Harlan Levey Projects & Studio Khachatryan open in Brussels

Studio Khachatryan.

In Brussels‘ infamous Molenbeek district, Harlan Levey Projects and Studio Khachatryan take up residence within a newly refurbished 500-square-metre building. Spread over two floors, this buzzing precinct just a few steps from MIMA, the canal and Dansaert, in one of Brussels’ most dynamic upcoming areas. Set within a thriving local art and design scene, this new multidisciplinary outpost adds a unique touch to the neighbourhood.

The 250sqm ground floor level is taken over by Levey’s art space HLP 1080, named after western Europe’s most notorious postcode. Upstairs is the studio and showroom of the Armenian-born architectural designer Noro Khachatrya, who founded his studio in 2010. Artist Emmanuel Van der Auwera’s studio is located in the same building, and Marcin Dudek’s atelier is just around the corner.

The opening of this new space is exemplary for the unique way Harlan Levey and his wife and co-founder, Winnie Kwok, run a gallery. Since the inception of their first project space in 2012, the gallery has invested in the local cultural scene. Their community-oriented approach led to the opening of a new gallery in Ixelles (HLP 1050) in 2015, and is set to continue in this second venue in Molenbeek.

At HLP 1080, The inaugural show by Marcin Dudek, Slash and Burn II, is the second part of a diptych that started at the end of last year and where Dudek explores the underground hooligan culture he participated in during his youth in Poland.

Studio Khachatryan.

Harlan Levey Projects.

Meanwhile, Studio Khachatryan is showcasing a tightly curated selection of recent works alongside examples of projects from their early period, integrated within the new environment envisioned and designed by Khachatryan and his team.

“The location and history of the building were both great inspirations and, without sounding corny, I think it’s important to listen and respect a structure when amending it,” says Khachatryan. “Over the years, the building had been used as a depot for beer and shoes and even as a mosque. At times I imagine many people working there. At others – silence and storage. It felt important to leave some of these traces present and a few elements of the original bricks and beams were left visible.”

Set to become Brussels’ newest cultural hub, Harlan Levey Projects & Studio Khachatryan’s home is situated near several cultural institutions and players, in a neighbourhood that’s still largely undervalued. The choice of Molenbeek as a setting is part of their striving to be embedded in the local cultural scene while continuing to be relevant internationally.

For more information, visit studiokhachatryan.com and hl-projects.com.

Harlan Levey Projects.