A Hero

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A small monument of a golden pilot is on Avenue Louise, the scene of a heroic attack on the morning of January 20th, 1943 from lone Belgian pilot, Baron Jean de Selys Longchamps. This was the culmination of his dogged desire to fight the Germans wherever he could.


After the Belgian surrender, the Baron fought his way to the Dunkirk evacuation and immediately returned to France to fight. After their capitulation he went to Morocco, where he was arrested and imprisoned in an internment camp. He escaped over the Pyrenees into Spain and onto Britain where he joined the RAF.


He had asked permission for an attack on the Gestapo HQ in Avenue Louise but got no response, so when on mission over Flanders, he diverted his Typhoon, flew low over Brussels and let rip with cannon fire at the Gestapo HQ at 453 Avenue Louise, threw out a Belgian flag and Union Jack and raced home as fast as he could. Up to 30 Gestapo officers died.


The British demoted him for disobedience and gave him the Distinguished Flying Cross for bravery. Sadly he died 18 months later, returning from a sortie over Ostend.

Public Exchange Store

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By Yota Ioannidou (Greece)

This is an interesting way of looking at exchange, currency and markets - things that obsess EU decision makers. This triangular cabin is where you can exchange goods for other goods or services.

Part of the Europhilia Agrofolly exhibition of 27 different works in 27 public squares, each artist represents their own EU nation.

You are Here

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By Gaja Zornada (Slovenia)

A large whiteboard with marker pens on chains, invites passers by to write, doodle or whatever. The resulting mess is supposed to say something profound. Then the rain washes it off.

Being Belgium, Francophones write on one side, Flemish on the other.

Part of the Europhilia Agrofolly exhibition of 27 different works in 27 public squares, each artist represents their own EU nation.

Adolescence of Force

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By Antonio Pio Saracino (Italy)

This is a 2001 style monolith with ap picture of a man and a woman gently nestling a glowing cocoon. This is meant to allude to the delicate balance between force and vulnerability.

It's got a fresh and innocent feel to it.

Part of the Europhilia Agrofolly exhibition of 27 different works in 27 public squares, each artist represents their own EU nation.

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Another part of Europalia Agorafolly. This one is about consumerism. It looks like a really funky kids playground, a bit like Planet Kids.

I didn't really get this one. Still at least I got a ride in the lift, one that always induces a touch of vertigo in me, but what a view from it.

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This is part of the Europalia Agorafolly tour. A fun piece, using brush heads to make a red carpet. you can walk on it but it is all a bit wobbly. A comment on the perils and uncertainties of fame?

Interesting.

The Return of the Zennike Pis

Zennike Pis

Only just noticed the old dog's back and got a photo of him. He does look a bit scary with flash light.

Inspired by this and the couple of artworks from the Europhilia, I'm off to do the walk around them all today, weather permitting.

Water Sculpture

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I'm glad to see Brussels getting into art and installations, even if I don't like a particular piece, as they enliven the capital with their often quirky and eccentric presence.

This is a water fountain/sculpture at Schuman, possibly to celebrate EU Maritime Policy Month, or something similar that is causing spontaneous joy and dancing in the streets all the way to Parc.

It is easy to criticise such EU nonsense and modern art, but to be a bit more balanced I have to say that this is an inventive piece.

By using controllers to start and stop the water, often for micro-seconds, words and images appear in the falling water, such as 'maritime' in this picture. Clever stuff, but I suspect someone's been having fun as I kept seeing a shower of falling willies appearing.

Some may doubt the wisdom of such an installation in rain soaked Brussels, but if you stand in the right place on a clear morning as the Sun's first rays hit the falling water, one can see a golden shower raining over Berlaymont.

Sheer poetry.

Cityscape

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The cityscape installation is now open and there are some lovely seats as well as a sub-IKEA wooden bench around the exterior. It is a wonderful intrusion into an old city and there's a lovely smell of fresh wood in the air.

I was photographing it for an article in the next issue of Upfront and one of the most interesting aspects was watching people's reactions, I even saw two people bump into each other because they were startled by the installation. Also I noticed how much people enjoyed it, the smiles, the gestures and how comfortable people felt around the sculpture.

Now I have to go and see it under different lights and in the evening. It's a lovely experience. Take a book or an ipod and just enjoy sitting around this imaginative and impressive artwork.

Doorway Decor

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Rather oddly, this home owner decided to decorate their doorway with a carving of two kids blowing their noses.

Place de Martyrs

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A statue of one of de Merode's volunteers gazes forelornly over the semi-dilapidated square. It is a beautiful little square but it does seem lielfess. One side is about to be rennovated as a hotel, but I don't think that will really breathe life into the square.

Perhaps it is because of what it represents - a victory over the Dutch that means it is a little disregarded, but it is peaceful, but could be so much better, a real little gem.

Perhaps it will, once again, be a vegetable garden, possibly with Alexander de Merode choosing the exotic plants!

Dan Graham Sculpture

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This is a lovely find, a sculpture by Dan Graham is a little park on rue Trone.

It looks very unimpressive, but on entering you see that the curve of the walls reflects everything, almost like a hologram. A bit of an odd feeling, and I wouldn't spend much time in there, but well worth the experience.

More about Dan Graham

Parc Royale

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This park in the centre of Brussels is both highly formal and forested. Cutting off one of the main paths I saw this statue surrounded by greenery.

For more information about the Parc click here.

Tervuren Museum Park Statue

Tervuren Park statue

This is located outside the Colonial Palace and I liked the pose with the vapour trail in the background

There's a whole host of different works in the park, from big, clumping ones of classical figures - such as this - to some more modern and, for reasons that escape me sphinx that guard the steps.

Nasreddin Hoca

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This statue is in honour of the legendary satirist, punster and joker Nasreddin Hodja His stories are legendary. Here's one about this statue:

One day Nasreddin Hodja got on his donkey the wrong way, facing towards the back.
- "Hodja," the people said, "You are sitting on your donkey backwards!"
- "No," he replied. "It's not that I am sitting on the donkey backwards, the donkey is facing the wrong way."