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The government of Flanders must rebid Antwerp’s Oosterweel Ring Road link project, says European Commission \4

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the oosterweel blues

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belgium On The big screen

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AuniqueprogrammeinGhent introduceschildrenfrom poorerneighbourhoodstothe joysofhealthyeating

Searchingforafewideas tofillyouragendathis holidayseason?Lookno furtherthanourguide inside \ 11

AdmiraloftheFleet

JamesGambiershakeshands

withJohnQuincyAdams

atthesigningof

theTreatyofGhent

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holiday happenings

Funwith Food

Em pl oy me nt mi ni st er sa re si gn ni g de al st om ak er ec og ni ti on of di pl om as an dw or ki ng ac ro ss th e Be ne ul xa ol te as ei r \6

We’ll be absent from your postbox for the next two weeks, but don’t worry, we’ll be back on 14 January \ 14

inthis1914painting

byFrenchartistAmédée

Forestier

Finding commonground

withthe treatyofghent, thecity playedavital rolein endingthewar of1812 daanBauwens morearticlesbydaan

\flanderstoday.eu

Twohundred yearsago, Ghentwas thesetting forthe signingof anagreement thatbrought toan endthe War of1812 betweenthe USand Britain.A seriesof musical eventswillcommemorate theanniversary.

hristmasEve,Ghent, 1814.AnAmerican delegation, ledby futurepresident JohnQuincy Adams,and a Britishdelegation, underthe guidanceof Admiral JamesGambier,walksoutof Ghent’sCarthusianmonastery withatreaty intheirhands thatwillbring peacetoNorth America. Ascommemorations ringout inthe Flemishcity this month,we takealo okats omekey questions.What was

thiswarabout? Whatdidthe treatyguarantee?And why onearthdidth eypickGhent? Thestory startsin 1776,with aphrase everyAmerican knowsbyheart: “Weholdthese truthstobe self-evident, thatallmen arecreatedequal.” Itisthe mostfamousline oftheDeclaration ofIndependence,with which13North Americancolonies announcedtheir breakfrom Britain. TheRevolutionaryWar endedin1783 whenGreatBritain officiallyrecogniseditsc oloniesalongtheAtlantic coastto beanindependent nation–theUnited StatesofAmerica. Butthestrugglefor independencewasn’tover.“The British empireonlyrecognised thestateson paper,”explainsLuc François,professor emeritusof historyat GhentUniver-

sity.“Tradeover seaand fishingrights remainedin Britishhands.At thebeginningof the1800s,the Britisheven imposedaneconomic blockadeonNorth America,killing theyoungnation’seconomy, justtomaintainits griponits formercolonies.” What’smore,during theEuropeanwar againstNapoleon, theBritishneeded experiencedsailors.Britain decidednot torecognisetherig htofBritishsubjects tobecomeUSc itizensand startedtaking British-bornnaturalised Americansbyforceinto theNavy,infuriatingthe Americans. Inthe midstof thesetensions, athird partybecame involved.“TheIndians werenottoo happywiththe expansionistnature oftheir newneighbours,” explainsFrancontinuedonpage5

End of an era

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workers leave ford genk for the last time page 6

Chaos in the mind

ostend exhibition the sea pays tribute to curator Jan Hoet ian mundell more articles by Ian \ flanderstoday.eu

The death of art curator Jan Hoet last February left a large gap in the Flemish and the international arts scene. In tribute, Ostend has realised his final, unfinished project: a wide-ranging exhibition on the sea.

oet made his name in the 1970s and ’80s as director of Ghent’s contemporary art museum. In the 1990s, he engineered the museum’s move to its current home in Citadelpark, when it became the Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst, or SMAK. In parallel, he built an international career, most notably curating the prestigious Documenta exhibition in Kassel, Germany, in 1992. “Jan Hoet has been one of maybe five or six really important contemporary art directors and curators in Europe from the previous 50 to 60 years,” says Phillip Van den Bossche, director of the Mu.ZEE museum in Ostend. He draws a comparison with the late Harald Szeemann, the Swiss curator credited with redefining the way exhibitions could be conceived and produced. “Just as it’simpossible at the moment to imagine another Harald Szeemann, it’s also impossible to imagine another Jan Hoet,” he says. “In the history of modern and contemporary art, we really needed these

continued on page 5

End of an era

workers leave ford genk for the last time page 6

Chaos in the mind ostend exhibition the sea pays tribute to curator Jan Hoet ian mundell more articles by Ian \ flanderstoday.eu

oet made his name in the 1970s and ’80s as director of Ghent’s contemporary art museum. In the 1990s, he engineered the museum’s move to its current home in Citadelpark, when it became the Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst, or SMAK. In parallel, he built an international career, most notably curating the prestigious Documenta exhibition in Kassel, Germany, in 1992. “Jan Hoet has been one of maybe five or six really important contemporary art directors and curators in Europe from the previous 50 to 60 years,” says Phillip Van den Bossche, director of the Mu.ZEE museum in Ostend. He draws a comparison with the late Harald Szeemann, the Swiss curator credited with redefining the way exhibitions could be conceived and produced. “Just as it’s impossible at the moment to imagine another Harald Szeemann, it’s also impossible to imagine another Jan Hoet,” he says. “In the history of modern and contemporary art, we really needed these

continued on page 5

End of an era workers leave ford genk for the last time page 6

Chaos in the mind

ostend exhibition the sea pays tribute to curator Jan Hoet ian mundell more articles by Ian \ flanderstoday.eu

oet made his name in the 1970s and ’80s as director of Ghent’s contemporary art museum. In the 1990s, he engineered the museum’s move to its current home in Citadelpark, when it became the Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst, or SMAK. In parallel, he built an international career, most notably curating the prestigious Documenta exhibition in Kassel, Germany, in 1992. “Jan Hoet has been one of maybe five or six really important contemporary art directors and curators in Europe from the previous 50 to 60 years,” says Phillip Van den Bossche, director of the Mu.ZEE museum in Ostend. He draws a comparison with the late Harald Szeemann, the Swiss curator credited with redefining the way exhibitions could be conceived and produced. “Just as it’s impossible at the moment to imagine another Harald Szeemann, it’s also impossible to imagine another Jan Hoet,” he says. “In the history of modern and contemporary art, we really needed these

continued on page 5

\ cUrrenT AFFAIrs

Electricity prices to rise

flanders faces increased cost of connecting to grid, though gas prices will decrease alan Hope Follow Alan on Twitter \ @AlanHopeFT

n increase in distribution tariffs will see energy prices rise substantially in Flanders in 2015, the regional energy regulator VREG has said. Distribution tariffs – the price the consumer pays for being connected to the national grid – were frozen in 2013 and 2014, but grid management companies’ costs increased due to the number of consumers installing solar panels and claiming subsidies. Since tariffs were frozen, grid managers were unable to spread the cost of the subsidies among customers across the board. Prices for electricity will go up by 8.4% for

the average family, but gas prices will come down by an average 3.06%, meaning the bill for an average household will go up by about €10 a year in total. According to the VREG, two in three fami-

lies use both electricity and gas, and so will be able to balance the rise of one with the fall of the other. Households relying only on electricity will feel the increase correspondingly harder. Some areas, including West Flanders, will pay more than average, while in the centre of Antwerp the electricity increase is in fact translated into a decrease. Competition from providers for the same area could lead to a difference of tens of euros. Homes heated by electricity will pay a lot more than those who use gas, whereas a severe winter could mean total consumption wipes out

any small reduction in gas tariffs. In Brussels, meanwhile, distribution tariffs will go down for 2015 by about 6% for the average electricity customer and by 8% for gas, to be followed by a slight increase. Despite the later increase, VREG said, the tariff will still be lower in 2019 than it was in 2014. Distribution tariffs in Brussels count for 41% of the electricity bill and 26% of the gas bill, meaning the total energy bill will go down in 2015 by 2.5%.

Brussels-Capital Region launches new logo and flag

Flitsmarathon is the Word of the Year

The Brussels-Capital Region has unveiled its new flag and logo. Gone is the stylised iris of gold on a blue background, in comes a golden heart blooming amid two blue petals. Last week the Territorial Development committee of the Brussels Parliament approved a motion to change the flag to sport the new logo. The new design (pictured) was developed two years ago and has been slowly replacing the iris within the region’s administrative departments. The motion to change the flag is the new design’s arrival on the public

Flanders’ Word of the Year for 2014 is flitsmarathon, according to the dictionary publishers Van Dale, based on the popular annual poll. As anyone who drives knows, the word refers to an extensive operation (marathon) of speed checks (flitsen) carried out by police. Belgium experienced such marathons, which can results in upwards of 20,000 speeding tickets issued in 24 hours, twice this year. Flitsmarathon won with 24% of the vote, ahead of boterhammentaks (sandwich tax, a charge levied by schools for supervision of children at lunchtime) and kamizakecoalitie (suicide coalition, a term applied by opposition to the current federal government coalition). There were also winners in five subcategories: overschotdoos (doggybag, still not a reality in Flanders but under discussion) in lifestyle; loomen (the making of bracelets with elastic bands) in sport/amusement; perenboycot (boycott of pears) in economy and het Maggie-effect (an Open VLD electoral boost attributed to Maggie De Block) in politics. Youth-speak, meanwhile, delivered the term “onesie”, an English word that describes a one-piece pyjama. The Children’s Word of the Year, chosen by viewers of kids’ channel Ketnet, is the English acronym OMG, meaning “Oh My God”, and

scene. The region estimated the cost of the new design and its adoption as the region’s new house style at €50,000. “The decision to let the flag evolve has to be seen in

the framework of a city marketing plan to improve the region’s visibility though its communications media,” Jo De Witte, spokesperson for minister-president Rudi Vervoort, told De Morgen. The former iris flag was the winner of a design competition and was adopted in 1991, just two years after the creation of the new region. The iris was chosen because it is a flower that thrives in marshy ground, which refers to Brussels’ origins in the marshes. The Old Dutch word broekzele means “home in the marsh”. \ AH

Hostage situation in Ghent was hoax An apparent hostage-taking situation in Ghent last week was invented by the young man who reported it, the Ghent public prosecutor revealed. The 18-yearold called police on the morning of 15 December, reporting that his friend had been taken hostage by four men armed with Kalashnikov rifles in the Dampoort neighbourhood. Police arrived at the apartment building, cordoned off the area and deployed a police helicopter. Two of the supposed hostage-takers were arrested outside the building, and a third was detained after the special intervention squad stormed the building. No-one was injured. The supposed victim then denied having been taken hostage and said there had never been any firearms present. “The victim has been thoroughly questioned

and maintains there is no question of hostage-taking, threats or weapons,” said Annemie Serlippens, spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office. “There is no reason whatsoever to take the 18-year-old’s story seriously.” The three men arrested as hostage-takers are residents of the building. There never was a fourth man. The incident, coinciding with a real hostage incident in Sydney, Australia, attracted international attention, with TV crews from the Dutch NOS, the BBC and Sky News, who were in Belgium to report on the national strike. The 18-year-old in question has a police record for drugs offences. He now faces charges of making a false statement, an offence that can carry a prison sentence, as well as a bill for the costs of the operation. \ AH

€124.90

pronounced by kids as “Oh Em Gee”. Almost 30,000 children took part in the poll to choose from a list of five nominations, including twix (when two people say the same thing at the same time) and “bestie” (English slang for best friend). Last year’s kids’ choice also went to an acronym – yolo, standing for You Only Live Once. “I’m not at all surprised an English acronym was chosen again this year,” said VRT’s language adviser, Ruud Hendrickx. “Children grow up with English and adapt it easily into their own language. And let’s face it, English is just cool.” Meanwhile, the word oudjes, signifying elderly people, has been chosen to be scrapped by the Institute for Dutch Lexicology from among 10 nominated words Dutch speakers would prefer no longer to hear. The word was described as “belittling”. \ AH

