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Culture beat - June 28

15:54 28/06/2013
Summer sounds and games to distract from the dismal weather, plus EU cultural activities and contemporary Belgian art

Kicking off last night (Thursday) and continuing tonight is the opening weekend of Recyclart summer holidays. Every year the urban arts centre, operating from the former Bruxelles-Chapelle train station, runs all sorts of evening activities on two nights during the summer season. Free or for a small charge, you can listen to music, watch films and take part in workshops, screenings and games. Tonight there is a Cumbia and soukous party with Argentinian DJ Chico Parany spinning cumbia, tzigane, Balkan and Congolese soukous. Also featuring a live set from fellow Argentinian Pedro Canale aka Chancha Via Circuito (pictured), playing in Belgium for the very first time.

Showing until Monday at Place Luxembourg is an outdoor exhibition of the best of Croatian creativity to celebrate the country’s accession to the EU. BeCROative is a multimedia experience – watch, listen, feel – of the Adriatic country, from its history, unusual innovations (the necktie, ballpoint pen), and its culinary diversity. You can find the exhibition on the esplanade in front of the Altiero Spinelli building.

Independent American director Noah Baumbach’s latest film Frances Ha premieres at Bozar on July 2. It is co-scripted with his romantic partner Greta Gerwig, who also stars in the New York-set comedy about female friendship. Baumbach, screenwriter of The Squid and the Whale, shoots the atmospheric film in black-and-white. The couple drew on their own experiences and memories in writing the script and dialogue. The playlist, helped by French composer Georges Delerue, is appealing.

While Croatia is joining the EU, Lithuania takes over the next six months presidency of the EU’s council. English bookshop Waterstone’s and the Permanent Representation of Lithuania are staging a cultural reception at the store on Monday July 1. Light refreshments will be served and there will be a display of books by Lithuanian writers or about the country’s politics, history and economy. Avid readers can take advantage of a 10% reduction on all non-discounted books sold on the day.

Joining Bozar’s summer season of shows is Young Belgian Art prize 2013, a snapshot of the country’s current and colourful art scene. Large installations, video works and abstract collages, join large powerful canvases (Helmut Stallaerts) or a series of illustrations in a literary project (Jean-Baptiste Bernadet, pictured). Winner of the main prize is Jasper Rigole who presents two film installations about memory. Belgium’s oldest contemporary arts competition, open to visual artists under the age of 35 who are Belgian or live here since at least one year, was previously known as The Jeune Peinture Belge/Jonge Belgische Schilderkunst Award. Since 1950, it has helped launch the careers of some of the country’s finest visual artists, including Hans Op de Beeck and Pieter Vermeersch. Now after 60 years, the biennial prize has been given a new look, a new feel and a new name – in English as a nod to Belgium’s unofficial third language. Another innovation is that everyone has the opportunity to participate in the selection of a public prize, awarded in parallel with the four existing jury prizes. Guided tours offered by sponsor ING, Thursday from 15.00-17.00. Reserve at www.ing.be/art 

Written by Sarah Crew