Met een Kunstcheque schenk je 6 of 12 maanden hedendaagse kunst uit de uitleencollectie van Kunst in Huis.
Ontdek hoe het werkt op kunstinhuis.be/kunstcheque
New grass growing after the harvest, a second-growth crop is what people call the aftermath. These months are the aftermath of another crazy year. A year in which we launched our very own ABC. A year containing the 11th edition of our Summer festival in its many appearances. A year in which we celebrated a decade of being the mavericks.
Just like Salma is quoting so beautifully in this issue; ‘I think that ecology is so mewhat of an art’, new development is art. Or maybe you can read this between the lines of Shiva’s answers too. Similar to her, we live on a constant curiosity and need to explore other cre ative horizons. So in the end, Maya is right as well; LIFE IS A VIEZE CIRKEL. A circle of becoming and being. Let’s see what else 2022 is bringing us!
Thank you to everyone who has been working on this magazine; Astrid, Lobna, Kasper-Jan, Emma, Gabriela, Dlisah, Maya, Gaia, Sarah, Shiva, Alexandra, Zohreh, Salma, Enzo & all the distributors. Thank you for picking this issue up and reading it! Thank you for being or becoming a member and supporting us and many other artists. We are one big family.
Your editor-in-chief, Herlinde
Loshh + Bad With Phones / Ghent, Viernulvier Namasenda / Brussels, Botanique
Petrol Girls / Antwerp, Trix
Ruiskamer: Astrid Sonne + Clara Levy / Ghent, Miry (Viernulvier)
Chelsea Carmichael + Dans Dans / Leuven, 30CC
PILAR ASAP closing night by Crowd Console / Brussels, PILAR
Life Is a Vieze Cirkel Release Night / Antwerp, Het Bos
Dec
Big Bang Van Splinters / Ghent, De Bijloke
Ear To The Ground / Ghent, De Bijloke
Kate NV / Brussels, Botanique
Ruiskamer: Félicia Atkinson + Fredrik Rasten & Ruben Machtelinckx / Ghent, Miry (Viernulvier)
Lefto Presents: Leon Vynehall + Elisa Bee + Pippin / Ghent, Chinastraat (Democrazy)
Vieze Kerstfeest / Ghent, De Koer
Oona Libens - Spindle / Leuven, Manhattan (STUK)
Katie Mitchel & Martha Balthazar: A Play For The Living In A Time Of Extinction / Ghent, NTGent
Samira Elagoz - Seek Bromance / Ghent, Campo Nieuwpoort
Naomi Velissariou - Atropa / Ghent, NTGent Schouwburg
24 Nov
Cassiel Gaube - Soirée d'études / Ghent, Campo Nieuwpoort
Nov
Johan Inger / Jan Martens Tempus Fugit / FUTUR PROCHE / Ghent, Opera Ballet Vlaanderen
1-2 Dec 10 Dec 16 Dec
Sorour Darabi - Natural Drama / Brussels, Beursschouwburg
Radiant Nights #6 / Antwerp, deSingel Ne Mosquito Pas / Brussels, Beursschouwburg
Until 14 Dec Until
Jan Until
Feb
Picasso & Abstraction / Brussels, Koninklijke Musea voor Schone Kunsten van België
Museum In Motion / Antwerp, M HKA Alexandria - Past Futures / Brussels, BOZAR
Miradas de Mujere / Brussels, Koninklijke Musea voor Schone Kunsten van België
Picturesque. Jules Buyssens, architecte paysagiste / Brussels, CIVA
Until 26 Feb 5 Dec until 6 Feb 24 Nov 21 Dec
Philippe Van Snick - Dynamic Project / Ghent, S.M.A.K. Fitting In / Hasselt, Z33 Kato Six / Leuven, M Leuven
Exploding Fashion: From 2D to 3D to 3D Animation / Antwerp, MoMu
JJ
Close / Antwerp, Lumiere Cinema
Mulholland Drive / Antwerp, Lumiere Cinema
You can enjoy these events for free as a Subbacultcha member. Scan to discover our membership.
