Visit to Belfius Art Gallery
Join us on Saturday, January 18, 2014 and take the elevator up to a bank vault full of art (Brisure, Belfius).
It feels weird, all those security people. Even in the elevator: escorting you up and down again. As if you’re allowed to visit the vault. And maybe it is, in these times of crisis. Anyway, the Belgian bank Belfius (formerly Dexia) has been collecting Belgian art since 1960 and its collection comprises more than 4,500 works. It is considered to be one of the largest private collections in Belgium. Due to the economic crisis, Belfius stopped buying art in 2008, but like other banks (ING, Cera) these days, it is trying to make its art collection more visible and accessible. Hence: Brisure (website: Dutch/French), which you can visit every third Saturday of the month (till March 16, 2013). Curator Stef Van Bellingen has come up with a nice way to get around the problem that Belfius has stopped buying art: he has asked 22 ‘young’ Belgian artists to link one of their works to a work of art in the Belfius collection. The exhibition space might feel a bit strange, but Brisure does offer a nice overview of contemporary Belgian art, with works by Wim Delvoye, Jan Vercruysse, Rinus Van de Velde, Nadia Naveau and Berlinde De Bruyckere. You’ll be able to see some other works of the collection too (Luc Tuymans) before being escorted down again.
The permanent collection includes works from many Belgian artisits of the 19th and 20th centuries (James Ensor, Rik Wouters, René Magritte, Paul Delvaux…) and contemporary art (Luc Tuymans, Wim Delvoye, Berlinde De Bruyckere, Hans Op de Beeck…).
The temporary exhibit, Masters of Expressionism, will allow you to discover expressionism through the works of some of the best Belgian artists. The first half of the 20th century saw the birth of painting where the canvas became much more than a simple reflection of reality. Constant Permeke, Frits Van den Berghe, Gust De Smet, Jean Brusselmans, Edgard Tytgat, and Auguste Mambour.
Our guide will be Mrs. Lieve Dejonghe, who has so beautifully shown us the Watteau exhibit and the Hôtel Solvay. The guided tour will last approximately 1½ hours.
Please note that this visit is limited to 15 people.
Event Details:
Date: Saturday, January 18, 2014
Time: 2:15 p.m.
Place: Belfius Bank, Bd. Pacheco 44, 1000 Brussels
Price: €10 for members, €20 for non-members.
Public Transportation: Metro: Gare Centrale/Centraal Station or Botanique/Kruidtuin; buses 29, 38, 65, 66 and 71: Gare Centrale/Centraal Station; trams 92 and 94 (Botanique or Gare Centrale).
Sign up: Reservations are due by noon on Wednesday, January 15 by email (info@americanclubbrussels.org), online at www.americanclubbrussels.org, or by telephone to the ACB Office Manager (02/219.58.08). Payment to ACB at BE55427919588144 (KREDBEBB) will confirm your reservation. Be sure to mention “Belfius” in the communications section of the virement. Cancellations are possible until noon on Wednesday, January 15. Participants cancelling after this time, as well as no-shows, are charged the full cost of the event.
