What’s on this week: 15 to 21 November

The biggest design market in Europe is on your doorstep. Dealers from across Europe come to Brussels Design Market, offering an endless array of home furnishings, from furniture to lighting to art to decorative objects. You’ll find vintage and contemporary pieces at a range of prices. Dive in and get something truly unique to express your own style. 16-17 November, Tour & Taxis, Avenue du Port 86

Internationally-renowned Kuwaiti visual artist Monira Al Qadiri (pictured) is adept at subverting cultural history to address contemporary societal issues. In The Archaeology of Beasts at Bozar the Berlin-based artist takes a playful yet impassioned exploration of Ancient Egypt and the fragile relationship between animals, humans and nature in four newly commissioned works. Two dynamic sculptures, an immersive video installation and a VR experience offer a highly-original and pertinent insight and reflection on the classical world and modern life.  Until 9 March, Rue Ravenstein 23

Explore a peaceful ‘village-in-the-city’ part of Brussels, now easily accessible via new tramline 10 this weekend. Neder-over-Heembeek’s fourth Artistic Walk is the chance to discover its French and Dutch community cultural centres, library and arts academy. Local artists will also welcome you into their workshops and homes. And it’s not just paintings, expect photographs, textiles, patchwork, pots, jewellery, digital art, even sculpture made out of bike bits. The programme is enhanced by concerts, dance classes and theatre, along with candle making, old chair repairing and even violin-making. 15-17 November, various locations, Neder-over-Heembeek (exhibitions 10.00-18.00 Saturday and 10.00-17.00 Sunday)

What better way to brighten up a dreary weekend, than to experience the capital’s wonderful Hôtel de Ville ‘en musique’? Music City Hall offers Belgian musicians and Brussels residents the best of locations to enjoy a free evening and/or afternoon of musical discoveries, from synth-pop in the marriage room to psychedelic rock in the Gothic hall. Hip hop, soul, house, ambient and electro sounds are also on the menu. Choose from six 50-minute and 20 20-minute concerts by artists including Avalanche Kaito, Godson, Grace and Miss Angel, staged in seven stunning rooms of this medieval masterpiece. Free entry but reservation necessary. 16 November from 18.00; 17 November from 14.00, City Hall, Grand Place

Pieces of a Man - A father. A son. Some baggage is a tragicomic one-man show in which David Labi recounts the story of his late Holocaust-Survivor father, Marcello. A child prisoner in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, Marcello's unresolved trauma fuelled a chaotic and colourful life that impacted heavily upon those closest to him. Photos, video clips and humorous anecdotes all raise questions of identity, trauma and masculinity. 15 November 20.00 (doors open 19.00), Bouche à l’Oreille, Rue Félix Hap 11 (Etterbeek)

Brussels becomes an international hub of cello virtuosity thanks to the 4th edition of the Brussels Cello Festival. The programme brings together world renowned artists, including Anne Gastinel, Gary Hoffman, Frans Helmerson and Marie Hallynck, performing alongside 2022 Queen Elisabeth Competition finalists Sul Yoon and Aleksey Shadrin. The biennial’s theme ‘Cellists for Cellists’ is designed to challenge and enchant audiences with repertoire by cellist-composers spanning the past four centuries. 15 to 17 November, Flagey: Place Sainte-Croix; Église Notre-Dame de la Cambre: Abbaye de la Cambre 1 (Ixelles)

The new Brussels festival Korea Unboxed: Taste, Glow, Explore showcases Korean tourism, beauty products and street food. It is the first large-scale event in Belgium to feature Korean tourism as its main theme, highlighting why the country is tipped to be a top travel destination. Staged in two locations: the tourism and beauty zones are located in the Korean Cultural Center, while a street food zone is set up in nearby Place de la Chapelle. There’s plenty of hands-on experiences and info to pick up on Korean travel and working holidays, especially for Gen Z. 16-17 November 12.00 -21.00, Korean Cultural Center, Rue de la Régence 4 & Place de la Chapelle

Several generations of artists and activists defending democracy are showcased in the itinerant exhibition Changemakers at the Brussels Parliamentarium. It’s an example of art and politics converging as work by European artists from the second half of the 20th century - from the European Parliament’s Contemporary Art Collection - is juxtaposed with contemporary artivists who participated in Pop the vote! Culture on the Ballot. Book your visit for the itinerant show here.  Until 16 February, Esplanade Solidarnosc 1980, Rue Wiertz 60

Beautiful Botanique’s main exhibition space is undergoing renovation, but it boasts two fascinating shows in its greenhouses and gallery. Downstairs, French-Swiss artist Yannick Jaquet’s Futur(s) Parallèle(s) exudes monochrome cut-out waterfalls, grottoes, trees and plants in the spaces where goldfish ponds once stood. Upstairs, Mécaniques Discursives. Jacquet/Fred Penelle (pictured) marries old and new technology with mesmerising screen print and digital installations. Tanks, Playmobil-like soldiers and crying babies embody themes like war and death in a sci-fi/’Alice in Wonderlandesque’ world. Jacquet explains that in an information-overloaded world on- and off-screen, “I like to address small things that I find absurd”. Icing on the cake, the greenhouses also feature Alexandre Leyre Mein’s gleaming Diffraction – the first bronze sculpture to be commissioned by Botanique in 130 years. Until 12 January (Galéries) and 2 February 2025 (Serres). Rue Royale 236 (Saint-Josse)

