Belgian weekly Knack on 29 September published a long article by investigative journalist Chris De Stoop showing that, since 2002, the Flemish government has been misinforming both the Belgian Council of State and the European Commission by systematically withholding its correspondence with the Commission regarding the status of the official urbanistic and regional plans of Doel. Too long and complicated a story to explain to people who are not acquainted with the legal dossier, but it raises serious questions regarding the ethics of the Flemish government....

Picture Thomas Baltes

From 3 November through 12 December, Isabelle Pateer, Cindy Hannard, Thomas Baltes en Fred Pauwels will exhibit photo series about Doel in the Botanique cultural center in Brussels (Avenue Royal 236, 1210 Brussels).

Picture: Roberto de Nisi

On 11 September, KunstDoel attended the annual assembly of Love Difference in Lecco, Italy. After the meeting, all the participants formed the three circles of Il Terzo Paradiso, a socio-artistic concept elaborated by Michelangelo Pistoletto. The first circle refers to the past and unspoilt nature; the second to today's artificial and polluted world; the third to a new age in which all human beings would live in harmony with each other and their natural environment -- the Third Paradise.
More info about recent "the Tird Paradise" essay by Pistoletto >>>

Picture: Roberto de Nisi

Out of gratitude for the effective and moral support that Love Difference/Cittadellarte-Fondazione Pistoletto has consistently given to KunstDoel's artistic campaigns to maintain Doel as an arts village, KunstDoel gave Michelangelo Pistoletto a panoramic village portrait of Doel compiled by Wim De Schamphelaere. This erudite photographer won a prize in this year's Canvas collection contest with similar portraits of African villages.

See Canvas fragment of the making of the village portrait of Doel >>>

Picture Phantasy Art

Despite some unpleasant events prior to the festivities organized on the occasion of the annual blessing of the Scheldt -- the authorities destroyed a work of "recyclart" in progress and a bailiff sealed off the Consulate of Ruigoord artists where a photo exhibition was scheduled -- most planned events went ahead anyway and about 15,000 tot 20,000 people visited the village of Doel on 8 August, thus sending a highly significant signal to the Flemish government and port authority.

KunstDoel made a short video report of this magnificent day (>>>)