Cultural Compass: Black joy at Bozar, photo exibitions and rocking out at De Roma
Every Sunday, Belga English picks its favourite events from the cultural agenda. This week: The Afropolitan Festival illuminates Black Joy, a triptych of openings at FOMU and Franz Ferdinand rocks Antwerp.
Afropolitan Festival, 27 February until 2 March at BOZAR
The Afropolitan Festival's opening night is a vibrant tribute to Black culture, celebrating the artist and curator collectives across Europe and beyond that bring Black Joy to life. Inspired by When We See Us at BOZAR, The Som‧m‧e Of Us collective curates a night of music alongside screenings of Of Us and Everyday Blackness, launching three days of art, music and discussion.
Grammy nominated American poet aja monet is on of the shining stars of the festival. Her poetry blends jazz into a "dreamlike, surreal and activist context". She will read from and discuss her upcoming book of poetry Florida Water.
“Afropolitan pays tribute to the black communities who, over the generations, have overcome many hardships with unshakeable resilience and a penchant for joy,” says BOZAR. “In a world where happiness has become a privilege, our mission is to refocus attention on Black artistic experiences and creations, establishing them as vectors of positive transformation.”
Antwerp's FOMU presents three extraordinary exhibitions beginning on 28 February
Lee Miller In Print
Model, war correspondent, photographer and surrealist, Lee Miller (1907–1977) was all of these. One of the few renowned female photographers of the early 20th century, she played a vital role in shaping the medium.
During and after World War II, she documented key moments in a field dominated by men a photographer and war reporter.
Lee Miller in Print, her first solo exhibition in Belgium, offers fresh insight into her life and work through her published photographs and articles. It also explores 20th-century photography’s evolution and its use as a propaganda tool during World War II.
Mashid Mohadjerin, Spiraling Outward
Iranian-Belgian artist Mashid Mohadjerin (1976, Tehran) crafts a rich, multi-layered universe where photography, video, collage and text intertwine. Family stories merge with political upheavals, set against the broader history of the Middle East and North Africa, revealing the nuances beneath the extraordinary and the familiar.
In Spiraling Outward, she challenges conventional boundaries between art and documentary, time and space, fact and emotion. Her research-driven work has expanded in recent years to include multimedia installations blending video, sound, text, collage and performance, offering a multifaceted perspective on migration, borders, cultural transformation and identity and resistance.
Chrystel Mukeba, I've Never Seen My Father Cry
At the end of 2024, Brussels based artist Chrystel Mukeba (1983) and her father, André, traveled to Kinshasa. A first time visit for her and his return after 46 years.
I've Never Seen My Father Cry is her most personal project yet, capturing the complexities of diaspora: the ache of distance, the search for identity and the silences that often follow unanswered questions about family and home.
Franz Ferdinand, 1 March at De Roma
The iconic British band burst onto the scene in 2003 and has sinc gained international acclaim. Their blend of indie rock, post-punk and dance influences results in an infectious upbeat sound. Their breakout hit Take Me Out catapulted them to global fame, paving the way for their self-titled debut album, which sold over 5 million copies.
© FRANZ FERDINAND
The band’s freshly released album The Human Fear will feature in their setlist alongside longstanding fan favourites.
(MOH)
#FlandersNewsService | Afropolitan Festival at BOZAR © PHOTO MARIN DRIGUEZ
Ongoing events
Antwerp
COMPASSION, MAS
Family Happiness, Red Star Line
Panamarenko: Infinite Imagination, KMKSA
Dürer: Master of the Renaissance, Museum De Reede
Brussels
Berlinde De Bruyckere, Khorós
Alechinsky, Pinceau Voyageur
René Magritte x Emily Mae Smith, Magritte Museum
Mechelen
Eternal Spring: Gardens and Tapestries in the Renaissance, Museum Hof van Busleyden
Ostend
Testerep, Venetian Galleries
More cultural coverage this week
