of the life of German-Jewish artist Felix Nussbaum, who went into exile in Rome in 1933. Both Nussbaum’s paintings and reputation were destroyed during the Second World

War. Now he is labelled as one of the most important Jewish painters of the 20th century. Schaevers retraces his footsteps and journey to create a haunting and fastpaced portrait of a tortured soul. Familiealbum (Family Album) Leo Pleysier • De Bezige Bij In honour of his 70th birthday, Leo Pleysier, who predominantly writes about life in the Kempen, has put together a collection of five novels and novellas he wrote between 1989 and 2000: a monologue from a mother on her deathbed, a telephone conversation between siblings about their heritage, the tale of a lost son who works in Africa and an abundance of voices reminiscing about their long-lost father. All these stories are family chronicles, and in the afterword, Pleysier explains their connection, history and why they represent quintessential portraits of Flemish family life.

\ AGENDA

jUNE 24, 2015

Here a lion

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The Beauty of War Until 15 September

Brussels

Royal Library of Belgium, Brussels kbr.be

nyone who doesn’t live under a rock knows that we celebrated this month the bicentennial of the Battle of Waterloo, where the dethroned French Emperor Napoleon was defeated a second and final time after a whirlwind comeback campaign. This historical watershed put an end to the revolutionary upheavals that catapulted the low-born Corsican artillery officer to the highest office in the land. Conservative royal power was restored across Europe for the remainder of the century. At least that’s how the whole affair looks in hindsight. The Royal Library of Belgium’s new exhibition De schoonheid van de oorlog (The Beauty of War) shows us how these epochal events were portrayed at the time. Antwerpbased historian and artist Koen Broucke

combed through the institution’s extensive archives with the aid of in-house researcher Joris Van Grieken to unearth period books, medals, maps, prints and drawings depicting every aspect of the battle. Some of the pieces on show are signed by well-known international names – England’s Turner, Spain’s Goya and Belgium’s own Ensor – but many more are the work of obscure or

anonymous artists toiling away on tight deadlines to spice up news bulletins. Styles range from the documentary to the epic. The contemporary public was keen to see mundane details like landscape and military kit as well as heroic gestures and steel-jawed generals. All the exhibited works date from the 19th century with the exception of a few modernist interpretations and Broucke’s original pieces. Created specifically for this exhibition and donated to the library, these are mostly spacious drypoint prints (pictured) with scattered allusions to Waterloo. A lion here, a rifle there. The most literal of Broucke’s contributions is a bloodshot portrait in crimson-hued acrylic of the hero of the hour, the Duke of Wellington. \ Georgio Valentino

CONCERT

VISUAL ARTS

Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil

Beaufort

29 June, 20.00 Two of Brazil’s most influential popular musicians celebrate a half-century of shared adventure, both cultural and political, with a month-long European tour. Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil met as students in Bahia in the early 1960s. Their early collaborations inspired the avant-garde Tropicália movement, which soon

Vorst Nationaal, Brussels vorst-nationaal.be

became a psychedelic stick in the eye of the country’s military dictatorship. By the end of the decade, their activities had landed the duo in political prison, then exile in London. Although they are now recognised as national heroes, their work has lost none of its progressive edge. \ GV

Until 21 September

LITERATURE

Stadshal wordt Geefplein!

Jonathan Franzen

27 June, 11.00 Summertime is home improvement season, and Ghent’s DIY community is keen to help you kick-start your projects. This is much more than just a swap meet. Yes, folks are here to trade – or just plain give away – their cast-off hardware, furniture and other tools. But they’re also shar-

Stadshal, Ghent tinyurl.com/stadshalgeefplein

ing skills and knowledge. Bicycle techs, tailors and other household miracle workers are on hand to refresh your well-used and well-loved items. And all this in a convivial atmosphere with drinks, snacks, music and games for the kids. \ GV

18 October, 20.00 VUB’s student cultural centre KultuurKaffee closed its doors last month for an anticipated two-year renovation. In the meantime, the organisation continues to programme cultural events by remote. Its autumn residency at Bozar promises to be a big deal to guess by its headliner, acclaimed American novelist Jonathan Franzen (The Corrections, Freedom). Franzen’s appearance is set to follow the release (in English and Dutch) of his long-awaited fifth novel Purity. He will talk shop with Flemish author Saskia De Coster before signing copies of the new book. \ GV

