"THIS SUMMER, THE FLOWER CARPET MAKES WAY FOR BUDDING CREATIVITY!"

Over the years, the Flower carpet has become a not-to-be-missed event in Brussels' cultural and tourist calendar.

The Grand-Place in Brussels, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, will once again be aglow with colour. The famous Carpet of Flowers will return to the world's most beautiful square from Thursday 15 to Sunday 18 August 2024.

This new floral creation will be the fruit of collaboration between artists, horticulturists and volunteers from the four corners of Belgium in a unique project.

The 23th edition of this ephemeral work of art is already shaping up to be historic, as for the first time dahlias will form the main motif.

We're also very proud to have entrusted the design of this work to a belgian street artist: Océane Cornille. Her magnificent creation pays tribute to our city as the floral capital of Europe, but also as an international benchmark for Art Nouveau and the birthplace of Surrealism. 

This summer, expect to see colourful images of Brussels blooming all over the world!

The Alderwoman for Culture, Tourism and Major Events of the City of Brussels

President of the npo Tapis de Fleurs de Bruxelles

THE BRUSSELS 2024 FLOWER CARPET: CHANGE WITH CONTINUITY!

The 2024 edition of the Brussels Flower Carpet heralds a dual revolution. This year, dahlias take centre stage, and the floral motif has been designed by a Belgian artist - and a Street Art artist at that! Injecting new life and promoting a younger, more inclusive image.

Every two years since 1971, the Brussels Flower Carpet has unfurled its floral splendour on the world's most beautiful square. While the 2022 edition marked a return to normality, following the cancellation of the 2020 event because of the pandemic, 2024 marks a change that is as radical in substance as it is dazzling in form.

“The Flower carpet is THE event not to be missed this summer. As tradition dictates, this ephemeral creation will transform the Grand-Place into a giant, dazzling canvas in the image of our city. The 2024 edition will be marked by the magnificent creation of artist Océane Cornille. Her Art Nouveau-inspired work is a reminder of the major role played by our capital in this architectural movement. This summer, expect to see colourful images of Brussels blossoming all over the world!”, explains the Alderwoman for Culture, Tourism and Major Events of the City of Brussels and President of the npo Tapis de Fleurs de Bruxelles.

“The Flower carpet is one of those great moments in Brussels’ cultural life that attracts Belgians and tourists alike to the ephemeral beauty of an age-old art form modernised by the influence of Street Art. It's a unique moment that contributes to the attractiveness and dynamism of our city, which, coupled with the Shops in Bloom initiative, has become an unmissable summer event”, explains the Alderman for Economic Affairs at the City of Brussels.

Under the banner of change

While the 2022 Flower Carpet symbolised a return to its roots, reinventing the motifs of Arabesques, the first Carpet of 1971, Rhizome, the 2024 motif is a real break with tradition on several levels.

Historically, the Grand-Place Flower Carpet was mainly composed of begonias. This year, splendid Campine dahlias take centre stage. The organisers of the Brussels Flower Carpet opted for those of the Loenhout Floral Parade, which had already supplied the dahlias needed for the 2022 edition.

This year, more than 80% (1,300 m²) of the gigantic 1,600 m² carpet will be made up of different colours and varieties of fresh dahlias. Grown in Belgium, the dahlia is both a robust and decorative flower, with millions of them used on the floats at the Loenhout floral parade. The 72^nd edition of this floral parade will take place on 8 September. The 2023 edition attracted no fewer than 17,000 visitors who came to admire 32 floats covered in a total of 4 million dahlias!

Whoups, a street artist from Liège!

For the organisers, the change of flower was an ideal opportunity to rejuvenate the carpet's image, by proposing a design that departed from the usual codes of previous editions, in order to attract a new audience, while retaining its loyal followers.

Until now, the Flower Carpet motif has been linked to a cultural event, the guest country of honour or an anniversary. Rhizome has been specially and uniquely designed for the Flower Carpet. It's a nod to Brussels and Art Nouveau, as well as a tip of the hat to Street Art, youth and Surrealism.

It was designed by Océane Cornille, a street artist from Liège. After studying graphic design at the École Supérieure des Arts de Saint-Luc in Liège, Océane adopted the pseudonym 'Whoups'. She composes graphic poems full of symbols, which combine emotion and materials in equal measure.

"In my artistic approach, I draw inspiration from the concept of the plant rhizome to express the complexity and interconnectedness of Brussels. The lines in my work represent the rhizome of plants, but are also a metaphor for the urban rhizome, where neighbourhoods converge and diverge in a complex and dynamic network. Like the roots of a plant, these lines intersect one another and overlap, creating a dense, organic network that reflects the diversity and vitality of Brussels," the artist explains.

Tickets to see this ephemeral masterpiece are now available on www.flowercarpet.be. Don't miss the grand return of the floral heart of Brussels, from 15 to 18 August 2024!

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Programme:

▪ Construction of the Flower Carpet: 15 August 2024, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

▪ Official opening with the sound and light show: 15 August 2024, around 10 p.m.

▪ Visit to the balcony of the Town Hall:

▪ Sound and light show: 15 to 18 August, 9-11 p.m. (every 30 minutes)

Tickets:

▪ Panoramic view from the balcony of the Town Hall:

Would you like to come and help us on 15 August to lay the carpet in the Grand-Place?Send us your motivation letter to : ​ Volunteers@flowercarpet.be

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