Equal parts scandal and spectacle, the art world is a place where knockoffs slip through the cracks and the pomp of high-end galleries and art fairs reign.
Then there are the smaller, alternative spots — where artists defy the system while inadvertently feeding into it. There’s always something that doesn’t quite add up, yet there’s always a place for everyone.
SO WHAT’S NEW?
Nothing says art quite like hundreds of naked strangers attempting to reconcile cultural sophistication with their own need for exhibitionism. They’re doing it over at Boverie Museum in Liège this evening, where they will experience Paul Delvaux’s surrealist vision in the nude.
Who doesn’t love a good art scandal story? A raided workshop in Rome recently uncovered 71 forgeries passed off as works by Picasso, Rembrandt, and Belgian painter Anna De Weert. The masterfakes in question were peddled on eBay and Catawiki, a Dutch auction site that’s supposedly reliable and vetted by experts.
Unless you’re after a bargain-bin relic with dubious provenance, Catawiki is the last place you want to make a heroic “find”. Go to TEFAF instead, the glittering beacon of Europe’s art scene where museum-grade treasures await to be ogled up close.
JUST A THOUGHT
Fortune doesn’t always favour the bold. Big-name fairs, curators, and galleries dominate the art world while emerging artists scramble for recognition. The game is rigged: power players bet on safe, established names, leaving fresh talent stuck in a cycle of underfunded shows and empty promises of “exposure.” Despite its rich artistic heritage and vibrant events, the Belgian scene tends to remain loyal to commercial success, often sidelining authenticity.
There is hope though, and some of the best art in Belgium isn’t where you’d expect it to be. Spaces like Les Ateliers Claus, Recyclart, and Beursschouwburg keep the experimental spirit alive in all artistic forms. Though not quite financially promising, each event is a little manifesto against the status quo.
At Recyclart: Brussels-based Buryat artist Mirra Markhaëva, explores Buryat-Mongol syncretism—where opposites collide and intertwine. Vernissage on March 5 at 6 p.m.
At Espace Magh: Les Volumineuses—a Brussels collective dedicated to showcasing marginalized and underrecognised artists, performers, and musicians—will host a day-to-night micro-festival with live concerts, workshops, performances, DJ sets, and a few other surprises this Saturday.
EXPOS ON MY RADAR
Lee Miller took her camera to the front lines of World War II, capturing the liberation of Dachau—and, in true form of badassery, herself bathing in Hitler’s tub. A Vogue model cover star and Man Ray’s former muse and collaborater, she shaped the 20th-century gaze, proving the sharpest eye wasn’t always behind the camera—it was often staring straight into it. Lee Miller in Print at FOMU reveals how.
I’ve always been drawn to art that reflects on how we experience life and perceive mortality. Berlinde de Bruyckere’s expo at BOZAR is just that—a fragile, raw, and deeply emotional journey that intertwines works from various periods of her career. With themes of Eros and Thanatos at its core, her morbidly delicate works balance suffering and resilience, offering a powerful meditation on vulnerability.
SCENE & BE SEEN
Enhance your art film repertoire. The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium partners with Les Midis du Cinéma for a series of art-focused screenings. On March 13th, the documentary Modigliani - Soutine, Derniers bohèmes de Montparnasse will explore the lives of these two legendary artists.
Late-night art musings met pintjes in Flanders’ museums. In Ghent, S.M.A.K. will host a late Thursday event in the museum next week, with a guided tour of Joris Van de Moortel's HELL ON EARTH before the museum transforms into a performance space for Amatorski. Other museums throughout the city will be open late too this evening.
In Antwerp, KMSKA hosts a similar type of event every Thursday evening until 10 pm. Past events hosted jazz and classical concerts featuring local musicians, guided speed tours of ongoing exhibitions, and drawing sessions for curious and aspiring artists.
The Limited Edition Art Fair is a refuge for collectors of all levels, showcasing unique works from local galleries and invited artists. It offers a refreshing alternative to the usual art fair hustle with none of the intimidation of bigger fairs like BRAFA or Art Brussels.
