Antwerpen (or Antwerp as us non-Dutchie people call it) is the bastard, godless slut of Amsterdam. Okay, maybe just the autistic afterbirth of the Netherlands. Actually, I can’t tell if that is better or worse, so let’s just say I didn’t like it very much.

Apparently, it’s a real hard knocks life for those Flem-o-Francs. So much so that they have to take it out on you - the tourist freezing in weather that can only be described as “ass” - by constantly pushing you around in the street and awkwardly make you pay at every single lavatory. As in, even at the restaurant you are currently a patron of. I feel like we spent much of our travel expenses on “going bathroom”. The least they could do is given me a postcard or a collectors book - “The Bathrooms of Antwerp”. Something to remember the good times.

All was not completely lost, however. Antwerp did manage to show us some good fashion exhibits and shopping, though nothing was bought. First stop out of the cold was the ModeMuseum where not only was there a massive Bernhad Willhem exhibition of much of his work throughout the years, but also a collection of student work in Momu’s gallery.

KONINKLIJKE ACADEMIE STUDENT WORK AT MOMU GALLERY

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The stunning thing about these pieces was how well they were constructed. I didn’t get a chance to write down everyone’s names, so if anyone happens to know which belongs to who, I would love to reflect that on my Flickr titles.

MAIN EXHIBIT: BERNHARD WILLHELM’S TOTAAL RAPPEL

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Descriptions of the exhibit itself are taken from the exhibition booklet and can be read on the individual Flickr pictures. There were also a number of interactive pieces that I was able to record:

THE YODELERS

Part of the Tirolean Room, each statue has a speaker for a head and sung almost in rounds.

FOOTBALLERS

“Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice!”

POSTER ANIMATION WITH PROJECTOR

A poster of Trick-o-Treaters get some some life breathed into in through the use of a projector.