Based on an original concept develo ped by British director Katie Mitchell for Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne, and written by author Miranda Rose Hall, A Play for the Living in a Time of Extinction is the first of two chapters in the Sustainable Theatre? -project, in which thirteen theatres in Europe and Asia reflect to gether on ways to make theatre more sustainable.
The play, a courageous reflection on theatre and life facing climate disaster, is handed over from Katie Mitchell to other artists with nothing more than a series of instructions. For example, the entire staging process, in a radical ap proach, must be sustainable. Therefore, the required power of the performan ce will be produced live with the use
of electricity-generating bikes. Thus making the tour, and its huge environ mental impact, disappear. In its place, a cycle of transmissions is triggered. From one artist to another.
Martha Balthazar, columnist and direc tor who graduated from KASK Ghent in 2021, will direct NTGent's version of the play. She and actor Lisah Adeaga connect their artistic vision with the core topics of the performance: What is the impact of humans on the world? And how do we keep on being human knowing this? Which inheritance do we want for future generations? And how can we re-establish our connec tion with the entire spectrum of living species at a time when total extinction is a real possibility?
Astrid Sonne is a Copenhagen-based composer and viola player. With a back ground in classical music, she opens up an electronic space to channel different perceptions of sensory and emotional states of being through open, melodic compositions. Balancing contrasts is a recurring theme in Astrid Sonne’s work, where alternation between repetition and renewal is used as a means of ex pression. Her compositions consist of everything from synthesizers to choir
samples and viola sequences, ex ceeding genre definitions yet paying homage to sources of inspiration, be it a Danish choir tradition or various noise soundscapes.
Furthermore, Astrid Sonne has en gaged in creating commissioned works, varying from ‘Ephemera’’, a piece for choir electronics and viola presen ted at Berlin Atonal 2018, to site-specific compositions for the old ruins under the Danish Parliament and a stretch of the Copenhagen Metro.
Four times a year, Radiant Nights is a space for creation and experimentation that eschews conventions. Every edition offers an insight into the art landscape of today and tomorrow: large and small-scale work, ranging from the obscure to the fragile to the experimental. Centre stage are versatile artists who think beyond the binary and seek out the in-between space.
During the sixth edition, we will see exceptional performances from Jelena Juresa, and from the temporary collective comprising the dancers/choreographers Liza Baliasnaja, Christine De Smedt and Theo Livesey. The full programme will be announced a month in advance.
London saxophonist Chelsea Carmichael (SEED Ensemble, Theon Cross, Neue Grafik Ensemble, Joe Armon-Jones, etc.) was noticed by Shabaka Hutchings (The Comet Is Coming, Sons of Kemet, Shabaka and the Ancestors) in 2019. He invited her to record her first album The River Doesn’t
Like Strangers with the label Native Rebel Recordings. This album shows all of her talents, with the interplay and chemistry of these natural-born musicians evoking the image of the Rio Grande River: playful, unpredicta ble and masterful.
Dans Dans is the unique musical col lective featuring Bert Dockx (Flying Horseman, Ottla), Frederic Jacques (Lyenn and until recently bassist for Mark Lanegan) and Steven Cassiers (Dez Mona). Since their debut in 2012,
this trio has surprised the world with music that cannot be categorised: in strumental, atmospheric, compelling, refined and wild.
Having already released four albums (Dans Dans, I/I, 3 and Sand ), two live registrations (a 10-inch and a casset te) and memorable concerts at North Sea Jazz, Cactusfestival, Gent Jazz, Pukkelpop, Jazz Middelheim, etc., the group continued to expand its musical universe tirelessly with its fifth studio album Zink
They have proven once again that they are one of the most intriguing bands from Belgium and beyond. This is no fusion, no rock or jazz or ambient. It is the sound of the searching, intui tive human; of a timeless, mysterious dream; of the heart, the belly and the soul.
