Culture beat – March 20

The missing link in René Magritte’s unique surrealism is now on show for the first time. The Lost Magrittes is a collection of 26 works that disappeared during the Belgian painter’s lifetime. The lost pieces include 11 canvases destroyed in the London blitz of 1940. Over the past seven years the Magritte House has carefully researched and recreated every single work. In most cases, only a black-and-white photo remained. The museum is careful to point out that only one example of each work has been made and none of them bear the Magritte signature. They include 21 paintings, three collages and three sculptures. The exhibition in the artist’s former Jette home and runs until September 14.

Roll up, roll up for Festival UP! The contemporary circus bonanza, previously known as the international circus biennale of Espace Catastrophe, has returned with a new  name for its 13th edition.  Audacious, creative and daring acts from home and abroad are staged in multiple venues until March 30. They include Halles de Schaerbeek, Théâtre Marni, Théâtre Varia, Maison des Cultures, Espace Delvaux, Centre culturel Jacques Franck, Garage 29. Festival hub  is a big top at Koekelberg and look out for live outdoor acts in various corners of the city.

Belgian singer Marie Warnant performs at Botanique tomorrow evening, promoting third album Nyxtape, released on the same day. Co-produced with Arno’s bassist Mirko Banovic, the latest work marks almost a new departure for the Brussels-based singer songwriter. Rock and electric influences can be heard in her pop/French chanson repertoire. David Bratzlavsky supports.

The Botanique is also the setting for rap festival Lezarts Urbains 2014 which entertains until March 29. The line-up of rappers and dancers are Lino & Arsenik (fr), Furax/Bastard Prod (Fr) and Belgians 13Hor, Aral &Sauzé, Dope AND, Fakir, Ligne 81, and L’Or du Commun. After previous sold-out editions, the popular festival has moved to the 700-seater Orangerie.

More Belgian original sounds, this time melancholic folk jazz with Grace in The Woods at Café Bonnefooi on Saturday at 17.00. Ghent singer Hanna Van Parys leads the six-member US-based band.

Human rights documentary film festival One World opens on March 24 and continues until April 2 with a selection of some of the best films screened at the One World Festival in the Czech republic. All films are free, except for the opening ceremony at Bozar. The 15 films are documentaries from around the world, including the war zones of Libya and Syria. Venues are: Bozar, Norway House,
Goethe Institut, Permanent Representation of the CR to the EU and the Yehudi Menuhin Space. Reservations recommended.