Brussels Gallery Weekend 2023: 16th Edition Celebrates 50 Years of Albert Baronian Gallery

The 16th edition of Brussels Gallery Weekend took place from September 7 to 10, 2023, transforming the Belgian capital into a hub for collectors and contemporary art lovers. The event, running since 2008 and the oldest of its kind after Berlin Gallery Weekend, involved approximately 45 galleries and 14 public institutions, with over 60 openings, themed tours, guided visits, performances, and children's activities. Highlights included the 50th anniversary of Galerie Albert Baronian, which presented 'QUINQUAGESIMUM' at Fondation CAB (through November 25) featuring 30 key artists, and 'Da Torino: Giorgio Griffa, Giulio Paolini & Gilberto Zorio' at its main space (through November 10), honoring Arte Povera. Baronian, who opened his first space in 1973, was the first to promote Arte Povera in Belgium, notably introducing Mario Merz. Other anniversaries included Michel Rein's 10th and Galerie Nathalie Obadia's 15 years in Brussels. Featured exhibitions included 'Belgian New Generation' at Belgian Gallery, 'A sedimentation of the mind' at Meesen De Clercq, 'Animal Power!' at Montoro 12, and 'Seduction of a Cyborg' at Waldburger Wouters. For the sixth consecutive year, 'Generation Brussels' showcased unrepresented artists living and working in the city, held at the modernist former D'Ieten garage (a former Volkswagen dealership), curated by Sam Steverlynck under the title 'That Obscure Object of Desire', referencing Luis Buñuel's 1977 film.