Good food, good company, buzzing venue! That’s the recipe for success for Brussels event organiser @seven, which is staging an International Party at Tour & Taxis’ La Gare Maritime on Saturday evening. The top-billed event kicks off at 20.00 with an aperitif and street food, followed by a party at 22.00 with Jérémie Charlier (La Folie Douce) & Just a Night’s Friends’ spinning the disco, 80s, 90s, 00s and world music until the small hours. Free entrance; dress code urban chic. 16 November 20.00-03.00, Tour & Taxis, Avenue du Port 86C

The International Study Group (ISG) stages a talk exploring the reasons for the historic split between art and mathematics in the postmodern era. Speaker Michel Tombroff is a contemporary visual artist who lives and works in Brussels. His artistic research explores the links between questions of formalisation, subjectivity and aesthetics in art, mathematics and philosophy. Guests welcome: €10 fee payable upon entry (includes coffee). 18 November 10.00, Chateau Malou, Allée Pierre Levie 2 (Woluwe-Saint-Lambert)  

Dreaming of adventure and travel as the dark season sets in? Seek inspiration or simply indulge in thrilling escapism at the European Outdoor Film Tour, which rolls through Belgium this month. Visiting six cities across the country, six new films enable audiences to view the world from its most adventurous side. Discover how a pair of freeride skis, a longboard, a mountain bike or a home-made raft can launch a bunch of tenacious individuals on an experience of a lifetime, such as US mountain bike pro Samantha Soriano in Cycle of Bayanihan (pictured above). 17 November 19.30, Espace Lumen (Etterbeek) plus venues in Charleroi, Ghent, Liège, Bruges and Antwerp

Book now Brussels Festival of Ideas. Join Full Circle for three days of thought-provoking talks, conversations and events. The third edition of this popular festival also stages live music, art, creative writing, film and workshops. While all events are in English, participants are invited to speak their own language in conversations and workshops. Among the speakers are Shinta Oosterwaal, Antony Beevor, Lyndsey Stonebridge and Philippe Van Parijs. All events are ticketed. Weekend and day passes are available as well as single event ticket. Some events are free and open to all throughout the weekend. 29 November to 1 December, Full Circle House, Chaussée de Vleurgat 89 (Ixelles)

OUTSIDE BRUSSELS

As kids, a playground is a place that brings our bodies into contact with fun structures. The same is true for the Playground festival, which features artists working at the intersection of performances and visual arts. Film, choreography, installations and occasionally song cross paths in all kinds of ways. Check out, for instance, the song of the octopus women, a dance of violence and eroticism or a one-on-one with Jean-Charles De Quillacq, who is at your service as long as you offer him your nose. 16-19 November, across Leuven

Big Bang is a music festival for all ages, taking places in cities around the world. It’s Ghent’s turn to host this cavalcade of international brass bands, interactive installations, pop-up acts and musical theatre. You can put together your own programme of acts like Scratch, a composition for three balloons; unRAVELed, a look at composer Murice Ravel as a child in music, song and shadows; and The Sound of Dinner, where everything on the table makes its own sound. 17-18 November, De Bijloke, Bijlokekaai 7, Ghent

What does your ideal world look like? What makes you truly happy? Which adventures are on your bucket list? Docfest invites you to think about the future with 10 colourful documentaries. Each film is presented by a Bruges organisation which links them to a local context. In addition to the films, there are also 10 special experiences. The Road to Patagonia, for instance, is presented by Wegwijzer, which brings together travellers looking for meaningful experiences. An exchange of travel tip follows the screening. Several films are in English. 19-24 November, Cinema Lumière, Sint-Jakobsstraat 36

For the Fête de la Gravure 2024, the exhibition Figures presents an interesting dialogue between artist-illustrator Benjamin Monti and printmaker Olivier Deprez. Staged at Les Drapiers, it reveals Monti’s obsession with  lithographs of life-size human figures by the Wentzel printing house in Wissembourg from the late 19th to early 20th centuries. In contrast, Deprez’s wood engravings are timeless figures. Until 21 December, Rue Hors-Château 68, Liège

For its second edition, the Festival des Egalités spotlights mental health via artistic activities, talks, exhibitions and encounters in the Walloon capital of Namur. The collaboration between Le Delta cultural centre, the Grand Manège – Namur Concert Hall and the Centre d’Action Laïque proposes an ambitious programme that takes a sensitive approach to the thematic while promising a festive note. Among the highlights are concerts by Adèle Castillon and the Quator Hermès as well as a craft market in the entrance of the Grand Manège. 21-24  November, multiple locations in Namur

Book now The fourth edition of the family adventure trail Lanterna Magica RTL: Winter Lights at Château de La Hulpe is about to kick off. Illuminating the enchanting setting of the stately home domain, the new immersive route is part of the sensory experience that includes magical lighting, special projections and digital technology. A shuttle bus operates between La Hulpe train station and the site. From 20 October, Domaine du Château de la Hulpe, Chaussée de Bruxelles (Walloon Brabant)

Discover more upcoming events at The Bulletin's events page.

Photos: (main image) Brussels Design Market; Bozar exhibition - courtesy Monira Al Qadiri, photo by We Document Art ©Louise Mason; Changemakers: Leander Kampf; Fred Penelle Yannick Jacquet mecaniques discursives; Golden ratio proportion in mona lisa painting by leonardo da vinci; EOFT2024 Cycle of Bayanihan Peter Jamison; Big Bang ©Karolina Maruszak; Imagerie de Wissembourg ©Photo: Thomas Paquay