83.1 billion

4,193

traffic accidents in the first nine months of 2014 involving De Lijn vehicles, down 1.29% on the same period last year, mobility minister Ben Weyts said

paid by Dutch chef Sergio Herman to Poperinge grower De Lowie for 100 grams of the new crop of hop shoots for his restaurant Pure C in Zeeland

€7,347 kilometres driven by all Belgians together in 2013, a new record, according to the federal mobility ministry, and the equivalent of circling the globe two million times

raised for the charity Mamas for Africa thanks to an appeal by rock star Lenny Kravitz to listeners of Studio Brussel. The station last week launched its annual Music for Life campaign

€264.8 million cost of last week’s national strike to the private sector, according to Unizo. The strike affected only 6.5% of companies directly, but employees incurred other costs, including child care and transport alternatives

december 24, 2014

weeK in brieF The Flemish Parliament has scrapped foie gras from the menu of its restaurant, following a request from N-VA member Jelle Engelbosch. The decision, Engelbosch said, sends a clear signal that the parliament does not support the suffering associated with the product. Rail authority NMBS spent almost €150,000 on taxis for stranded passengers in 2013, according to federal mobility minister Jacqueline Galant. NMBS paid for 1,969 taxis for passengers whose last train had been cancelled or who had missed a last connection through no fault of their own – slightly more than the 1,872 in 2012. Kruibeke in East Flanders is the most business-friendly municipality in Flanders, according to the business magazine Trends. The magazine rated municipalities on economic activity, employment growth and investment. Kruibeke is home to aerospace technology company QinetiQ Space, construction group Artes, advertising screen manufacturers Open and chocolatiers Duc d’O. All of the top five municipalities, which also include Grimminge, Evergem, Hamme and Lede, are in East Flanders. Shops in tourist centres and seaside resorts can no longer be open every Sunday, following a ruling by the Cassation Court. One of the exceptions to the general ban on Sunday trading applies to small retailers and hairdressers in resorts and tourist cities, who are allowed to open in the Christmas and Easter holidays, between May and September and on 13 other Sundays throughout the year. Twenty-two year old Navid Sharifi, who was deported to his native Afghanistan in 2012 amid much community and

Face OF Flanders media protest, has been allowed to return to Belgium after marrying his Polish girlfriend. Sharifi’s asylum application was denied after he had been in the country for three years, had learned the language, completed a training and was working as a plumber. Now that he is married to a legal resident, he has been given permission to return. He was, however, required to pay the €14,000 cost of his deportation, which has been donated by wellwishers. The nuclear power stations Doel 1 and 2 will remain open until 2025, 10 years longer than previously planned, federal energy minister Marie-Christine Marghem has announced. Closure by the original date of 2015 is impossible, she said, while the country’s power supply capacity is still so uncertain. Opposition party Groen spokesperson Kristof Calvo described the decision as “foolish” and pointed out that the two power stations would require €700 million in investment to keep them operating for another decade. The liberal police union VSOA is considering refusing to implement the end-of-year BOB campaign of intensive drinkdriving checks between Christmas and New Year, as part of the continuing police protest against a raising of retirement ages. The union will decide on 24 December what its next action will be but admitted a boycott of the campaign was “one of the options on the table”. Flemish public transport authority De Lijn will no longer run buses in rural areas before 10.00 and after 19.00 on Sundays, it has announced. The move is part of a cost-cutting plan, which also involves scrapping split shifts and bringing in part-time drivers, as well as paying overtime once a year instead of quarterly

as now. In return, the company said it would offer employees work security and a guaranteed basic salary. The measures taken together would save De Lijn €34 million a year. Flemish energy minister Annemie Turtelboom will next month make a request to the federal government to have the port of Ghent excluded from scheduled power cuts in the event of an electricity shortage this winter. The government’s plan excludes major cities, like Brussels and Antwerp, but allows for the possibility of switching off power to the port, a position Turtelboom described as “exceptionally ill-judged”. The government of Flanders is currently drawing up its own plan, which it hopes the federal government will adopt. Members of the Flemish Parliament will give up their right to free travel with De Lijn, following a decision by the parliament’s steering committee. At the same time, several other benefits for serving and former members, such as the payment of internet and transport costs, will also be scrapped. Free travel on public transport became a sensitive issue when some parliamentarians complained that members were allowed to travel free even as De Lijn was scrapping free travel for seniors. There are now more people in Flanders in possession of a mobile phone than an ordinary phone – 57%, or 10% more than last year, according to the annual survey by digital research centre iMinds. At the same time, 56% have access to a tablet computer in the family, an increase of 14%. The figures show that the “multi-screen family” is become the norm in Flanders: 77% of those interviewed have at least three screens at home, including TV, laptop, desktop, tablet and smartphone.

OFFside the missing a big hit A BBC TV series financed by Flanders and shot largely in Belgium has been nominated for two Golden Globe awards. The British eight-part miniseries The Missing concerns an apparently ideal couple and their five-year-old, who goes missing in a town in the north of France ( filmed in Huy in Walloon Brabant) during the 2006 World Cup. The timeline then splits as we follow the investigation in flashback and watch how the father, played by the Northern Irish actor James Nesbitt (pictured), goes to pieces with guilt over the years, before a tiny clue shakes him out

of his reverie. The series was co-produced by VRT, RTBF and Eurydice Gysel and Koen Mortier for Brussels-based Czar TV. BNP Paribas Fortis Film Finance also co-produced, with support from the Screen Flanders economic fund. Last year The White Queen, another Czar TV co-production, shot across Flanders, was nominated three times, but failed to pick up any awards. The nominations for The Missing include Best Miniseries and Best Actress for Frances O’Connor, who plays the missing boy’s mother. The awards will be announced on 11 January.

adil el arbi He’s the first filmmaker and the first person of immigrant origin to win. Adil El Arbi is de slimste mens ter wereld (The Smartest Person in the World). The hugely popular TV quiz show of the same name completed its 12th season last week with a nail-biting finale between El Arbi and screenwriter Bart De Pauw. El Arbi, 26, was born in Edegem, Antwerp province, and studied film at Sint-Lukas art academy in Brussels. It’s there where he met Bilall Fallah, with whom he made his first film, the thriller Image, currently showing in cinemas. His age in fact also makes El Arbi the youngest winner of De slimste mens ever. El Arbi said that he was reluctant to accept the invitation from producers to take part in the quiz show because he was sure his memory would freeze under the pressure. His progress through the first rounds, however, proved that was not to be the case. In the final, though, he could hardly have been more

unlucky. He was up against confirmed quizzer Bart De Pauw (who wrote and starred in the TV series Quiz Me Quick about the world of amateur quiz contestants), who was taking part in the show for the second time around. He had also faced Gert Verhulst, boss of the media conglomerate Studio 100, who had set a new record of 11 consecutive appearances before the final week. In the end, De Pauw went into the final round with a deficit of 87 points, and El Arbi took the final with a question on the Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton. “I never expected this. I can’t believe it myself,” he told the VRT later. “The final round was really tense, like a boxing match. We were very close, and it could have gone either way.” On the effect of his situation as newly minted BV: “I live in Brussels, so there’s not much difference. In Flanders, though, it’s enormous. A huge number of people have come up to me lately wishing me good luck. That’s really great.” \ Alan Hope

flanders today, a weekly english-language newspaper, is an initiative of the flemish region and is financially supported by the flemish authorities. The logo and the name Flanders Today belong to the Flemish Region (Benelux Beeldmerk nr 815.088). The editorial team of Flanders Today has full editorial autonomy regarding the content of the newspaper and is responsible for all content, as stipulated in the agreement between Corelio Publishing and the Flemish authorities.

As well as finance and location – Brussels stands in for Lille – Flanders also provided much of the cast, including Titus De Voogdt (Welp, 22 Mei), Johan Leysen (De smaak van De Keyser), Hilde Heijnen (Parade’s End) and Lotte Heijtenis (Jes, Zot van A). The series has not yet been scheduled for airing in Flanders, but the news is that a second series has been commissioned, with a new cast, new characters and a new storyline. \ AH

editor Lisa Bradshaw dePuty editor Sally Tipper contributing editor Alan Hope sub editor Linda A Thompson agenda Robyn Boyle, Georgio Valentino art director Paul Van Dooren PrePress Corelio AdPro contributors Daan Bauwens, Rebecca Benoot, Derek Blyth, Leo Cendrowicz, Katy Desmond, Andy Furniere, Diana Goodwin, Julie Kavanagh, Catherine Kosters, Toon Lambrechts, Katrien Lindemans, Ian Mundell, Anja Otte, Tom Peeters, Daniel Shamaun, Senne Starckx, Christophe Verbiest, Débora Votquenne, Denzil Walton general manager Hans De Loore PublisHer Corelio Publishing NV

editorial address Gossetlaan 30 - 1702 Groot-Bijgaarden tel 02 373 99 09 editorial@flanderstoday.eu subscriPtions tel 03 560 17 49 subscriptions@flanderstoday.eu or order online at www.flanderstoday.eu advertising 02 373 83 57 advertising@flanderstoday.eu verantwoordeliJke uitgever Hans De Loore

\ POlITIcs

5Th cOlumn Open debate culture

The demand for a tax on capital gains has surprised this federal government.WhenMichelIwas formed this summer, it seemed no more than a whim from the leftist fringe. The Christiandemocrats brought it up during government formation talks, but it was not included in the final agreement. Since then, public opinion has become much more in favour of the “rich tax”. Some polls even speak of 80% support among the population. CD&V, therefore, being the furthest left of the federal government parties, keeps insisting on it. Open VLD refuses it straight out, while N-VA and MR are slowly moving towards acceptance. The federal government thus ends the year in dissonance. Every day some or other member of government speaks out, contradicting his or her colleagues. This is nothing new. Under prime minister Guy Verhofstadt, there were so many differences that the coalition agreed to just let them happen. Open debate culture, they called this euphemistically. The differences in Michel I are meant to be reconciled in the upcoming “budget control”. In essence, this is a number crunching exercise, but the current budgetary restraints and differences of opinion can only be solved by something more, such as a new compromise – if not a new government agreement. If that cannot be found, a “fall” becomes inevitable for Michel I. Meanwhile, something similar is happening in municipalities all over Flanders. Denderleeuw, Putte, Turnhout ... in all these towns, the local council has irreconcilable differences. The latest in line is Tienen, Flemish Brabant, where coalition partners CD&V and SP.A are no longer on speaking terms. Judging which forces are behind local conflicts is difficult, but the number of towns with similar incidents, only two years into the term, is striking. In the past, coalitions that fell out had very few options. Once someone was appointed an alderman, he or she remained until the end of term. In case of disputes, city councils had to find a way to govern around obstinate aldermen. But a new rule, introduced by Geert Bourgeois as Flemish minister for the interior, has made it easier to switch coalition partners. Too easy, some say, as this may be the root of the many conflicts now. Then again, maybe these local governments, too, have been experimenting with open debate culture. \ Anja Otte

Oosterweel must be rebid

commission demands new government tender for antwerp ring road link alan Hope more articles by Alan \ flanderstoday.eu

