Trip Moments Recommendations
Middelheimmuseum
This is a detail from Congoville, a free temporary exhibition at the open air museum Middelheimpark. Scroll to see further details.
In the exhibition,15 artists who were selected by the Belgian-Congolese art historian Sandrine Colard, show their vision on Congoville and the colonial traces in our society.
Special focus lies on the former Colonial College of Belgium whose building next to the Middelheimpark is now owned by University Antwerp. Foundet in 1920 and closed in 1962, it trained top civil servants to run the Belgian colonies. The garden also contains the director's villa in colonial style.
This photo shows the work of artist Maurice Mbikayi and is called ‘The Aesthetic Observer (2021) ‘.
Maurice Mbikayic, born in 1974 in Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo), lives and works in Cape Town (South Africa).
In the clothing of this figure we see keys from old computer keyboards. It refers to the raw materials needed in today's technology. The workers who extract the ores from the ground in Congo are still exploited thus enabling the Western way of life. Afterwards, the West often dumps the materials back in Africa as toxic waste.
By using this dumped materials in his art, Mbikayi denounces this reprehensible situation. At the same time it honorees the resilience of the African people, who have found endless ways to make the most of limited resources.
The dandy-like character of the figure refers to the Sapeurs from Brazzaville-Congo who are members of ‘La Société des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Élégantes’ which means that they belong to ‘the elite of élégance’.
They parade across the street like peacocks in striking clothing and create flamboyant identities for themselves showing they haven’t lost their free spirit and self respect.
#modernart #sculpturepark #antwerp #antwerpen #middelheimmuseum #instantwerpen #vakantieineigenland #artpark #park #stadantwerpen #museum #terras #summertime #middelheim #visitantwerp
#themepark#zoo#nationalpark#lakes
Sint, Jansplein
In Antwerp you will find many references to the artist Panamarenko, a pseudonym for Henri Van Herwegen (1940-2019). He lived and worked most of his life in Antwerp, where he also completed his education at the Antwerp Academy. He is considered one of the most important Belgian sculptors of the second half of the 20th century, who even held exhibitions in London, Basel and New York.
Influenced by his grandfather an architect and his father an electrical engineer, he developed a fascination for technology and spatial constructions. Especially flying in the broadest sense of the word intrigued him.
He designed scale models of numerous imaginary vehicles, airplanes, balloons or helicopters in all possible original and surprising shapes. They are all variations on the dream of flying as in the myth of Icarus. Whether these craft can actually fly is part of the mystery and appeal.
His pseudonym Panamarenko is also the contraction of "Pan American Airlines and Company".
In a new district of Antwerp on the south which is still in full development, they named a square after him as a tribute.
On that square is one of his art works, the Bing II ; a bronze flying saucer with a diameter of 3.5 m.
On St. Jansplein you’ll find the artwork, Pepto Bismo, a bronze statue of a man with propellers on his back.
At the same Sint Jansplein the artist Werner Mannaers covered an entire pavilion with mosaic as a tribute to Panamarenko.
The former home and workshop of Panamarenko in Biekorfstraat with completely intact furniture was sold to the museum Muhka and can be visited.
It is a remarkable building with a helicopter platform on top of the roof. In the opposite of it on the facade of a newspaper vendor you find a huge mural by graffiti artist Yvon Tordoir (Aerosol Kings), who was inspired by Panamarenko's futuristic spacecraft.
#anvers #stadantwerpen #vierkantwerpen #peptobismo #instantwerpen #pilot #ig #antwerpphoto #contemporaryart #visitantwerp #flying #thisisantwerp #antwerpen
#themepark#zoo#nationalpark#lakes
Port of Antwerp
The new Port House, a combination of an old protected fire station from 1922 to a design by architect Emiel Van Averbeke with a new building around and above the old building according to a design by the renowned architect Zaha Hadid, is located on Siberiastraat. or Kaai 63 at the northern end of Kattendijkdok.
The combination of old and new led to divided opinions, but personally I think it is a real eyecatcher.
The British architect Zaha Hadid with Iraki roots (1950-2016) is known for her sensual interplay of lines in her designs and has built up an impressive international track.
Unfortunately she died unexpectedly before she could admire the finished result of this harbor house.
This successor to the old Port House employs 500 employees since 2016.
The new building looks like the hull of a ship with the facets of a diamond at its surface. It’s a reference to Antwerp as a world port and diamond city but also a metaphor for the port of the 21st century having a rich past and being ready for the future.
In March 2018, the Port House was awarded the annual prize of the MIPIM (Marché International des Professionnels de l'IMmobilier) in Cannes as "best refurbished building" (the best renovated building).
In the bow of the ship-shaped diamond, with a view on the harbor, you can get an explanation about the activities of the port of Antwerp.
In tribute to the architect, the square in front of the Port House is called Zaha Hadidplein.
#visitflanders #architecture #wheninantwerp #architecturephotography #antwerpencity #instantwerpen #antwerp #visitantwerp #happynewyear
#themepark#zoo#nationalpark#lakes
visitflanders
architecture
Stroomplein - Tavernierkaai
Stroomplein - Tavernierkaai 11-
An urban meeting point, a stage for young noise, full of soul, a stand for revelation and sensation.