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As both an avant-garde composer and turntablist, Shiva Feshareki is a pioneer in contemporary music. On 03 December she’ll be building a sonic experience for us live at Ear To The Ground festival. We took a few minutes to talk about everything sonic, from turntables to geometry and how she's excited to play in Belgium for the first time at De Bijloke in Ghent.
Interview by Alexandra Fraser Photos shot by Zohreh FesharekiI’m a composer, a turntablist and an electronic artist. I’ve always had a lot of different sides to my music and my artistry. On one side there’s classical composition. I’ve focused on that for decades and honed in on avant-garde composition. I’m always interweaving that with turntable improvisations and playful electronic elements. I merge them together so that I can make a deeply immersive and interesting ex perience. I try to be fully informed and fully involved on both the electronic side of things and the acoustic and instrumental side of things.
I’ve always been turntabling since my late teens, which is also when I started scoring compositions. So the two have always been floating around each other. They are both polar opposites, which meet in the middle in an inte resting way. I’m not a classic turntablist or a DJ. I’m treating the turntables as a technology repurposed for my own needs and interests through improvisa tion. Lots of the techniques that I use were just spontaneous occurrences at first, so they’re techniques that are built around my own music.
You seem to have a wide range of people who appreciate your music. I have worked with so many different kinds of artists and thinkers, exchan ging and sharing ideas in so many con texts. I think it’s because of constant curiosity and exploring new creative horizons that I just naturally have a diverse audience of people interested in my music. It's also to do with the fact that it’s electronic music with an acous tic, instrumental and classical side. It brings people together with different interests and everybody is hearing new things.
Shiva Feshareki
All my music is focused on the physi cality of sound and the physics of space. It is all in spatial and ambisonic form, which is to do with how sound is moving in acoustic space and the ener gies of the moment. All of my music manifests live in the moment, nothing is predetermined in advance. I control it all live, so there are these intangible objects of sound, moving, gliding and swirling within the concert space. I’m constantly responding to what's hap pening, everything from the energy of the audience to the architecture of the space, its history, its feel, and the acoustics, it all plays a vital role in the outcome of the music.
I’m really fascinated with how sound interacts with everything. Sound is at one with all these other disciplines and experiences that exist. Lots of different elements of life and existence are ac tually interconnected as one thing. I like to be able to highlight that in sonic experiences. For example, creating ge ometry in sonic space when I’m per forming, or taking one sound material that's been recorded and then mani pulating that, so the interpretation is infinitely changed.
I have a classical, crafty way of thinking about my equipment. It more comes from other music cultures, that idea of learning an instrument, practising it, and dedicating your time to honing in on the craft of that specific instrument. Yes, I do think about the turntables and the equipment that I use as things that I’m constantly practising with. l take the things that I have and develop a deep connection with the technology that I’m using.
Well, I’m doing a set featuring the or ganist and jazz pianist Kit Downes. Kit works in a very similar way to me, we’re constantly responding in the moment, composing live and letting the music be in control of us rather than the other way around. I love collaborating with Kit. We’re on the same wavelength. We like to be spontaneous and see the benefit of that energy live on stage. We’ve done some really big concerts together, but we’re yet to rehearse.
So, what do you have planned for the concert?
I’m really excited to play in this context, the concert hall at De Bijloke is so amazing acoustically and historically, with just beautiful architecture. All of these elements become a part of the composition for me. I’m using a sur round sound speaker array, placing
13-15 speakers around the hall so that the sound is completely spatialised and immersive for the audience.
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Maya Mertens, alias Vieze Meisje, is an amplified version of herself when she’s on stage.If you find yourself at one of her performances, you might consider buying one of her self-made T-shirts with the slogan ‘Life Is A Vieze Cirkel’ that will give you immediate access to the prestigious club the ‘Vieze Cirkel’ that hides behind it. The club has no rules—or maybe just one—that there are no rules and that it means ‘exclusivity for everyone’. It’s a space where you’ll feel safe, where you’re allowed to show all your sides— the good and the bad ones—and where you might even feel satisfied with yourself if you haven’t felt that yet. Vieze Meisje’s performance will carry you away, illuminate you and make you dance very hard.
