Back on Senne

An exhibition with a light and sound creation by Romain Tardy and Coline Cornélis

Rediscover the Senne, a long-hidden — and by many forgotten — river! In the exhibition Back on Senne, it reappears as a living and dynamic subject: both a reminder of a vanished landscape and a river with a remarkable capacity for regeneration.

Archaeological excavations at Parking 58 have uncovered traces from a time when the river was navigable, supplied water to river mills and was rich in fish. In the 19th century, this changed dramatically: the Senne was enclosed, canalised and reduced to a waste water drain, causing it to gradually fall into disrepair and become an international ecological scandal. Since the commissioning of water treatment plants at the beginning of the 21st century, the river has shown signs of vitality once again, although its condition remains fragile. Through current themes such as climate adaptation, biodiversity and sustainable water management, the exhibition imagines a future for this forgotten river.

To reveal the hidden presence of the Senne, artists Romain Tardy and Coline Cornélis created an immersive installation. They based their work on audiovisual recordings of the river: its reflections, movements, resonances, but also the often hidden life forms in the river. These recordings form the basis for a sensory landscape: through laser projections and spatial sound, visitors are completely immersed in the Senne in the basement of the museum – the only place in the Pentagon where the river is visible. Live environmental data from the Flowbru network (flow rate, temperature, acidity, oxygen, etc.) control the light and sound installation, revealing the changing nature of the Senne. An interplay of history, art and science.

As part of Back on Senne, many activities will also take place, such as workshops, guided walks and more. Discover them here.

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About the artists

Romain Tardy creates sensory installations that reveal invisible dimensions of our environment. In this new creation, he reinterprets the underground Senne as a living, evolving ecosystem, inviting an emotional reconnection with this buried river and the hidden infrastructures of the city.

For the soundscape, Romain collaborates with Brussels illustrator, composer and DJ Coline Cornélis, who crafts immersive sonic worlds using field recordings, rhythms and experimental electronics, increasingly integrating her own sound creations.