Belgium/Heritage Days: a fourth edition in Brussels, a first in Charleroi
While Heritage Days have been around for many years, Heritage Days have only recently made their appearance. First initiated in Paris in 2015, these days - highlighting the architectural, sculptural, urbanistic, social... matrimonial heritage - have spread here. As in Brussels since 2019, but also in Charleroi, which joined the movement for this new edition.
Matrimoine, n. : Referring in Old French to marriage (matrimonium in Latin), the word was taken up in the 2010s in the expression cultural matrimoine, creating a parallelthe feminine parallel to "heritage" to designate the material or immaterial goods of artistic or historical importance inherited from women.
At the initiative of the non-profit organization L'architecture qui dégenre, the Journées du Matrimoine (Heritage Days) have been taking place since 2019 in Brussels. They highlight, on the one hand, the historical Brussels matrimonial heritage, on the other hand, the current heritage whether artistic, political and feminist.
Last year, the Heritage Days were renamed Heritage Days in Brussels in order to name the richness of Brussels' culture in a more inclusive way. With this in mind, Heritage Days was organized this year in bi-programming with the Heritage Days, which take place on September 23, 24 and 25.
Since this 2022 edition of the Heritage Days, L'architecture qui dégenre has been part of the scientific committee for the selection and accompaniment," explains Apolline Vanden. accompaniment ", explains Apolline Vranken, founder of the asbl and organizer of the Matrinoine Days, in the program Hors-Cadre of Bx1. "For example, we will make sure that the content is in line with the editorial line, that the way in which the activities are described are ok. This year, we had a theme on "Traces of colonization" , so it requires a real on decolonization."
>> I have the hope of this inclusive city, a Brussels for all": the program "hors-cadre" of BX1 introduces us to the association l'Architecture qui dégenre, in charge of the exhibition
Figures in the architectural space
Graduated in architecture at ULB in 2017, Apolline Vranken is passionate about issues of gender relations in space and urban equality. With her nonprofit, she wants to account for the participation of women and gender minorities in the multiple trades related to matrimoine.
"The MAD Brussels is a building that is fairly well known to the people of Brussels. But what people know less is that it is a building that was built by a woman, Eliane Havenith , who is highlighted this year for the Heritage Days," says Apolline Vranken. " If we do not know women architects today, it is because there is really a process of erasure of history, but also because they were really in the minority of gender and number. [...] There are architects like Simone Guillissen-Hoa and Odette Filippone who have really marked the architectural landscape of Brussels."
In practice: from September 23 to 25
During each edition of the Heritage Days, several women who have marked the history of Belgium are honored on the posters of the event. This year, in addition to Elliane Havenith, these figures are Berthe Dubail, painter-expressionist, Marie Mineur, worker in the fight for the improvement of working conditions for women and children, Maria N'koi, Congolese guéMaria N'koi, a Congolese woman who led a movement of insurrection against the Belgian colonization of the Congo and Stella Wolff, a lawyer who played an important role in the feminist movement and in the fight for women's rights in Belgium.
Within the framework of this 4th edition, about thirty activities are organized in the city: guided tours, workshops, conferences and activities for children will be led by experts from all horizons and will address different themes such as access to property and professions related to women's rights.These activities will be led by experts from all walks of life and will address themes such as access to property and heritage-related professions, intersectional struggles, and colonial and decolonial traces in the city, echoing the annual theme of Heritage Days. Activities are free but limited.
From September 10 to November 21, 2022, the exhibition Queering Brussels will be held at the Halles Saint-Géry with free access. The project, led by the association L'architecture qui dégenre, puts forward a critique and a possible future of the city of Brussels through queer prisms. This exhibition can be seen for free until November 21 at the Halles Saint-Géry in the center of Brussels. The opening of the exhibition is held this Thursday, September 22, 2022.
A first in Charleroi
After Paris and Brussels, it is Charleroi' s turn to organize its first Heritage Days. Four days dedicated to women, which will take place from September 22 to 25. " These are four days to highlight the women who have made the city ," saysMargaux Joachim, regional coordinator at Présence et Action Culturelles, to Télésambre. " For centuries and centuries, they have been invisible. So today, the idea is to rebalance all that, to give them space, to question why this invisibilization of history and question access to public space for all, for a more inclusive city. "
These Matrinoine Days of Charleroi, organized by the collective Charliequeen, the association and the city of Charleroi, will go to the discovery of these artists, craftswomen and workers who have shaped Charleroi.They will discover the artists, craftswomen and workers who have shaped Charleroi, but also the activists, intellectuals and emblematic women who have marked the region and influenced our societies.
On the program: exhibitions, conferences, debates but also a symposium on the development of the territory for a more inclusive public space. " The symposium is really the idea of putting around the table the actors of the city, those who think the city," explains Alicia Monard, alderman of equal opportunities." This is the first opportunity in Charleroi to think about gendered urban planning. We have a lot of concern from the associative sector and this is an opportunity to focus the debate on this and to take concrete action. "
Source: www.rtbf.be