Interview by Gaia Lufrano Photos shot by Sarah StoneI grew up in Amsterdam and lived there until I was 19. After that I moved to Antwerp to study at the conser vatoire—I wanted to see what’s out there and experience new things. Although Antwerp was just two hours away it was still a culture shock. After my studies, I decided to move even more south and ended up in Brussels. I think Amsterdam is an amazing place to grow up and even though you get all kinds of people and good impulses there, the city became a sort of ‘cap puccino town’ to me— you can drink great coffee and there are some good clubs, but everything besides from that is so pricey and gentrified. I think Brussels is taking a more interesting di rection compared to Amsterdam and the variety it has to offer feels more appealing to me.
I studied acting. Kleinkunst to be more specific, but I don’t like specifying it too often since people tend to easily put you in a ‘box’. What I liked about being at school is that everything you showed to the teachers had to be made and performed by yourself. This is still in line with what I do now: I sometimes work as an actress for other people, but the projects that I create with my body and voice are the ones closest to my heart.
You create music with Azertyklavierwerke. Is the two of you also Vieze Meisje?
I am the initiator of Vieze Meisje, however, I would never perform live without Azertyklavierwerke. We chose to mention both our names because he’s also a musician with his own vision and input. We’ve known each other for four years now and it’s a nice feeling when you can develop a sort of trust— it brings more freedom and the process becomes more organic.
Even though my lyrics are moving in a more poetic direction, we will always share a love for eclecticism and rave. Together, our goal is to find how we can stretch those extremes during a performance, carry the audience away with it... and wham! [makes an explosive gesture with hands] smack them with a straight-on beat. So yeah, Vieze Meisje would not be Vieze Meisje without Azertyklavierwerke.
I’m sure the people around me would agree that I am primarily a performer. Being on stage is a thing I’m way more used to than, for example, creating recorded music—that feels like de veloping a new language. A lot of our music is created when we play it live and how it unfolds relies on the vibe in the venue. Recording an EP involves other parameters. We tried to create something that was bombastic and minimalistic at the same time.
Playing in the middle of the room also changes a lot: I see it as being some sort of energy conductor. It doesn’t only come from one side (us), but you create something together with your audience... that’s what I really like about performing.
I would prefer calling it a proposition, a starting point or an invitation rather than a conclusion. My former band In Een Discotheek and different other things in my life came to an end. I always carry a notebook with me in which I write continuously and this was the one sentence that really stuck with me so I started writing it on T-shirts. The music didn’t exist yet back then and people started filling in for them selves what Vieze Meisje could be. I thought it was a funny way to see what people’s expectations were and what they would project onto the concept as if it was some kind of common good. I would rather not explain it for the rest, you have to feel it...or something.
A bio I wrote a while ago: ‘Vieze Meisje establishes arbitrary collectivity in a world that is constantly circling around itself.’ Arbitrary collectivity, that’s what the world is like to me. We’re all here, stuck with each other. The place is bur sting with life and variety and yet we all try to come up with some kind of story line to calm ourselves down...and eve ryone has their own storyline... I don’t know where this is exactly heading but it keeps me thinking. [laughs]
On November 10 you’ll be hosting Life is a Vieze Cirkel - Release Night at Het Bos, in Antwerp. What can we expect?
At this event, we will release our debut EP LIFE IS A VIEZE CIRKEL . on vinyl at Rotkat Records. Het Bos is a place that I love and I’ve worked many times together with them. The evening will start with a circle-themed Boskeuken, followed by the first official member ship meeting of The Vieze Cirkel. Live acts, DJs and more will keep the circular rave going until the next day.
