Experience

ANTWERP | Amenra, mehro, Pleun van Engelen, Hantrax & more artists festively open Rubenshuis on 30 August 2024

Posted by Timothy on

From 30 August 2024, the artistic talent of today and tomorrow will provide a surprising range of concerts, performances, tours, lectures and DJ sets to celebrate the opening of the Rubens House (Rubenshuis) in the heart of Antwerp. 

Mehro, Pleun van Engelen, Hantrax, Meskerem Mees, Tsar B, OVERLAST, Sven Rayen, the food archaeologist, Soe Nsuki and a lot of other artists will provide a big party for a month in the new setting and garden of the Rubens House.

The Rubens House will open its doors again on 30 August and it will not go unnoticed. Until 22 September numerous concerts, events and tours will take place at the place where Rubens spent his life in Antwerp. 

From the metal music of Amenra to the guide-for-a-day Joost Zweegers. Visitors can soak up the atmosphere with Wendy Wauters during a lecture about the Antwerp Cathedral of Our Lady or listen to the stories by Katlijne Van der Stighelen and Lotte Dodion about the women before and behind Rubens’ canvases. Dancing with DJs and cocktails, a yoga session in the garden or getting a tattoo, it’s all possible during this fantastic party.

Alderman for Culture Nabilla Ait Daoud (N-VA): “The reopening of the Rubens House is being celebrated with a very varied festive program, which in many ways reflects how diverse and versatile the oeuvre of Peter Paul Rubens himself is. Just like Rubens in several genres of painting and excelled in other arts, the reopening includes a wide range of activities, something for everyone!”

Rubens residents

Pleun van Engelen and Hantrax are the first Rubens residents. These young artists have been invited by the Rubens House to experiment with Rubens’ ideas at a special location. They are not deterred by the Antwerp artist’s grandiose oeuvre. On the contrary, they are inspired by it and work on the spot to create. ​ ​

A selection from the festival programme:

Amenra – ‘Intimate & acoustic’ (6 September)

The Belgian metal band Amenra is the Belgian showcase worldwide for doom music, a slow and dark variant of the classic metal genre. During strong live concerts, the band takes packed halls on an intense musical journey through pain and healing. 

For the concert in the Rubens House, the loud guitars and gloomy drum beats stay at home. Amenra presents a fully acoustic set in an intimate atmosphere. Rubens’ baroque artist’s home fits in seamlessly with their typical visual language.

Baroque concert film ‘Les diners de Gala’ by Tsar B (15 September) ​

Alexander Chung, Oscar and The Wolf and Nova Twins. These are just a few names from the list of artists with whom musician and producer Justine Bourgeus – alias Tsar B – has already collaborated. 

The former School is Cool violinist is known for her danceable electronic indie pop and effortlessly bridges multiple disciplines such as film, dance and fashion. Since the launch of the concert film ‘Les Diners de Gala‘, Tsar B has increasingly emerged as a film composer. The intimate atmosphere of the Baroque setting in this film is nowhere better appreciated than in the Rubens House. ​ ​

Sven Rayen puts Rubens tattoos (31 August)

The books in Rubens’ library are chock full of beautiful illustrations by him. From architectural drawings to sketches and engravings. They gave Sven Rayen of Studio Palermo, a prominent figure in the international tattoo landscape, the inspiration to design some tattoos. A real Rubens, but also a genuine Rayen. Register to get a unique tattoo.

Greek gods and heroes: Pleun van Engelen sketches a portrait of the young Rubens in a new theater performance (12, 21 and 22 September)

Rubens could reinvent like no other. But what if he himself is reinvented? And what do his grandiose works mean in today’s agitated iconoclasm? 

Theater maker, actor and writer Pleun van Engelen sketches her own portrait of the artist. Sometimes with velvety brushstrokes, sometimes with a coarse brush. 

At the request of the Rubens House, she made a piece about the much ‘younger’ Rubens.

Mehro shines in the Rubens House (8 September) ​ ​

83 million streams for his indie hit ‘Chance With You‘: mehro is quickly shooting to stardom. Not surprising, because his unique voice and fine songs go straight to the heart. Sometimes with all the rock ‘n roll bells and whistles, sometimes acoustic and very intimate. The combination with a strong visual language makes his concerts a feast for the eyes and ears. For his first stop on Belgian soil, the American brings his second album ‘Trauma Lullabies‘.

The soundtrack of the new garden: Hantrax and Theo Carpentier premiere their own composition live (7 september)

Just like Rubens at the time, the Antwerp composer and pianist Hantrax today works at the cutting edge of the arts. 

When the Rubens House launched an open call in February to reinvent music from the 16th and 17th centuries together with Hantrax, Theo Carpentier emerged as the winner. 

The two musicians retreated to the Rubens House to write a piece of music together. They perform this live in the historic garden, supplemented with works from their own repertoire. A young classically trained violinist and an electronic performer: that creates sparks!

For more information and tickets, please visit the website. Reservations are required due to limited capacity:

In short: Rubens House opens with a bang

The Rubens House will open again from 30 August 2024. A visit starts from Hopland 13. 

The brand new building by Robbrecht en Daem architects gives access to Rubens Experience, the library and the lushly redesigned Baroque garden. 

From this green oasis in the middle of the city of Antwerp there is a beautiful view of Rubens’ house. The historic artist’s home remains temporarily closed due to renovations. Tickets can be purchased on the Rubens House website.

Art and museums in Antwerp