La verrière Hermès

Recipe for a perfect evening: take a writer, an art critic and a psychoanalyst.

Go to the Hermes shop on avenue Louise. Cross the shop. Go to the back. Mingle with the pique-assiettes (spongers, trenchermen). Sip from a glass of champagne. Make conversation about contemporary art. Look at the sky through the glass roof.

Day-dream. Smile as much as you can. Don't think about yesterday or tomorrow. Relax...

Venue: 50 boulevard de Waterloo, 1000 Brussels

Arne Quinze

Arne Quinze is a contemporary Belgian sculptor. Initially a graffiti artist in the eighties, he is now famous for several urban interventions.

In Brussels, you can admire two of his masterpieces. One in the fancy Kwint restaurant and one nearby the Flemish parliament, in the tranquil Louvain street.

Quinze employs materials which are rarely used together: iron and wood. Most of his sculptures feature a red-orange colour. A feast for the eyes...

Check out Arne Quinze's official website for more info. 

Archiraar

Have you seen the movie "The Cube"? This is how I felt like when I entered the Archiraar gallery.

The owner is an architect. The dazzlingly white walls seem to be closing in on you. And the bright neons enhance the feeling of unrest. 

I recently went to the preview of "Constellations" by Vincent Chenut (by the way, previews are the best occasions to meet interesting-looking people). "Constellations" consists of maps who have been scraped with a scalpel and only few trails of the original maps are visible. 

Brussels is packed with art galleries, but also with people who can afford them. A lot of contemporary art, but also African and 19th century stuff. 

Forget about New York and Paris, Brussels is the new capital of art. 

Address: Rue de la Tulipe 31A