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BUSINESSIS PLEASUREIN GREEN WALLONIA, COMPANIES MIX WORK WITH LEISURE

Hello India: Europalia artsfestival kicks off

The region’s aviationcompanies clinch new deals

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2 wallonia and brussels magazineAUTUMN 2013

CONTENTS

EditorialWallonia is perfectly placed to tap into the lucrative business tourism sector. Within the travel industry, business tourism is tipped to be the hottest growth market in the years ahead, the challenge being to develop niche markets and identify trends. With the south of Belgium blessed with diverse culture, outstanding heritage and fine dining, it’s no surprise that it’s reporting roaring trade.

While one of the key reasons for the region’s success is undoubtedly its glorious countryside and green credentials, the partnership between private and public sectors is fuelling the trade. In each province, visitors for both leisure and business are spoilt for choice. Luxury hotels range from the contemporary to idyllic castles to breathtaking renovated heritage buildings, and outdoor activities abound: kayaking down the river Lesse, sailing on the Lacs de l’Eau d’Heure and scaling rocky promontories. As for gastronomy, the region combines a rich culinary past with flourishing gourmet restaurants.

Wallonia has been awarded the label European Creative District, and through a combination of creativity and innovation, the future is looking good for business and tourism in the region.

Editor Sarah CrewDeputy editor Sally Tipper

Reporters Stephanie Duval, Andy Furniere Alan Hope, Senne Starckx, Nicholas Stuart

Art director Paul Van DoorenManaging director Hans De Loore

AWEX/WBI and Ackroyd PublicationsPhilippe Suinen – AWEX/WBI

Marie-Catherine DuchêneAWEX, Place Sainctelette 2

1080 Brussels, BelgiumTel: 00.32(0)2.421.85.76

Fax: 00.32(0)2.421.83.93email: [email protected]

Cover ExPnature jeep safari in Luxembourg province

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3wallonia and brussels magazineAUTUMN 2013

04 BIg PICTurECristal Hub is a co-working site with sharp credentials

06 NEWSHeadlines from across the region

08 BuSINESSAerospace companies celebrate major contracts

11 INVESTMENTBig plans to expand F1 circuit into year-round tourist attraction

14 FILEWhat makes Wallonia the ideal destination for business tourism?

20 HoME AND ABroADBusinesswomen Kara Condon and Véronique Cardon

22 CuLTurEEuropalia brings India to Brussels and Wallonia

24 gASTroNoMySelf-taught seafood specialist wins Michelin star

26 DESIgNLiège designer talks form and function

28 PANorAMACheesemonger named Artisan of the Year

30 AgENDAAntiques, Andy Warhol and accessible art

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WORK THE BIG PICTURE

Bright sparks

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It has to be one of the most prestigious co-working sites in Wallonia. The latest job initiative for the self-

employed is a shared working space at the castle of Val Saint-Lambert, the once-famous crystal glass manufacturer. It is the eighth co-working space in the region, under the Creative Wallonia umbrella Co Wallonia. Supported by local development agencies and subsidised by the Walloon Region, Cristal Hub is a new convivial, creative and fl exible space for nomad workers.

It offers 37 work stations, three meeting rooms, an activity programme and the opportunity to network and collaborate with like-minded people. Surrounded by greenery, overlooking the river Meuse, the hub in Seraing is conveniently situated next to economic and sporting centres.

Co-working is trending, locally and globally. With advances in technology, plus the rise in popularity of working from home, traditional working practices

are being shaken up. It may have risen from the ashes of the dotcom boom in California, but now it is rejuvenating the historic Val Saint-Lambert site. The hub is part of the ambitious Cristal Park project that could transform the former abbey and glassware factory into an equally illustrious tourist site, complete with hotel, water park, indoor ski run and shopping centre.

[email protected]

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WORK NEWS

Chinese garden for pandas in WalloniaThe arrival of two giant pandas in Wallonia, on loan from the Chinese government for 15 years, is the result of long and intense negotiations between the two sides, according to a statement issued by Pairi Daiza, the animal park in Brugelette, Hainaut province, where the two pandas – male Xinhui (above) and female Haohao – will be housed. The gift was an-nounced by Chinese premier Li Kequiang during the official visit by prime minister Elio Di Rupo to China in September. Pairi Daiza had been in talks with the Chinese since March 2012. “Several months ago Pairi Daiza began the construction of ultra-modern installations in its Chinese garden, within a reconstruction of the Sechuan countryside,” the park said.

WWW.pairidaiza.eu

Home-grown tobaccoOne of the few growers of an almost forgotten product – Belgian-grown tobacco – is about to take America by storm.Vincent Manil is the owner and curator of the Semois Tobacco Museum in Corbion, a small village near Bouillon in the Ardennes, on the banks of the Semois river. He’s gone from be-ing a small-scale tobacco grower and producer of artisanal pipe and rolling tobacco to an international sensation practically overnight, thanks to a lengthy article in the New York Times Magazine in April. Thanks to that attention, he now gets regular visits from American tourists looking for a rare tobacco the magazine called “pungent and delicate … rich and savoury”. The Semois area used to produce more tobacco, but nowadays there are only three producers left. But that was before a journalist’s chance encounter with the product (in a car in the Barolo region of Italy) awoke a whole new public. One of writer Wil S Hylton’s only complaints was that it is impossible to buy Semois tobacco online. That problem could soon be solved: Manil is now working with the Walloon region’s export agency to overcome the technical difficulties in making that possible.

WWW.tabaC-semois.Com

maigret novels to be published by penguinPenguin Books, the venerable English-language paperback publisher now owned by Bertelsmann, is to re-issue the 75 Mai-gret novels by Liège-born author Georges Simenon (1903-1989) over as many months, starting in autumn 2013. The first to be pub-lished will be Peter the Lett, in which Inspec-tor Jules Maigret makes his first appearance, on November 7. A new volume will be pub-lished every month, making up the largest series Penguin has ever published. At the same time, Penguin will re-issue a selec-tion from Simenon’s other literary works, of which there are about 150, including novels and short stories. Simenon’s creation Mai-gret, with his pipe and his melancholy air, has become the iconic detective for many, but his other works are also highly regard-ed. He has published more than 80 million books worldwide. The new editions will be available simultaneously as paperback and e-books.

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briefsChina is to invest €200 million in the construction of four business incubators on a site in Louvain-la-Neuve. The site will see the arrival of around 700 Chinese people in the area and a total employment of about 1,500 people. The China Belgium Technological Centre includes offices, a 160-bed hotel, a conference and service centre and parking. The businesses there will be mainly in the fields of biotechnology, green energy, optoelectronics, telecommunications and start-ups.

Galactic, the Brussels-based biotechnology company specialising in food and healthcare products, has received the approval of Ecocert stating that its products are based on raw materials derived from renewable resources, produced by environmentally friendly processes. Ecocert is an inspection and certification body set up in France in 1991 that now operates on all continents. It also checks on the absence of genetically modified organisms, nanoparticles, silicon, phenoxyethanol, parabens and ingredients derived from animals in products submitted for inspection. “We are constantly striving to offer our clients natural ingredient formulations, and are delighted to be deemed Ecocert-compliant for several of our products,” said Galactic market regulatory affairs officer Denise O’Connor.

