Design circus to it’s fullest, that’s how you can describe the design week during the Salone Del Mobile. Star designers introduce their new products, of course edited by desirable design brands, and show their profitable smiles for the gathered international press. That’s why the I Love Belgium team is keen on talking about young Belgian design talents represented in the city of design and aperitivo! One of those is Ghent-based Maria Scarpulla who’s work are represented at Venture Lambrate. Read the rest of this entry »
10
Apr
2013
Apr
2013
Maria goes Milano
15
Jan
2013
Jan
2013
The Red Roof Cube
Why is it that when we walk in our cities that we don’t look up? Why this rhetorical question you may ask… Well, the I Love Belgium team feels that the best architecture details are to be found when we ignore the street level! A good example of our theory is the new collective housing ‘Brioolstraat’ in Ghent by CAAN architecten! Read the rest of this entry »
8
Jan
2013
Jan
2013
Them Sculptures
The Christmas and New Year’s Eve period is best know for its bright lights and musical abundance! Yet this winter something with the same elements but with a whole different outcome drew our attention. We’re talking about the work of Them Sculptures. Belgian-Dutch artist duo Tom Dekyvere and Han van der Tol are the masterminds behind light, form and sound projects which they’ve been designing for several European light festivals. Read the rest of this entry »
3
Dec
2012
Dec
2012
I Love Belgium interviews Athos Burez
From super models (check our last interview with Belgian hottie Cesar Casier) to photography, is only a small step. The I Love Belgium team met young photographer Athos Burez in the Ghent party scene a few years ago and even than there was something special about him. He has a master in fine arts and a master in photography. In his photography, he combines elements from both disciplines to give an imaginary twist to seemingly mundane daily life scenes. Read the rest of this entry »
17
Oct
2012
Oct
2012
Mind Interiors
Every year, thousands of creatives flock to Belgium to start or continue their eduction in one of our many highly esteemed art schools and conservatories. One of those is Serbian born Dušan Lazić who decided to spend some time at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Ghent (also known as KASK). In June, Dušan graduated from the master program in Media Arts, where he presented his highly stylized visual art/motion design. Read the rest of this entry »
5
Jun
2012
Jun
2012
Preview: Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door
It’s almost time: the fashion shows of the academies are just around the corner. We’re excited but also very curious. Sometimes you just can’t wait until the show! We’re delighted that we can reveal a tip of the iceberg by presenting you this promising talent graduating from the academy of… Ghent. Read the rest of this entry »
1
Jun
2012
Jun
2012
Sleep Around The Clock
Yes, sometimes the finest Belgian B&B’s and hotels receive some I Love Belgium love. As we assume you’ll visit Belgium after seeing and reading our blog, we’ll make sure you’re housed in the most welcoming places. So this time we go to Ghent and have a look at the temporary hotel-room, 23 m above the ground and build around the clock tower of Ghent’s main train station. Read the rest of this entry »
25
May
2012
May
2012
Human Escape
Ghent-based photographer Stefanie Geerts caught our attention with her stunning Human Escape series. These painting-like pictures make use of old film rolls, hence the beautiful colour palettes and surprising distortion. They capture the beauty of commercial venues with doubtful scenery such as punk festivals, fairgrounds and medieval markets. Read the rest of this entry »
24
May
2012
May
2012
Poetry along the waterside
Jogging alongside the quays in Antwerp, yes sometimes we do a little exercise, we were confronted with the 19,8 miles (3,2 kilometers) long wall of poetry from Peter Holvoet-Hanssen. Reading it while running, poetry turned out to be the ideal motivation to put in that extra mile. Charmed as we were with Holvoet-Hanssens tribute to Antwerp, we started thinking about other cities and their ways to incorporate poetry into the city landscape. And how poetry can change the urban view… Read the rest of this entry »
1
May
2012
May
2012
The Reference: Cupcake craze
They’ve been there for ages but now they’re also all the rage in Belgium: cupcakes! Apparently the term “cupcake” was first mentioned in 1828 in Eliza Leslie’s Receipts cookbook. In previous centuries, before muffin tins were widely available, the cakes were often baked in individual pottery cups… hence the name! The I Love Belgium team has a real sweet tooth and gives you the best belgian addresses. Read the rest of this entry »
