Blocnotes
All five blocks are being vacated. On the eve of the destruction of this architectural heritage, before the exodus of its inhabitants and the definitive transformation of its buildings, it is important to collect the testimonies of the residents who were born, grew up and grew old in these towers. How should these five blocks be remembered? What have these walls seen and heard over the years?
In honour of Art+People by nuitblanche, the residents of the five blocks and Habitat et Rénovation’s employees joined forces with visual artists Marilyne Grimmerand Edurne Rubio, the sound collective Les Microsondes, and scenographer Mathilde Lejeune to give form to the photographic and audio archives of the five blocks.
Blocnotes was, first and foremost, instigated by Ema Tytgat, a social worker at the Social Cohesion Project Rempart des Moines, who co-orchestrated key moments within the five blocks, making these connections possible. These key moments, in the form of citizens’ meetings co-organised with other Rempart des Moines associations (ça débloq) and more intimate events (temps des possibles), created a family-like atmosphere and made it possible to establish trust between everyone involved in the project, thanks also to the support of Logement Bruxellois.
View of the sound installation on the evening of Art+People by nuitblanche
Edurne Rubio
Edurne Rubio is a visual artist. She works in the fields of exhibition, performance, film and architecture. Her artistic approach is similar in style to documentaries and anthropology, using interviews, archive images and research based on oral communication.
For Blocnotes, Edurne Rubio was entrusted with the photographic archives of the five blocks: several boxes containing decades of life at the Rempart des Moines, all mixed together and in various formats. Some of the images were captured by the residents themselves, while others were taken by social workers, including Ema Tytgat (Habitat & Renovation) and Amy Cissé (former employee of Logement Bruxellois). Edurne joined forces with the residents of the neighbourhood to recreate a narrative and give form to these archives and memories. Together, they have created several photographic albums, in which images are linked together with notes written by the inhabitants.
On the evening of the Art+People by nuitblanche event, Edurne set up an exhibition that gave visitors and residents an opportunity to take a look through these photo albums. The albums were arranged, opened up and illuminated around a circular table (designed by Romane Gerard) in the kitchen of the SCP, allowing the audience to immerse themselves in the memories of the five blocks or to relive times gone by. Outside, a slide show composed of a selection of photographs was projected onto the exterior wall of one of the blocks.
Les Microsondes
The Microsondes collective was founded by Ophélie Bouffil and Jeanne Gougeau in September 2020. Through their creations, the duo endeavours to give voice to those in society who struggle to make themselves heard. Their work varies between screenings, documentaries, exhibitions and radio workshops involving both adults and children.
During the summer of 2022, the Microsondes regularly visited the five blocks to collect the testimonies of their residents. Together, they met to discuss life in the five blocks, to record their anecdotes, their memories and sometimes even to visit their childhood flat.
For the Art+People by nuitblanche event, the Microsondes and scenographer Mathilde Lejeune took over a flat in the five blocks and set up an audio exhibition to play the testimonies of the residents who had lived in the buildings. Visitors were able to immerse themselves in the stories by listening through various headsets connected to MP3s.
For those who missed the five blocks exhibition or who simply want to listen to the stories again, a podcast is available on the Soundcloud platform.
Podcast produced following the Blocnotes audio exhibition
Installation of consultable photo albums, made with the inhabitants of the 5 blocks and projections made from the photographs of the inhabitants of the 5 blocks.
Marilyne Grimmer
Marilyne Grimmer is a visual artist and scenographer. She lives in Brussels. She likes to listen to and collect stories: stories told by everyone, stories of everyday life, of her neighbours or strangers, regardless of whether or not they’ve met before, memories of travels, stories about favourite or missing objects, etc.
Over the course of various meetings organised by the SCP and during summer courses aimed at young and old alike, the residents and Marilyne Grimmer designed and built a model of the five blocks with all the emblematic details of this neighbourhood: numerous windows, pigeons, sports hall, etc. For the first time, looming over them like giants, visitors were able to get a bird’s eye view of the buildings. This model also included an audio component, designed by the Microsondes collective. If you take a long look at the towers, you can hear the dialogue between them. This discussion is the result of the duo’s collection of sounds, recorded over the summer. It conveys joyful memories of the five blocks, and of how it felt to live in them. The model was a means of memorialising the buildings before their demolition.
Press and media
Press and media
Artists: Edurne Rubio, Marilyne Grimmer, Ophélie Bouffil & Jeanne G. (Les Microsondes).
Scenographer: Mathilde Lejeune
With photographs by, notably, Amy Cissé, Ema Tytgat, Sylvain Anciaux & Clément Martin
Coordination: Habitat et Rénovation – Ema Tytgat, Alpha Dialo and Léonor Michiels
Storytellers: the inhabitants of Rempart des Moines
With the support of Habitat et Rénovation
All five blocks are being vacated. On the eve of the destruction of this architectural heritage, before the exodus of its inhabitants and the definitive transformation of its buildings, it is important to collect the testimonies of the residents who were born, grew up and grew old in these towers. How should these five blocks be remembered? What have these walls seen and heard over the years?
