Culture

Two Belgian films aim to conquer Venice

07 July 2016

The Belgian feature-length films ‘King of the Belgians’ and ‘Home’ will be shown for the first time on the big screen at the 73rd Venice International Film Festival.

Wildlife painters of the 17th century are exhibited at the Musée de Flandre in Cassel

28 June 2016

From 8 October 2016 to 22 January 2017, the Musée de Flandre based in Cassel in the north of France will be presenting its exhibition “The Odyssey of Animals”.

Illustrious Russian Hermitage Museum honours Jan Fabre

23 June 2016

The Russian State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg has honoured the Belgian artist Jan Fabre with a diamond award.

Ivo Van Hove triumphs at the Tony Awards

20 June 2016

Stage director Ivo Van Hove has received two awards in New York: Best Director and Best Revival for “A View from the Bridge” by Arthur Miller, a production that had already earned him two Olivier Awar

Into Darkness wins the Public Award in Los Angeles!

08 June 2016

On Wednesday 8 June, Flemish director Rachida El Garani won the Public Award for the best short film at the Los Angeles Film Festival for her documentary Into Darkness.

A country of legends and thrills

The constant contact with other peoples and cultures hasn't been without its effects in terms of art and culture, both in the past and the present day. A true crossroads of the major influences of art, Belgium has always been home to a large number of artists and frequently establishes itself as the place for innovation for new movements.

Belgium has preserved much evidence of the greatest architectural and artistic movements. The Middle Ages saw cathedrals and belfries spring up, monuments that still grace the Belgian cities of art. Countless châteaux pepper the countryside and Belgium is the country with the most châteaux per km². As for Brussels, in the 20th century, it became the capital of Art Nouveau. All this explains the country's incredible architectural wealth.

The splendid works of the old Flemish painters such as Peter Paul Rubens, Pieter Bruegel, Jan Van Eyck, Antoine Van Dyck, along with more recent artists like Paul Delvaux or René Magritte, are now exhibited in museums all over the world.

The ultimate hub for comics, Belgium is home to the largest concentration of comic book authors in the world. They continue the tradition of Hergé (Tintin), Peyo (Les Schtroumpfs), Edgar P. Jacobs (Blake et Mortimer), Morris (Lucky Luke), Bob De Moor (Barelli, Cori de scheepsjongen), Willy Vandersteen (Suske en Wiske) and many more!

Today, many Belgian talents are making a name for themselves. This is particularly the case on the international music scene with Angèle, Milow, Selah Sue and Hooverphonic. On the big screen, a new generation of directors and actors are frequently recognised with awards including the Palme d'Or at Cannes and the Oscars in Hollywood.

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