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Sybille du Roy speaks about upcoming Brussels Gallery Week-End

gerard van weyenbergh

Despite a year of crisis, the number of galleries participating in the gallery weekend in Brussels, from September 9 to 12, is rising. Note in this edition, the strong presence of Belgian artists.

How old is the Brussels Gallery Weekend?

This year is the 14th edition of Brussels Gallery Weekend. It is the second oldest Gallery Weekend created after Berlin. It was initiated to launch the opening of the artistic season in Brussels, and it are the Brussels galleries that are at the origin of this event - the understanding is very good between the gallerists of the city. Over time, thus marking an increase in power and influence of the event, the program has grown thanks to the invitation to artists and institutions to better reflect the local artistic scene. Four years ago, we created a now highly anticipated event: a curated exhibition of promising young artists who do not yet have a gallery.

The number of galleries is increasing this year. We went from 38 or 40 galleries to 46 galleries. Which is a consequence of the health crisis we are going through. Much to our sadness, the fairs were canceled one after the other leading to galleries not attending the event to participate, including modern art galleries like Vedovi Gallery. Jaqueline Martins from São Paulo, recently installed in Brussels, joined the event. Super Dakota will also be with us for the first time, as will Ballroom Project, an association of two Antwerp galleries that now have a Brussels branch. We wanted to return the favor to the Antwerp galleries, which were very generous towards the Brussels galleries during the last Antwerp Gallery Weekend.

What are the highlights of this year?

Many galleries showcase Belgian artists. Baronian Xippas show Yves Zurstrassen. Valérie Mannaerts is also in the spotlight at Bernier / Eliades Gallery or Thomas Lerooy at Rodolphe Janssen. Major international signatures are also present, such as the American Louise Lawler at Greta Meert or Lynda Benglis and Huma Bhabha at Xavier Hufkens, when Dépendance exhibits Lucie Stahl. Many Brussels galleries are equipped with two spaces, which increases the number of exhibition possibilities. Harlan Levey, who has just taken up a second place in Molenbeek, shows a great show with video and photographs. I could also quote Aeroplastics which inaugurates a brand new space of 800 m2 with the exhibition "Come What May" which brings together a selection of artists from the gallery,


What does "Generation Brussels," the exhibition dedicated to young artists consist of?

This exhibition was created to give visibility to young artists who live and work in Brussels, but do not yet have galleries. It thus reflects the dynamism of the young local scene. Last year, to deal with the health situation, we presented the artists in showcases. This year, the event, which was designed by a duo of curators, Dagmar Dirkx and Zeynep Kubat, will take place in two, or even three places, including the "La tour a plomb" as well as windows located at the Sablon in the Lebeau building. The twelve selected artists will articulate different themes such as identity, gender or environment.

In what state of mind did you prepare for this new edition?

On the whole, the galleries are doing quite well, although the situation remains more difficult. There is no denying the impact of the pandemic on the art market. Last year was a special year, we ran on half our budget. But in terms of attendance, this was our biggest success. We had to regulate the flow of visitors, but they were there. This year, we have lost sponsors again. Financially, it's more complicated. We operate on a fifth of the usual budget, but we are very motivated. The future is uncertain, but we are trying to be prepared for all eventualities. We try to think of things differently. In particular, we imagined an audio curated tour based on a selection of exhibitions in the city. We have a responsibility. Journal des Arts, article by Pauline Vidal

art expert
© Dannie Jing


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