The Villa Empain will host Diary of Happiness, Jean-Michel Othoniel’s first major solo exhibition in Brussels, opening on 10 April 2026. The French artist brings together more than 100 works inspired by three decades of travel, in a parcours combining sculpture, watercolours and monumental installations.
Photo : © Georges De Kinder
The exhibition is designed to respond to the Art Deco architecture of the Villa Empain, with works displayed across the house’s salons, bedrooms and gardens. According to the official Villa Empain exhibition page, the project reflects the Boghossian Foundation’s mission of intercultural dialogue, with each work linked to a country or a stop along the artist’s journey.
A journey between memory and happiness
At the heart of Diary of Happiness are nearly 100 rarely shown watercolours, which serve as a narrative thread throughout the exhibition. These paper works are presented alongside sculptures and large-scale installations, creating a display that feels both intimate and theatrical.
Othoniel presents the exhibition as an exploration of the search for happiness, moving from shadow toward light through a deeply personal visual language. The route evokes places including Armenia, Belgium, China, France, India, Japan, Mexico, Turkey and the United States, turning the exhibition into a poetic map of encounters and movement.
Practical information
Diary of Happiness runs from 10 April to 4 October 2026 at the Boghossian Foundation – Villa Empain, Avenue Franklin Roosevelt 67, 1050 Ixelles, Brussels. More details are also available on the Brussels agenda listing and on the Villa Empain exhibitions page.
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