Arranged the Belgian way

“Belgian solutions” started as a hobby project for friends and grew into a very popular Facebook page. It is now also a thick, hilarious book with photos showing the unbelievably absurd situations to which the cutting and pasting of individuals and government agencies can lead when they look for solutions “the Belgian way” to the problems with which they are confronted daily. Belgian solutions is being presented at the Beursschouwburg by the German-born, Brussels-based artist David Helbich on Saturday 5 October.

A grand staircase that leads nowhere, a road sign “updated” with tape, building façades that have been “renovated” in the most amateurish way possible, drainpipes, electrical wires, letter boxes, traffic lights, and paving stones that have been “repaired” improperly and in the most aesthetically irresponsible way, etc. When David Helbich came to Brussels after living in carefully organised cities like Amsterdam and Freiburg, he was amazed. Helbich studied music and philosophy, teaches musical analysis at the P.A.R.T.S. dance school, creates sound walks, field recordings, and city choreographies, but in addition he is also a keen photographer. He has taken thousands of photos during his many walks around Brussels since 2006. A whole series of them were uploaded to Facebook under the telling title “Belgian solutions”, where many enthusiastic followers soon followed his example.

Although Brussels plays a leading role in this infinite series of miniatures, Belgian solutions can also be found in other countries and cities. Because according to Helbich, it is an attitude. “Belgian solutions” is about the freedom of individual choice and the victory of practice; about the hidden poetry in an unusual cityscape; often about conflicting visions and interventions in the streetscape that might create an absurd situation; and finally also about the irony and perspective that are required to appreciate such Belgian solutions.
The eloquent Helbich will explain a number of things during the presentation of the photo book Belgian solutions, which is now being published. In doing so, he will conjure with old machines like the slide projector to present his images created for social media.

David Helbich: Belgian solutions goes book
5/10, 22.00, Beursschouwburg, www.beursschouwburg.be,
davidhelbich.blogspot.be, www.belgian-solutions.be