In honour of Art+People by nuitblanche, the residents of the five blocks and Habitat et Rénovation’s employees joined forces with visual artists Marilyne Grimmerand Edurne Rubio, the sound collective Les Microsondes, and scenographer Mathilde Lejeune to give form to the photographic and audio archives of the five blocks.
Blocnotes was, first and foremost, instigated by Ema Tytgat, a social worker at the Social Cohesion Project Rempart des Moines, who co-orchestrated key moments within the five blocks, making these connections possible. These key moments, in the form of citizens’ meetings co-organised with other Rempart des Moines associations (ça débloq) and more intimate events (temps des possibles), created a family-like atmosphere and made it possible to establish trust between everyone involved in the project, thanks also to the support of Logement Bruxellois.
Les Microsondes
The Microsondes collective was founded by Ophélie Bouffil and Jeanne Gougeau in September 2020. Through their creations, the duo endeavours to give voice to those in society who struggle to make themselves heard. Their work varies between screenings, documentaries, exhibitions and radio workshops involving both adults and children.
During the summer of 2022, the Microsondes regularly visited the five blocks to collect the testimonies of their residents. Together, they met to discuss life in the five blocks, to record their anecdotes, their memories and sometimes even to visit their childhood flat.
For the Art+People by nuitblanche event, the Microsondes and scenographer Mathilde Lejeune took over a flat in the five blocks and set up an audio exhibition to play the testimonies of the residents who had lived in the buildings. Visitors were able to immerse themselves in the stories by listening through various headsets connected to MP3s.
For those who missed the five blocks exhibition or who simply want to listen to the stories again, a podcast is available on the Soundcloud platform.
Podcast produced following the Blocnotes audio exhibition
View of the sound installation on the evening of Art+People by nuitblanche
Edurne Rubio
Edurne Rubio is a visual artist. She works in the fields of exhibition, performance, film and architecture. Her artistic approach is similar in style to documentaries and anthropology, using interviews, archive images and research based on oral communication.
For Blocnotes, Edurne Rubio was entrusted with the photographic archives of the five blocks: several boxes containing decades of life at the Rempart des Moines, all mixed together and in various formats. Some of the images were captured by the residents themselves, while others were taken by social workers, including Ema Tytgat (Habitat & Renovation) and Amy Cissé (former employee of Logement Bruxellois). Edurne joined forces with the residents of the neighbourhood to recreate a narrative and give form to these archives and memories. Together, they have created several photographic albums, in which images are linked together with notes written by the inhabitants.
On the evening of the Art+People by nuitblanche event, Edurne set up an exhibition that gave visitors and residents an opportunity to take a look through these photo albums. The albums were arranged, opened up and illuminated around a circular table (designed by Romane Gerard) in the kitchen of the SCP, allowing the audience to immerse themselves in the memories of the five blocks or to relive times gone by. Outside, a slide show composed of a selection of photographs was projected onto the exterior wall of one of the blocks.
Installation of consultable photo albums, made with the inhabitants of the 5 blocks and projections made from the photographs of the inhabitants of the 5 blocks.
Marilyne Grimmer
Marilyne Grimmer is a visual artist and scenographer. She lives in Brussels. She likes to listen to and collect stories: stories told by everyone, stories of everyday life, of her neighbours or strangers, regardless of whether or not they’ve met before, memories of travels, stories about favourite or missing objects, etc.
Over the course of various meetings organised by the SCP and during summer courses aimed at young and old alike, the residents and Marilyne Grimmer designed and built a model of the five blocks with all the emblematic details of this neighbourhood: numerous windows, pigeons, sports hall, etc. For the first time, looming over them like giants, visitors were able to get a bird’s eye view of the buildings. This model also included an audio component, designed by the Microsondes collective. If you take a long look at the towers, you can hear the dialogue between them. This discussion is the result of the duo’s collection of sounds, recorded over the summer. It conveys joyful memories of the five blocks, and of how it felt to live in them. The model was a means of memorialising the buildings before their demolition.
Press and media
Artists: Edurne Rubio, Marilyne Grimmer, Ophélie Bouffil & Jeanne G. (Les Microsondes).
Scenographer: Mathilde Lejeune
With photographs by, notably, Amy Cissé, Ema Tytgat, Sylvain Anciaux & Clément Martin
Coordination: Habitat et Rénovation – Ema Tytgat, Alpha Dialo and Léonor Michiels
Storytellers: the inhabitants of Rempart des Moines
With the support of Habitat et Rénovation