Liège will play host in 2015 to the second World Forum of the French Language. When the city applied to host Expo 2017 (the bid was won by the Kazakh capital, Astana), the International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF) suggested it might host the forum – an idea that won the support of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. The aim of the forum – first held in Quebec in 2012 – is to debate the issues facing the French language while promoting French via a variety of cultural and entertainment events. The theme of the Liège forum is the creative economy. It is organised by Awex, WBI and OIF

Walloon brabant richest province in WalloniaThe province of Walloon Brabant has become the richest in Wallonia, and richer than any province in Flanders, thanks in large part to the splitting of the university of Leuven in 1971 and the arrival of the French-speaking Catholic University of Louvain (below) in Louvain-la-Neuve as a result. Between 1999 and 2010, the index of the province’s GDP went up from 101 to 131; that of Wallonia as a whole rose from 84 to 88. It makes Walloon Brabant the richest of all Belgian provinces, excluding Brussels region, which, thanks to the presence of the EU and other international institutions, enjoys an index of over 200, among the highest of all European regions. Walloon Brabant also has the highest level of human resources and science and technology potential of Bel-gian provinces, according to figures from the European Commission. The percentage of people having graduated from higher edu-cation stands at 51.2 percent, compared to 32.6 percent in all of Wallonia.

New look for Liège theatre

it dates back to 1918 and has been known in its time as the théâtre du Gymnase, théâtre du Nouveau Gymnase and, most recently, théâtre de la place. From now on, to simplify matters, it’s to be known as the théâtre de Liège, and it reopened at the end of september in a new location in the city centre, the building of the société Libre d’emulation, which has been completely renovated. the opening programme includes dance, performance art and installations, and the premiere of the season’s main production: shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, produced by Yves beaunesne (real name boonen), and given a belgian twist as the Capulets are Flemish and the montagues Walloon.

WWW.tHeatredeLieGe.be

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WORK BUSINESS

Wallonia’s aviation industry is set to become an important player in the worldwide

market after major contracts were confi rmed at the Paris Air Show in June. After a dark decade for aviation, which started with the 9/11 attacks in 2001, the industry is enjoying a rejuvenation. Thanks to increasing demand from prosperous airline companies – such as low-cost carriers in Europe – and fast-growing enterprises in emerging countries, the order books of constructors like Boeing and Airbus are full for the coming years. Unsurprisingly, there were lots of happy

faces at Paris’s historic Le Bourget airfi eld, as the 50th edition of the aviation world’s key event underlined the current growth in one of the most international industrial sectors.

In the slipstream of the big companies – the so-called original equipment manufacturers like Boeing, Airbus, Gulfstream and Embraer – Wallonia’s aeronautical industry has benefi tted substantially from this current buoyancy. In Paris, Liège-based Techspace Aero secured a large order to build and deliver 80 complete jet engines. The company’s main activity

A vintage year Walloon aviation companies have signed major contracts, ensuring full order books for the next decade

BY SENNE STARCKX

safran has chosen us to perform another signifi cant step in the whole supply chain jacques smal

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is building low-pressure compressors, used in the engines of the majority of commercial aircraft worldwide. But now parent company Safran, a French multinational, has asked Techspace Aero to take over the production surplus from Snecma, one of Safran’s other subsidiaries that assembles engines. Yves Prete, director of Techspace Aero, says it is a “superb token of confidence” in his company. “The fact that Safran lets us build the entire engine and, more importantly, lets us deliver it directly to Boeing and Airbus is a very strong message that the Liège area is really on the international aeronautics map,” he says.

Techspace Aero has been in the aircraft propulsion business since 1949. In the late 1970s, FN-Moteurs, as the company was then called, built the engine for the F-16 military aircraft, and although that contract ran out a few years later, the company has progressively expanded. In Paris, Prete received final confirmation of the good news from Safran. He said: “We are now busy preparing ourselves to meet the first order of eighty engines, to be delivered by the end of this year. All the equipment, all the testing material is ready. Furthermore we have attracted thirty more people to fulfil the contract.”

“We might not have a long tradition as builders of jet engines, but we are quite experienced in the final acceptance tests,” says Jacques Smal, sales manager at Techspace Aero. “For years, we have served as a back-up testing source for Snecma. Our company owns four engine testing cells. Now Safran

has chosen us to perform another significant step in the whole supply chain, the final assembly. The fact that we will ship the engine directly to the customer, the aeroplane constructor, is a great honour.”

This year Techspace Aero recruited 100 extra employees to keep up on an order book that was already full until 2023. Prete says: “Regarding the current growth in aviation, I wouldn’t be surprised if Safran made an appeal to us in the future to build entire jet engines.”

Similarly content voices are to be heard at Sonaca, which with Techspace Aero is one of the three large companies within Skywin, one of Wallonia’s business and competitiveness clusters. At Le Bourget, the Charleroi-based company signed a huge contract with Brazilian aircraft constructor Embraer. According to the contract (potentially worth €700,000), Sonaca will provide the leading-edge slats and the flaps for the new E2 series of Embraer’s regional aircraft. These slats and flaps are the movable parts of the wing that keep the plane under control when it’s in the air. Embraer plans to build about 1,000 planes, to be airborne from 2017. Embraer’s commitment to rely on Sonaca’s knowhow and technology ensures employment at Gosselies for between 300 and 400 people for about 10 years. The contract means a growth of Sonaca’s total revenue of at least 20 percent.

“The E2 slats and flaps systems represent one of the biggest packages, after the

SonacaThe company’s principal activity is the design, production and assembly of aircraft structures and associated systems. Its main office and factory is in Gosselies, near Brussels-South airport outside Charleroi. It employs around 1,200 people, 200 of whom work as engineers at the company’s design office. There are also subsidiaries in São Paolo (Brazil), Wichita (US) and Montreal (Canada).

WWW.SONACA.BE

TechSpace aeroWorld leader in the design and construction of low-pressure compressors, crucial components of jet engines. Its compressors are used in the majority of the world’s commercial aircraft. It is a subsidiary of Safran, a French multinational active in the field of aerospace and defence. The company is based in Milmort, near Liège, and employs 1,270 people. It has two subsidiaries, both in the US: Cenco in Minnesota and ACI in Florida.

WWW.TECHSPACE-AERO.BE

SkywinAerospace cluster Skywin Wallonia brings together companies, training centres and research units to work on mutual and innovative projects. Its strategy is to promote public-private partnerships and build synergies in the field of aviation and space.

Skywin’s aeronautical division is built around three major companies (Sonaca, Techspace Aero and Sabca) and a large and dynamic network of SMEs – bringing the total to 120 members. Currently, Skywin has 42 projects running, 25 of them in R&D. Its annual budget is €144 million.

The objective is the creation of jobs in the Walloon aerospace companies. Skywin Wallonia represents about 6,400 jobs and €1 billion in revenue, exporting 90 percent of its products.

