Modern & Contemporary Art Exhibitions in Brussel

A new room dedicated to art on paper. In a dynamic of rotating presentations of artworks, the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium continue to add newly arranged rooms to their parcours. From 21st of May, the Spilliaert room will welcome you into the poetic and mysterious world of the Belgian painter, illustrator and draughtsman. In this part of the museum, new displays of modern works on paper (19th century – today) are regularly shown. The artwork of Léon Spilliaert (Ostend 1881 - Brussels 1946), produced almost exclusively on paper, has a prominent place in the collection of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. Most of it was acquired directly from the artist and his family. As a mark of recognition, this room which is dedicated to modern works on paper, is named after him. His work will be in dialogue with that of other artists in the collections. This dialogue will begin with a #Focus1 on the BePaper research project. This will provide an initial overview and study of works on paper. In the interwar-period, art was constantly reinventing itself in Belgium: expressionism, constructivism, surrealism... Works on paper, once simple sketches, became creations in their own right. Affordable and versatile, this medium encouraged unprecedented artistic freedom, between figuration and abstraction. Last but not least, the Rousseau Album also takes its place in this new room. Compiled in 1883 by Mariette Rousseau, the Rousseau Album brings together drawings and letters illustrated by James Ensor. A unique testimony to a friendship and an era, it has now been given a new lease of life thanks to a meticulous restoration by KBR and the RMFAB.

A new room dedicated to art on paper. In a dynamic of rotating presentations of artworks, the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium continue to add newly arranged rooms to their parcours. From 21st of May, the Spilliaert room will welcome you into the poetic and mysterious world of the Belgian painter, illustrator and draughtsman. In this part of the museum, new displays of modern works on paper (19th century – today) are regularly shown. The artwork of Léon Spilliaert (Ostend 1881 - Brussels 1946), produced almost exclusively on paper, has a prominent place in the collection of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. Most of it was acquired directly from the artist and his family. As a mark of recognition, this room which is dedicated to modern works on paper, is named after him. His work will be in dialogue with that of other artists in the collections. This dialogue will begin with a #Focus1 on the BePaper research project. This will provide an initial overview and study of works on paper. In the interwar-period, art was constantly reinventing itself in Belgium: expressionism, constructivism, surrealism... Works on paper, once simple sketches, became creations in their own right. Affordable and versatile, this medium encouraged unprecedented artistic freedom, between figuration and abstraction. Last but not least, the Rousseau Album also takes its place in this new room. Compiled in 1883 by Mariette Rousseau, the Rousseau Album brings together drawings and letters illustrated by James Ensor. A unique testimony to a friendship and an era, it has now been given a new lease of life thanks to a meticulous restoration by KBR and the RMFAB.

A new room dedicated to art on paper. From 21st of May, the Spilliaert room will welcome you into the poetic and mysterious world of the Belgian painter, illustrator and draughtsman. In this part of the museum, new displays of modern works on paper (19th century – today) are regularly shown. The artwork of Léon Spilliaert (Ostend 1881 - Brussels 1946), produced almost exclusively on paper, has a prominent place in the collection of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. Most of it was acquired directly from the artist and his family. As a mark of recognition, this room which is dedicated to modern works on paper, is named after him. His work will be in dialogue with that of other artists in the collections. This dialogue will begin with a #Focus1 on the BePaper research project. This will provide an initial overview and study of works on paper. In the interwar-period, art was constantly reinventing itself in Belgium: expressionism, constructivism, surrealism... Works on paper, once simple sketches, became creations in their own right. Affordable and versatile, this medium encouraged unprecedented artistic freedom, between figuration and abstraction. Last but not least, the Rousseau Album also takes its place in this new room. Compiled in 1883 by Mariette Rousseau, the Rousseau Album brings together drawings and letters illustrated by James Ensor. A unique testimony to a friendship and an era, it has now been given a new lease of life thanks to a meticulous restoration by KBR and the RMFAB.

Fans of modern and contemporary art can now discover some of the Museums’ latest acquisitions, offering a fresh perspective on the works joining the collections. A great opportunity to explore these treasures while gaining insight into the RMFAB's acquisition policy! Several key directions emerge from this policy, often closely interconnected. The first aims to strengthen the presence of women artists, who remain underrepresented despite having played a pivotal role in shaping contemporary art from its earliest days. Similarly, another focus is to increase the visibility of non-European artists, as today’s art history is more than ever being written from a global perspective. A world marked by tensions, uncertainties, and pressing questions — societal issues also influence our choices. Finally, this display is an opportunity to express our gratitude to the patrons and artists who have helped enrich our collection, particularly in areas such as video art.

