Maelbeek artist Benoît's commemorative work to be unveiled next week

A new piece of work by Maelbeek metro artist Benoît Van Innis will be installed at the station on Monday, commemorating those who died in the Brussels bombings.

In the wake of the 22 March bombing at Maelbeek metro station, Benoît's tiled portraits, depicted on the walls of the metro station, became internationally recognised, and have since grown into symbols synonymous with the unity shown in Brussels in the aftermath.

"I had eight anonymous portraits affixed to Portuguese tiles… They stood for the anonymous subway passengers,” explained Benoît.

Several days after the attacks, an image of one of the portraits with a crying tear added to their eye began circulating on social media.

Benoît thought the act was very touching: "Sometime later I received a call from the woman responsible for the teardrop. She apologised for her spontaneous surgery on my art. My work in public space belongs to the collective memory, and it does not bother me, I told her."

Benoît was asked by the Stib and the Brussels-Capital region to create a memorial for the victims. The work is inspired by Federico Garcia Lorca, the 20th century poet who was assassinated, aged 38.

"In it I bring together two elements that in all of my work and in my life are precious: drawing and poetry," Benoît told Bruzz.

"It is a short poem by Federico García Lorca, which appears in Dutch and French on the left and right of the drawing. Additionally, there will be translations into German, Spanish, English, Arabic, Russian and Chinese. I reread the poem often in the memoirs of surrealist Luis Buñuel... and it fits perfectly with the emotion of the attack."

The artwork will be unveiled to the public on Tuesday 19 June.

Meanwhile, friends of the Swedish illustrator, Johanna (My) Atlegrim, who was killed in the Maelbeek attacks, have succeeded in a crowdfunding campaign to publish the victim's works.

"My Atlegrim was our friend and collaborator of the fanzine for children Cuistax. She died in the attacks in Brussels," reads the crowdfunding page.

Friends and colleagues of the illustrator have proposed for a 44-page book of her drawings and musings (in French and Swedish) to be published, as "a farewell to our gentle and talented friend". The project, which needed €1,500, has surpassed expectations, making €3,141 so far far.

Due to the success of the campaign, the friends of Altegrim say they will organise an exhibition of her works, to take place at the Pilgrim House in Saint-Gilles from 14-30 October.