WWW.SKYWIN.BE

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WORK BUSINESS

engines, of the total investment in this new series of aircraft,” says Marcel Devresse, marketing director at Sonaca. So why did Embraer chose Sonaca, instead of competing firms from the US, or Embraer’s own subsidiaries in Brazil? Devresse explains: “We have a long-lasting industrial relationship with Embraer, dating from the early 1990s. Our proposal was also very competitive. Besides that, our local industrial involvement (Sonaca has two factories near São Paolo) also contributed to the positive outcome.”

Devresse points out that the design and production of the slats and flaps will stay in Gosselies. “Everything will be designed and produced by our mother plant. Only the assembly will happen in Sobraer, our subsidiary in Brazil.”

Soon after the good news at Le Bourget, Sonaca announced that it had ensured another deal, this time with Bombardier, the Canadian manufacturer of aircraft and trains. Sonaca Montreal, a Canadian subsidiary, was selected to build wing components for the Global 7000 and the Global 8000, Bombardier’s future business jets. One thing is clear: 2013 will be a year to remember for Wallonia’s aviation industry.

The fact that we will ship the engine directly to the customer is a great honourjacques smal

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WORK INVESTMENT

a winning formulaan ambitious scheme aspires to transform Spa-Francorchampsand its natural surroundings into a tourism resortBY aNDY FUrNIere

The region provides activities in all four seasonsFABIENNE VANTHUYNE

Ask a Formula One driver or fan about their favourite circuit and there’s a big chance they’ll

say Spa-Francorchamps. It’s not just the racing history and challenging turns that make the circuit special; its location in the middle of the woods also gives the place a magical air. The Centre d’Ingénierie touristique de Wal-lonie (CITW), a joint economic and tourism development undertaking by the Walloon municipalities, now has an ambitious plan to reconcile the at-tractions of F1 and the local nature in a sustainable tourism resort.

For some, the touristic development of an F1 circuit may prompt recollections

of a failed tourism project at Germany’s Nürburgring circuit. However, the CITW is well aware of possible pitfalls. “We visited the Nürburgring at the start of our research about three years ago, when the German project was the talk of the town,” says Fabienne Vanthuyne of the CITW. “Immediately, we realised that the developers were losing sight of the emotional side – the soul of an F1 circuit. They concentrated too much on purely commercial initiatives such as a large shopping mall.”

The CITW wants to stay true to the core value of the circuit – the excitement of racing – while developing the potential of the infrastructure and

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WORK INVESTMENT

showcasing ecological innovations. The plan, labelled Destination Spa-Francorchamps, would use some of the emblematic buildings as a theme park for an ‘energy-motion’ experience.

In this village of attractions, a new Spa-Francorchamps museum would present the history of the racetrack and the region to visitors through historical objects, vintage cars, trophies and photos of past champions. The museum would distinguish itself from the Spa-Francorchamps Racetrack Museum at Stavelot Abbey through many interactive features. Meanwhile, the exhibition at the Innovation Centre would explain the advances in eco-technologies for green vehicles via an equally interactive tour.

For visitors who want to take the wheel, the plan provides a simulation area, electric carting and a shweeb – a pedal-powered monorail. In the simulation space, a dynamic driving simulator would allow tourists to get behind the virtual wheel of Formula 1 and rally cars, as well as trying many other simulations such as skiing. On the electric carting circuit, visitors would be able to discover how competitive motor sport can give you an adrenaline thrill while remaining eco-friendly. The shweeb, a transit network based on human-powered

monorail cars, would allow them to discover the surroundings at their own pace.

The CITW’s study also suggests ways to improve the accommodation for the many national and international events that already take place at Spa-Francorchamps. In particular, it proposes the construction of a semi-covered amphitheatre for 5,000 people.

Moreover, the concept points out that the circuit has many buildings which are under-used. There are several areas with charm and character where exclusive events could take place, such

as the Eau Rouge Hall. Other areas could be transformed into offices or technical buildings for the new project. The paddocks could also be used to hold fairs, flea markets, car shows and festivals, while the site is ideal for active events such as marathons.

The CITW plans to install a welcome centre near the circuit, where visitors would receive information on activities in the wider region. There are already many recreational facilities in the golden triangle of the Ardennes – between the three towns of Spa, Malmedy and Stavelot (see map) – and on the Hautes Fagnes plateau, but the study notes that what’s on offer is fragmented and in need of upgrading. The plan is to create a dynamic network of activity and accommodation possibilities in this green space designated as the perfect area for a forest experience.

“A great advantage of the region is that it provides activities in all four seasons,” says Vanthuyne. For example, when there is no snow at the slopes of Mont de Brumes and Ferme Libert, fans of BMX, mountain bike, four-cross and downhill biking can use them to practise their skills. You can also take a parachute jump at Spa and indulge in canyoning at the Coo gorges.

OPhOtO OBeart-13

You can also take a parachute jump at Spa and indulge in canyoning at the Coo gorges

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ThE facTSWhat? the project Destination Spa-Francorchamps aims to build an innovative and sustainable tourism resortWhere? at Spa-Francorchamps circuit and its surrounding green regionWho? the co-ordinating organisation is the Centre d’Ingénierie touristique de Wallonie – the Walloon tourism engineering centre, a joint economic and tourism development undertaking between Walloon municipalitieshow? this project will be implemented through a partnership between public authorities and private operators

ThE fIguRES€61 million the necessary investment3 years time needed for construction600,000 Predicted number of visitors each year2,570 Jobs to be created

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The CITW now hopes to further attract thrill-seekers to a nature and adventure park, where they can embark on ropes courses that will challenge them through physical tests and mental puzzles. Visitors who are up for a scare could try the flying fox or take a plunge from the bungee tower.

Of course, the plan also caters to those who are less keen on thrills. The current hiking and cycling trails would be expanded with new trails including one surrounding the circuit. There would also be an electric bike rental system.

New adventure playgrounds will offer activities for both adults and children; giant wooden structures will allow little ones to play safely while older children try their hand at archery, throw a javelin or take part in the ‘outgame’ – described as a multi-

sensory treasure hunt which tests the knowledge of participants like an Indiana Jones quest.

A ‘hanging village’ would be the fitting setting for the forest experience. This zone could consist of discovery paths where everyone can explore mysterious areas of the forest at their own pace. After a day full of adventures, visitors could extend their stay and enjoy the unusual accommodation in the forest. For those who want a taste of life in the trees, the nests and tree houses would be ideal. The three-star eco-hotel, glamping tents and vintage caravans would offer comfortable alternatives in the midst of nature to those who prefer to stay down to earth.

The CITW estimates that the project will require a total investment of about €61 million, with €36 million for the components and €25 million

for the infrastructure. The largest investments are necessary for the Innovation Centre (€9.5 million) and the simulation space (€4.6 million) at the Energy Motion park. The eco-hotel would cost almost €4 million.

It’s anticipated that the Walloon public authorities would provide about €25 million of the costs, while the private sector would invest €36 million. Wallonia would be responsible for the infrastructure, the museum and the amphitheatre. The study predicts an average of about 600,000 visitors a year after six years of operation, of which 430,000 would be paying visitors. If this number is reached, the return on investment would be positive after 14 years. What’s more, the project could create around 2,570 jobs.

