What’s on this week: 25 April to 1 May

For its 50th anniversary, the Van Buuren Museum and Gardens stages the must-see exhibition Around Art Deco. Interbellum Sculptures. Also marking the centenary of the Art Deco movement, the show highlights the intense artistic evolution of the 20th century interwar period.  Set in the sublime 1920s landscaped villa, the collection of Belgian sculptures is enhanced by works by international artists and three female artists. Until 28 September, Avenue Leo Errera 41 (Uccle)

Brussels-based Japanese artist and winner of the BelgianArtPrize 2025, Suchan Kinoshita, presents her solo exhibition Renovation at Bozar. For 35 years, the visual artist has been creating projects that represent a subtle interplay between objects, natural light, sound and spatial perception. Kinoshita's work encompasses a variety of media and techniques, from sculptures and installations to videos, sound creations and performances. Until 29 June, Rue Ravenstein 23

When the Citroën DS burst onto the European motoring scene in 1955, its high-tech specs revolutionised the saloon car sector. In honour of its unveiling in Paris seven decades ago, Autoworld presents a unique collection in the exhibition Citroën DS – An Icon Turns 70. Showcasing almost every version and variant, from early to luxury and final models in 1975, visitors can immerse themselves in the world of the brand’s ‘La bombe Citroën’ and unmatched ‘Déeese’. 25 April to 29 June, Place de l’Esplanade 11, Cinquantenaire park (Etterbeek)

You will not only feel like hopping but also spinning, swirling and flying through the air after witnessing the escapades during the Hopla Circus Festival. Entirely free, the 18th edition gathers all kinds of acrobatic artists, whether the focus is on strength, balance, dance or artistic display. Many performances are open-air and don’t require reservations, so hop from one to the other. Pictured: Anchored in Air, a show staged in Place Sainte-Catherine on Saturday and Sunday afternoon.  26 April to 2 May, across Brussels-City

The capital celebrates the 16th edition of DiverCity under the banner ‘Brussels Resists’ in Place de la Monnaie on Saturday. The annual community festivity honours the city’s melting pot cultures with a programme of music and poetry. “Brussels wants to promote its multifaceted identity, which is shaped by more than 180 nationalities,” say organisers. 26 April 12.00-20.00, Place de la Monnaie

Celebrating the International Jazz Day on 30 April, music venues welcome a diverse mix of musicians. The Jazz Station hosts a double bill with the Victor Da Costa & Bart Defoort Quartet (pictured), while Bozar presents Tunisian oud musician Anouar Brahem with his poignant project After the Last Sky, and the Music Village hosts Fabulae, a quartet exploring sounds fusing jazz, impressionism and new music. 30 April, venues across the city

Dive into South Korean director Hong Sangsoo’s intense exploration of human foibles in this two-week retrospective at Bozar. The selection of nine films in Close-up: Hong Sangsoo features early works as well as a curated selection from his five most prolific recent years, including The Day a Pig Fell into the Well (19996) and Right Now, Wrong Then (2015). Guest speakers offer insights and reflections on this illuminating programme. Screenings are at the arts centre’s new 75-seat cinema. 30 April to 11 May, Rue Ravenstein 23

May Day on Thursday is not only a public holiday, it’s an international worker’s day that is a global celebration of workers’ rights and achievement. The trade union FGTB-ABVV Brussels stages a celebratory programme of free concerts, debates and a village full of association stands and activities for all the family in the Mont des Arts quarter. Music performances in Place Albertine include Alek & les Japonaises, Super Ska and Turdus Philomelos, along with DJ collective DissiDance. 1 May 13.00-20.00, Mont des Arts

Outside Brussels

This year’s theme for the classical music festival Lunalia is “Sweet Dreams” and among the many highlights are resident ensemble Zefiro Torna presenting special projects such as Time Crawls, Somnia, Bach Mirrored and Balsam and Revue Blanche’s Nenia (pictured) – literally a ‘song for the dead’ – taking the form of a concert, radio play and sound poem with audio artist Katharina Smets, composer Frederik Neyrinck and video artist Lise Bruyneel.  26 April to 11 May, across Mechelen

La Boverie Museum in Liège hosts a unique exhibition dedicated to the city’s long)standing weapons industry. Ars Mechanica is dedicated to the industrial, social, and artistic heritage of the mechanical arts in a collaboration with local FN Herstal and Browning companies. It displays a wide range of objects, including previously unseen pieces, as well as small arms, cars and motorcycles, engines for aeronautics and aerospace and sporting goods. The exhibition also features paintings, sculptures, and posters by leading artists. 25 April to 27 July, Pard de La Boverie, Liège

Namur’s newly-reopened African museum MusAfrica  presents more than 300 objects, including decorative pieces, masks, ancient and modern tools, fauna, flora and agricultural crops. The aim of the refurbished museum is to help visitors understand the lifestyles, habitats and cultural practices of different regions of Africa. Director François Poncelet says it is no longer an ivory tower museum, “and through its dense and fragmented journey, the idea is that it should activate curiosity and trigger reactions”. Rue du Premiers Lanciers 3b, Namur

Antwerp photographer and visual artist Siska Vandecasteele came across a personal family treasure hidden in the Ypres City Archives: a photo archive of her great-grandfather Hector Dehaeck dating from 100 years ago. The exhibition Shoot me a Bird. A photographic conversation at Ypres Museum is a moving dialogue between Vandecasteele and her ancestor that is staged in Yper Museum and three other locations in the city, connected via the audio artwork Songs for Hector. 27 April to 29 June, Grote Markt 34, Ypres

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

Photos: (main image)  Around Art Deco Cosy corner ©Michael Binkin; Suchan Kinoshita - Renovation; © Hopla ©Head Over Wheels; The Day a Pig Fell into the Well ©Courtesy of Dong A Exports Co Ltd; Nenia ©Julie Calbert; Atelier de montage des fusils Mauser-1924 ©Fondation Ars Mechanica