The European Commission has handed down its definitive opinion against the financing of the Oosterweel connection in Antwerp, forcing the government of Flanders to go back to the beginning by issuing a new tender for the project. The Oosterweel connection, named after one of the villages that once stood on the banks of the river Scheldt, is a plan to complete the Antwerp Ring on the western side of the city, to ease congestion and speed up traffic from the port of Antwerp to the motorways leading north, south and east. The problem for the government started five years ago, when, after a protest campaign and a referendum in Antwerp, the decision was made to change the connection from a viaduct (pictured) to a tunnel. That led to a substantial change in the project, the Commission said,

but the government went ahead with the same contractors – the temporary consortium Noriant – on the same terms. The Commission is now demanding a new tender for the project, since the basis on which Noriant was awarded the job has changed. If a new tender were issued, Noriant would have

Ghent’s Daniël Termont nominated for world’s best mayor Ghent’s popular socialist mayor, Daniël Termont, has been shortlisted for the World Mayor Prize 2014. Termont is the first Belgian mayor to be shortlisted for the biennial prize, which was first awarded by the Londonbased City Mayors Foundation in 2004. Termont is one of 25 mayors shortlisted for the prize, which has been won in the past by civic leaders from Bilbao, Melbourne and Athens. “This is an exceptional honour,” Termont told De Standaard. The award is based on an analysis of the mayor’s personal qualities such as leadership, honesty, vision, integrity, environmental awareness, community relations and economic policy. “Since assuming office in 2007, Daniël Termont

mayor Termont greeting football club AA Gent supporters

has become one of the most listened-to mayors in Europe,” the foundation said on its website. “Ghent has managed to preserve and conserve its heritage but also develop into a vibrant, diverse and modern European city.” The award encourages citizens to engage with local government by submitting testimonials to the panel

of judges. “Daniël Termont is very much present in the city, walking or cycling, and is easy to approach for a chat,” read one such comment. “He actually listens, and his communication skills are fantastic.” The winner of the award will be announced on 3 February. \ Derek Blyth

the right, under an agreement reached in October, to compensation of more than €37 million, plus a further €5.1 million for the intellectual property rights in its design for the portion of the project that remains unchanged. In return, Noriant dropped a legal action for compensation of nearly €324 million. The Commission’s decision has been awaited for some time, but it will not hold back progress on the connection, Flemish mobility minister Ben Weyts said. “At last we are rid of this millstone around our necks,” he told VRT Radio. “This will not lead to delays. We plan to break ground in 2017.” That position was described by opposition party Groen as “totally unrealistic”.

Mobility minister files complaint against Uber Elke Sleurs, state secretary for combatting tax fraud, has ordered tax authorities to look into the returns of drivers linked to the controversial “ride-sharing” service Uber. While insisting she was not against innovation, Sleurs said that Uber had to respect existing Belgian regulations. “If it turns out that Uber is guilty of tax evasion, or encourages it, then we will carry out careful checks and impose penalties,” she told De Standaard. Meanwhile, Brussels mobility minister Pascal Smet has filed a legal complaint against Uber for failing to respect social security regulations. The minister, who banned Uber from the Brussels streets earlier this year, said he would introduce regulations next year to cover services such as Uber, which critics simply call an unregulated taxi service. However, Smet has decided to approve a new taxi service in Brussels that will use motorised rickshaws, or tuk-tuks. They are to be allowed to operate on two routes – one with stops at Beurs, South Station, Louiza and Naamsepoort, and the other connecting Baljuwstraat and Flageyplein. The company Mobiloo has been given a permit to run a fleet of 10 tuk-tuks in Brussels, with the number rising to 15 if the project proves a success. A single ride in one of the open-air vehicles, which come equipped with wi-fi, a phone charger, music and magazines, will cost €4 for one person and €5 for a couple. Smet said the new vehicles are classified as motorbikes. “They are small and run on electricity, so are environmentally friendly,” he told the website brusselnieuws.be. “We will incorporate them into the new taxi plan that we are drawing up next year to ensure they are safe.” \ DB

N-VA to receive record €12.3 million annual funding Flemish nationalist party N-VA will receive €12.3 million from public funds annually up until the next election. The grant, which is calculated according to the number of MPs elected to the federal and regional parliaments, represents the largest figure ever awarded to a political party in Belgium. The party saw its annual funding increase by €4.2 million following the elections last May, after which it emerged as the largest party in the country. The sum is paid annually, which means that the N-VA could end up with a total of €43 million by the 2019 elections, according to a study by two University of Leuven political scientists. This would give the party a huge financial advantage over its rivals, according to analysts.

Party spokesperson Joachim Pohlman said that he was surprised by the figures. “According to our calculations, we would have about half that amount in 2019, with some €21 to €22 million in

the bank,” he told De Morgen. Most other parties will receive public funding similar to their pre-election levels, apart from the far-right Vlaams Belang, which will lose €2.5 million. It has already launched an appeal to party members to donate more. Political parties in Belgium now receive total annual funding of nearly €61 million – an increase of €4 million on the previous year. The figure represents 80% of parties’ total revenue. The N-VA currently has €18.4 million in reserve, compared to €8.45 million in 2010. Its current balance puts it just behind the French-speaking socialists, who currently hold the most reserves at €18.8 million. \ DB

\ cOVer sTOry

december 24, 2014

Chaos in the mind

Jan Hoet’s final project turned into a tribute to the late curator

www.deZee-oostende.be

continued from page 1

personalities.” Hoet retired from SMAK in 2003 but went on to collaborate with architect Frank Gehry as founding director of the Marta Museum in Herford, Germany. He left in 2009 to take on projects such as the Yinchuan Biennale in China in 2012 and Middle Gate Geel in Flanders in 2013. It was during the Geel project that Hoet and Van den Bossche began talking about an exhibition in Ostend that would explore representations of the sea, from the mid-19th century to the present day. “We worked together for six, seven months, meeting almost every week. Just before Christmas last year, we finished the selection of modern art: paintings and works from the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century.” These included Gustave Courbet’s “The Wave”, James Ensor’s “Large Seascape”, Henri Matisse’s “Oceania: The Sea” and Marcel Broodthaers’ “Large Pot of Mussels”. The two men promised to meet again at the beginning of January and start on the contemporary artworks. But they didn’t get the chance to have that part of the discussion because, by then, Hoet was seriously ill. Van den Bossche tentatively suggested that the project should continue and, if worst came to worst, become a tribute. Through the family, Van den Bossche learned that Hoet agreed. On 27 February, Hoet died at the age of 77.

Jan always tried to think about the museum without walls, the exhibition without frontiers The exhibition The Sea was turned into a tribute in three ways. First of all, work was selected from Hoet’s previous exhibitions. “We found works in the SMAK collection that are related to the sea, and we also looked at his Documenta from 1992, where, for instance, there was ‘The Arc of Ascent’ by Bill Viola,” Van den Bossche explains. “So we contacted Viola and asked him if this would be a good work to show in Ostend as part of this homage, and he agreed.” This monumental video work, shown in the old Cinema Capitole on Langestraat, shows a man suspended in the air, falling slowly into water. The image is inverted so that the water appears at the top of the screen, and the figure falls upwards. Then the process is reversed, as a man suspended in water appears to fall up into air. This evokes both drowning at sea and more mythical encounters with the elements. The second approach was to contact artists who had been important to Hoet. “We asked the artists themselves to come up with a good work fitting this exhibition, and as an homage.” For example, German artist Thomas Schütte suggested his bust of Alain Colas, a French yachtsman who was lost at sea in 1978. His installation “Belgian Blues”, an arrangement of benches and Rothko-like watercolours made in Ostend, also features in the exhibi-

oever district. But the bulk of the show takes place at Mu.ZEE. “I would have loved to have installed the exhibition with Jan, but we didn’t really discuss it,” says Van den Bossche. “The only homage I could make to him, as a curator, was to do it my way, and not to try to get into his head. That would have been impossible.” However, he did keep in mind a comment from Hoet that an exhibition should be clear but with the possibility of chaos. “There are different definitions of chaos of course, and you can’t just have a chaotic exhibition space. But it’s to do with creating a kind of chaos in the mind of the visitor.” For instance, the first thing you see on entering the museum is a collection of wooden pieces by the German artist Bernd Lohaus, which suggest both driftwood and ship-building. Alongside these are Matisse’s marine silhouettes and “Spirit of St Louis” by Luc Tuymans, a small painting of a plane lost in a blue sky.

strange combinations

From top: Gustave courbet’s “The wave” was chosen for the exhibition by Hoet himself; see the sea through the eyes of the Ghent Altarpiece in kris martin’s “Altar”; “spirit of st louis” by luc Tuymans, based on the first plane that flew non-stop from new york to Paris, over the sea

tion. The third approach was to ask young Flemish artists to make new works. One is Kris Martin’s “Altar”, on the beach in front of the Thermae Palace, which captures the sea in the framework of Van Eyck’s famous Ghent Altarpiece. Another is Vaast Colson’s “Atop the Capstan”, which is exhibited inside the Thermae Palace. For this work, the artist took a recording of Hoet’s voice and rigged up an accordion so that it would play his words. The man and the musical instrument even seem to take a breath at the same time. Spreading the exhibition across Ostend was also important to the Mu.ZEE team. “Jan always tried to go outside the museum as much as possible, thinking about the museum without walls and the exhibition

without frontiers,” Van den Bossche explains. “So we wanted to go beyond the walls of the museum and bring the work into the city.” Other venues include the Church of the Capuchins, which has two beautifully mystical sculptures by American artist James Lee Byars, the Ensor House and De Grote Post cultural centre. Outdoors, there is work at the city’s railway station, around the marina and in Leopoldpark. Hardy souls can take a short ferry ride and a long walk through the docks to find work by Cameroonian artist Pascale Marthine Tayou at a Volvo dealership in the Ooster-

until 19 april

“From an art history perspective, this is a strange combination,” says Van den Bossche. “I wouldn’t go so far as to say that it is chaos, but it is a way of working with this theme of the sea.” It certainly underlines the notion that the sea has meant many different things to artists over the years. Some strive to capture its reality, while others try to find its essence in abstraction or concepts. At one end of the spectrum is Courbet’s painting of a crashing wave, at the other a sheet of paper with “sea” typed over and over, one of American artist Carl Andre’s “One Hundred Sonnets”. Artists have also been obsessed with human interactions with the sea, painting bathers and fishermen, and even themselves at work in the dunes. The exhibition features ships and seashells, maps and postcards, even lighthouses and their keepers. One highlight is “Three Seascapes” by the great British painter JMW Turner, on loan from the Tate Gallery in London. The canvas shows three oil sketches of sea and sky, one of which is painted upside down so that a single sky is shared by two seas. The effect is disorientating and surprisingly modern. The Turner piece hangs opposite Ensor’s atmospheric “Large Seascape”, one of Mu.ZEE’s treasures. “For me, it’s not just having this painting by Turner, which is amazing, but to have the chance, I think for the very first time, to have his work in dialogue with James Ensor,” says Van den Bossche. “That’s very important for this exhibition.” The Tate does not loan its Turners easily, and the painting’s inclusion is another mark of respect for Hoet. “I contacted [Tate director] Nicholas Serota and asked him if, as an homage, they would loan this important Turner painting, and they agreed.” Just as importantly, the public have responded to the idea of the tribute. “We have had more than 30,000 visitors already, and I think before Christmas I will be handing a book to the 40,000th visitor,” says Van den Bossche. “It feels good to see how many people are coming to see this exhibition.”

mu.Zee (and other locations)

Romestraat 11, Ostend

\ bUsIness

weeK in business banking Anbang The Chinese insurance and financial services group has acquired the local Delta Lloyd Bank, an affiliate of the Dutch insurance company, for €219 million. The move is Anbang’s second acquisition in Belgium following its October purchase of the Fidea insurance company. Delta Lloyd Bank operates 55 branches, has 75 independent representatives and employs 570 people locally.

energy Fluxys

The Brussels-based gas transport and pipeline operator is considering the acquisition of a stake in Desfa, the operator of the Greek gas network. The move would be part of a €400 million bid by the Azerbaijan national oil and gas company Socar for a 66% stake in the network.

media roularta

The Brussels-based Roularta, publisher of Knack, Nest and several other Dutch-language magazines, is negotiating the sale of the bulk of its Frenchlanguage activities, including the iconic L’Express, to a group of investors led by the Patrick Drahi, chair of Altice, the cable and telecommunications company, and by the publishers of the French Le Figaro newspaper.

metals Umicore

The Brussels-based metals and materials group is to build a €20 million catalytic converter production unit near Bangkok. The move will allow Umicore to supply the fast-growing south-east Asian market from the second half of 2016.