According to the plan, the tourism resort can be finished in three years. The CITW has presented its concept to ministers and to possible private investors at MIPIM – the world’s largest trade fair for commercial property, hosted in the French city of Cannes.

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FILE BUSINESS TOURISM

Guests of honourWallonia’s excellent hotels and range of activities make it an ideal destination for business tourism

BY NICHOLAS STUART

Dream hotel, Mons

BY NICHOLAS STUART

Of all visitors, business tourists are particularly prized: each one visiting Wallonia is expect-

ed to spend on average three times as much as a regular tourist. It’s one big reason why the Walloon government has led a push to ensure not only that Belgian businesses stay here for their work trips but that businesses from abroad consider the region as a desti-nation for their own excursions. And they’ve had considerable success: busi-ness tourism in Wallonia is up by 66 percent since 2002. Last year, a quarter of the 2.8 million visitors to Wallonia were here with their companies.

This increase is unsurprising given the number of things there are to do and see in Wallonia, and the facilities that have been created around the region. Take your sales team for a walk around the ancient Abbey of Orval and its forests, or your management team for

a Vespa tour of Walloon Brabant. As for facilities, Wallonia has bulked up in recent years. The Chateau du Lac in Genval alone can accommodate many multinationals’ worldwide management teams, with a conference room large enough for 1,000 people.

The efforts of the Walloon government to increase the number of business tourists are concentrated through the Wallonie Bruxelles Tourism Convention Bureau. Any business considering organising a work trip in Wallonia can contact the bureau, which can suggest options tailored to the company’s needs, book hotels and organise activities. These can range from city visits to sporting outings to gastronomic tours.

In addition to offering a tailored service, the bureau is also responsible for marketing the region in Belgium

and beyond, attending tourism salons and fairs and co-ordinating with representatives abroad who are in direct contact with foreign companies.

Of all business tourists to visit Wallonia, just over half are from within Belgium. The second largest group is from France, then Germany, the Netherlands and fi nally the United Kingdom. The Convention Bureau is currently focusing on encouraging more business tourists from the north of France, in particular the company-rich Lille and Paris regions, and from the German regions bordering Wallonia. It has also commissioned a study to understand why so few Dutch business tourists pop over the border, given that no other country sends as many regular tourists to Belgium as the Netherlands.

WWW.BRUXELLESPOURTOUS.BE

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The medieval city of Namur, straddling the river Meuse below a towering citadel, is

today a bastion of Walloon culture and seat of the Walloon government and parliament. Its province stretches from the picturesque town of Gembloux, with its Unesco-recognised belfry and ancient knife makers, south to the town of Dinant, the Ardennes mountains and the French border. Known as the Land of Valleys, the province of Namur is dotted with castles and strongholds, abbeys and Gallo-Roman remains. Its capital is conveniently situated within an hour’s drive of Brussels and the French, German and Luxembourgish borders.

WWW.NAMURCONGRES.BE

STAY

Bordering the Meuse, 20km south of the city of Namur, the four-star Hotel

NAMURLes Jardins de la Molignée offers 52 rooms in a quaint former stone forge. The hotel is well equipped for corporate stays, with a boardroom large enough for 40, a banqueting room for up to 200 and a reception hall that fi ts as many as 300 guests for cocktails. An indoor swimming pool, a sauna and two tennis courts help guests unwind after a day of meetings and corporate events. Guests are well placed to explore the forests surrounding the hamlet of Anhee as well as the beautiful town of Dinant, with its medieval citadel and towering church, which lies only 10km away. WWW.JARDINS.MOLIGNEE.COM

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The Domaine de Béronsart (pictured) is the ideal place for a day of rural refl ection, activities and gastronomy.

Close to Namur, in the Samson Valley, this carefully renovated water mill from the 17th century is set among thick forest and is within walking distance of some of Wallonia’s prettiest stone villages. Guests can enjoy guided walks through the valley, visit local caves, sample produce from the region and enjoy cooking lessons. The jewel in Béronsart’s crown, however, is its greenhouses, covering 700m² and home to an exotic range of plants. It’s an incredible setting for dinner, conferences or other events.

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Hainaut province is a world heritage treasure trove, with 19 sites and events in the

province recognised and protected by Unesco. These include Tournai’s Notre Dame cathedral, the colourful spring Carnival in Binche and Mons’s towering belfry. Tournai, which lies either side of the Escaut river and is replete with historical sites, is Belgium’s oldest town, while the wider province has as many as 300 castles.

WWW.HAINAUTTOURISME.BE

STAY

The new four-star Dream hotel (pictured) is right in the heart of the historic city of Mons, which is home to four Unesco heritage sites and has been designated as the European Capital of Culture for 2015. With 57 large, modern and eclectically furnished rooms, the Dream is housed in a dramatic 19th-century neo-gothic building. Explore Mons’s churches and museums before relaxing in the hotel’s spa complex and dining at its modern French restaurant.

WWW.DREAM-MONS.BE

DO

Wallonia’s only hippodrome lies in the woody countryside a couple of kilometres from Mons and is the perfect place for an introduction to the world of horse-racing. In addition to watching the races, groups can arrange for guided tours round the hippodrome’s facilities and can even experience riding a double sulky, a two-wheeled racing cart. The hippodrome can make a dozen of these available, each with a professional driver.

WWW.HIPPODROMEDEWALLONIE.BE

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Home to Waterloo, where Napoleon’s reign over Europe came to a defi nitive end,

Walloon Brabant lies within a stone’s throw of Brussels and its international travel connections. Its notable sites include the Collegiate Church of Saint Gertrude, which was consecrated as long ago as 1046, and the magnifi cent Chateau de la Hulpe (pictured) in the Domaine Solvay. But it is also well known for its cartoonists, including Tintin creator Hergé, who is showcased at the impressive Musée Hergé in Louvain-la-Neuve, as well as for its numerous golf courses.

WWW.BWCB.BE

STAY

The fi ve-star Chateau du Lac is an ivy-clad mansion just 20km from Brussels, overlooking Genval lake. It is the

WALLOON BRABANTjewel in the crown of Martin’s Hotels, Belgium’s most prestigious hotel group and a European leader in terms of sustainability. The luxurious facilities include several seminar, conference and boardrooms and a banqueting hall large enough for 150 people. The hotel also has luxurious spa facilities, in keeping with the site’s popularity as a spa centre during the fi rst half of the 20th century before it became a hotel.

WWW.MARTINS-HOTELS.COM

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The countryside around picturesque Jodoigne is rich in farms and local producers. A Vespa tour provides numerous options for exploring the region at a leisurely pace. Stop fi rst at the fruit gardens of the Cistercian Abbaye of the Ramée, with its 300 different fruit trees. Next up should be

the prehistoric caves at Folx-les-Caves, where guided tours describe how they were used for mushroom growing and as hideouts for bandits. End the tour tasting a local artisanal beer at the Brasserie Jandrin-Jandrenouille and dining at one of the Michelin-rated restaurants in the area round Jodoigne. The organisers of the Vespa tour have incorporated activities that introduce an element of teamwork into the tour.

