Bruges Triennial 2024: Spaces of Possibility opens

Bruges Triennial 2024 Iván Argote A monument in doubt

(Image credit: Filip Dujardin)

The Bruges Triennial 2024, centred on the theme 'Spaces of Possibility', opened to the public this weekend (13 April). Spanning from the Belgian city's centre to the nearby beach at Zeebrugge, the cultural festival encompasses art and architecture installations by local and international talent, which will remain in place for the next five months. This is the festival's fourth edition and its organisers, headed by co-curators Shendy Gardin and Sevie Tsampalla, are looking firmly to the future.

Common Thread SO&ndash;IL — Common Thread by SO–IL

Bruges Triennial 2024: the highlights

'How can we safeguard the liveability of Bruges, and cities more generally, in a protective way? How do we approach concepts such as sustainability and change in a Unesco-protected environment where preservation is central? And how can contemporary art and architecture create a new framework for these issues?' are some of the questions the triennial event's participants are called to address.

Earthsea Pavilion Studio Ossidiana — Earthsea Pavilion by Studio Ossidiana

Participants and their installations at the Bruges Triennial 2024 include creatives from as far and wide as the USA, Thailand, South Africa and The Netherlands, including leading and emerging voices, such as Sumayya Vally, Bangkok Design Studio, and Studio Ossidiana.

Full Swing Mona Hatoum — Full Swing by Mona Hatoum

Iván Argote with 'Who?'
Bangkok Project Studio's 'The tower of balance'
'Firesong for the bees, a tree of clay' by Mariana Castillo Deball
'Full Swing' by Mona Hatoum
'Star of the Sea' by Ivan Morison
'Raamland' by Norell/Rodhe
'empty drop' by Shingo Masuda + Katsuhisa Otsubo Architects
'Common Thread' by SO–IL
'Earthsea Pavilion' by Studio Ossidiana
'Under the carpet' by Adrien Tirtiaux
'The Joyful Apocalypse' by Traumnovelle
'Grains of Paradise' by Sumayya Vally

&egrave; This is Firesong for the bees, a tree of clay from Mariana Castillo Deball — Firesong for the bees, a tree of clay from Mariana Castillo Deball

'The 12 art and architectural installations not only provide a different view of Bruges but also illustrate how we can deal with space and materials differently in the future. They challenge and encourage dialogue about how things can be done. Together, they tell the story of a city in the throes of change: Spaces of Possibility,' said Shendy Gardin, co-curator of Bruges Triennial 2024.

The Joyful Apocalypse Traumnovelle — The Joyful Apocalypse by Traumnovelle

'The exhibition takes Bruges as a vantage point from which to imagine other possible cities and futures. Drawing inspiration from Rebecca Solnit’s writings, it invites artists and architects to engage with the city as a “repository of possibilities”. Practising the possible is about challenging dominant paradigms and proposing that things can be done otherwise,' said Sevie Tsampalla, co-curator of Bruges Triennial 2024.

Raamland Norell/Rodhe — Raamland by Norell/Rodhe

Alongside the main series of pavilions and artworks spread across town, a rich partner programme unfolds in parallel across Bruges, in collaboration with four cultural partners with local roots, including Cultuurcentrum Brugge, De Republiek | Dertien12, The Entrepot and Musea Brugge.

Star of the Sea Ivan Morison — Star of the Sea by Ivan Morison

'Bruges Triennial 2024: Spaces of Possibility' runs from 13 April to 1 September 2024

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Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).