Cultural Compass: Opera thrills, questioning plastic, Master of the Renaissance and more

Exhibitions, music, architecture, books, festivals… this is Belga English's pick of cultural activities in Flanders and Brussels, published every Sunday.

Opera Ballet Vlaanderen's (OBV) tagline for its new production of Richard Strauss' Salome is "Decadence and Revolt". There are few operas that embody those words more than this Biblical story turned Oscar Wilde play, turned operatic and film phenomenon.

It is a work that has long caused controversy and even public protests. In its most infamous scene, Salome dances naked for her stepfather Herod in exchange for John the Baptist's severed head, which she kisses passionately upon its delivery.

Parallel world

"The opera reads like an erotic thriller, which nowhere loses momentum," OBV says of its new production, directed by Ersan Mondtag. With a heavy focus on political and social turmoil, Mondtag has created a parallel world between the Biblical and historical King Herod and contemporary dictators such as Belarusian president Aleksandr Lukashenko. The set design reflects Soviet starkness as a playground for the wild opera and its even wilder characters.

The story centres on John the Baptist's martyrdom and Salome's fascination with him, which ultimately leads to her demise by King Herod's hand. There will be 11 performances between 18 December and 18 January.

^{© Opera Ballet Vlaanderen}

The exhibition Plastic Fantastic? at Ghent's Industry Museum delves into the history and impact of plastics, tracing their journey from revolutionary invention to environmental menace.

It begins with Belgian chemist Leo Baekeland’s groundbreaking 1907 creation of Bakelite, the first fully synthetic plastic. Visitors explore how plastics became a 20th-century sensation, with applications ranging from everyday items like lunchboxes to designer furniture, medical devices and iconic Bakelite products like radios and telephones.

The exhibit highlights the dual nature of plastic: its extraordinary versatility versus its devastating environmental impact. Displays include an interactive plastics lab, historical machines and moulds that reveal the ingenuity behind plastic production.

On loan from the Brussels Museum of Natural Sciences is a dented fuel container retrieved from a sperm whale’s stomach, symbolising the ecological toll of plastics, from ocean pollution to microplastics in the human body. The exhibition, running until June, also offers insights into improving recycling practices and sustainability.

In August 1520, Albrecht Dürer, celebrated as Europe’s premier printmaker, arrived in Antwerp as a well-known artist. With his exquisite engravings, woodcuts and etchings, Dürer had established himself as a master of Renaissance art. His work, including iconic pieces like The Apocalypse woodcut series and the engraving Holy Family with the Dragonfly, showcased his technical brilliance and innovative approach to printmaking.

Dürer: Master of the Renaissance exhibition at Museum De Reede offers an in-depth look at the artist's graphic masterpieces drawn from the Royal Library of Belgium collections. Featuring some of his most famous works, such as the engravings Knight, Death and the Devil, Saint Jerome in His Study and Melencolia, the exhibition highlights Dürer’s technical prowess and artistic perfection, which were widely admired during his lifetime.

Dürer’s influence extended beyond his own works. His innovations, including the use of etching and detailed portraits of figures like Emperor Maximilian I, inspired generations of artists such as Lucas van Leyden and Hendrick Goltzius. This exhibition, which runs until 31 March, provides a rare opportunity to explore Dürer's enduring legacy and its lasting impact on the art world, as well as his influence on later printmakers and artists.

In Sexisme Pépouze, a group exhibition curated by Myriam Leroy, a dozen artists explore the unsettling phenomenon of cyber harassment. Drawing inspiration from Leroy’s own experiences as a target of online abuse, the show tackles a prevalent issue, especially among minority groups.

The exhibition's foundation stems from Leroy's access to over 4,000 messages sent by members of the La Jupiler League du LOL, a Facebook group linked to the La Ligue du LOL scandal. This group engaged in harassing exchanges aimed primarily at Leroy, as well as other journalists and feminists.

The messages included threats, personal invasions and dehumanising commentary on women, presenting them as deceitful and inferior. Despite their varied backgrounds, the members shared a common hostility toward what they perceived as “neo-feminism”, with Leroy as a symbolic target.

Leroy anonymised the exchanges and shared them with artists she admires, both women and men, saying she believes it is time for men to step forward in addressing gender-based violence. The resulting works range from sculpture to performance art, each offering a unique interpretation of the harassment.

Some confront the absurdity and misogyny in the messages, while others turn the harassment into an art form that ridicules and condemns the perpetrators. On display in Brussels’ that’s what x said gallery until 26 January.

Additional cultural coverage from Belga this week: Restoration of Ghent Altarpiece uncovers new surprises, Painting by Flemish artist Anthony Van Dyck discovered in Switzerland, Art x Peace conference aims to foster dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo, Bastogne honours 80 years Since the Battle of the Bulge this weekend

​Ongoing events

​​Whats the Story? KMSKA​​​​​​​​​​​
​​​​​Emile Claus: The Prince of Luminisim, Mudel Museum of Deinze​​​​​
​​​​​Alechinsky, Pinceau Voyageur​​​​​​
​​​​Cindy Sherman, ENSOR 2024, FOMU​​​​​
​​​​​Masquerade, Make-up and Ensor, MOMU​​​​
​​​​​​Ensor's States of Imagination, Plantin-Moretus Museum​​​​​​
​​​​In Your Wildest Dreams: Ensor Beyond Impressionism, KMKSA​​​
​​​​​Margaret of Parma, MOU​​​​​
​​​​​Alternative Narrative, MSK​​​​​​
​​Lucy McKenzie Super Palace, Z33​​​
​​​​​​​René Magritte X Emily Mae Smith, Magritte Museum​
​The Panamarenko House ​
​​Panamarenko’s Magic Carpet, S.M.A.K.​
​Women of Paper, Biekorf Library in Bruges

​(MOH)

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​^{​​#FlandersNewsService | KMSKA © BELGA PHOTO JONAS ROOSENS}