WWW.RAMEE.BE




Luxembourg is Wallonia’s largest and yet least populated province. As a result, this hinterland in

the far south of the country has acres of wild forest to explore, dotted with remote villages built from local stone. Bordering France, Germany and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, this province is home to the medieval stronghold of Godefroid de Bouillon, who led the fi rst crusade in 1099, and is one of the last of its age still standing. Luxembourg is well known throughout the country for its agricultural fair and its jazz festival in Gaume. WWW.ARDENNE-MEETINGS.BE

STAY

In the heart of the Belgian Ardennes, near Marche-en-Famenne, lies the historical Château Jemeppe. The renovated 13th-century moated castle

LUXEMBOURGin the village of Hargimont is an exceptional venue that offers 77 rooms, indoor swimming pool, gastronomic restaurant, brasserie, libraries, sport facilities, open fi res and a sauna. Set in a 65-hectare wooded estate, the castle has facilities for seminars, conferences and weddings. Its medieval splendour is enhanced by the deliberately homely atmosphere. WWW.CHATEAUJEMEPPE.EU

DO

Tucked away in the southernmost corner of Belgium and surrounded by thick, ancient forests, the Orval abbey and brewery (pictured) makes for an ideal day trip, mixing a grandiose natural setting with history, beer and cheeses. The abbey is home to Cistercian monks and traces its history back to 1070, though it has been

sacked and razed on several occasions since. Nowadays the abbey is famous throughout Belgium and further afi eld for its hoppy beer and cheese. Orval is one of eight Trappist beers in the world, meaning it is brewed within the walls of a Cistercian monastery. Visitors can explore the abbey with a guide and taste the two Orval beers brewed in the abbey, as well as cheeses. The abbey also offers guided walks through the verdant Gaume countryside surrounding the abbey to discover local fl ora and fauna along Gallo-Roman trails. WWW.ORVAL.BE

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With Europe’s third largest river port and excellent transport connections to

the Netherlands and Germany, Liège is fast recovering from the collapse of its steel industry to become Wallonia’s economic capital. But this bustling city on the Meuse is also ideally equipped to host large conferences, with more than 1,200 hotel rooms rated three stars or more and event rooms large enough to hold up to 1,000 people. Not to mention the excursions that can be made into the province of Liège, such as visiting the ancient spa town of Spa or the Hautes Fagnes national park in Belgium’s German-speaking area. WWW.LIEGECONGRES.BE

STAY

Housed in what used to be the residence of the De la Marck family in

LIEGEthe 1600s, the fi ve-star Hotel Crowne Plaza Liège (pictured) offers 124 rooms as well as numerous meeting rooms of different sizes. A beautiful gastronomic restaurant, a French-style brasserie and a bar with fabulous views over the rooftops and bell towers of Liège all reinforce the hotel’s luxurious ambience. WWW.CROWNEPLAZALIEGE.BE

DO

Not just a haven for beer-lovers, Belgium now also boasts a world-class whisky producer. Indeed, one authoritative guide ranked the Belgian Owl the best single-cask whisky produced in continental Europe. The distillery can arrange an excellent half-day excursion for visitors, starting at Goreux Farm in the village of Fexhe-le-Haut-Clocher, a 20-minute drive

from Liège. After meeting master distiller Etienne Bouillon, guests can visit the barley fi elds and see the barrels used to age the whisky, before heading down the road to the distillery – comprising equipment dating back to 1880. Having learnt about the production process, visitors have the chance to taste a selection of Belgian Owl whiskies. WWW.BELGIANWHISKY.COM



LIFE HOME AND ABROAD

Kara CondonSenior director at FTI Consulting in Brussels, Kara Condon from the West Coast of America has 16 years of international experience in communications and lives in Liège province with her husband and daughter

What is your job?I help lead the Brussels communications practice of FTI Consulting, a global business advisory firm with 3,800 employees worldwide. We work on big mergers and acquisitions, economic consulting in competition and intellectual property cases, forensic accounting, corporate restructuring and public affairs. I advise clients on their EU public affairs and international communications strategies. How did you come to Belgium?I was an exchange student in Belgium from 1989-90 when I was 16. The experience sparked my interest in international relations, which I studied at university. A series of internships led to my first job at the World Affairs Council of Seattle, then a meeting with a senior official from the European Parliament resulted in an internship followed by a position as an assistant with a UK MEP. From there I made the transition to public affairs and communications. I met a Belgian and we live now with our daughter in Villers-le-Bouillet, near Huy.

What are the differences in business practices between the US and here?In consulting, it is my observation that people work as many hours as it takes – both here and in the US. Having been in corporate life, too, I think there is more emphasis on finding the right work-life balance in Belgium than in the US. People put their holidays and families first more, whereas the culture of competition and bonuses in the US leads many to put in extra hours at the cost of family and health. There are more women in leadership positions and on boards in the US, possibly due to a difference in the culture and quotas in the US designed to ensure a balance. What do you miss about the US and what do you like about Wallonia and Brussels?Although the West Coast is home, I’ve now lived longer in Belgium than I ever did in any one place in the States. I’ve developed a soft spot for Maine and its lobster and the southern hospitality of Charleston area with its history, great food and beautiful beaches. I miss 24/7 supermarkets, big stores where you can find everything, helpful customer service and big open space. But I really like living in Wallonia with its rich heritage, scenic villages and great food. There are a lot of hidden treasures in Wallonia and I encourage people visiting or living here to take the time to explore it.

There are more women in leadership positions and on boards in the USKara Condon

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Véronique CardonA graduate of Solvay and Harvard business schools, Véronique Cardon, from Brus-sels, won the 1994 Financial Times Young Women Executive of the year and now runs her own company, Cardon Health Care & Wellness Consulting. She lives in New Jersey with her Belgian husband

What was your first job in the US?After university I worked for the pharmaceutical company UCB. When I was offered the job of head of marketing in the US in 1995 it was the chance of a lifetime. I had previously rejected a few offers to work abroad due to my family situation, but it was my dream to work in the US. That was a successful period; we launched Zyrtec with Pfizer and I started dealing with budgets of hundreds of millions of dollars. I decided to stay in the US and moved first to Johnson & Johnson and then Pfizer, where we launched a number of important products. It was a very empowering experience.

What career skills did you develop in the US?It was only when I left Pfizer in 2008 that I fully realised the level of responsibility I had experienced, with huge decisions and multi-million-dollar budgets. I was empowered to be a decision-maker and to bring projects to fruition and became a better leader of people. Pfizer was based in New York, so for the first time I felt my foreign accent didn’t matter because it was such a melting pot of cultures.

Why did you start your own company?I wanted to be more entrepreneurial again so I moved to smaller companies. While at Pfizer I gained a masters degree in nutrition and as a hobby I lectured and organised a supper programme to teach people how to cook healthily. Now I am combining this with my marketing experience to develop a company called CogniDiet that helps people get on a path to better nutrition and includes behavioural and emotional coaching.