Stroomplein is open from 4 pm every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, occasionally on Sunday.
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#visitantwerpen #antwerpenbelgium #schelde #antwerpen #belgie #visitantwerp #antwerp #antwerpenstad #cityphotography #scheldekaaien2020 #antwerpencity
#themepark#zoo#nationalpark#lakes#beaches
visitantwerpen
antwerpenbelgium
Saint Paul's Church
Saint Paul's Church is a beacon in the old skippers quarter of Antwerp. A big surprise awaits you.
The church was part of a grand monastery complex of the Dominicans. They settled in Antwerp as early as the 1240s to proclaim the ‘true faith’. The church itself dates from 1571 and has been through a lot since then. In 1796 the French occupier closed the monastery and classified the church as a parish church. Fortunately, her belongings were spared. In 1968 she fell prey to a large fire from which she is fully recovered in the meanwhile.
The church is a feast for the eyes with the beautiful baroque altars, the sublime furniture, the important organ, the more than 200 statues and 50 paintings, among which works by Jordaens, Rubens, Teniers, Van Balen, Van Dyck…
The calvary garden, which you only get to see after you have passed the porch of the church, looks like a fragment from an epic film about Christ's suffering and resurrection.
St. Paul's Church is a Gothic building (late Middle Ages), but its furniture and works of art date mainly from the Baroque 17th century, as does the remarkable crowning of the 'lantern tower'. The portal also breathes Baroque. The depth effect in the church is remarkable, partly because of the very long choir. Light and space play their virtuoso game here, in a wonderful harmony of strict Gothic and dynamic Baroque.
An additional surprise is the treasury chamber with art pieces from 8 centuries!
If you enter the backyard of the church via St. Paulusstraat, you can relax between the greenery at a beautiful contemplative Maria cave.
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#kerkinterieur #calvarieberg #calvary #houtsnijwerk #visitflanders #wonderfulplace #antwerpen #sintpauluskerkantwerp #visitantwerp #visitantwerpen #travelblogger #sintpauluskerk #belgium #impressionsofantwerp #travellover #antwerpencity #kruis #beautiful #traveltheworld #visitbelgium #church #thisisantwerp #anvers #antwerp #antwerpcity #stadantwerpen
#themepark#zoo#nationalpark#lakes
kerkinterieur
calvarieberg
Antwerp Central Station
Antwerp Central Station, also called Middenstatie or Railway Cathedral by the Antwerp residents, was inaugurated in 1905. It has been voted several times as one of the most beautiful stations in the world, including by American Newsweek, the news website Mashable, The Telegraph and Stedentripper.com.
This grand example of architecture on Astridplein consists of a steel platform roof and a stone station building in an eclectic style. The platform roof was designed between 1895 and 1899 by Clement van Bogaert. The roof is 43 meters high, 186 meters long and 66 meters wide. The stone station building was built between 1899 and 1905 by Louis Delacenserie in an eclectic style.
Delacenserie was inspired by the Pantheon in Rome, among other things. The highest point (75 meters) is a large dome.
In 1975 the building got the status of protected monument and from 1986 it was thoroughly renovated. Between 2000 and 2009, the railway hall was doubled in capacity, including platforms on two underground levels and a tunnel under the station that runs under part of the city. Therefore since 2007 Antwerp Central station is no longer a terminal station where trains can only leave the station in the opposite direction.
The large front hall (cathedral) with marble floor is often used for all kinds of events and performances, including dance demonstrations, flash mobs but also expositions.
#stadantwerp #visitflanders #🇧🇪 #igantwerp #trip #trainstation #visitantwerp #travel #europe #station #travelblogger #travelblog #travelantwerp #anvers #antwerp #travelphotography #templeblessed
#themepark#zoo#nationalpark#lakes#beaches
stadantwerp
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Antwerpen-Centraal
This statue by Louis Dupuis, represents Jacob van Artevelde (1290-1345) and is placed above the portal of a neo-Flemish Renaissance bourgeois house in 62, Van Arteveldestraat. Both, statue and house, date from 1881. The design of the house is by architect Albert Delrue.
Jacob Van Artevelde, nicknamed The Wise Man, was a Flemish leader and statesman. As a cloth merchant, broker and owner of extensive properties, Van Artevelde belonged to the wealthy bourgeoisie in Ghent.
When during the Hundred Year’s war (1337-1453), France forbade his occupied territories to trade with the English , Van Artevelde went against these orders and resumed the wool trade with England. For that reason he is seen in Ghent as a folk hero.
The reason why we find this in Antwerp has everything to do with the commissioner of the house, Joseph Hubert Kockx, who was a wealthy 19th century’s trader in ready-to-wear clothes from Schippersstraat.
#zotvana #belgium #amberes #architecture #antwerpen🇧🇪 #visitantwerp #antwerp #antwerpenstraalt #instantwerp #eventcelebration
#themepark#zoo#nationalpark#lakes#beaches