Comment imaginer nos milieux de vie dans un monde confronté à autant de bouleversements planétaires et de défis écologiques ? Réalisme magique : Imaginer la nature en dés/ordre réunit, à WIELS et ailleurs, une trentaine d'artistes apportant des idées et points de vue nouveaux sur notre rapport à la planète. L'exposition est une invitation à rompre avec des systèmes fondés sur la croissance infinie et l'extraction sans limites de ressources, et à re-tisser des liens avec notre biosphère et les réseaux complexes qui la constituent.

Aujourd'hui reconnue comme l'une des artistes les plus influentes, Nairy Baghramian (née en 1971 en Iran) a montré son travail dans la toute première exposition de WIELS, en 2007. Elle retrouvera cette architecture singulière avec un tout nouvel ensemble d'œuvres. Connue pour ses sculptures, ses installations, ses photographies et ses dessins, Baghramian a développé une pratique d'expérimentation audacieuse, marquée par une vraie acuité historique et conceptuelle. Elle travaille avec des formes, des techniques et des matériaux empruntés au répertoire abstrait, souvent disposés dans des alliances contrastées entre le construit et le moulé, ou le littéral et le conceptuel. Matière organique, techniques manuelles et constructions architecturales sont introduites dans son œuvre comme pour questionner à la fois les conditions contemporaines de fabrication et de travail et leur production. S'inspirant de domaines esthétiques comme le design d'intérieur, la mode, la danse et le théâtre, ainsi que d'objets utilitaires, notamment des instruments dentaires ou des éléments navals, Baghramian convoque une large gamme de formes pour évoquer toutes sortes de corps dans leur vulnérabilité et leur obstination. Son travail invite les visiteurs à remettre en question leur notion du soi, de l'espace, de la matière et du lieu.

Que ce soit à travers des peintures, des collages, des essais, des textiles ou de la poésie, l'œuvre d'Everlyn Nicodemus s'inscrit dans son engagement de longue date pour l'art en tant qu'espace de guérison et de liberté, qui transcende la simple expression individuelle. Cette exposition rétrospective présente un large éventail d'œuvres, de ses toutes premières expérimentations sur tissu d'écorce jusqu'à ses récents dessins sur papier, témoignant du style audacieux et vibrant de l'artiste, qui a toujours résisté aux cadres conventionnels. Par une approche ludique de la couleur, de la texture et de la forme, Everlyn Nicodemus ouvre de nouveaux horizons d'exploration artistique en réponse à l'oppression des femmes partout dans le monde, aux profonds impacts du racisme, ainsi qu'à son expérience personnelle du traumatisme et de la guérison.

Un parcours poétique, personnel et profondément contemporain, porté par les mots de l’artiste Youssef Swatt’s. Ce projet invite les visiteurs à (re)découvrir les collections du musée à travers le regard et la sensibilité d’un poète de notre époque.

Le Musée des Égouts explore le sujet de la pluie à travers son année thématique. L'équipe sensibilise ses visiteurs aux solutions durables de gestion des eaux pluviales. L'exposition aborde pourquoi ne pas considérer la pluie comme une ressource plutôt que comme un déchet, avec des exemples concrets et des solutions actuelles et novatrices. Elle s'intègre dans l'exposition permanente du musée avec des interactions immersives et des photographies d'Eric Ostermann montrant Bruxelles sous la pluie.

Vernissage le jeudi 18 septembre 2025 à 18h, en présence de l'artiste. De plus amples informations suivront. Visuel: Paule Lemmer, Green curry, 2018, acrylique sur toile et bois, 132 x 113 cm. Crédit photo: © courtesy de l’artiste

Vernissage le jeudi 18 septembre 2025 à 18h, en présence de l'artiste. De plus amples informations suivront.

The cosmos is a dizzying thought, but our species has created languages to make sense...

Gallery Nathalie Obadia is pleased to present Johanna Mirabel's first solo exhibition in Brussels, following her show last year at the gallery's Beaubourg location. A graduate of the Beaux-Arts de Paris in 2019, Johanna Mirabel is a French artist of Guyanese descent whose work is gaining increasing recognition on both...