What are the differences between doing business in the US and in Europe?Companies in US will take far greater budgetary risks. In Europe they say, ‘let’s spend €10 million and see how it goes’, while in the US it will be, ‘how much can we spend to ensure we win’. I believe it is easier for women to succeed in the US as the glass ceiling is far higher. It is all about what you can accomplish. There is an optimism and feeling that you are responsible for your own destiny. The US is also a vast consumer market and extremely competitive. You have to do your homework and develop massive advertising programmes. Finally one more difference in America is that you develop more specialised skills; for example I’m considered a launch expert, while in Europe it is more common to have general skills and be able to pursue different avenues.

It was only when I left that I fully realised the responsibility I had experiencedVeronIqUe Cardon

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Life CULTURe

Europe, meet IndiaGet ready for a crash course in Indian culture at arts festival Europalia

By Sarah CrEw

Festivals are at the heart of people’s lives in India, and now a festival devoted to the country’s history

and culture comes to the heart of Europe. By inviting India – one of the world’s oldest cultures – the multidisciplinary arts festival Europalia continues its cycle of showcasing countries with booming economies.

Following the presentation of the other so-called Bric countries, Brazil, Russia and China, there is now a chance to

explore the real India during hundreds of events across Brussels and Wallonia until the end of January. Through prestigious exhibitions, spiritual music and cutting-edge theatre, and exploring the Bollywood film industry and the delights of Indian food, Europalia’s mission is to strengthen cultural ties between India and Belgium. The 24th edition of Europalia gives organisers and visitors alike an opportunity to explore this vibrant,

colourful and contradictory society. While India is a land of diversity, the principle that influences all aspects of its society is unity. And it is the country’s culture in particular that has remained fluid and constant throughout Indian history. As the second-largest population in the world after China, India is an emerging global power with an increasing importance on the world stage. Belgium is already one of India’s most important trading partners in the EU, predominantly in the gem and

MaX PINCKErS

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jewellery business and, increasingly, the IT sector. Europalia is a cultural platform aimed at cultivating international understanding.

Reinforcing this concept, the festival’s unifying theme is Encounters. This banner brings together a series of meetings, discussions and confrontations that form the backbone of the programme, which is centred on two exhibitions at Bozar in Brussels. Indomania highlights this theme by tracing Europe’s fascination with the subcontinent since the 16th century. Under the heading From Rembrandt to The Beatles, it illustrates the influence Indian culture has had on a variety of European artists.

The other principal exhibition is The Body in Indian Art, which underlines the significance of the body in Indian society. It acts as a gateway to the culture of India; 250 works, principally from India’s museums of art, revealing how the country has evolved over its 5,000-year history. In addition, the festival has seven sub-themes to guide the visitor through the depth and wealth of Indian culture: the body, Indomania, India tomorrow, living traditions, water, Bollywood and beyond, and the diaspora.

Water, for example, is a sacred life force that retains a central position in the life and death of the Indian people, but it’s also blighted by pollution. Liège is the setting for the festival’s key contemporary exhibition, Water Art Walk, a promenade tour of photos, video and installations. They all date from the past decade but show how mythology has inspired today’s artists. It starts at the Grand Curtius Museum, on the banks of the Meuse, and incorporates the Aquarium, Ansembourg museum,

Galerie Les Drapiers, Place du Marché and La Passerelle.

While exhibitions are at the forefront of the festival, Europalia has designed a tantalising menu of Indian sounds, dance and other disciplines. Injecting his personal experience into many of these events is Alok Nandi, the Congolese-born Indian who has created a widespread multimedia design platform in Belgium. The entrepreneur delves into the world of Tintin at the Hergé Museum in Louvain-la-Neuve. First, there’s an exhibition called Hello? Brussels? This is Gaipajama Calling!, about the comic-strip character’s adventures in the subcontinent. Then, in January, he hosts a conference called In India with Tintin. “Look how famous he is there, translated into Bengali, and yet how come Hergé didn’t cover India?” asks Nandi. “I will begin with this question and then explore other facets.”

Further literary discussions, a talk on design, ‘curry conversations’ with Michelin-starred chefs and a Pecha- Kucha evening, organised by Architempo, all show the scope of Europalia and Nandi’s horizons. His personal highlights include the Sufi musical evening at Bozar, and violinist Lakshminarayana Subramaniam performing in Flageywood, the Brussels arts centre’s homage to Bollywood.

For Nandi, the appeal of EuropaliaIndia is threefold: “Jump out of morose winter and find a place in the sun with Bollywood films and music; escape monoculture and dive into different cultures and other musical tempos; and, finally, take this unique opportunity to look at the concept of ‘otherness’ and the eclectic palette that the culture of India offers.”

hIGhlIGhtSEuropalia.India runs from October 4 to January 26. here’s our pick of events in Brussels and wallonia

EXhIBItIONSOct 5-Jan 5the Body in Indian art, Bozar Brussels

Oct 8-26Max Pinckers: the Fourth wall Flagey, Brussels (pictured left)

Oct 12-Jan 5water art walk, Grand Curtius liège

Oct 12-Feb 26living Objects. Made for India Grand-hornu Images

Oct 16-Jan 26Indomania, Bozar

Oct 26-Jan 26hello? Brussels? this is Gaipajama Calling!, Musée hergé, louvain-la-Neuve

Nov 16-Dec 15Sari, Centre Culturel, Dinant

MuSICOct 26Sufi Night, Bozar,

Nov 10 & Dec 3Bozar Night, Bozar

Dec 5 & 6Kaushiki Chakrabarty, Flagey Brussels/théâtre royal, Namur

EvENtSNov 28 & Jan 22PechaKucha, halles de Schaarbeek

Jan 10In India with tintin conference Musée hergé

www.EurOPalIa.Eu

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LIFE GASTRONOMY

Catching a starthis mons restaurant is serving michelin-quality fi sh and seafood

bY SaraH Crew

Captivating diners with a turbot, the king of fi shes, is an easier task than serving up the humbler

mackerel and sardine, refl ects Benoît Neusy, owner-chef of L’Impératif, the latest Walloon restaurant to join the exclusive Michelin-starred club. For Neusy, the fi rst star is a dream fi nally come true. “I think we have been cooking at Michelin level for two or three years now. Of course, we are really happy to have the star; it’s important for the whole team,” he says in tribute to his three fellow cooks and front-of-house colleagues. He attributes the award to precision, the choice of extremely fresh produce, “and after that it simply fl ows naturally”.

His creativity is at its height when associating the restaurant’s trademark

fi sh and seafood with meat. “I love associating the two; lobster with chorizo or foie gras for example. Some customers come especially for our surf and turf menu. Produce from the sea marries well with stronger fl avours. Sweetbreads are very subtle, but if you add a highly reduced lobster broth you achieve something powerful that rises above the ordinary.

The dishes coming out of L’Impératif’s kitchen are stunning; culinary art created by an experienced, innovative chef. “My cooking is not sterile: the visual is important but it’s more about the sensation and the taste; the emotion when you eat,” explains Neusy.