\ gracialive.be

VISUAL ARTS Brussels Jean Van Hamme: Traveller Without Frontiers: The Brussels comic strip artist and inveterate wanderer presents a series of works about his heroes and their adventures. Until 29 November, Comic Strip Center, Zavelstraat 20 \ comicscenter.net

MUSIC FESTIVAL Bilzen (Limburg)

Along the Flemish coast beaufort2015.be

The fifth edition of the summertime arts triennial Beaufort unites 10 coastal municipalities and 30 artists for three (hopefully) sunny months of exhibitions and events in public space. This edition’s marquee attraction – its unifying thread – is an ambitious installation stretching the length of the Flemish coast. Created by 91-year-old French-Hungarian architect Yona Friedman and his international collective A Dog Republic, Musée Promenade is comprised of 67 kilometres of site-specific drawings, sculptures, films and mobile architecture. It’s an interactive, multimedia stroll. \ GV

EVENT

Ben Miller Band: The bluegrass trio from Missouri perform a mix of bluegrass, delta blues and “the haunted spirit of Appalachian mountain music”. 30 June 22.30, Ancienne Belgique, Anspachlaan 110

AlbaNova: Second edition of the midsummer festival for musical heritage, featuring a Garden of Eden theme and a diverse range of intimate concerts inspired by music from 14th- and 15th-century Europe. 20 June 10.30-19.00, Landcommanderij Alden Biesen, Kasteelstraat 6 \ albanovafestival.com

FILM Across Flanders Summer Movies: Coca-Cola sponsors this film event featuring 10 avant-premieres of the summer’s biggest blockbuster hits, including The Gunman, starring Sean Penn as a sniper on the run, Noah Baumbach’s new movie While We’re Young and action thriller Survivor. 26 June at Kinepolis cinemas across Flanders \ summermovies.be

SHOPPING get tic

kets n ow

Bozar, Brussels bozar.be

Ostend Monster Stock Sale : Annual sale of stock design furniture, lighting, art and other decor items, including showroom models and end-of-series pieces at heavily discounted prices. 27-28 June 9.00-18.30, Depot Verbiest Verhuizingen, Corneel Heymanstraat 12 \ design-oostende.be/ tag/stockverkoop

Ghent First Choice Shopping: Free family-friendly market hosted by popular Ghent webshop Petit Bazaar, featuring women’s and children’s clothing, shoes, accessories and more. 28 June 10.0018.00, Dienstencentrum Gentbrugge, Braemkasteelstraat 29 \ facebook.com/petitbazaarsboetiek

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\ BACKPAGE

june 24, 2015

Talking Dutch Don’t just sit there

Derek Blyth More articles by Derek \ flanderstoday.eu

re you sitting comfortably? Well, stop it. Now. Or you will die a slow and painful

death. Zittend werken is het nieuwe roken – Sitting all day at work is the new smoking; het is even nefast voor onze gezondheid – it’s dangerous for our health, according to a recent article in De Morgen. Recent is men tot de vaststelling gekomen dat het lange zitten op zich een zeer nefaste invloed heeft op de gezondheid – Recent research has shown that sitting for prolonged periods can seriously damage your health, confirmed professor Romain Meeusen of the Free University of Brussels (VUB), a specialist in health and exercise. And Belgians are among the worst offenders, it seems. Belgen zitten gemiddeld 55 procent van de tijd die ze wakker zijn – Belgians spend 55% of their waking hours sitting down, according to an international expert quoted in Knack magazine. Ongeveer even veel als Amerikanen – Roughly the same as Americans. En dat is veel te veel – And that’s far too much.