There will also be a physical stand where I will write out memberships; I want to keep the members of the club very central and I would like them to feel like they are in charge of the mo mentum. After all the Vieze Cirkel’s has no rules yet. It would be nice if the members come up with some rules they like at the first membership meeting that evening. Another very important aspect is that there will be a lot of dancing because I think it’s important to let go of your thoughts from time to time and become your body.
A lot of songs are about the ugly side of my mind that keeps me running and these are also allowed to be there. I hope people can recognize themselves in these words and accept their imper fections for a moment... The shouting and singing almost work as some kind of exorcism. Later that month we will also play two shows in Brussels and do a Christmas special at De Koer in Ghent to promote our EP.
I think I just want to let it be what is.
It can’t really go wrong, even if there are only ten people standing there... Although questioning yourself or your work is often an unavoidable conse quence of creating art. You obviously always hope the effort and love you put into it resonates with the audience. If I see that I can move people physically, even if it’s forward or backward... It’s a success for me.
[laughs] There’s no way back man! Every day has led to this moment. I so metimes wonder what I’m doing here but I think there’s nothing else you can do than try to be satisfied...I think I’m in the right place.
10 Nov - Antwerp, Het Bos
23 Dec - Ghent, De Koer
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We visited the Alexandria: Past Futures exhibition at BOZAR with our New Master & Egyptian artist, Salma El Serafi. Salma is a painter and researcher in terrestrial ecology at KU Leuven. Through her eyes, we got an insight into how she connected with fellow Egyptian and Arab artists and works. We discussed technicality, space, ecology and her home country. Salma captures subtle interactions between people and their surroundings through her art.
Photos shot by Enzo Smits at Bozar
I would say I am trying to develop my own style. If you look at my work, espe cially my paintings, I usually work in a realistic style, almost hyper-realism, but it is not a style that is unique to me at all. I like to say that I am not a camera, so I need to steer away from realism and its goal, therefore I am trying to venture into surrealism or artificial realism, which was coined by George Condo, one of my favourite painters.
Yes. For a photograph, I think my choice of a ‘mundane’ subject matter creates an element of surprise which is am plified by high contrast and negative space. In terms of colour choice, I often find myself grey-scaling my photos because I sometimes find that colour can distract from the form I am trying to take apart and understand in my image. With my paintings, I almost always work on wood that was going to get thrown away, and I sand it down myself. I find it sustainable and it’s a texture that I can control. I enjoy the look of a realistic black-and-white pain ting, set against a background that's unexpectedly lively. Size is also impor tant; making huge paintings makes you feel small as an artist and as a viewer.
I had an impression that it would consist mostly of ancient artefacts that have been retrieved and more art history-related things. But I was pleasantly surprised, especially when I noticed that the artists were mostly Egyptian.
I was especially moved by Mona Marzouk’s work. However, it was set against a backdrop of ancient artefacts that I personally don’t believe should be in Europe. It is common for non-Arabs to instantly associate Egyptian citizens with the ancient Egyptian civilization. Think ‘Dance like an Egyptian’ etc. So, to be honest, I don’t think that it’s ne cessary to curate this amazing show presenting all this great artwork by Egyptian people, then have the arte facts riddled in between the different rooms. Obviously, Alexandria has a very significant and symbolic history, but I felt that this pushes a certain narrative about Egyptians. I love the representati on of Egyptian artists as a North African POC, but it could have been a stand-al one show without those artefacts. Nonetheless, the diversity and style of the artists represented were incredibly vast, I loved it.
It was a photograph that showed people at the beach, playing. It made me feel nostalgic for Egypt, my home country. The title also made me think of Egypt’s economic situation; domestic tourism, these days, in my opinion, is very controlled by the upper classes. I thought her work was a good ode to the beauty that Egypt has to offer us. At least that is what I took out of it. I also liked the Water Arm series by Jumana Manna; despite obvious differences in the plights both peoples face on the daily, I thought the installation was a simple way to portray the pressing ecological issues in Alexandria and in Palestine.
