Mindblowers 2020: VUB and KVS inject beauty into the city

Tuesday 13th October sees the fourth edition of Mindblowers which will take place outdoors on the square behind KVS. The theme this year is: Beauty. In the run-up to Mindblowers, VUB and KVS will be launching a poster-campaign across Brussels: 200 A0 posters, with quotes on beauty in four languages (Dutch, French, English and Arabic). Posters will also be sent out digitally.

The idea behind this large-scale campaign is to inject beauty all over the city. “These last few months have been difficult for everyone,” say Caroline Pauwels, Rector of VUB, and Michael de Cock, Artistic Director of KVS, “There has been so much uncertainty, and keeping distance has been painful. Now, more than ever, we need beauty. Beauty brings redemption and hope – and creates joy. We want these posters to sow little seeds of beauty, and we hope they’ll bear fruit.”

The posters are all in the original languages – everyone knows nothing beats the original. Posters will be in Dutch, French, English and Arabic, and quotes are by John Keats, Toni Morrison, Lucebert, Simone Weil and Kahlil Gibran.

“We live only to discover beauty. All else is a form of waiting,” says Kahlil Gibran. Well, Brussels’ residents and visitors don’t have to wait any longer. From tomorrow, they’ll be able to enjoy 200 re-invigorating quotes on beauty, and sign up free to participate in the 4th edition of Mindblowers via www.kvs.be. Posters will be given out during the evening. Participating academics’ and artists’ contributions will also be live-streamed on 247.kvs.be.

Speakers/artists

Professor and Expert in drugs and pharmacology Ilse Smolders transports you to the world of the ethical brain, beauty, pleasure and art.

Professor of social sciences Free De Backer and artist-researcher Peter de Cupere discuss the idea and meaning of beauty.

Graphic and poster designer Amira Daoudi talks about what beauty means for her, and how it defines her life.

Philosopher and professor Laurent de Sutter and artist Koen Vanmechelen discuss the political, the strange, and (post-)corona society.

Dancer and choreographer Yassin Mrabtifi investigates the beauty of the dancing body versus the city.

Professor Jean-Paul Van Bendeghem (no less!) unravels the secrets of Pythagoras’ theorem… on the piano.

To mark the occasion, the square will be decorated by Brussels- and world-renowned floral artist Thierry Boutemy. He will create a week-long installation of trees and flowers especially for the occasion. Brussels-based pâtissier Jean-Charles Zaquine (maison Zack) provides specially-commissioned treats to give audiences moments of pure beauty through taste.