Pharmaceuticals Ucb

The much-heralded €1.2 billion sale of Kremers Urban, the US generic drugs production affiliate of the Brusselsbased pharmaceutical group, has fallen through following a decision by the US Food and Drug Administration to require further studies on one of the company’s star products.

Property management cofinimmo

The Brussels-based property development and management group has paid €72 million to acquire eight nursing homes and building rights for an additional five in the Netherlands. The move allows Cofinimmo to become a leader in the health services property market.

Ford Genk factory closes

“minute of noise” sends off 4,000 workers from the manufacturing plant alan Hope more articles by Alan \ flanderstoday.eu

enk mayor Wim Dries took part in the “Loudest Post” ceremony to mark the official closure of the Ford factory in Genk, Limburg, last Thursday at 12.30. Citizens, especially those who worked at Ford, were called upon to hold a “moment of noise” with yelling, car horns, pots and pans and bicycle bells. “It’s still emotional, but, like most people here, I’ve made the switch in my head,” Dries told De Morgen. “This is the chronicle of a closure foretold, which started two years ago. There have been fewer and fewer people going to work at the factory every month. Not everyone is gone yet, and there will still be 400 people working over the coming year.” The anger that accompanied the announcement of the closure in October of 2012 has diminished, he said, to be replaced with a cautious hope. Tesla, the American producer of electric cars, is

known to be looking for a factory in Europe, and the government of Flanders would be keen to see CEO Elon Musk opt for Genk. “We’re interested in bringing them here, but I think Elon Musk only has one question: How much subsidy do I get? We have to compete with the Netherlands, France and even Slovakia, so it’s going to be hard. But why should we not be hopeful?” According to Flemish labour minister Philippe Muyters, the question of Tesla moving to Genk is “more of a hope than a reality”. However, talks with other possible partners will be carried out “in complete discretion,” he told parliament. In the meantime, Thursday saw the last Ford Mondeo roll off the assembly line at Genk, and some 4,000 workers join the unemployment figures. “18 December will go down as the darkest day in Limburg’s history,” wrote industry expert Urbain Vandormael in Knack. “Today the

“effects will be felt long afterwards”: workers leave the Ford plant in Genk last Thursday

focus lies on the consequences for those most closely involved, but the effects on purchasing power and economic activity in the province will be felt long afterwards and will cost many more jobs.”

Delhaize unions present terms of “Christmas truce”

Flemish social media site Netlog pulls the plug

Unions representing staff of the supermarket chain Delhaize have received the backing of their members for the terms of a Christmas truce lasting until 6 January – a cessation of hostilities in the long-running battle over restructuring. Last summer, the French-owned supermarket’s management announced a restructuring plan that would involve closing 14 of the 138 stores under its own management across Belgium, and the loss of 2,500 jobs. Franchise stores would not be affected. The announcement led to strike action at stores and at distribution centres, which left many shops with empty shelves for weeks after. The proposed agreement was described by one union representative as “a coherent whole” that was presented to the membership in its entirety. The package was approved by a majority of those voting. Unions have agreed a sort of Christmas truce until 6 January, promis-

Netlog, the Ghent-based social network that was at one point more popular with young people in Flanders than Facebook, is no longer operating. Owners Massive Media have pulled the site, and users are now directed to one of its other properties, Twoo.com. Netlog was first launched as Redbox, an early version of an online community created by two young Gentenaars, Toon Coppens and Lorenz Bogaert, in 1999. In the beginning it was Belgian only, becoming Europe-wide in 2005. In 2007, the two merged Redbox with their other site, Facebox, changed the name to Netlog, and cashed in a venture capital injection of €5 million. The site had 63 million users, and two years later won an award in the category Mainstream and Large Social Networks. Netlog by then was market leader in Europe. By 2011, however, Facebook passed Netlog in local user accounts. Many left their Netlog accounts to lie dormant, but even more

ing no further industrial action in the crucial end-of-year period, a peak time for sales. Delhaize issued a statement promising that “customers will be welcomed for their end-of-year shopping during the coming weeks in a serene atmosphere”. The cease-fire is “linked to a commitment by management to 15 fundamental principles that will be the framework for future negotiations on the restructuring plan,” the Christian union LBC said in a statement. Those include, it said, an end to forced redundancies, income guarantees for remaining staff and new hires and maintenance of premiums. \ AH

netlog founders Toon coppens (left) and lorenz bogaert

deleted their Netlog accounts to move to Facebook. In 2012, Massive Media was bought by US media company IAS for €18.9 million, but IAS was only interested in Twoo.com, the new dating site created by Coppens and Bogaert earlier that year. Twoo currently has about 108 million accounts, 15 million of which are considered active. “We’vestartedmailingour[Netlog] users, who will have the chance to download data from their Netlog archive,” Bogaert told VRT News. “We will also be inviting them to open an account with Twoo.” \ AH

Sanoma’s Flemish magazines taken over by Dutch Finnish media company Sanoma is merging its Belgian and Dutch magazine publishing activities, after failing to find a buyer for its Belgian properties, which include Flair, Story, Libelle and Humo. The new corporate entity will be led by Sanoma’s Dutch executives, although the Belgian activities will continue to be based in Mechelen. “This merger will bring with it a number of growth opportunities that will have to be studied,” said Hans Cools, Sanoma Belgium CEO until the end of the year. The two divisions will also look into opportunities for synergy in their operations. That will involve new products being launched on both sides of the border. But there are no plans to switch to cross-border editions of existing properties, Cools said. The company publishes two versions of Flair and Libelle

for the Dutch and Flemish markets and will continue to do so. “We want to bring our product development and success stories over the border,” commented Henk Scheenstra, who will take over the running of Sanoma Media Belgium as chair of the board. He cited the examples of Dutch online activities nu.nl and the price comparison site kieskeurig.nl. The merger comes after months of talks that aimed to find a buyer for the Belgian magazine division, which was unsuccessful due to an over-supplied and extremely competitive market, said Sanoma. Both De Persgroep, publishers of De Morgen and owners of VTM, and Roularta, publishers of Knack and Trends, showed initial interest before backing away. \ AH

\ InnOVATIOn

december 24, 2014

Finding green solutions

weeK in innOvaTiOn

linear project introduces sustainable energy to flemish homes andy furniere more articles by Andy \ flanderstoday.eu

www.linear-smartgrid.be

ith all the recent talk about the likelihood of electricity brownouts this winter, the issue of energy supplies has become more urgent than ever. The on-going concerns about energy supply have made the findings of a major Flemish research project around flexible and sustainable energy management, presented in Brussels recently, particularly relevant. Launched in 2009, the Linear project unites different stakeholders in the Flemish energy sector around the common goal of examining how to make the supply of wind and solar energy to households more efficient. The project is supported by the government of Flanders and includes partners like research institutes EnergyVille and iMinds, technology businesses fifthplay and Miele and grid management companies Eandis and Infrax. On 9 December, the results of more than five years of research were presented at the GDF Suez headquarters in Brussels. “Our starting point was the realisation that – in order to integrate sustainable energy, like wind and solar, into our electricity network – we need to change the way the electricity system is organised,” explains project leader Wim Cardinaels from EnergyVille. “The electricity system that worked with centralised generation based its production on demand,” he continues. “It generated more energy through resources like nuclear power, oil, gas and coal when the demand increased, and less when there was a surplus of energy. If you use the power of the wind and the sun, you have to adapt to these natural elements.” To examine how consumer energy management could be optimised from a sustainable perspective, the Linear project first collected data on how households use common appliances, like dishwashers, but also electric vehicles. In the second phase of the project, 240 families from across Flanders participated in a test. A group of 55 families received information on the most advantageous times to run their electric devices. This information was shown on a display in their home, six times a day. “The majority of the households in this group, however, quickly stopped paying any mind to the information on the best variable tariffs,” Cardinaels says. “They said that the system was too complex and required too much effort on a daily basis.”

The linear project team presented five years of research to energy minister Annemie Turtelboom (second from left) and other interested parties at a recent conference in brussels

The Linear project provided the rest of the participating households with intelligent, automatic energy management systems. Families could, for example, programme their dishwashers to finish the load before a certain time, such as when they got home from work. The smart system made sure that the dishwasher ran at the most advantageous moment – when the electricity grid showed an energy surplus. In addition to the smart energy systems installed in the homes of the participants, specialised labs were also set up on the premises of project partners. These research efforts led to concrete technological innovations, such as the development of a new type of intelligent boiler. The Linear researchers say that, through successful energy streamlining, the project has demonstrated that a future exists on the consumer market for smart grid systems that work with renewable energy. “We also noticed that families used the automatic systems continuously for the entire 18 months, without growing tired of it,” says Cardinaels. “We concluded that a user-friendly interaction system is essential if you want people to develop a routine in using it.” At the same time, the researchers also emphasised at the recent conference that important challenges remain. “Efforts are still necessary to

encourage a change of mentality towards sustainable energy,” says Cardinaels. “The government has an important role to play in introducing regulations that reward people who use energy efficiently and thus relieve pressure on the electricity grid.” The project also shows that more development is necessary to fine-tune the technology and lower its costs. “But this can go quickly once the consumer market grows,” says Cardinaels. He points to the success of consultancy bureaus that assist small- and medium-sized enterprises in their sustainable energy management as evidence that change is on the horizon. “The next step is finding ways to force a major breakthrough in the energy market,” he says. Flemish energy minister Annemie Turtelboom has confirmed that smart devices that automatically control demand offer many possibilities in avoiding difficult situations like the projected brownouts this winter. “We want to invest in a long-term solution to which this type of research projects contributes,” she says. Referring to the federal government’s recently launched OffOn energy-saving campaign, she said: “For this winter, we are counting on the co-operation of families to enable a ‘manual’ demand control.”

Government invests €4.7 million in climate initiatives Fresh from the climate change conference in Peru, Flemish environment minister Joke Schauvliege (pictured) has been given the green light on her climate initiatives totalling €4.7 million. These “quick win” measures should reduce the region’s carbon dioxide emissions by about half a million tons. The funding comes from the Flemish Climate Fund, a unique instrument that takes in revenue from the sale of emission rights and the collection of fines from airline companies. The government allocated €1.9 million to waste authority Mirom in Roeselare, West Flanders, to create a district heating network between an incineration plant and a greenhouse cultivation cluster.