Were there other pieces or artists that you connected with?
Can you describe the link between your work as an artist and your academic career as an ecologist?
I think that ecology is somewhat of an art. It’s based on the concept that everything, living and non-living things, urban, man-made or not, is intercon nected and I find that poetic. To be able to identify things in the outdoors, I started taking pictures of my sur roundings. These pictures became like memories, a massive collection of tiny creatures, mushrooms, plants, etc. In a way, the photos are a reminder for me that we are always connected to some thing or someone. When I feel alone, I like the thought that there is probably a bug or some form of life somewhere nearby living in the same moment I am.
Alexandria - Past Futures
Until 08 Jan 2023 - Bozar, Brussels
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Sub_missions is your way to promote your stuff to fellow members and other possible fans! As a Subbacultcha member, we'll feature you and your work in our magazine and online channels. Not a member yet? In this section, you’ll learn about our members’ lives, perspectives and art. Enjoy!
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Zodiac Sign: Cancer Instagram: @gitzwartt Location: Brussels Pronouns: she/her Subbacultcha member since two months ago
I wanna celebrate the fact that I've been producing and performing my own music and the whole scene that revolves around it. Gabber music has seen a big revival this past year and the scene is filled with new upcoming talent who all give a new life to what gabber music means to them. I wanna celebrate that I've been a part of the revival of this scene and I was even able to play a show alongside bangers like Klakmatrak and KRTM.
Tell us, what do you do in life? Besides producing music and per forming my own songs, I'm a boring software developer.
What do you like best about your place?
My roommate Otje (she's a cat).
What’s the first record you bought?
It was a single by Gigi D'Agostino called ‘Bla Bla Bla’. I still use samples from this song in my live sets.
What’s your favourite pastime?
Discovering new music and meeting people.
If you could be famous, what kind of celebrity would you be? I don't think I would enjoy being too famous, haha.
Who do you wanna give credit to here?
Female art and rave collective, Burenhinder, who have pushed me to start performing live. Wouldn't be where I am today without them.
What is the key element of your morning routine?
Stand-up meetings on Teams in my living room (I hate them).
The latest book that you read and liked?
The body keeps the score.
What is your favourite staple clothing piece? My fanny pack.
One thing you always have in your bag? White eyeliner.
What is the most meditative activity to try out? Petting ponies.
Instagram: @beppegeerts Location: Brussels/Ghent
Zodiac Sign: Scorpio
Tell us, what do you do in life?
I finished my master's in graphic design last year and now I am studying illustra tion. This year I will (hopefully) receive my bachelor's degree. Last year, I did an internship at Horst arts and music festival. I really enjoyed my time there, lovely people to work with. The follo wing year you can find me in Italy. I am gonna study abroad for 6 months in Urbino at ISIA.
Pronouns: she/her Subbacultcha member since April 2022
If you could be famous, what kind of celebrity would you be?
I would want to be a celebrity because of something I accomplished, so I don't want to be a Kardashian. I would be an environmental activist like Greta Thunberg or David Attenborough.
What do you like best about your place?
I really like Ghent cause it's a small city, lovely and has very kind people.
Any guilty pleasures? Dancing to reggaeton music.
Have you experienced any regrets recently?
No regrets, only overthinking a lot lately, my future plans, but that's a part of my age.
Would love to go to Picasso & Abstraction and Miradas de Mujeres in KMSK Brussels.
Not having to wake up too early is what I love about my morning routine. I am a night owl, so I mostly don't have that much time for a morning routine.
Name one podcast that you always go back to. KUNST IS LANG (en het leven is kort) van Luuk Heezen & mister Motle.
Where do you get inspiration? I'm inspired by the woodcutting tech nique and by Frans Masereel and I also really love the work of Raymond Pettibon. He is known for his stylized ink drawings.
When was the last time that you had to fake laugh?
This summer when I was in New York, I had a lot of American friends but I didn't always understand their jokes.