31
Mar
2012
Mar
2012
Weekend Find – Polyamory 3D printed rings
3D printing has come a long way. The time where it was solely used by industrial manufacturers or high brow architect offices is behind us. It’s not about ‘rapid prototyping’ anymore, it has become a very innovative mass-scale production method that will certainly evolve to a 3D printing home system in the future. With the technology also the printed items have evolved. Where 3D printing had a a more industrial and medical application, the products coming out of the machines today have quite a unique off-the-shelf feeling. From lamps to furniture to…jewellery. Read the rest of this entry »
29
Mar
2012
Mar
2012
Volume Play
Ghent based architecture office GRAUX & BAEYENS architecten recently completed a smartly designed private house with practice for a physiotherapist. Known for their minimalistic, black and white architecture, architects Koen and Basile (both Sint-Lucas Ghent graduates) pleasantly surprised the I Love Belgium team with this energetic volume play! Read the rest of this entry »
1
Mar
2012
Mar
2012
The Window House
18 huge windows in total. Yes, that’s what we like to call a Window House. It were architects de vylder vinck taillieu who started conceptualizing on a plot with trees and a little gingerbread house on the edge of the site. They decided to leave the ground untouched and made the building a part of the whole. The wood runs through, around, and in the house. Read the rest of this entry »
2
Jan
2012
Jan
2012
The Reference – Burgerlicious
Yes we know that we are adored for our famous Belgian fries, but do you realize that we also have some delicious burger places? And no we don’t mean MacDonalds or Quick, but places where your burgers are prepared with a smile and sweet love! Therefore, the I Love Belgium team made a selection of three restaurants where you will get that mouthwatering experience for 2012! Read the rest of this entry »
8
Dec
2011
Dec
2011
All Black Everything by gents agency and Nalden
In the beginning blogs were just online journals where people wrote down their daily thoughts. Sometimes they published a recipe because they made an amazing chocolate chip cookie, and yes, sometimes they bragged about that awesome sweater they bought. Suddenly dollar bills appeared in savvy marketeers’ eyes because they realized the reach and credibility of this target group. Read the rest of this entry »
29
Nov
2011
Nov
2011
Berlinde’s Horses
Eyeless, and sometimes headless, deformed horses are the subject of Berlinde De Bruckere’s art. These pseudo-anatomical works inspire both a sense of nightmarish displacement and of visual comfort, of animal suffering and material abstraction. The glossiness of their skin underscores all of the things that are covered and hidden, a sensual, almost tender casing for these uncomfortable shapes. Read the rest of this entry »
27
Oct
2011
Oct
2011
Grey Ghosts
Three artists, each their own style, each their own playing field. Yet their is something harmonious about their works. The I Love Belgium team likes to call it “Grey Ghosts”. You can find it back in the way their art works expresses subtleties, emotions and a dark poetic aesthetic. That’s why we’ve decided to put Bisser, Genviève Bachmann and Jean Claude Wouters together. Read the rest of this entry »
18
Oct
2011
Oct
2011
A Forest House
An architect’s house in the middle of the forest, yes this is I Love Belgium material! Behind this discrete forest house you’ll find architect duo and partners in life Eddy Francois and Caroline Dewolf. After having lived in a castle’s coach house, they’ve designed the forest house towards their previous living experiences and the wabi-sabi principal. In other words: they applied slow architecture with an aesthetic eye for the imperfect. Read the rest of this entry »
5
Oct
2011
Oct
2011
Gent by SOON
Photoshop changed the face of graphic design. Today, realistic images may be as fake like Turkish Louis Vuitton bags, special effects are added by pushing a button and models are slimmed through the help of a digital brush. That’s why the I Love Belgium team was happy to discover the work of graphic design agency SOON. Read the rest of this entry »
22
Sep
2011
Sep
2011
The reference – mince it!
Belgians are food lovers, that’s a proven fact! So if we can imagine a new dish to spoil our taste buds even more, we’ll do it. Two Belgian restaurants worked with the same basic ingredient and technique to create a Belgian classic. Where can you find these? Aux vieux Saint – Martin in Brussels and Martino in Ghent. Read the rest of this entry »
