Art Brussels 2012
30th edition
Thu 19–Sun 22 April 2012
www.artbrussels.be
Opening hours:
Preview: Wed 18 April: noon–4 pm.
(invitation only)
Vernissage: Wed 18 April: 4–10 pm.
(invitation only)
Exhibition: Thu 19–Sun 22 April: noon–7 pm.
Nocturne: Thu 19 April: 7–10 pm.
Brussels Expo – Halls 1 & 3
Place de Belgique, 1
BE-1020 Brussels
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Art Brussels, 30th edition and always innovating!
This April, the contemporary art fair Art Brussels celebrates its 30th edition.
With an annual attendance of more than 25 000 visitors—and one in three from abroad—Art Brussels belongs to the international top and is a must on the international contemporary art scene. Art Brussels 2012 will be a festive edition, with many new initiatives both in and around the fair.
New at Art Brussels 2012
Strong new galleries as well as established names, a new fairground architecture, a nocturne on Thursday for the general public, Artist Projects created for the fair, interesting debates and an attractive OFF programme will contribute to a festive edition!
New look:
The innovative profile of Art Brussels is clearly evident in the new lay-out of the fair; the young galleries are first to welcome the visitors and set the tone for the fair. The main entrance of the fair has been completely rethought. The visitor entering the fair through the main entrance in Hall 3, arrives directly in the First Call area. This area is reserved for the new generation of upcoming galleries who never participated at Art Brussels before. Collectors can set out in search of new discoveries right away. The visitor or collector looking for established artists will find easy access to Hall 1.
Nocturne – for the general public, Thursday, April 19:
On April 19, Art Brussels holds its first late night for the general public. The nocturne is dedicated to fashion. Special guests are fashion designers and aficionados, turning Thursday 19/04 into a memorable event. The Belgian Elle magazine will support the evening with an Art Special distributed at the nocturne.
Solo Shows
14 artists are selected to create a Solo Show next to the main booth of the gallery. Galleries are making a statement by showing one specific on site project by an individual artist. This gives the visitor the opportunity to get to know the work of an artist more in depth. The best solo show artist, selected by the Art Brussels collectors committee will be rewarded with the Belgacom Art Prize.
David Adamo – (Hoet Bekaert – BE), Danai Anesiadou – (Elisa Platteau & Cie – BE), Matt Connors – (Cherry and Martin – USA), Johannes Döring – (Greta Meert – BE), Christian Frantzen – (Nosbaum&Reding – LUX), John M. Armleder – (Elisabeth&Klaus Thoman – AT), Shirin Neshat – (Gladstone – BE), Erik Parker – (Patricia Low – CH), Susan Philipsz – (Ellen de Bruijne – NL), Eva Schlegel – (Krinzinger – AT), Davis Rhodes – (Office Baroque – BE), Angel Vergara – (Cortex Athletico – FR), Marnie Weber – (Patrick Painter – USA), Norbert Witzgall – (DEWEER – BE)
Artist Projects
Valérie Mannaerts (°1974, lives and works in Brussels), Nicolas Provost (°1969, lives and works in Brussels and New York) and the artist duo Sarah & Charles (°1979/°1981, live and work in Brussels) are invited to participate in the Artist Projects 2012. The Artist Projects are interventions/creations designed for the fair. The interventions will be discovered and experienced by the visitors throughout the fair. Valérie Mannaerts has drawn the VIP cards, the cover of the fair catalogue and the fair guide. Nicolas Provost shows Moving Stories, a new art video about “two young passengers adventuring towards a mysterious future. Moving Stories is a simple journey with only a few story elements in an attempt to maximise the viewer’s cinematic imagination.” Sarah & Charles, both graduated at the HISK in 2007 and will create a graphic design for the carrier bag of the fair.
New – outside the fair walls
At the heart of Europe, Belgium is a cosmopolitan country where artists, collectors and curators live, create and meet. Talents from all these different cultures, practices and places give Brussels a unique dynamic. Outside the fair walls, in and around the Belgian art cultural landscape but mainly in the centre of town, the art offer is entirely tailored to contemporary art.
The OFF programme
Numerous initiatives make this week the Brussels Art Week. An extensive programme of collateral events, great exhibitions in the partner institutions such as Rosemarie Trockel and Daan van Golden at WIELS, Cy Twombly and Tacita Dean at Bozar, AES+F at the Vanhaerents Art Collection, Chantal Ackerman at MuKHA, Rebecca Warren and Chloe Piene at the Museum Dhondt-Dhaenens contribute to the art buzz. Art Brussels visitors will also discover the dynamic of the Brussels artistic scene at the gallery openings during the Gallery Night on Friday 20 April. A number of new art spaces as well as private and corporate collections accessible exclusively during Art Brussels.
First Edition – Video in the City
Art Brussels and “Galeries Cinéma” are pleased to present the first edition of “Video in the City”. The participating video artists are represented by Art Brussels galleries. This exhibition takes place in the vaulted caves of the Galerie de la Reine in the centre of Brussels.
The videos are selected by Muriel Andrin (Dr. Prof. Master en Arts du Spectacle – Cinéma, ULB)
Lieven Declerck (collector) and Rolf Quaghebeur (General dir. ARGOS).
Art in the City
Art in the City is an outdoor sculpture exhibition organised in collaboration with the City of Brussels. The City supports for the 4th time in a row the fair by acquiring an outdoor sculpture for the improvement of the public space projects. Each year one of the artists participating in “Art in the City” is invited to create an outdoor sculpture for a specific public space for the City of Brussels. The artists in the exhibition are represented by the Art Brussels galleries.
The exhibition takes place in the idyllic Egmont Park, located in the heart of Brussels. The prize winner will be announced at the official opening on Thursday morning.
For the latest updates, a list of participating galleries and information on the OFF programme, please visit www.artbrussels.be.