The network will transport surplus heat from Mirom’s incinerator to the greenhouse cluster RoeselareWest. A second initiative is the investment of €2.25 million in small-scale anaerobic digestion at agricultural companies. Through this process,

organic substances from manure are transformed into biogas, which is used as fuel for a generator that produces electricity. An investment of €450,000, meanwhile, is being made to ensure specialised advice regarding energy consumption is available to tourist agencies and hotels. An advisor will carry out energy scans and propose measures to reduce consumption. Finally, the government has allocated €117,000 to the construction of shore power infrastructure for inland waterway shipping at Evergem in East Flanders and Wijnegem in Antwerp province. The infrastructure will ensure that ships don’t have to use their own generators for the provision of

electricity on board, which reduces both carbon dioxide emissions and noise nuisance. “These projects are part of continued efforts to reach Flanders’ climate goals and to help realise Europe’s global climate commitments,” said Schauvliege. The minister returned this week from the climate change conference in Lima, which she described as “relatively positive”. The 195 participating countries agreed to adopt measures to avert global warming. Most analysts agree that the policies countries plan to pursue to reduce carbon emissions will be minimal, but, said Schauvliege, “we knew that this was only a step on the way to the Paris summit” in a year’s time. \AF

Flanders’ air quality is improving

Air quality in Flanders improved considerably between 2000 and 2013, according to a report by the Flemish Environment Agency. But the amount of pollutants emitted by households and traffic is increasing, and Flanders hasn’t met the European standards for fine dust in the air. The report shows a significant reduction in emissions of substances that create ozone (down 33%), substances that break down ozone (down 82%) and substances responsible for acid rain, like sulphur dioxide (down 73%). However, although the concentration of fine dust has decreased by 2% since 2000, Flanders still doesn’t meet the European standards. The same applies for ozone, arsenic and cadmium.

Virtual training for ms patients

Researchers from the Expertise Centre for Digital Media at Hasselt University and the Rehabilitation & MS Centre Overpelt have developed a digital strength training programme for the rehabilitation of patients who have MS or have had a stroke. The programme enables patients to condition their arm muscles more effectively than before, using software that includes exercises and games. A robot connected to the software determines the intensity of the training programme. The first tests showed that patients experienced increased stability, mobility and muscle endurance. This makes it easier to carry out daily activities, like cooking, using a wheelchair and eating independently. \ www.i-travle.eu

cot death down by 80% Sudden infant death syndrome, also known as cot death, has been cut by 80% in Flanders in 20 years. According to the Agency for Care and Health, 19 babies died from the syndrome in 2012, while in 1994, the number was closer to 100. “We will never succeed in reducing that number to zero,” professor Gunnar Naulaers of Leuven University Hospital told Het Laatste Nieuws. The decrease can be attributed to precautionary measures taken by parents, he said, including putting babies on their backs to sleep and refraining from smoking during pregnancy. Information on these measures was spread by hospitals and family organisations such as Kind en Gezin starting in the 1990s. \ AF

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\ edUcATIOn

december 24, 2014

On happiness

weeK in educaTiOn

school of life teaches students how to live well and think differently andy furniere more articles by Andy \ flanderstoday.eu

www.tHescHooloflife.com/antwerP

he most important lessons in life are not learned at school, the saying goes. But students at The School of Life beg to differ. The lecturers at this international organisation, co-founded by the London-based author and philosopher Alain de Botton and with branches around the world, use insights from different cultural disciplines to improve the day-to-day lives of their students. The first location in Flanders opened a few weeks ago in Antwerp’s city centre. The School of Life in Antwerp captured the public’s attention by inviting de Botton for his first-ever visit to Flanders and by setting up a pop-up restaurant with tables for one person only. The four-day dining concept was part of a thematic School of Life week that addressed the challenges and benefits of solitude. “Dining alone may be perceived as a lonely activity, but it can actually be mentally healthy to disconnect from social interaction and take time for yourself in this way,” explains Yvonne Cox, the founder and director of the Antwerp school. Cox, who is a journalist by trade, was inspired to found the branch after talking to staff members at The School of Life headquarters in London. The School of Life organises special events to translate ideas from the broad cultural field into practicalinsightstobeusedineverydaylife.These one-time events include quirky city tours, theatre performances and lectures by writers and philosophers. For the recent solitude-focused week, the Antwerp chapter invited Nathalie Le Blanc, a

Antwerp school of life founder yvonne cox

The school of life offers a shop, a café and inexpensive courses on life’s big issues

Flemish journalist and School of Life staffer who recently wrote Solo, a book in which she explores why more and more people are choosing to live alone. While the school is situated in Antwerp, the goal is to also set up events in other Flemish cities and in Brussels in the form of one-week summer schools. The activities are usually held in Dutch, but Cox plans the occasional English-speaking event. Every week, the school offers three-hour evening courses on three consecutive nights. These how-to classes deal with themes like work and relationships and are capped at 22 participants. Past workshops have included How to Relate to Your Family, How to Find a Job You Love and How to Be a Better Friend. Again, lessons are typically in Dutch, but English-speaking classes are also sometimes offered. The School of Life lecturers have widely diverging backgrounds – from philosopher Tinneke Beeckman to consultant Serge Ornelis, head of the mediation section of the Belgian defence department. They use course materials from equally diverse fields – from history and neuroscience to visual arts. The materials are provided by the London School of Life headquarters but adapted to the Flemish context. “The purpose of our classes is not to give clear answerstolife’squestions,buttopointoutcertain ideas that can provide participants with a differ-

ent perspective on issues,” says Cox. In the How to Have Better Conversations class, for instance, clips from a Woody Allen film are shown to help demonstrate certain communication problems. The participants, typically of all backgrounds and ages, are encouraged to interact during the classes. “They can discuss with their fellow students how they see their own role in their family, or what they consider as their best professional skills,” Cox explains. She mentions a participant who didn’t like his current job, but in the course of the class realised that he had never truly liked any of his previous jobs, either. “Unhappiness at work can say more about your general emotional state than about the jobs themselves,” notes Cox. While the courses can have a therapeutic effect on participants, the school doesn’t promote its classes as therapy sessions. Cox also points out that the concept behind the School of Life is not new but goes back to Ancient Greece. “At that time, groups of citizens regularly hired philosophers to help them with their problems through their insights,” she explains. Because The School of Life does not receive subsidies, it operates as a commercial venture that includes a bar and a shop, where visitors can buy books or other school materials, like notebooks. The how-to classes cost €45 per person. Companies can also organise day-long workshops for their staff.

Q&a University of Hasselt graduate Thomas Stockx was recently awarded the Alcatel-Lucent Bell MSc Thesis Award for his work on a subway positioning system What’s special about your system? MetroNavigator is an app written for mobile devices that can help users with navigation on underground public transportation systems. You can think of it as a GPS device but for use on the subway, with notifications on when to get off, how many stops or minutes left to your destination, information about nearby points of interest and so on. To be able to do this, I created a new technique called SubwayPS [Subway Positioning System] to interpret the accelerometer data measured by the mobile device. By combining

all this information, we can update the user in real time. You’ve received a lot of attention for this app. How is it being received by the business world? The main purpose of my thesis was to research a good positioning method that would work on underground transport networks, and the app was mostly just a proof of the technique I developed, which allows positioning without infrastructure works such as installing routers. There has been some good feedback from companies in the networking and people-tracking business and the

academic world. The work on the research that I started will probably continue under the guidance of my advisor, professor Johannes Schöning.

You’re now working for a game developer. Any other brilliant ideas in the pipeline? After graduating in July, I relocated to the UK for a job at Boss Alien in Brighton. They are a wellknown mobile games company, with titles such as CSR Racing played by over 100 million people. It’s a lot of fun working on a project that gets played by so many people. As for brilliant ideas, my role at Boss Alien is as a programmer, which means working together with artists and game designers to come up with and implement new features for games that are currently already available. Obviously, I can’t talk about the stuff that’s coming out soon, except for saying that it’s exciting. \ Interview by Alan Hope

lawyer wins prize for civil code update Lawyer Alexandra Vanvooren, an alumnus of Ghent University, has won the Flemish Thesis Prize with her proposals to update the Civil Code in Belgium. The prize is an initiative by the not-for-profit organisation Scriptie, to highlight the academic work of emerging scientific talent. More than 500 students participated. In her thesis, Vanvooren questions the use of gender and physical address for the judicial identification of citizens. “Via a thorough overview of historical sources, Vanvooren demonstrated in an accessible way how the Civil Code was established and is at the basis of gender inequality and an archaic vision of society with the family as a cornerstone,” said the chair of the jury, Marleen Finoulst, editorin-chief of Bodytalk magazine.

klasse to focus on teachers

Klasse, the Flemish education department’s multimedia platform, has presented its plan for the future. Klasse has had to adjust its publication schedule because of budget cuts. At one point, it thought it would have to cancel all its print publications – separate magazines for teachers, students and parents – and be available only online. Klasse 2020 sets out the procedures for the next five years, beginning on 1 September. The website will be relaunched and the organisation will be more active on social media. It will also collaborate more with other media. There will still be a printed magazine – a new publication for teachers published four times per academic year.

UGent begins orientation tests

Ghent University (UGent) is introducing orientation tools to help students make the transition from secondary to higher education. According to rector Anne De Paepe, the university will help final-year pupils in secondary education via an online self-evaluation tool that examines which study areas correspond with their interests and capacities. The tool is called Simon, short for Studievaardigheden en Interesse Monitor, or Study Skills and Interest MONitor. During their first week, students at UGent will be required to take the Simon test, which will examine their knowledge, discipline and reasoning capacity. Simon will generate an expected pass rate percentage for a certain field of study. The results will be used to create an individual profile of the student. \ AF

\ lIVInG

weeK in acTiviTies winter nights at bokrijk

The open-air museum is closed for the winter except for five magical evenings between Christmas and New Year. Enjoy a retro carnival with old-fashioned rides, historical atmosphere, holiday decorations, entertainment, warm food and drink. Fireworks every night at 20.30. 26-30 December, 16.00-21.00, Bokrijklaan 1, Genk; €6 \ www.bokrijk.be

Glühwein walk in the Voerstreek A two-hour guided nature walk through the countryside (in Dutch), ending with a glass of warme wijn. 26 December, 14.00, departs from Pley 13, ’s Gravenvoeren, reserve via info@voerstreek.be or 043 81 07 36 \www.voerstreek.be

christmas Parades A fun parade with costumed performers, colourful floats, singing and dancing and lots of holiday cheer. 27 December in Lier, 28 December in Kortrijk, 18.00; free \ www.kerstparade.be

medieval winter event Twelfth annual winter event at Abbey Museum Ten Duinen, with fighting knights, live music, storytelling, birds of prey, archery and crafts. Free admission for anyone in medieval costume. 27 December, 14.00-18.00, Abdijmuseum Ten Duinen 1138, Koninklijk Prinslaan 6, Koksijde; €5 ( free for under-12s) \ http://nl.tenduinen.be

saints and sinners walk A night-time guided tour of Antwerp, featuring stories and legends about the world of good and evil, belief and superstition, that once governed city life. You’ll meet inspired souls who tried to earn their place in heaven – and those whose religious zeal went too far. 26 December, 21.00, reserve via the website; €10 \ www.ghostwalk.be

winter wonders circus Breathtaking circus acts, clowns, acrobats and musicians, brought together in a delightful holiday story that begins with a travelling gypsy family. Until 4 January, Provinciaal Domein De Schorre, Schommelei 1, Boom; €10-35 \ www.circusevents.be

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The day the guns fell silent

on christmas day 1914, opposing soldiers shared a moment of humanity leo cendrowicz more articles by leo \ flanderstoday.eu

ne hundred years ago this Christmas, a day of fraternity in Flanders’ fields passed into fable. The Christmas truce of 1914 is remembered as a moment of compassion amid the carnage of the First World War, of spontaneous solidarity between opposing soldiers, and perhaps the most flagrantly subversive football match in history. Although it had almost no bearing on the course of the war on the western front, the Christmas truce still has the power to inspire. In recent weeks, commemorations have been held in Flanders and beyond, recognising this rare respite from the war’s relentless catalogue of horrors. Earlier this month, Michel Platini, the president of European football authority UEFA, unveiled a sculpture near the village of Ploegsteert in Wallonia honouring the football matches played during the lull. A few days before, another memorial, designed by students from two schools in Germany and the UK, was inaugurated at the Peace Village in Mesen, West Flanders. In Britain, Prince William unveiled a football sculpture celebrating the truce, the Royal Shakespeare Company has put on a specially commissioned play about it, and retailer Sainsbury’s and the British Legion recently broadcast a controversial four-minute tear-jerking commercial dramatising the events of the day. Commemorative football matches have taken place across Europe, including a tournament in Flanders that brought youth teams from Belgium, England, Scotland, France, Austria and Germany to play. There have also been fictional depictions over the years, from the 1969 film Oh! What a Lovely War to 2005’s Joyeux Noël (Merry Christmas). Today, the Christmas truce has

The christmas truce football match of 1914 has become an iconic symbol of goodwill

become so mythologised that some even question whether it really happened. Yet it is rooted in facts. There certainly was a truce – or rather, many truces all along the long line of trenches that ran from the North Sea to Switzerland. From private letters and diaries, officer reports and blurred photographs, we know that soldiers met in No Man’s Land that day, and, yes, even played football.

