The 1-st Design Biennale in Rotterdam

21/02/2025

Ten Days of Design across Various Venues in Rotterdam – 19-th of February 2-nd of March !

The energetic Liv Vaisberg (behind the name is The Collectible project in Brussels) moved to Rotterdam a few years ago, which was lucky. And the result is that the first Design Biennale Rotterdam opened on the 19-th of February. The city of architect Rem Koolhaas has long deserved such a Design Forum. In recent years, it has become an advanced hub for young designers from the Netherlands and beyond. The city has developed a design community friendly to each other’s work. As Europe’s number 1 seaport, Rotterdam is convenient for transporting the products of successful designers (shipping worldwide). Built in a futuristic style after World War 2, the city of Osip Tzadkin’s sculptures inspires super modern design.

Manifesto:

“Design Biennale Rotterdam is a ten-day citywide showcase exploring what design means today. From 20 February to 2 March 2025, Rotterdam will transform into a destination for forward-thinking design and fresh perspectives. Featuring exhibitions, experiences, and conferences across cultural institutions and unexpected venues, the Biennale will present local talent and global design figures, positioning design as a transformative force for change.

Building on Rotterdam’s legacy of reinvention, a city built on resilience, and a future-focused community, the Biennale rethinks design’s role in shaping the world. Through innovative exhibitions and immersive experiences, it challenges conventional ideas and explores unexpected contexts. As a platform envisioning new possibilities, the event highlights Rotterdam as a city where design shapes the future.

The programme will begin with two special Early Extended Programme, providing an enhanced professional experience featuring conferences, private parties, and exclusive tours. Following these, the Biennale Pass will be available for both professionals and the interested public, offering unlimited access to all venues and a special side programme throughout the event.”

Symphony for one hundred citizens and a traffic light in De Singel

Antwerp-based theatre director, actor and visual artist Thomas Verstraeten, a member of the theatre collective FC Bergman, proves for the second time that an urban project can exist on a single theatre stage. Together with composer Heleen Van Haegenborgh, he created...

The exhibition “Donas, Archipenko & La Section d’Or” at KMSKA with guide Ihor Biloushchenko

On the occasion of the 140th anniversary of her birth, we went to the KMSKA as a symbolic gesture of congratulations to the artist Marthe Donas, born in Antwerp on 26 October 1885, visiting the exhibition dedicated to her and to her great love, the sculptor Alexander...

The contemporary art fair “Art Antwerp “2025”

On 11 December, Art Antwerp opened its doors at Antwerp Expo - a fair that is increasingly strengthening its position on the European contemporary art scene. From the very first minutes, the pavilions were filled with a vibrant, festive atmosphere: gallerists were...

Pain and the Concept of Antonin Artaud in the Exhibition “Theatre of Cruelty” at Casino Luxembourg

In striking contrast to the serene everyday life of Luxembourg, the most prosperous city in the Benelux, where public transport is free and the average salary is €6,000, the exhibition "Theatre of Cruelty" opened at the art forum Casino Luxembourg. The theatre of...

Art Weekend Luxembourg – an analysis of the art market

On the global art scene, there is a certain nervousness in the air: prices for ultra-contemporary art are falling, collectors are behaving more cautiously, and Artnet’s latest report notes a 31.3% drop in the value of works by artists born after 1975. But the moment...

Immersive “lie-down” concert by Mattias Devriendt

The Mattias Devriendt concerts at the 360° art space DIVE in Antwerp became one of the most delicate and unusual musical events of November. Over the course of three days, from 16 to 18 November, six “lie-down” performances took place—events to which audiences arrived...