Zodiac Sign: Capricorn Instagram: @neleboga Location: Brussels Pronouns: she/her Subbacultcha member since April 2022
I'm a freelance graphic designer and photographer.
I just moved from my old apartment to a new place and during the transition time I got the chance to house-sit in one of the most beautiful houses in Brussels. I love settling into new places and breaking all my habits. It inspires me a lot.
I love going through my collection of fashion magazines and inspiring myself for upcoming shoots.
Loudly sing along to music I listened to when I was twelve years old (I love the new Spotify feature that shows lyrics!!).
If you could be famous, what kind of celebrity would you be?
I hope my true self!
To everyone who has ever been invol ved in a project of mine. And really, by now that's a lot of people!
I loved reading every minute of the book Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton.
People often tell me after they've known me for a while that in the be ginning, they thought I wouldn't be approachable or sweet at all. So here goes: I love getting to know new people haha.
Name a contemporary artist you think we should know about.
I just met Ileana Moro and really really love her work.
A big bottle of water.
When was the last time that you had to fake laugh?
I was chatting with someone at a party the other day and really didn't understand anything she was saying. She spoke so quietly. So after a time, I asked to continue chatting outside and she took thick earplugs out of her ears and said she's always afraid to talk too loudly.
Instagram: @somt000 Location: Leuven
Zodiac Sign: Aries
Pronouns: she/her Subbacultcha member since 2017, the area of the paper membership cards!
I am a student born and raised in Leuven, studying International Communication and Media. After I graduate, I hope to get a job in music PR or anything music-related. Besides that, I love to cook. I grew up watching Anthony Bourdain's travel shows, Nigella and Food Network. So I am really glad that I get to work in Het Strand, a vegetarian eatery close to the station. I have been part of the safe.r space team of nacht since February. Together we think along, develop and implement a space where everyone can freely experience their identity. During club nights we also act as points of contact for the audience. Last semester I went on an exchange to Lisbon, so I followed everything re garding nacht online. However, I also got to partake in Lisbon's nightlife. It was really interesting to see the collec tive's interpretations of safe.r spaces, such as harm reduction practices and non-mixed spaces. It's still a bit weird
to be back in Leuven, but I'm glad I get to be a more active and present member of the nacht team. Thus far it has been quite an educational and fun experience.
What kind of music are you listening to at the moment? I am seeing Yung Lean in November, so lately I have been going through his discography. I am also looking forward to Bladee's new project. I have been enjoying LYZZA's mixtape, Felix Lee, Celes, Vanessa Amara and Kelela. RENAISSANCE always ends up in the rotation. And of course, Subbacultcha’s Current mood playlist (which is curated by me) :).
If you could be famous, what kind of celebrity would you be?
Someone like Enya. Apparently, she lives off her fortune in a castle with her cats. It sounds a bit isolating but also amazing. Or Solange. Although she is very famous, she seems like a more manageable kind of celebrity. She has already made timeless albums, so she can disappear and live life. And she is just so creative and talented.
Have you experienced any regrets recently? Not enjoying being in the moment.
What is the key element of your morning routine?
I am absolutely not a morning person. Being hydrated and fed is essential for my mood. I try to jug as much water as I can as soon as I wake up. I love cooking breakfast. It's either eggs or oatmeal and lots of green tea.
Is there anything you wish people would know about you? That I am quite introverted until I hear music. Less talking, more dancing.
What is the most meditative activity to try out? Dancing with your eyes closed.
Cite your favourite lyrics line. ‘Isolation caved in. I adore you, the sound of your skin’
Instagram: @demoormax Location: Brussels
Zodiac Sign: Aquarius
Pronouns: he/him Subbacultcha (team) member since I think 2014?
Tell us, what do you do in life? I’m a Journalist and podcast produ cer of Scheef Bekeken is a Flemish queer podcast. Our aim is to broaden the discourse on lgbtqia+ subjects in Belgium. In each episode, we look at a queer cliché through a prism. Like: why are gays so present in nightlife? Or why is bisexuality so often ignored, even within our own community? Our podcast does not shy away from serious topics, but queer joy is at the heart of it.