So what are we supposed to do? Wie een kantoorjob heeft, zou elke dag zeker twee uur moeten rechtstaan of rondstappen, en liefst zelfs vier uur – Anyone who works in an office should spend at least two hours – and ideally four ( four!) – standing or walking around. Het maakt niet uit hoe je het doet, zorgt er gewoon voor dat je vaker rechtstaat – It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you do it standing up. Maak tijdens de lunch een wandeling en eet niet aan je bureau – Go for a walk at lunchtime and don’t eat at your desk. Ga naar mensen toe in plaats van hen een e-mail te sturen – Go talk to your colleagues in person instead of

sending an email. So here are some more tips from the experts to keep you on your feet. Neem de trap in plaats van de lift – Take the stairs instead of the lift. Telefoneer al wandelend – Walk around while making phone calls. Neem een glas water bij de hand, geen fles – Pour yourself a glass of water rather than a bottle. Zo moet je opstaan om bij te tanken – That way you have to get up for a refill. Stuur printopdrachten naar de verste printer op kantoor – Send printer commands to the printer that’s furthest away from you. Probeer tijdens de middagpauze wat te joggen of te wandelen – Try to go jogging or walking during your lunch hour. Las staande vergaderingen in – Stand up in meetings. This means big changes in the way people in offices spend their day. And I suspect some people won’t take it sitting down.

VoiceS of flanders today In response to: Programme to allow students to start business without a diploma Kyle SkiI Wonder what Mark Zuckerberg, Ted Turner, Steve Jobs or Bill Gates would say about this?

In response to: Napoleon in Flanders: The battle lost, but history conquered Eddy Cormon Some of the laws that were started during Napoleon are still in place.

In response to: English-language Radio X takes to the airwaves Anlucia van der Merwe Wow amazing should have happened a long time but glad it’s here at last English radio happy happy.

Zoya Sheftalovich @zoyashef Inappropriate summer weather Brussels. I’m so disappointed in you today.

Thomas Heathman @Thomas_Heathman Good to be back in Ghent, incredible food and the best beer in the world. Unfortunately no BBQ @PeterA_01

The Independent @Independent Antwerp now has ‘text lanes’ for people glued to mobile phones http://ind.pn/1GE6SeB

CONNECT WITH US

Tweet us your thoughts @FlandersToday

Poll

a. No. The people who do use it really need it. Suck up the cost to keep it going

20% b. No, but they should charge twice the normal fare to use it. Then it would pay for itself

30% c. Yes, late-night service is an extravagance. A collective taxi service makes a lot more sense

50% rant and cultural worlds that people were more likely to stay home than risk being stranded. Not to mention the suburbanites themselves, who will now be more inclined to drive into a city known as one of the most trafficcongested in the world.

Another one in three of you thought the fare ought to be doubled, which is what a collective taxi service would do, in any case. Let’s hope Antwerp starts it up soon.

\ Next week's question: Another major fraud case has been abandoned because too much time has elapsed since the alleged crimes took place. What do you think? Log in to the Flanders Today website at www.flanderstoday.eu and click on VOTE!

\ 16

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the last word

Do you agree with De Lijn's decision to stop its night bus service in Antwerp because of a lack of users?

You’re all a bunch of pragmatists, you are. A full half of you took the austerity road and decided latenight buses for the residents of outlying areas around Antwerp are too expensive to keep up. That’s what De Lijn decided, too, despite protests from the restau-

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Roughing it

School dinners

“I got an iPhone 6 with 4G connection, and I had to make do with that. I downloaded apps about edible mushrooms and looked up clips on YouTube on making a fire and building a shelter.”

“With Geert Van Hecke and Peter Goossens you could see the talent right away. Both were really ambitious – at least as far as the practical side was concerned. They were never terribly studious.”

Gideon Hakker survived a week in the Hoge Kempen National Park with only an internet connection, part of a new ad campaign for Base

Raf Sonneville is retiring as director of culinary school Ter Duinen in Koksijde, after turning out graduates who went on to gather 30 Michelin stars between them

Master of her destiny “I’m doing it by sheer willpower, and with the help of a couple of people who believed in me against all odds.” Katlijn Vangilbergen, 28, from Holsbeek, Flemish Brabant, was said to have an IQ of 83, autism and difficulty concentrating but is now on her way to obtaining a Master’s in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Leuven

Hard slog “OK, I have a lot of papers to correct. If you want to do it right, of course, you have a lot of work. Fortunately, I love to do it.” Filip Van den Steen, a history teacher from Zottegem, has 397 exams totalling 5,955 pages to mark

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