This culinary experience takes place in an old farmhouse in Maisières, north

i get inspiration from everything, but my cuisine belongs totally to meBENOIT NEUSY

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of Mons, completely restored by Neusy nine years ago. Situated a short distance from Nato’s military base, Shape, the unassuming red-brick building includes a terrace, small garden and car park. Contemporary decor combines with rustic features; the kitchen overlooks two dining rooms, its interior visible via a large window. Neusy is omnipresent, frequently on hand to advise customers.

They return to L’Impératif for the flexibility of its menus and a la carte options, rare among gastronomic restaurants. Menus change twice every season, la carte four times a year. Entre terre et mer combines surf and turf (four or six courses); Envie d’iode is inspired by the sea; Les reflets de mon marché proposes a choice of starters, while the seasonal main course fish are prepared according to the client’s taste. “It’s not always easy for the kitchen, but it’s my way of working,” says Neusy. “It’s why we offer up to ten more elaborate starters which can be followed by a more simple dish, for which I propose different preparations. It’s original and highly personalised; there’s a menu découverte which also enables customers to say they would like lobster, turbot and scallops and we’ll create a menu around those three elements.”

This may include turbot, sea bass, John Dory or a less reputed fish, as long as it’s absolutely fresh. “There is a return to more simple products, even if a mackerel or sardine actually requires more work,” states Neusy. Fish and seafood are delivered directly from

the Belgian and northern French coast as well as Paris. He orders only whole fish: “We fillet everything ourselves, to guarantee the quality.”

Neusy honed his fish filleting skills at the beginning of his career almost 20 years ago. After catering school in Saint-Ghislain, near Mons, he worked under another chef for a year before launching on his own as a traiteur. The establishment had previously been a fishmonger’s and the owner insisted that he continue. “I spent seven or eight years working with fish and seafood, so when I opened L’Impératif I thought, why not continue, even if this is a region not known for fish.”

Neusy believes that his cooking style can also be explained by his being self-taught. “I get inspiration from everything, but my cuisine belongs totally to me and does not resemble anyone else’s. When you work for another chef, their style always leaves an imprint,” he explains. One country currently influencing him is Spain: he has recently started collaborating with a five-star hotel in Tenerife by providing a menu. “I’m inspired by Spanish produce and they don’t question serving fish and meat in the same dish as it’s part of their culture; paella, ham and shellfish for example. If the sea is Neusy’s major resource, local farms are increasingly supplying fresh seasonal vegetables, “for the taste more than anything else”, and the cheese course is provided by Jacquy Cange, a local artisan cheesemonger (see page 26). Sommelier Rodolphe Quéhé has been at Neusy’s side since the start. Both classic French and New World wines are served. “Since the arrival of the star, clients have been more insistent about ordering Bordeaux,” says Neusy.

Hainaut province may not be the easiest place for a gastronomic restaurant to thrive, but the reputation and conviviality of L’Impératif continue to flourish. Neusy is happy to report an increase in trade since the Michelin and other gourmet awards. He is also confident that the city’s upcoming term as European Capital of Culture at the beginning of 2015 will further draw visitors to the region.

www.limperatif.be

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Create PaNOraMa

Say cheese

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Say cheese In Wallonia there is one man who epitomises artisan cheese maturing, and that is Jacquy Cange. The king

of the dairy counter is an affineur, a master of the craft of ripening and aging quality cheeses. After nearly 30 years of perfecting his art, Cange, from Beloeil, Hainaut province, has won a coveted Artisan Showcase Export Award. He starts by tracking

down premium, predominantly unpasteurised cheeses from Belgium, France and other countries, then transforms them by adding other gourmet ingredients such as wine, beer, herbs, mushrooms and truffles. Cange likens his cheeseboard to a painter’s palette: each morsel complementary but creating an original overall flavour. Innovation is his trademark. From four

cellars, he works his maturing magic with regional produce such as pekèt and kriek. The proof is in the tasting and Cange’s cheeses and platters can be found in delicatessens, markets and restaurants across the region.

www.jacquycange.be

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CREATE DESIGN

Emmanuel Gardin is not your typical designer. He never dreamed of a job as a creative

when he was a child and says he started studying industrial design by chance, because that’s what his brother did. It turned out to be a pretty good decision, as today Gardin, 33, not only has his own design studio but is also the founder of Linadura, a brand dedicated to putting Belgium on the design map as a breeding ground for creative talent and as a hub for high-quality local production.

During his studies at the Saint-Luc academy in Liège, Gardin became

intrigued by the technical aspect of industrial design. Immediately after graduating in 2003, he started working with other designers on projects that taught him new skills. “I worked in several fields such as ceramics for Royal Boch, and slow design with Charles Kaisin,” Gardin says. These collaborations helped him explore new materials and techniques, and expanded his horizons as a designer.

“From working with Charles Kaisin I learned that art is not design, and vice versa. The experience helped me distinguish that blurry border between them, in order to create functional and

useful objects rather than things based on fashion or on a purely commercial concept,” he explains.

“Often objects that are not really ergonomic, hardly reproducible and don’t provide an interesting technical solution are put forward as the new references of contemporary design. We are often more occupied with the show aspect than with the functional or useful, which I find unfortunate.”

Gardin’s own design philosophy is, in other words, very much influenced by the practicality of objects. The designer draws inspiration from the technical

Art is not designEmmanuel Gardin’s work is meant to be usedBY StEphAniE DuvAl

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aspects of the production process: “I like to implement simple mechanical methods to distort and change the raw material into clever furniture that can be used in different ways, and which meets the practical needs of everyday life. Of course there is always a starting point – a light, a desk, a table – but it is the process which will change the product into its fi nal version.”

It does not come as a surprise then that Gardin – who was born in Namur but lives in Liège – describes his aesthetic as understated and timeless: “I prefer a simple, lasting product over crazy colourful shapes.” As for the materials he likes to experiment with, there really are no boundaries, except for those of common sense. “I like durable raw materials such as metal, glass and wood,” he says. “I’m not obsessed with composite materials. A chair must meet a need: you need to be able to sit. I do not see the point in making a lightweight carbon-fi bre chair, except maybe for a specifi c use where ultra-light weight is critical.”

With his penchant for elegant, understated and – above all – useful design and a proclivity for fi nding sustainable solutions for everyday problems, Gardin started his own design studio, Krizalidstudio, in 2008.

His fi rst big feat was to design the Recto Verso shelf (pictured), which was rewarded with many awards, including the Red Dot Design Award in 2011.

“I most enjoy designing objects that I actually need, like for example the Recto Verso shelf, designed to store my books, documents and magazines. I think every product is interesting to design from the point where its usefulness is demonstrated,” he says.

The Creative Wallonia programme, founded to support and help Walloon talent, encouraged Gardin to continue down his path by awarding Krizalidstudio the Boost Up award

in 2010. The fi nancial prize this was linked to allowed him to go even further and launch Belgian furniture brand Linadura last year.

“I want to develop simplifi ed production processes in order to locally produce functional and inspiring furniture” he explains. “I started with my own products and later added new products from other designers such as Mathias van de Walle and Twodesigners to become a real furniture editor.”

His goals are lofty, as he aims to showcase his country’s worth in the fi eld of design. “I am convinced that our companies are as talented as the Italian companies when it comes to producing quality items at an affordable price. They only need talented designers to think about affordable production processes to makes it possible,” he says.