The Christmas truce football match of 1914 has become an iconic symbol of goodwill There does not appear to have been any deeply thought-out game plan, or organised scheme among the soldiers on either side. Nonethe-

less, the reports all talk of informal appeals at various points along the line. In most accounts, the initiative comes from the German side. Days before, German soldiers started putting small fir trees – tannenbaum – on the parapet of their trenches, with candles clamped on to provide a seasonal glow. Letters talk of soldiers then calling out across to the other side, with messages like “Hello Fritz!” and “Merry Christmas, Tommy!” One account talked of how on Christmas morning, Germans sang their carols and the British sang “O Come, All Ye Faithful”, with the Germans joining in with the same hymn to the Latin words, Adeste fideles. After establishing a line of communication, the next steps would have been the most precarious, as they tentatively breached the idea of ceasing hostilities for the day. One report tells of Germans holding up signs bearing a phrase in broken English: “You no shoot, we no shoot.” The main motivations, however, were practical: Both sides had an interest in burying the dead that had piled up between them since the war started. A truce would allow them to

biTe the province that keeps on giving For a province that forms a circle around the bustling metropolis of Brussels, Flemish Brabant certainly is rural. It’s an area that’s surprisingly rich in farmland and the products of local artisans. In addition to things like witloof, grapes, apples, pears, mushrooms and asparagus, Flemish Brabant is known for producing its own speciality beers and wines, jams, honey, chocolate, cookies and more. A basket of local products makes for the ideal Christmas gift, and many of the goodies from Flemish Brabant can be picked up at a long list of selling points throughout the province. And have you ever thought of putting a meal on the table over the holidays that incor-

porates some of these fine regional ingredients? Flemish celebrity chef and Tervuren resident Jeroen De Pauw has, and his recipes are bundled into a new cookbook. As ambassador of the initiative to promote Flemish Brabant’s regional products, De Pauw wrote the cookbook Straffe Streekgerechten (Excellent Regional Dishes) to inspire people to do more with all that witloof and beer. “People who buy a basket of regional products will get my handy recipe book along with it, so they can get creative in the kitchen with the local produce,” he told Het Nieuwsblad. “There’s a lot of cooking going on in Flanders during the festive season. And food tastes even better when

clear the lines. Whoknowswhatwasracingthrough the minds of the first soldiers to emerge from the trenches, uncertain whether the other side could keep their word, yet determined to trust in the spirit of Christmas cheer? But the trust was repaid as they met in the centre, shook hands and embraced. Conversation might have been difficult, but there seems to have been enough language between the two sides to convey their goodwill. Mementoes such as buttons, belt buckles and the famous German spiked Pickelhaube helmets were exchanged, along with more immediately useful gifts: tobacco, food, alcohol. And then there was the football. Whiletherearenoconfirmedreports of organised 11-a-side matches between British and German forces, there were, indeed, chaotic kickabouts up and down the line, usually with dozens of participants and no obvious rules. The truce was not observed everywhere. Nerves sometimes gave way to panic and gunfire. And in some places, commanders ignored the pleas and shot those crawling out from the other side, just as they would have the day before. Even more poignant is what happened afterwards. There would be no more Christmas truces in the following years. Generals and politicians on both sides were alarmed by what they saw as a breach of discipline and threatened court martial for any further fraternisation. Nonetheless, the memories of that truce in the mud 100 years ago are still with us. They are remembered as a small triumph of a common humanity, a magical pause in the horrors of the trenches and the senseless waste of life, and a reason to raise a cheer this Christmas.

www.straffestreek.be

it’s made with local ingredients.” Along with the gift baskets and cookbook, the region’s also showing off its local products with a new Straffe Streek calendar, featuring surprising photographs of the products laden with artisanal allure. This year’s calendar highlights several products for their authenticity and purity, from jams and waffles to

lambic beer and tripe. The photographs come from Studio Wauters, a top culinary photographer from Overijse. For the most authentic holiday gift baskets, calendars and end-ofyear cooking inspiration, head to one of the participating Flemish Brabant retailers – see the website for details. \ Robyn Boyle

december 24, 2014

The best reads of 2014

make the most of those winter nights with a bit of homegrown literature rebecca benoot more articles by rebecca \ flanderstoday.eu

pursued by inevitable tragedy, Jack’s escapades and Terrin’s literary craftsmanship will linger in the reader’s memory.

he days are dark, cold and wet: in other words, the perfect time of year to close the curtains and curl up in front of the fire with a cup of tea. The only thing missing from this soothing picture is a book, one that will distract you from the dreary weather and transport you to a fictional world. As a little inspiration, here are the most outstanding Flemish novels of 2014, for you to read – and share – this holiday season.

Kom hier dat ik u kus (Come Here So I Can Kiss You) Griet Op de Beeck • Prometheus

Journalist Griet Op de Beeck’s debut novel, Vele hemels boven de zevende (Many Heavens Above the Seventh), was an unexpected bestseller in Flanders and is soon to be made into a movie. Her second novel, Kom hier dat ik u kus, follows Mona, a nine-year-old who loses her mother, until she is an independent 35-year-old who has to say goodbye to her beloved father. It’s a beautiful and funny portrait of a courageous woman scared to make mistakes while following her heart – a soap opera as well as a tale about a peculiar family, talented artists and egotistical men. It’s a novel to be savoured.

Oorlog en terpentijn (War and Turpentine) Stefan Hertmans • De Bezige Bij

Though this novel was published in the autumn of 2013, Oorlog en terpentijn (War and Turpentine) won so many prizes this year, we’ve decided to include it here. And besides, it hasn’t been surpassed this year. It is, without a doubt, one of the best novels published in Flanders over the last several years, winning multiple awards, including the prestigious AKO Literature Prize last month. Author Stefan Hertmans’ grandfather, Urbain Martien, was a corporal who fought in the First World War. He later wrote an account of this harrowing experience and handed it to his grandson just before his death in 1981. It took Hertmans 30 years to muster up the courage to read it. Eventually, though, he did much more: He turned the account into a novel to honour his grandfather, a man who once gave him a watch when he was a boy, a meaningful heirloom that was shattered in the hands of a clumsy young Stefan. It was an event that stayed with him and filled him with guilt and the determination not to let his grandfather down a second time. Based solely on his grandfather’s notes, Hertmans’ beautifully written novel overflows with striking imagery and raw emotions. During the Belle Époque, the well-educated Céline marries a poor and ailing painter. Their son, Urbain, inherits his father’s love for painting and restoration, a passion that has to be put on hold when the war starts. In the first part of Oorlog en terpentijn, Hert-

chronicle of a family: stefan Hertmans

mans reconstructs his grandfather’s childhood – his relationship with his parents and his education. In the second part, the point of view shifts, and Urbain becomes the narrator instead of Hertmans himself, based on the account he left behind of his own experiences during the slaughter of 1914-18. Urbain eventually becomes a war hero but is crippled by the conflict none the less. The book goes on to recount the love of his life and his eventual marriage, from which Hertmans’ mother is born. This is where the notes that Urbain left his grandson end. The remainder of Oorlog en terpentijn is based on many long conversations with relatives, concluding an intricate and inwardlooking saga. Hertmans tells this harrowing piece of family history with poise and compassion, showing us with intimate detail how lives can be shattered by a single brushstroke.

Woesten Kris Van Steenberge • Vrijdag

Former teacher Kris Van Steenberge’s first book, which won the Bronze Owl for a debut novel in October, is a real Flemish gem, a clas-

sic story set in a rural village where the locals experience love, tragedy and, ultimately, war. At the end of the 19th century in a village called Woesten, young Elisabeth is ready to spread her wings until she discovers that she is pregnant and is forced to marry the father. She gives birth to twins: the beautiful Valentijn and his horribly disfigured brother, who remains nameless. As 1914 approaches, war isn’t the only tragedy to strike this quiet town. Woesten is epic, elegant and sumptuous storytelling.

Monte Carlo Peter Terrin • De Bezige Bij

Peter Terrin follows up his award-winning novel Post Mortem with this story revolving around Formula 1 racing. In Monte Carlo during the summer of 1968, mechanic Jack Preston saves the life of a young (and voluptuous) actress named DeeDee, and we follow his descent from adoration to self-preservation. Terrin’s subdued style turns this potentially sensational joyride into a work of art where no stone is left unturned. Not a word in this condensed novel is superfluous. As he’s

Kaddisj voor een kut (Kaddish for a Cunt) Dimitri Verhulst • Atlas / Contact

In De helaasheid der dingen (The Misfortunates), Dimitri Verhulst wrote a semi-autobiographical tale about his far-from-rosy childhood in small-town Flanders. After several more novels of varying degrees of success, he was back this year with another harrowing story that relates his time as a youth in a juvenile housing facility. The first part of this short book deals with the funeral of Gianna, a beautiful girl in the institution who commits suicide, leading to a complaint about the church’s hypocrisy. The second part shines a light on two former detainees who kill their children to protect them from their stigmatised future. Dark, condensed and eloquent: This is trademark Verhulst, in the best sense.

