Two Unusual Art Centres in Brussels

Reserve your first Sunday of spring for the guided visit (English and Dutch/French) of two original and rather recent artistic centres in Brussels. The first one is the “Wiels” Centre for Contemporary Art devoted to temporary exhibitions and located in the restored modernist building of the former brewery Wielemans-Ceuppens in Forest. We will visit this surprising building conceived in 1932 by architect Adrien Blomme (1 878-1 940), then view an exhibition of six African artists and finally see various thematic performances by members of the famous dance group Rosas of Anna Teresa De Keersmaeker.

After a brief lunch taken on the spot we’ll head for the lnstitute Bruno Lussato – Marina Fédier in Brussels (Uccle) prestigious Prince d’Orange district. (Avenue de la Sapinière 50-52)
The lnstitute presents a unique collection of Japanese Mingei Art built up by Professor Bruno Lussato (1932-2009) and his sister Marina Lussato-Fédier. The collection which has been exhibited since 2013 is installed in an exceptional Art Nouveau house. This house was designed in 1926 by the famous architect Antoine Pompe(1873-1980), a student of Victor Horta.
It is surrounded by a beautiful garden of 80 acres with majestic trees. The collection contains several hundred pieces representative of genuine Japanese folk and handicraft art, say “Mingei art” as opposed to classic lmperial art. The collection mainly covers a period from the 16th to the 19th century. The interest for Mingei
Art in Japan can in a certain way indeed be compared with the “Arts & Crafts” movement in England. The collection we will see includes unique everyday objects some dating back thousands of years: ceramics, bamboo artefacts, lacquers decorative pieces, clothing and masks.
An appropriate drink will close this exceptional visit!

By train: go to Station Midi-Zuid and from there with tram 82 or 97 to nearby Wiels museum.
By car: leave Brussels Ring at exit 17 (Anderlecht usines) and follow indication Centrum- Albert to Avenue Van Volxem (Wiels).
lf you live in Brussels go via the Barrière St Gilles and from there via Avenues du Parc and Van Haelem to Wiels.
Do not go via South station (busy Sunday market).
Cars can be parked behind the Wiels