Brussels

1. Jef Geys and Monit Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian, Wiels

Wiels is putting on a dual exhibition that brings together both early and recent works of Belgian artist Jef Geys and Iranian artist Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian – a collaboration initiated by Geys himself.  Both show an interest in geometric shapes and optical illusions as well as local traditions and practices. “Although she uses very old techniques, she is always oriented with her vision of the future,” Hans Ulrich Obrist, codirector of London’s Serpentine Gallery, recently told Vogue about Farmanfarmaian, whose works are deeply rooted in Iranian culture. A fascinating encounter.

2. Robert Mapplethorpe, Xavier Hufkens

“Robert Mapplethorpe was famous for three kinds of images,” says Time Magazine, by which they refer to his super-cool portraits, the clear-cut and almost vulgar flower shots and the oeuvre he created with gay S&M as the focal point. By focussing on his early works, Xavier Hufkens gallery will be revealing the seeds of Mapplethorpe’s career; they were able to get their hands on silver gelatin prints and his Polaroid works dating from the early ’70s.

3. Sébastien Capouet, Anyspace

If you’d like to be able to say that you were one of the people at the first personal exhibition of Sébastien Capouet, Anyspace gallery will be your hangout this Thursday. Neither painter nor photographer but creator of tableaux, this twenty-something artist may be young but he’s definitely on the verge of something big. With the exhibition’s title indicating a profound theoretical substructure, we can look forward to some good old highbrow conceptualism.

4. Abner Preis, Harlan B Levey Projects

Founded on the Frankfurt School tradition and Postmodernist scholars, Harlan Levey Projects works with artists who “agitate”, who question the mechanisms of contemporary society and who are – in a way – fighting for freedom. Starting this Friday, Israeli artist Abner Preis will be taking on the task. Known for his Superhero Project in Brussels, as well as for staging a heart attack in the Dansaert district, Preis adopts sculptures, video and fire drawings to tell stories about things like plagues and healing.

5. Terry Rodgers, Aeroplastics

Approximations of the Sublime presents recent paintings, videos and photographs by American painter Terry Rodgers, whose affinity for photography and video art might be the reason for the realistic nature of his large-scale but extremely detailed paintings. His work, which has been exhibited in galleries and museums all over the world, include figurative and almost cinematic creations that explore themes like loneliness and longing, often displaying the rich and beautiful with a critical eye. ” The viewer is voyeur and party guest at the same time, but an existential stillness dominate his paintings,” writes German daily Die Welt,  also calling him “a master of composition”.

6. Korakrit Arunanondchai, C L E A R I N G

It’s not easy to pin down the practice of Bangkok-born musician-turned-visual artist Korakrit Arunanondchai, who’s got his finger in everything from paintings and photographs to installations and videos. Brussels’ Clearing gallery is now putting on a solo exhibition of the eccentric young New-York based artist whose studio visits sound more like “a Puff Daddy video than your typical curator-meets-artist, awkward-date model,” writes Interview Magazine. Don’t miss the mesmerising show Muen Juey (It’s always the same) of an artist we might hear much more of in the future.

7. Gregor Hildebrandt, Almine Rech

Inspired by one of his paintings, Almine Rech gallery is currently featuring a tribute to René Daniëls, sculpted by Gregor Hildebrandt. As a tape fanatic – we were honoured to discuss this curious fascination with analogue memorabilia in The second best edition – Hildebrandt has manipulated the entire space of the gallery with VHS and audio cassette tape.

8. La Cambre Photography 2013

La Cambre is undoubtedly one of the most reputed academies for the study of photography in Belgium, and also the place where some of The Word Magazine’s photographers have taken their first steps. Botanique is now showing a selection of photographs created by La Cambre students – an exhibition that offers a glimpse of the future of photography and tomorrow’s talents. A great opportunity to discover fresh artists.

9. Birthday party with The Black Heart Rebellion, Fixerati

Fixed gear shops replete with custom-built bikes and hard-to-find parts have become quite a trend in the past few years, popping up everywhere from London to New York. Brussels’ go-to point for fixed gear afficinados and fans of pedal-driven two-wheelers is the Fixerati shop in the Chatelain area which is already celebrating its third anniversary this weekend. For the occasion, the shop will be throwing a proper birthday party that will include a live gig by Ghent-based six-piece Black Heart Rebellion who released their second album Har Nevo earlier this year.

10. La Cambre fashion show and after party

Belgium has made quite a name for itself on the international fashion scene, not only known for acclaimed designers as Dries Van Noten but also for its high quality fashion schools, with Brussels’ La Cambre being one of the most reputed. Its yearly fashion show presents cutting-edge creations by its students and has become one of the country’s major fashion events as well as the place for talent spotting. To get an feel for what’s in store, take a look at our behind-the-scenes photo series from last year. But it’s not all work: after the big runway event, the school throws a huge after party together with the city’s infamous Catclub featuring German DJs Lauer and Nosed behind the decks. A must for all fashionistas.

11. Tom Trago, Mr Wong

Dutchman Tom Trago’s sound is so eclectic that it’s almost impossible to define. From Detroit meets disco to garage and electro-funk, his musical melange knows no limits. In the last few years Trago has gone “from enfant terrible of the Amsterdam house scene to one of the dance world’s most well-regarded DJs, producers and live performers,” gushes FACT Magazine. This weekend you can check out his turntable antics at Brussels’ Mr Wong. “In the end it’s just about you developing yourself and not keeping up with the pressure of maintaining some kind of sound. If it’s honest music, your signature will always be there,” says the man himself.

Antwerp

12. The Gunshot, Marion Decannière

The massive group expo The Gunshot at Marion Decannière is an the brainchild of Hans Theys, a Belgian curator, graphic designer, writer and lecturer.  “Everybody wants to be as much as possible similar to the others, but at the same time be unique. And in this realm you can be both at the same time. The works that we have gathered for this show, are different from one another. I love to embrace these differences and to nurture myself with this experience,” Theys explains. With works by Tamara Van San, Nick Andrews, Tine Colen and many others.

Ghent

13. Alice De Mont, Cecilia Jaime Gallery

Before graduating from Ghent’s HISK, Alice De Mont grabbed the art world’s attention when she was praised by her (now former) promotor, Joëlle Tuerlinckx. Cecilia Jaime gallery are currently providing the backdrop for De Mont’s subtly staged dialogue with a character from her existing video work, who is mesmerised by the maps she created for him.

Leuven

14. I could have lived here, M Museum

Curated by Emmanuel Lambion, the self-described ‘art worker’ who lectured at HISK, M museum will be serving as a platform for fine artists who are in one way or another affiliated with the province of Flemish Brabant. Inspired by geographical delimitation and operating under the moniker of I could have lived here, Lambion has made a selection of 29 emerging artists who implicitly refer to the notion of movement in time, place, medium or context in their work.