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december 24, 2014

Smiling in the dark

comic michael van Peel looks for the brightness in a very dark year tom Peeters more articles by Tom \ flanderstoday.eu

\ www.micHaelvanPeel.be

His comedy show about 2014 is the darkest Michael Van Peel has ever written. “It was really hard to keep it funny this time,” the Flemish stand-up comedian and newspaper columnist admits, as he starts a new tour at the end of a very turbulent year.

hen he started preparations for his fifth annual comedy review, 36-year-old comedian Michael Van Peel was reminded by his notebooks that the year had started promisingly. “We were all ‘one world’, enjoying the sunny weather, dancing to Pharell Williams’ ‘Happy’,” he says. “All the political parties were promising us that they would keep the retirement age at 65. And no one had ever heard of IS or ISIS, or even MH17.” It’s true that the national and internationalturmoil–anationalstrike, a new Cold War and remorseless terrorism – only began in the second half of the year. So it’s not surprising that Van Peel (pictured) has constantly been searching for smiles in the dark. “I’m now trying to bring some more light into the show,” he says after a successful 90-minute performance in the cultural centre of Aarschot in Flemish Brabant. There’s still a bit of time left for changes before the live recording of the show in Antwerp’s Arenbergschouwburg, which will be broadcast several times on Flemish radio and TV between Christmas and New Year’s Day. “I’m trying to ease the harsh jokes with some silliness,” he says. “But sadly, silly things have been rare this year. It’s been very hard not to become cynical when watching the news. What can you say about the Israel-Palestine conflict after another failed ‘peace process’?” Still, by mostly avoiding the blackest of humour he keeps

on entertaining his public with a show that’s part comedy, part storytelling (with many references to his intelligent, thoughtprovoking columns about society in Flemish daily De Morgen).

utors of fear – often politicians. “Make no mistake, I’m not laughing at the suffering, only at the reporting about it in our media and social media, and the effects these actions have on us. My only

My only weapon against fear is humour Even in these difficult circumstances, there are funny monologues. Like everybody else in the audience, Van Peel would have liked to see the face of the young suicide bomber who made the mistake of arriving an hour early at the scene. “It really happened, and it had something to do with daylight saving time,” Van Peel smiles. “The best jokes are often those you don’t have to come up with yourself.” So the ‘loser terrorism’ of IS, Boko Haram and warriors in Syria is a big topic, just like other distrib-

weapon against fear is humour.” The idea behind the Van Peel Survives… comedy shows is not to give a chronological summary of what’s happened in the past year. “Instead, I want to capture this one zeitgeist idea that will remain and will be remembered,” he explains. From his former acts, we remember, for instance, that Big Brother is watching us. This year that big idea could just as well be the polarised world in which we live. “It seems to have become only more polarised, by spreading more fear.”

For Van Peel, making a comedy show doesn’t begin by coming up with jokes. Often it starts in a bar with fellow comedians, drinking and chatting. “But that doesn’t prevent my first attempts from being a disaster,” he admits. “Basically, I just start talking, with hardly any jokes at all. Slowly they slip into the story, and then it’s a matter of finding the right balance between the talking and the joking. In the meantime, I try to remember [ fellow comic] Alex Agnew’s advice: ‘If they ain’t laughing, it’s just a guy talking’.” Van Peel’s ease at talking and arguing is rooted in his youth. “My father was a doctor and a local politician. As a public figure, he encouraged discussions around the dinner table. Arguing loudly was rather common in our family, which was represented by various colours and parties.” The fact that

until 6 february

Van Peel’s sister became a member of the Flemish nationalist party N-VA, for example, did not hinder discussions. Still, as a kid he used to be a bit of a loner, hidden between his books and CDs. “I made a little headquarters of my bedroom, surrounded by encyclopaedias and a modem with early internet connection, which allowed me to chat and download files at the speed of a fax machine. I’ve always been a bit nerdy,” he laughs. Contrary to popular belief, he says, comedians are not the most social of creatures. “I stand in front of an audience, but I’m there all by myself, doing a monologue. Musicians are better off: At least they’re surrounded by colleagues.” So it took him a long time to take the stage. He remembers his nephews playing with theatre but being scared to join them. “I had cold feet,” he admits. “During creative summer camps, I always hid in the broom cupboard when we finally had to present the theatre piece we had prepared.” After entering university to try his hand at chemistry, he graduated as a commercial engineer with the idea that he might become a manager, or a banker, or start a business, like his friends. It’s only due to his friend Nigel Williams, the Antwerp-based comedian with British roots, that he ended up on a stage. “He pushed me from the right to the wrong track,” says Van Peel, who finally made his comedy debut in 2005. “But my first public appearance was like a shot of heroin. I was addicted right away. I wanted more, and, though it never got as good as that very first shot, and sometimes I felt like I was dying up there, I never gave up. And look at me now: I keep on surviving.”

Van Peel survives

Across Flanders

mOre perFOrmance This weeK

ith the school holidays in mind, here’s our pick of more stage shows this week, good for the whole family

metro boulot dodo (5+)

nevski Prospekt

Slapstick, theatre and dance meet in Nevski Prospekt’s wordless show about the strange and otherworldly Herman, who discovers it’s worth being yourself, even if you’re not like anyone else. 28 December, 15.00, Bronks, Brussels

\ www.bronks.be

cowboys huilen niet (cowboys don’t cry, 7+)

laika & bonteHond

Brothers Gert and Jo Jochems play two cowboys (pictured), inventions of Gerda Dendooven, the celebrated illustrator and writer of children’s books. After they lose their mother and another brother disappears, they decide to look for a new life behind the horizon of the seemingly endless prairie. 27 December to 4 January, 15.00, De Studio, Antwerp (on tour until 29 May), in Dutch

\ www.laika.be

Het vertrek van de mier (the ant’s departure, 6+) Het Paleis, toneelhuis & kunstZ

Stage director Guy Cassiers directed and adapted the book by Dutch writer Toon Tellegen about an ant who’s departing for another country. All emotions concerned with leaving and missing a loved one are present in this ambitious collaboration between the main Antwerp theatre houses and socio-artistic organisation kunstZ. Until 25 January, 15.00, Het Paleis, Antwerp, in Dutch

\ www.HetPaleis.be

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weeK in arTs & culTure de munt director named leader of the year

Peter de Caluwe, general director of De Munt opera house in Brussels, has been named Leader of the Year by the Belgian magazine Lobby. Lobby Awards are given out annually to personalities seen as opinion leaders who inspire through their capacity for communication. Born in Dendermonde, De Caluwe worked as communications director and then as artistic director of the Dutch National Opera in Amsterdam before returning to Belgium to take over as general director at De Munt in 2007.

walter de buck dies aged 80

Ghent folk singer and sculptor Walter De Buck died at the weekend of cancer at the age of 80. De Buck is credited with reviving the Gentse Feesten in the 1960s, transforming it from the fun fair it had become to the world’s largest street theatre and outdoor music festival. He performed every year at the festival on the stage near the Trefpunt cafe, which he also opened in the 1960s. In more recent years, De Buck founded Loods 13, which offers arts-related construction work to the unemployed. De Buck is responsible for much of Ghent’s public artworks, including a totem-like sculpture in Bij Sint-Jacobs square and the Morisco dancers, perched on a rooftop between Sint-Baaf ’s cathedral and Sint-Niklaas church.

Border patrol

flemish photographer nick Hannes on natural and man-made fences tom Peeters more articles by Tom \ flanderstoday.eu

The crisis in Greece, refugees in Lampedusa, revolutions in the Arab world, bombs in Gaza: The countries surrounding the Mediterranean haven’t been exactly quiet in recent years. Antwerp photographer Nick Hannes has been a curious eyewitness.

“T

he Pacific may have the most changeless, ageless aspect of any ocean, but the Mediterranean Sea celebrates the continuity of Man.” The observation of the British historian and sailor Ernle Bradford accompanies a new exhibition and book by Flemish photographer Nick Hannes. “He spent half his life sailing the Mediterranean and wrote a fist-thick reference work about its history and cross-pollination of cultures,” the 40-year-old photographer says after observing the region through his own lens for the Antwerp exhibition Mediterranean: The Continuity of Man. It took Hannes 20 trips over four years. “It remains unique on the map of the world: a sea at the intersection of three continents, a relatively short distance from each other,” he says. “There’s a reason why this region is considered the cradle of our civilisation.” As in his previous long-term project on the former Soviet Union, The Red Journey, Hannes tries to keep his distance in order to transcend the news of the day. But this proved a major issue since the region has been in constant turmoil since his first trip in 2010. And though the term “continuity” in the title often has positive connotations, you can ask yourself if this is still true for the countries surrounding the Mediterranean. Hannes shows that the sea has become more of a barrier than an intersection. “Economically, it is still a very important corridor, but we see more countries sealing off their borders with fences.” His lens only wanted to register, but behind the images you can see the irony and indignation.

de munt cuts dance programme

Flemish choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker has criticised Brussels’ De Munt opera house for cutting dance performances from its programme entirely. De Keersmaeker’s company Rosas, also based in Brussels, is world-famous, having performed in some of the most prestigious cultural institutions in the world, including New York’s Lincoln Centre and the National Opera of Paris. “The news … overwhelms me by its incredibility,” De Keersmaeker said in a statement. “This development contrasts sharply with the importance of Brussels as one of the dance capitals of the world.”

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www.fotomuseum.be

I’m not telling the story of a refugee, I’m looking at the systems separating groups of people Hannes’ approach is less anecdotal than in his photos of the former Soviet Union, basically because his images deal with themes far closer to home. In between the crises, wars and revolutions, his eyes glance towards the deprivation of landscapes, the costs of mass tourism and urban development and the way we (mis) manage scarce open space. “My photos have always been more about how we shape our environment than about individuals,” he explains. “I’m not telling the personal story of a refugee, I’m looking at the systems separating groups of people by fences. A cemetery of boats in Lampedusa is a better and more symbolic metaphor to me than a pile of body bags.”

The mediterranean through the lens of nick Hannes: the sabanci mosque in Adana, Turkey; Asylum-seekers in Greece; saint-Tropez, France

His trip to the Italian island was one of his last but most moving journeys. Hannes arrived only a few days after a ramshackle boat coming from Libya sank; 360 African migrants drowned. “It was a bizarre experience,” he says. “There’s a summer vibe among tourists flying to Lampedusa from the Italian mainland, but they are drinking their coffee at the same beach terraces where you see black Africans who survived the traumatic trip from the other side.” These contrasts are all over the exhibition in Antwerp’s FotoMuseum. You notice a huge Nigerian man staring into the horizon at the Moroccan coastline, dreaming of the other side. Hannes leaves the question unanswered, but the visitor can wonder if he really wants this “illegal”, often homeless life, trying to sell imitation watches to sunbathers and surviving in the periphery of an unknown city. Most of the Flemish photographer’s images don’t reguire explanation. On one side of the room you see a large crowd of members of the Muslim Brotherhood on Tahrir Square in Cairo, on the other young people partying in Ibiza. On both sides, they have their hands in the air. Or take his symbolic series of empty petrol stations in Greece. The contrast with the exuberance on board a cruise liner – it could be visiting Greek heritage – is obvious. Hannes is not interested in the jewels of civilisation. “It explains,” he says, “why there are no photos of Venice here.” It was only if he detected a common ground between mass tourism, migration and city development, and found a place where cultures met, that he became intrigued. The harshest meetings – those involving roadblocks, bombs and fences, some natural (Lampedusa) but mostly man-made (Cyprus, Gaza and other war zones) – were the ones that left the most traces; on a personal level, as well. “A book about the Mediterranean, yeah sure,” he was told at a military checkpoint in Libya,

when he asked if he could take pictures of the ghost town of Tawergha, a former pro-Gaddafi bastion. “We can see only pictures of demolished buildings. Why aren’t there any fishing ports or beaches on your memory card?” Accused of espionage, Hannes spent two nights in jail waiting for the Belgian consulate to have him freed. He could never have predicted any of this when he started his project in 2010. “I was in Morocco, working on a series about the Spanish enclaves, when I heard the news about the revolution in nearby Tunisia. While my project evolved, the domino effect kept going.” And he kept travelling. The most intense and exhausting part is the searching itself, he explains. Most of the time he knew what he was looking for, but he also needed a bit of luck. “I did underestimate the whole project a bit,” he admits. For parts of the trips, he took along his partner and twin daughters, all in a camper van. For destinations further afield, he took planes and travelled alone using public transport. To get into Gaza and Libya, he worked with a fixer. “Every time, you see different things,” he says. At the moment, there are no plans for another such major project. “First I want to show these photos, hopefully in the Mediterranean region, too.” He’s already part of the Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art, wrapping up this month, “but I would love to go to the French photo festivals, too.” The next project, he thinks, will be something closer to home. “Perhaps a bit more personal.”