The holy trinity: my books, records and the cat.
What kind of music are you listening to at the moment? This summer has been pretty ravey: Hudson Mohawke, Overmono, Two Shell ... But in autumn I will probably turn inwards with shoegaze.
By now I've shed all my shame about liking Taylor Swift. Also: teen tv, such as The OC, One Tree Hill, Degrassi: the next generation.
When you think of your safe space, what do you imagine?
Being surrounded by people and things that spark my creative imagination, be it a café, music venue or a bookshop.
The latest book that you read and liked?
Detransition, Baby! (haven't had this much fun with a book in a long while).
Name a contemporary artist you think we should know about.
Luis Mendo's illustrations pop up on my feed regularly and never fail to put a smile on my face.
Moving to the suburbs.
One thing you always have in your bag?
A lighter, because it's nice to hand out and you never know when you're gonna need it.
When was the last time that you had to fake laugh?
Yesterday? I'm polite, I fake laugh every day.
Zodiac Sign: Taurus
Location: Brussels
Instagram: @vbrusjan
Pronouns: she/her Subbacultcha member since 2019
I recently graduated as a documentary filmmaker, and I currently work in a film lab in Brussels.
What do you like best about your place?
The view of Place Yser and the consti pated dog that passes by every day.
What kind of music are you listening to at the moment? Sevdaliza.
Any guilty pleasures?
I'm very much into musicals.
If you could be famous, what kind of celebrity would you be?
A shy one.
When you think of your safe space, what do you imagine?
The windmills in my hometown.
The latest book that you read and liked?
Everybody by Olivia Laing.
What is your favourite staple clothing piece?
My grandmother's leather jacket <3.
Is there anything you wish people would know about you?
I can move very gracefully.
One thing you always have in your bag?
Tape.
The writings and works of Wilhelm Reich.
When was the last time that you had to fake laugh?
5 hours ago.
Vieze Meisje shot by Sarah Stone
Editor-in-chief: Herlinde Raeman
Editor: Astrid Stubbe
Copy Editor: Gabriela González
Graphic Design: Emma Raymaekers
Printer: zwartopwit - duurzaam drukwerk
STUK, NTGent, Botanique, Trix, Viernulvier, Campo, PILAR , Het Bos, 30CC, Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, De Bijloke, eursschouw burg, MoMu, deSingel, De Koer, Z33, Bozar, De Roma, C-Mine, Kunst Aan Zet, Lumière, To Be Antwerp, Fashion & Lace Museum, Design Museum Gent, HISK, Europalia, Koniklijke Musea voor Schone Kunsten Brussel, zwartopwit - duurzaam drukwerk, Fotoshop Gent, Artists United, Paypro Services & Mori Film Lab
You’ll find our issues every two months in several local stores also offering member discounts, other pickup points supplied by our distributors, and in the mailboxes of our members. Find an overview at subbacultcha.be.
Thanks to Paard Van Troje, Music Mania, Shelter, La Fille d'O, Consouling Sounds, Mood Recyclestore, Warrecords, Panoply, Riot Vintage, Crevette Records, Tipi Bookshop, Balades Sonores, Art Paper Editions, Riot Vintage, Panoply, Hunting and Collecting, Bison 4, Veals & Geeks & Bilbo
Founder / Sales Manager: Kasper-Jan Raeman (kasper-jan@subbacultcha.be)
Founder / Editor-in-chief: Herlinde Raeman
Community Manager & Editor: Astrid Stubbe
Graphic Design (online): Jonas Mergan
Graphic Design (magazine): Emma Raymaekers
Interns: Lobna Morsi
Copy Editors: Gabriela González & Dlisah Lapidus Subbacultcha Belgium, Dendermondsesteenweg 80A, 9000 Ghent subbacultcha.be
