Recognised as a premier platform for contemporary art, Art Brussels continues to evolve, innovate and inspire, celebrating four decades of artistic excellence, creativity and cultural dialogue.
Since its inception in 1968, Art Brussels has remained at the forefront of the contemporary art scene, showcasing established artists, fostering emerging talents, and facilitating dynamic exchanges between artists, collectors, gallerists, and art enthusiasts. Over the years, the fair has earned a global reputation for its commitment to presenting cutting-edge contemporary art in diverse forms, from painting and sculpture to photography, installation, and new media. The 40th edition of Art Brussels promises to be a landmark event with a selection of 177 galleries from 31 countries, each bringing their unique artistic perspectives and contributions to the fore. With a focus on innovation, diversity and inclusivity, the fair will present a curated programme of galleries, an outdoor sculpture exhibition and special artistic projects, offering visitors an...immersive experience of today’s art scene.
Art Brussels: One fair, five different sections
The participating galleries are divided into five different sections according to the artists exhibited: PRIME (for mid-career and established artists), DISCOVERY (emerging artists), REDISCOVERY (artists whose works from the 20th Century deserve to be placed in the spotlight again), SOLO (solo artist presentations) and INVITED (galleries invited by the fair).
Artistic initiatives and projects at the fair:
Art for the City: Public art project in collaboration with the Town of Brussels
As part of the fortieth edition of Art Brussels, the art fair is renewing its partnership with the Town of Brussels with “Art for the City”, a new version of a project that first ran from 2009 to 2012. “Art in the City” has now become “Art for the City”—a new title that embodies a paradigm shift and underlines the fact that the winning artist will be invited to design a work for Brussels as part of a future urban development project. This new project reflects the desire of the Town of Brussels to promote contemporary art in public space in all its diversity. Since early 2024, a curator (Carine Fol) and a coordinator (Mathieu Menten) have formed the new unit whose mission it is to define a vision for the integration of art in an urban space for the city. For “Art for the City”, the galleries participating in Art Brussels were invited to submit a monumental work, from which 14 were then selected by a jury and will be exhibited in front of Palais 5 at Heysel during the fair.
The KickCancer Collection
Art Brussels is pleased to welcome back, for the second year, the charity action: The KickCancer Collection.
The KickCancer Collection will consist of a massive wall of postcard-sized artworks at the fair. All works will be sold at a flat rate of 400 EUR, of which 100 percent will be for the benefit of the Belgian KickCancer Foundation, which finances research on children’s cancer and empowers patients and their families. All works will be sold anonymously (signed on the back). The name of the artist will only be revealed after the purchase of the artwork. Last year, thanks to the support of artists, gallerists and collectors, KickCancer raised 107,600 euros (with 269 works sold in four days) at Art Brussels. The fair hopes to increase this magnificent result.
Blue Touches Blue—Delen Private Bank & Bank Van Breda
The two sister banks, which together support Art Brussels as the principal partners, will present the exhibition Blue Touches Blue in their shared lounge. Showcasing a selection of artworks, exploring the theme of blue, the two institutions thus symbolise their unity. The exhibition explores the sense of connection we feel amid the grandeur of the universe—a reminder of our small yet significant place within it. Blue Touches Blue features works by: Nel Aerts, Darren Bader, Denmark, Aurélie Gravas, Luc Peire, Guy Vandenbranden, Paul Van Hoeydonck, and Filip Vervaet, among others.
Wandering Minds—with the support of Stibbe
Curated by Gregory Lang, the exhibition Wandering Minds is an invitation to embark on a journey through the landscapes of human thought and imagination. With a selection of works by artists present in Venice during the Biennale, ideas roam freely as viewers are encouraged to explore, contemplate, and discover new perspectives. These artists’ works represent a mosaic of singular experiences that unveil deeply personal narratives. Each of them translates their encounters with diverse worlds offering unique points gathered on chosen paths both within and beyond their given contexts. In Wandering Minds, the artworks examine the human condition, by showcasing the transformative power of roaming, questioning, and engaging with the world. In this way, the exhibition not only presents the power of wandering to inspire wonder, but also highlights how questioning triggers learning, and knowledge leads to self-awareness. As participants in the world, the artists embrace otherness and vulnerability by learning and evolving through their interactions. Gathered together, their works reveal a kaleidoscope of differences articulated during their multiple journeys, each imbued with new gestures and perspectives like a Harlequin coat woven from threads that reflect all their explorations.
With among others, work by Julien Creuzet, Denicolai & Provoost, Sonia Gomes, Romuald Hazoumè, Kapwani Kiwanga, Kimsooja, Anna Maria Maiolino & Moffat Takadiwa.
Ruinart’s Carte Blanche 2023 with Marcus Coates
In 2024, with a Carte Blanche entitled Conversations with Nature, Ruinart is bringing to life a form of art that is committed to nature and driven by a multitude of talents. All of them focus on the relationship between mankind and nature through their own unique prism: Andrea Bowers combines art and activism; Thijs Biersteker bases his work on scientific data; Marcus Coates creates new relationships with a “more than human” world; Pascale Marthine Tayou brings out beauty where least expected; Henrique Oliveira and his spectacular sculptures bring plants and other organic elements together; while Tomoko Sauvage is passionate about bubbles—from how they form to their transparent appearance. These six artists have been selected to come and enter dialogue with nature in the Champagne region and to question our relationship with living things – embodying the collective impetus set in motion by Maison Ruinart.
As part of Conversations with Nature, Maison Ruinart is delighted to be exhibiting the work of Marcus Coates at Art Brussels from April 25 to April 28. Through different media—painting, photography, sculpture, and sound installations—Marcus Coates explores imaginary and symbolic relationships between mankind and nature.
T.W.I.B. by Rokko Miyoshi — Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles
Collecting, arranging and displaying, rather than making, constitute the core of Rokko Miyoshi’s artistic practice. His collection spans families of objects, amongst them a vast number of vintage press photographs and archival documents. For Art Brussels, he proposes a new installation that builds upon this long-standing practice of critically reframing found materials.
T.W.I.B. (The World is Banana) extends Miyoshi’s ongoing research into the origins of modern propaganda, viewed through the lens of the history of the United Fruit Company (present-day Chiquita) – a multinational corporation whose aggressive banana monopoly at the turn of the 19th century exerted a lasting, detrimental impact on the economic and political situation in Central and South America. Under the influence of Freud’s grandson and the self-proclaimed ‘propagator of propaganda ‘Edward Bernays, the U.F.C’s state-of-the-art public relations strategy helped to legitimise neocolonial violence in favour of the United States ‘commercial interest.
Art Brussels takes place from Thursday April 25 to Sunday April 28, 2024.
Opening day: April 25, preview from 11am–4pm, and vernissage from 4–9pm
Public days: Friday April 26, Saturday April 27 and Sunday April 28 from 11am–7pm
Venue: Brussels Expo, Halls 5 & 6, Place de Belgique 1, 1020 Brussels
Entrada actualizada el el 26 abr de 2024
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