until 1 february Fotomuseum

Waalsekaai 47, Antwerp

\ AGendA

december 24, 2014

100% Belgian

cOncerT

Be Film Festival 26-30 december

he Be Film Festival in Brussels is one of the few places where movies from Flanders and French-speaking Belgium can be seen on an equal footing. Now in its 10th edition, the festival takes stock of the year gone by in Belgian cinema and offers a sneak preview of films to come in 2015. The Flemish preview is Lucifer by Gust Van den Berghe, the final film in the director’s trilogy dealing with humanity’s emerging consciousness. Expelled from Heaven, the rebel angel Lucifer passes through a remote Mexican town on his way to Hell, bringing knowledge of sin to the previously

Ghent Midnight Blue Birds & their Sentimental Gentlemen: Close harmony singing group known to evoke feelings of war-time nostalgia with a diverse repertoire of danceable swing and sensuous ballads. 26 December 20.0022.00, Herberg Macharius, Voorhoutkaai 43

bozar & cinematek, brussels www.befilmfestival.be

innocent community. Like its predecessors, Little Baby Jesus of Flandr and Blue Bird, Van den Berghe’s film (pictured) features non-professional actors and is presented in an unusual visual style, this time in a format the director calls “tondoscope”. This was inspired by the use of circles in mediaeval religious paintings. Van den Berghe will be on hand to explain himself, as will several other directors featured in the retrospective. One not to miss is Bullhead director Michaël R Roskam, who will be presenting his Hollywood debut, The Drop. This excellent slow-burning New York

www.burenvandeabdij.be

thriller stars Tom Hardy, Matthias Schoenaerts and, in his final role, the late James Gandolfini. Other Flemish directors set to appear include Jonas Govaerts with boy-scout horror film Welp, Douglas Boswell with kids’ adventure Labyrinthus and Bas Devos with troubled teen drama Violet. Meanwhile, actor Evelien Bosmans will introduce Marina, Stijn Coninx’s biopic of Italian singer Rocco Granata, who immigrated

to Flanders in the 1940s. On the French-speaking side, the highlight is Deux jours, une nuit (Two Days, One Night) by the Dardenne brothers, widely considered to be the best Belgian film of 2014. Luc Dardenne and the film’s co-star, Fabrizio Rongione, will introduce the film. Also highly recommended is Marion Hansel’s La Tendresse (Tenderness), again introduced by the director. \ Ian

Mundell

eXhibiTiOn

new year’s eve

fashion art eu

Happy brussels

until 15 may

Parlamentarium, brussels www.euroParl.euroPa.eu/visiting

30-31 december, 22.00

Brussels’ Parlamentarium is the citizen’s go-to for all things European Parliament. A font of both historical facts and the news of the day, the multimedia visitor centre also hosts collaborative cultural projects like Fashion Art EU. This exhibition was conceived by Madrid’s Fashion Art Institute as a way to express the diversity of the European Union and the shared values at its heart. Each of the 28 member states is represented by a unique sartorial ensemble, fusing contemporary design and traditional forms. In keeping with the Parlamentarium’s democratic principles, entry is free. \ Georgio

Happy Brussels is your chance to discover the capital and ring in the New Year in one – or more – of its trendy night spots. Organisers have put together a network of tourist attractions, shops and dance clubs. One pass gives you free entry to the iconic Atomium and the Galeries Cinema, which is currently showing the photography of American film director David Lynch, as well as discounts at select shops. After the sightseeing and shopping, Happy Brussels is your all-access pass to 10 New Year’s parties at venues as happening as the capital’s legendary rave club Fuse. \ GV

classical

cOncerT

Valentino

latvian Presidency concert 16 January, 20.00 The Presidency of the Council of the European Union entails certain agenda-setting prerogatives and administrative responsibilities. It’s also a great excuse to build bridges culturally. In the New Year the Italians yield the presidency to Latvia, who kick off their term with a performance by one of the Baltic nation’s most celebrated singers, Elina Garanca. She and conductor Karel Mark Chichon (pictured) lead the National Orchestra of Belgium through an epic programme spanning several centuries and an entire continent. The programme includes canonical works by Berlioz and Tchaikovsky and contemporary pieces by Latvian composers Andris Dzenitis and Eriks Esenvalds. \ GV

bozar, brussels

www.boZar.be

selah sue 18 april

Flemish singer-songwriter Selah Sue made a splash with her eponymous debut album in 2011. She rode the wave all the way to the US where she recorded a duet with soul man Cee-Lo Green and earned a nod from Rolling Stone magazine. After previewing a wealth of new material at recent performances, she promises to deliver her second album in 2015. She’s celebrating with a European tour in the spring. Tickets for the only concert in Belgium are already on sale and going fast. \ GV © marco borggreve

visual arTs Hasselt Van Grimm tot Sinterklaas (From Grimm to St Nicholas): Illustrations by French artist Charlotte Dematons who won awards for her drawings in Nederland, Sinterklaas and a collection of Grimm fairy tales, plus activities for kids. Until 18 April, Literair Museum, Bampslaan 35 www.literairmuseum.be

bruges

Across brussels www.HaPPybrussels.com

Bruges at War: One hundred years after the German invasion of Bruges, the city is commemorating the Great War with three photo exhibitions, one curated by Flemish historian Sophie De Schaepdrijver, who looks at daily life in the occupied city, and two featuring the work of Carl De Keyzer and other Magnum photographers. Until 22 February, Stadshallen, Markt 7 www.brugge1418.be

Film brussels

get tic

kets n ow

Tim Burton cycle: On the occasion of the release of the eccentric American director’s latest film, Big Eyes, Cinematek screens Burton’s greatest films, including Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, Edward Scissorhands and Beetlejuice. 24 December to 30 January, Cinematek, Baron Hortastraat 9 www.cinematek.be

FOOd&drinK lotto Arena, Antwerp www.lotto-arena.be

Across Flanders New Year’s Drink: Many Flemish cities host a complimentary New Year’s drink (nieuwjaarsreceptie or nieuwjaarsdrink) for their residents to ring in 2015, including Mechelen, Antwerp and Ghent. Throughout January across Flanders www.uitinvlaanderen.be

leuven Taste of Stars: Several Leuven restaurants invite Italian Michelin-starred chefs to serve gastronomic menus at affordable prices in pop-up restaurants. 12-17 January, Officina Clandestina, SintAntoniusberg 6 www.tasteofstars.com

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december 24, 2014

Talking Dutch the sign that makes everyone cross

In response to: Police union action follows national strike Chris J Weeda I had no problem on the brommer. Just rode quietly past them on the bike path

derek blyth more articles by derek \ flanderstoday.eu

ou have road signs in Flanders warning about all sorts of unexpected hazards. They are sometimes put up to alert speeding drivers to spelende kinderen – children playing. Or they might warn motorists that wild boar are roaming around. But until now there hasn’t been a sign warning drivers to slow down for old people. The municipality of Beersel in Flemish Brabant has now filled that little gap in the signage landscape by installing a road sign that announces to the speeding driver: Opgelet! Overstekende ouderen – Warning! Old people crossing. Britain and the Netherlands already have a sign to warn drivers to be careful of elderly people crossing the street. But this is believed to be a first here. The symbol shows a doddery old couple, with the man supporting himself on a stick as they cross the road. Nice idea, you might think. But a lot of people are anything but pleased. The Flemish motoring organisation Touring believes the council doesn’t have the authority to install a new traffic sign. “Het is onaanvaardbaar dat lokale overheden de wettelijke bepalingen aan hun laars lappen” – It’s unacceptable for local authorities to take the law into their own hands, a spokesperson said, “en op een onwettige manier elk hun eigen verkeersreglement beginnen te maken” – and illegally start to introduce traffic rules. Members of Ouderenraad – the organisation for the elderly – is even crosser because it creates a negative image of older people, they say. Not every old person hobbles along with a stick, they argue. “Als gemeentes oudere inwoners echt willen helpen” – If local councils

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In response to: Talking Dutch: The sign that makes everyone cross Angela Emsen-Danielidou Discriminating and sexist! Why is the old lady walking behind the man?

In response to: Hostage situation in Ghent was hoax, says prosecutor Rob Mitchell They’ll get the invoice to think about over the holidays.

really want to help older people, said a spokesperson, “kunnen zij maar beter de verkeerslichten langer op groen laten voor wie oversteekt” – they would do better to leave the traffic lights on green longer for people who are crossing. Beersel insists it won’t take down the sign near the Zennehart nursing home. “We gaan elke week in de zomer wandelen” – We go out for a walk every week in the summer, explained staff member Lynn De Schutter in an interview with VRT news. “De autos die hierbij rijden gaan niet echt stoppen” – The cars that drive round here don’t really stop. De Schutter denies that the sign creates a negative image of old people and says it had to feature a symbol that would capture drivers’ attention. “It has to be a clear sign,” she insisted. Some would argue it’s is a clear sign that Beersel is out of touch.

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Poll

a. Of course! Any self-respecting capital should have one, especially the capital of Europe

36% b. No, the collection should all go back to the city’s Royal Museums of Fine Arts where it came from in the first place

27% c. No, and all that art shouldn’t stay in Brussels. The collection should be shared among the country’s other modern art museums

36% So what should become of the art now? Well, a majority of people thought Brussels hadn’t much of a case; either the art should stay in a federal museum or it should be divvied up among the existing modern art museums, such as in

\ next week's question:

Ghent and Antwerp. A minority thought Brussels’ status as capital (and capital of Europe) means it’s entitled to preferential treatment. That’s a card that’s often played in this sort of discussion, but it was rejected by most Flanders Today readers.

The Institute for Dutch Lexicology has nominated a list of words to be scrapped from the Dutch language. Which word do you hate the most? Log on to the Flanders Today website at www.flanderstoday.eu to vote for your most-hated word

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Anja Schneider @anjaschneider So happy to be back in Antwerp ! Playtime 1-3 at labyrinth ! #trustontour Nick Curly “official”

Yuhan Tan @Yuhan_Tan Lunchbreak. Just in time to watch the live draw for the European team championships in Leuven!

Rachel Watson @RacheyRoo183 This time last year I was on my way to Bruges with @BuzzlinesTravel Today I’m off to work :/ Take me back!

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The lasT wOrd

brussels’ planned modern art museum is being undermined by the federal government. does brussels need its own modern art museum?

Brussels has its eyes on a new modern art museum, but the art belongs to the federal government. The government has been keeping it in storage for years while renovations are made to the Royal Museums of Fine Arts, which essentially closed the modern art wing.

vOices OF Flanders TOday

news babies

“I never comment on the private lives of my journalists, but it’s a fact that we have a pretty young editorial team, and that has consequences.” Kris Hoflack, head of VTM News, where an anchor and two reporters are about to go on maternity leave at the same time

death of a giant

“This is another great loss for Ghent and Flanders. Walter De Buck was an artistic polymath: musician, painter and sculptor. His songs like “’t Vliegerke” will forever form part of our collective memory.”

Minister-president Geert Bourgeois on the death of Walter De Buck, known as the father of the Gentse Feesten (see p11)

sporting chance

“Betting goes together with sport because they both appeal to the same needs: You need to win, preferably here and now.”

Former basketball star Tomas Van der Spiegel, who now gives financial advice to athletes, on news that wellpaid footballers are often in financial trouble, partly due to betting

sweet dreams

“Luxury for me is being able to buy a mango. To go to the supermarket and fill up the trolley without looking at the prices. We both fantasise about that.”

Melissa Thiebaut, with five-year-old son Ilias, is the face of the new Innocenti anti-poverty campaign

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