I love listening. It is one of the only spaces where you can be still and moved at the same time. — Nayyirah Waheed — Tuesday July 15th — —

“What art does — maybe what it does most completely — is tell us, make us feel that what we think we know, we don’t. There are whole worlds around us that we’ve never glimpsed.” Greil Marcus — Tuesday July 15th — —

The idea is to die young as late as possible. — Ashley Montagu — Tuesday July 15th — —

This is Belgium

In May of this year the inspiring The Word Magazine from Brussels decided it was time to extend their online curation of the best from Belgium into a publication. The beautiful magazine This is Belgium which is the result of this ambition elegantly presents the most interesting initiatives in the country most famous for its fries, chocolate and fashion designers. The magazine is a 164-page guidebook with a broad range of Belgian Art, Food, Photography, Music, Travel and Neighbourhood tips from the The Word’s team of editors. Part useful guide, part passionate love letter, This is Belgium captures our southern neighbor thoroughly, introducing the country with its modest, but part highly creative inhabitants in a beautiful fashion.

As good starting point for people who don’t know much about Belgium is the breakdown the magazine makes to 15 facts and figures, from the number of people featured in it to the amount of times the ubiquitous red rectangle appears on the pages of This is Belgium. Another part which really spoke to us, is the feature on the ten favorite weekend getaways throughout the country. Among which is our favorite Le Jardin Bohémien; the cafe and Bed and Breakfast right by Ghent’s Design Museum of owner Jean Pierre De Taeye. But also the highly appealing  Sweet Brussels, a nineteenth century town house located between Brussels-Midi and Grand Place, Ne5t in Namur, offering high-class extravagance in a friendly atmosphere in a former farmhouse located in the Citadel of Namur, and the perfect green getaway: Nooz which is located in Grobbendonk.

Another great feature is the overview of the rich Belgium tradition in which faraway fields, teeming town squares and wide-open woods, come the summertime, transform into places where music comes first. Amongst the big-name acts that one usually finds on these fine line-ups, Belgium’s own rich musical output is also always significantly represented.  This is Belgium offers the prime pickings attest to, among which are the these great names which still to come: Boomtown, Dour, Bruksellive, Mekitburn and Joyful Noise.

The Word Magazine is a biannual print publication with “international aspirations and a thick Belgian accent.” Documenting neighborhood living, photography, fashion, music and art and the people, places, passions and projects driving them. In addition to the magazine, The Word also runs regular events like photography and art exhibitions and release parties, publishes special artist editions (Five, Breasts) and produce a series of online ‘dossiers’ presenting the best Belgium has to offer, from the best burger joints in the country to its best record stores and spaces for emerging art, which this year resulted in the inspirational printed publication.

We love this elegant overview of pretty much everything interesting happening in Belgium right now.

Photography: Miles Fischler.

For more information and to order online see here.