Not that he thinks local design is completely underrated on an international level: “One reason is that we are well supported by our government to represent our talent abroad; another is that Belgian design is not too serious. We are sober enough to create thoughtful products, but we can still make fun of ourselves.”

WWW.linADurA.COM

I think every product is interesting to design from the point where its usefulness is demonstratedEMMANUEL GARDIN

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CREATE AGENDA

ART & DESIGN Jean-Francois D’orHis blend of technical precision and poetic spirit earned Jean-François D’Or the title of Belgian Designer of the Year, and he is the focus of a solo exhibition at the former mining complex at Grand-Hornu. Moodboards presents a range of objects designed by the La Cambre alumnus, who launched his own industrial design label, Loudordesign, in 2003. The motif is logical, unfussy form; D’Or’s designs are straightforward from a manufacturing perspective and functional at the consumption end.

WhAT? Jean-Francois D’or

WhEN? september 22-December 15

WhERE? GranD-Hornu imaGes

www.grand-hornu-images.be

anDy WarHol.liFe, DeatH anD beautyBeaux-Arts Mons celebrates its reopening with an exceptional exhibition on an exceptional artist. Everyone knows Andy Warhol’s striking images, and this major event now explores a lesser-known aspect of his art. Life, Death and Beauty looks at his relationship with spirituality and religion: he never failed to express deep religious feelings in his work, cleverly hidden but always recognisable behind the surface images of fame, glamour and money.

WhAT? anDy WarHol. liFe, DeatH

anD beauty

WhEN? october 5-January 19

WhERE? bam mons

www.bam.mons.be

biennale8 Louvain-la-Neuve’s eighth biennial of contemporary art takes the form of a world’s fair, with 20 thematic pavilions divided across two emblematic spots: the city’s museum and vast plateaus of underground parking. Images, objects, documents and attractions will attempt to understand the state of the world, revealing its hidden faces as participants celebrate the complex, illegal, abnormal areas of contemporaneity. An opportunity to see, understand and think critically about the world we live in.

WhAT? biennale8

WhEN? september 18-november 17

WhERE? louvain-la-neuve

www.biennale8.be

EVENTS nocturne Des coteaux Explore Liège’s citadel by night during the enchanting Night of the Slopes. Backstreets, courtyards, steps, terraces, pathways, fields and orchards are revealed, with gentle lighting provided by more than 15,000 candles plus music, entertainment and an atmosphere of celebration topped off with a firework display. Musical and theatrical events take place throughout the evening, and many places open their doors for this night only.

WhAT? nocturne Des coteaux

WhEN? october 5

WhERE? lièGe citaDel

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accessible art FairArt collecting is a notoriously expensive habit. Or so you might think. In fact, since 2007, the Brussels Accessible Art Fair has proven that (almost) anyone can become a discriminating collector. Visitors are introduced to a carefully selected group of 50 painters, photographers and sculptors; some are established and some are soon to be. Their works are on sale at a range of prices to suit (almost) anyone’s budget at the Steigenberger Grand Hotel in Avenue Louise.

WhAT? accessible art Fair

WhEN? october 10-13

WhERE? steiGenberGer GranD

Hotel, brussels

www.accessibleartfair.com

antica namurScores of exhibitors and thousands of collectors, professionals and the merely curious are about to descend on Namur for its annual antiques fest, which this year takes Woman as its theme. The range of items on display covers priceless 18th-century porcelain as well as more everyday pieces that fall within a more realistic price bracket. If one of them catches your eye, independent experts are on hand to provide advice before you buy.

WhAT? antica namur

WhEN? november 9-17

WhERE? namur

www.antica.be

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X-RAy VISIoNChristian Dugardeyn, aka Duga, is a first-timer at the Accessible Art Fair in October. But the artist-stroke-radiologist is now cutting back his day job at the Chirec hospital in Braine L’Alleud to concentrate on his first passion – painting. “I’m 50 years old now, and want to participate in more and more fairs and exhibitions,” he explains. Born in Brussels, he qualified as a doctor before reviving his childhood love of art by studying painting at the Académie des Beaux-Arts de St Josse and then painting and experimental art at Braine L’Alleud.

Unsurprisingly, Dugardeyn approaches his expressionist art with a scientific mind. Using different imaging techniques he incorporates the human body into his canvases and collages, including pictures of his own skull. With a fine sense of anatomy he produces tortured depictions of the human body that express suffering, happiness and death.

Dugardeyn, who lives in Genappe and works from his studio in Mont Saint-Guibert, describes his technique as spontaneous. “My current modus operandi is to use the principle of a continuous line. I start by placing the brush on a canvas and then see where it goes. Each time it is a new departure.” Another recent change in his technique is to use a predominantly black-and-white palette.” After working in a contemporary fashion with a lot of colour, I’ve evolved via prints and ink drawings to a reduced palette and add colour afterwards if necessary.”

WWW.cHristianDuGarDeyn.com

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FESTIVALScHarleroi bis-artsThere’s no time for half-term boredom or early-onset winter blues with Charleroi Bis-Arts, the city’s annual festival of arts and street theatre. Catch films, circus, dance and theatre from France, the UK and the renowned homegrown company Charleroi Danses. In the moving, amusing Les Pieds Tanqués by France’s Artscénicum Théâtre (pictured), four colourful characters bond over a game of pétanque as they discuss and dispute the war in Algeria.

WhAT? cHarleroi bis-arts

WhEN? october 25-november 2

WhERE? palais De beaux-arts,

cHarleroi

www.pba.be

en Danse!The Ardennes town of Marche-en-Famenne dedicates a month to dance this winter in all its forms – hip hop, contemporary, traditional and acrobatic – with a programme featuring live performances, a photography expo, film screening, stages for kids and even a hands-on Hindu dance workshop. Events are spread around surrounding towns, and the whole thing draws to a close with a family-friendly afternoon learning a choreographed dance.

WhAT? en Danse!

WhEN? october 25-December 1

WhERE? various

www.maisondelaculture.marche.be

030_031_Agenda_Autumn_2013.indd 31 25/09/13 15:19

> A competitive region Transport and logistics, aeronautics and

aerospace, agribusiness, mechanical engineering, life sciences, environmental technologies: 6 competitiveness clusters and several other high-tech clusters put Wallonia at the forefront of progress.

> A culture of partnership Wallonia’s excellence draws on an extensive

network of highly skilled workforce and R&D units dedicated to innovation

> The assets for growth Financial incentives for exports and investment,

lower business taxes, easy access to capital – all boosting growth in Wallonia.

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aerospace, agribusiness, mechanical engineering, life sciences, environmental technologies: 6 competitiveness clusters and several other high-tech clusters put Wallonia at the forefront of progress.

> A culture of partnership Wallonia’s excellence draws on an extensive

network of highly skilled workforce and R&D units dedicated to innovation

> The assets for growth Financial incentives for exports and investment,

lower business taxes, easy access to capital – all boosting growth in Wallonia.

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032_032_backcover.indd 1 3/10/12 17:15

Wab autumn 2013

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