Best places to look for photo exhibitions when you are in Belgium
Belgium has a historical interest in art and artists. A large number of museums and art galleries are the proof of the Belgian love for art. Photography found a solid ground here as its Belgian history started in the early XIXth century. Today, photography is a widespread visual art and its daring and artistic side is blooming in Belgian galleries. Here are the best places you should visit when you look for art photography in Belgium.
Tim van Laere Gallery
Founded in 1997 in Antwerp, Tim van Laere Gallery is one of the most popular and active galleries in Belgium. It has up to seven exhibitions per year and hosts contemporary art in all its forms. Here you can admire artworks from all over the world. Paintings, sculptures, installations, video art, and photography are welcome in this space.
Tim van Laere Gallery is dedicated to famous artists, but a young and unknown artist can also exhibit here. With almost 20 000 followers on social media, Tim van Laere Gallery is for sure a good launching point.
Rinus Van de Velde at Tim Van Laere Gallery, Antwerp, 2017
Courtesy: Tim Van Laere Gallery, Antwerp
Musee de la Photographie
Musee de la Photographie was opened in 1987 and became the most important photography museum in Europe. It is situated in Charleroi and covers a 6 000 m2 surface. With more than 80 000 photos in its collection, the museum hosts permanent and temporary exhibitions, it organizes events and workshops. It is also very popular, with more than 16 700 fans on social media.
The permanent exhibition covers the world of photography both chronological and in artistic diversity. The chronological display goes from XIXth century to the 1970s, while the thematic display covers photographers from all around the world and follows all the artistic genres of photography.
PHOTO HOUSE
PHOTO HOUSE is a gallery exclusively dedicated to photography. It is a reincarnation of the PHOTO magazine, as it likes to call itself. The gallery was founded in 2014, in Brussels, by two photography collectors and it is unique in its way. PHOTO HOUSE has several exhibitions per year and it is constantly promoting new talents. With a stylish and modern design, the gallery has the air of a movie scene. Covers of PHOTO Magazine build an entire wall.
PHOTO HOUSE has over 16 000 fan on social media. Its exclusive taste for music, cinema, and lifestyle and the perfect match with photography add more fans each day. PHOTO HOUSE lives in the rhythm of music. Never know when you gone see one of the Rolling Stones around.
Gladstone Gallery
Founded by Barbara Gladstone, movie producer and art dealer, Gladstone Gallery has exhibition spaces in New York and Brussels. It initially started as a space for art installations, but today Gladstone Gallery supports artists from various domains, including photography. Actually, one of the 2018's exhibitions is dedicated to Robert Mapplethorpe.
Gladstone Gallery represents 35 internationally renowned artists and has over 11 200 fans on social media. Its events are appreciated and eagerly awaited.
Zeno X Gallery
Founded in 1981 by Frank Demaegd, Zeno X Gallery hosted over 190 exhibitions and 90 art fairs. It is situated in Antwerp and supports contemporary art of all genres. Photography is among them. Zeno X Gallery has about eight exhibitions per year and almost 10 000 fans on social media. This year, it was already present in four art fairs. It has a rich activity and it is always present in Belgium cultural life.
Speaking about photography, Zeno X Gallery represents Dirk Braeckman, an extremely appreciated Belgium photographer. He was commissioned by the Royal Palace of Brussels to do portraits of King Albert II and Queen Paola. He also does installations, as you can see visiting the Concert Hall in Bruges where he has a permanent installation of a huge photo work.
Fotomuseum
Founded in the 1980s, Fotomuseum is located in Antwerp and it is entirely dedicated to film and photography. The museum has three permanent collections and many temporary exhibitions. On a permanent schedule, there are a collection of photos, one of photography equipment, and one of books about photography. The museum is also involved in old pictures restoration.
Last year only, the museum hosted eight photography exhibitions. It promoted artists from United States to China, including also Belgian photographers. The artistic diversity and experiments have a good home in Fotomuseum. The space is powerful and engaging. It has around 7 700 fans on social media and the number of visitors is growing every day.
Studio Baxton
Studio Baxton is also exclusively dedicated to photography, but it doesn't just exhibit photography. Studio Baxton is also producing photography, using alternative process and Wet Plate photography technique. It creates images on glass or aluminum support, using original XIXth century cameras. Studio Baxton is completely dedicated to analog photography.
Situated in Brussels, Studio Baxton organizes workshops and has a shop with vintage cameras. Its gallery exhibits the creations of the Studio, but also works of invited photographers. Analog photography is always dramatic and powerful. Studio Baxton has around 5 500 fans on social media and it isn't hard to understand why. Every picture in this gallery is a work of art.
Office Baroque
Office Baroque was opened in Antwerp by Wim Peeters and Marie Denkens and was moved in Brussels in 2013. It still has the name inspired from the first location. The gallery exhibit contemporary art, including photography. Its owners wanted to be close to the artists and involved in promoting undiscovered talents, so you can see many debut exhibitions in their gallery.
Office Baroque is active, only last year it had 12 exhibitions. It is also present in international art fairs. On social media, Office Baroque has over 4 000 fan. Its nonconformist and young style will get more fans in a short time.
La Photographie Galerie
La Photographie Galerie is situated in Brussels and Knokke. It was founded in 2016 with the direct aim of presenting to Belgian public the fine art international photography. The gallery is in the heart of Belgian art scene and it is specialized in fashion photography and photojournalism.
La Photographie Galerie has four exhibitions per year, both personal and group exhibitions. It has around 2 700 fans on social media and very good reviews.
44 Gallery
44 Gallery is a bold gallery situated in Bruges. It is dedicated to contemporary European photography, with an accent on Belgian photographers. 44 Gallery has around eight exhibitions per year. It promotes unconventionally, shocking photography. With a taste for defiant and experimental, 44 Gallery has a long list of associated photographers. The gallery also hosts events and meetings.
You can find 44 Gallery in Bruges' touristic guides as well as on social media. It has more than 2 500 fans already.
