On 4 December 2025, VUB and ULB will confer honorary doctorates on remarkable cultural voices who embody, describe or imagine Brussels in an exceptional way. Musician Stromae, writers Lize Spit and Amélie Nothomb, and illustrators Ever Meulen and François Schuiten have each, in their own field, made a powerful contribution to the urban, social and cultural narrative of Brussels. Illustrator François Schuiten explains why the city makes his heart beat faster.
As a comic artist, scenographer and visionary architect, François Schuiten ranks among the greatest artists in the country. He was born in Brussels, a city that refuses to be summed up in a single sentence. “It’s a city with many faces. It’s complex. It’s not always easy to grasp. In the case of Brussels, you need more than one lifetime.”
The Brussels Palace of Justice
Although the artist now divides his time between Paris and Brussels, he remains loyal and grateful to his birthplace. “It’s where I was born, artistically as well. I’ve created books about Brussels; I’ve drawn this city endlessly. Brussels is a kind of melting pot, the matrix of my imagination.” Over the years, Schuiten has contributed to countless projects in and about the capital. Some remain especially close to his heart. “I’ve drawn huge inspiration from the Brussels Palace of Justice, where I am part of the Joseph Poelaert Foundation, which fought to ensure the building would be properly maintained and restored. This palace has fascinated me with its history, its challenges, its difficulties and its neglect. But now, there is hope again.”
The renovation and reinterpretation of the Autrique House, one of Victor Horta’s first buildings, also played a crucial role in Schuiten’s work. So did the creation of Train World, the national railway museum in Schaerbeek. “I worked there for about 15 years as designer, scriptwriter and scenographer, and organised numerous major exhibitions with Expo Duo and the historical heritage of SNCB. Brussels is deeply connected to my work. And vice versa.”
What sets Brussels apart from other major cities? What makes it unique? “It’s a city that disorients you, that feels a bit strange; you don’t always understand it at first. But at the same time, it’s a city that offers endless possibilities for creative collaboration. Brussels is chaos. Brussels is hybrid. The city was shaped a bit by Dutch, a bit by French, a bit by English, a bit by Spanish influences, which makes it perfect for new stories and new worlds. Even today, Brussels is crossed by cultures, which makes it all the more inspiring. It also has a unique dimension that, in my view, isn’t highlighted enough: the surrealist, expressionist, fantastical dimension. And I’m certainly indebted to that.”
“It’s a city that disorients you, that feels a bit strange; you don’t always understand it at first”
Even today, Schuiten loves to draw inspiration from “his” city. “I walk a lot in Brussels with my dog. For me, it’s the ideal way to keep discovering the city, to understand it. I used to live in Schaerbeek, close to the beautiful Josaphat Park, but now I live in Forest and walk in that park instead. I find the dialogue between city and nature fascinating. And I don’t just mean the big parks — I mean the many little gardens across Brussels. They often form green islands in the city. For me, they significantly contribute to Brussels’ unique character.”
Does he have dreams he still hopes to realise in the city? “Next year, a large artwork — which I created together with Pierre Matter — will be inaugurated near the Van Praet Bridge. It’s a combination of an old diesel locomotive and a metal structure shaped like a whale. The location is symbolic, right by one of the main gateways into Brussels and the canal, and it should become an artistic landmark for Brussels residents, commuters and travellers. This project once again proves that Brussels remains an ideal place to create art and to present it in a privileged location. I only hope that our capital will show more appreciation for the young talent that truly exists here. In my view, that is still lacking today.”
