Antwerp Queer Arts Festival had to cancel all its indoor events. 99% of the activities planned. What’s left? The ‘Queer Arts Walk‘. I took a guided tour, with Silvia Terrenzio. But you can very well do the tour on your own.

Although the stops are less noticeable than those on Antwerp Pride‘s ‘Trail of Stories‘, AQAF does provide precise addresses.

‘t Eilandje neighbourhood

The start is at Galerie Verbeeck-Van Dyck at the Verbindingsdok-Westkaai 12 between the Londenbrug and the Museum Aan de Stroom (MAS). There are artworks by Joanna Grochowska with her project ‘XXY‘ and by Mati Drome from the Drag Me To Hell parties.

At the MAS on the corner of Café Storm is an excerpt from ‘Queer Black Youth‘ by author and poet Heather Lynn Johnson.

The shopwindow of Mister B on Falconplein is covered with work by Jenkin Van Zyl.

Historical centre

Oliver Bijan has an exhibit at Kapsalon Lila at Nosestraat 3. A bit more centrally located in the Wijngaardstraat at Poppins Bloemen & Verbeelding you can see a still of ‘Motta‘ by Nish Gora. He combines bondage with flowers.

Carlos Aires makes art from vinyl records. Look for his Flemish Lion at Melkmarkt 20, just next to (the back of) Café DeLux. Further on at The Other Shop (Melkmarkt 13) is work by Isaiah Lopaz.

Shopping

In the Handelsbeurs in the Twaalfmaandenstraat there are artworks by Felix Beaudry and Dodi Espinosa. They are on the right when you come from the Meir entrance.

Beyond the Wilde Zee at Essentiel Antwerp (Lombardenvest 39) hangs a mini short story (dixit the author herself) by Fleur Pierets, illustrated by Marijn Achten.

A stone’s throw away at Louis (Lombardenstraat 2) you can admire Stef Van Looveren‘s penis and vagina handbags.

Meg Allen photographed butch lesbians. At the Amuz, Kammenstraat 81.

Mechelseplein

Ugo Woatzi is hiding in plain sight at Pulcinella Youth Hostel, Bogaardplein 1.

Dodi Espinosa can be seen again, this time at Thuiszorg Vleminckveld (house number 28) with a banana that refers to an aubergine.

Nicolas Stolarczyk closes with Ronald van der Hilst, Design & Landscape Architecture, Mechelseplein 21/23 opposite St George’s Church.

Accessible

Marcia Poelman, president of Het Roze Huis, is pleased that the guided tours can take place. Otherwise, you can walk the trail on your own. And that can also be done discreetly. Moreover, by seeing visible on the street, others also see queer art.

Fancy a guided tour? Click here.