For emeritus VUB professor and art philosopher Willem Elias, the Brussels art portfolio is above all a tribute to the city that has inspired him for decades. Together with entrepreneur Paul Vandeperre, he initiated a project bringing together three contemporary artists in one distinctive portfolio that portrays Brussels from different perspectives.
The portfolio contains graphic editions of works depicting iconic locations in the capital, such as the Manneken Pis, the Japanese Tower and the Congress Column. But according to Elias, it goes beyond recognisable imagery. While photographs record a city, artists create room for interpretation: they allow us to feel Brussels, reflect on it and rediscover it.
That artistic perspective is essential, Elias argues. As an art historian and cultural philosopher, he has long emphasised the role of art in shaping ideas and imagination. This portfolio brings that together: three artists each show, in their own way, how Brussels can be both familiar and surprising.
“They are all artists with a love for the capital. Francis Denys is the most conceptual: as a former art scholar, he enjoys playing with language, as in Mannekepispiste, a humorous nod to Manneken Pis. Colin Waeghe, who has long lived in Brussels and works on creative therapy at the VUB, portrays the Japanese Tower of Laeken in Le grand départ as colourful and playful, yet with a subtle darkness — characteristic of how he also highlights the shadow side of monuments. Ulrike Bolenz, who lives in Vilvoorde but is closely connected to Brussels, offers a warm and authentic perspective in Unknown Soldier, with the Congress Column and the monument of the same name as central motifs.”
The initiative also carries a clear commitment. By purchasing the portfolio, buyers not only support the participating artists but also Brusseleir! and the Brussels Volkstejoêter. In this way, art becomes a lever for culture within the city itself.
For Elias, this is not a mere detail but an essential part of the project. For him, Brussels is not an abstract concept but a living cultural space where art, language and community reinforce one another. The Brussels art portfolio aims to make exactly that visible: a city that continues to inspire and connect, both visually and in meaning.
More information is available on the Brusseleir! website (In Dutch).