A Flagel story

Winter 2012-2013

Tuesday January 15, 2013, the square falls asleep. After a forced hibernation, Flagel lands back on its feet. First pun of 2013: Poisse Flagey (“poisse” means back luck and rimes with “place”). Between the black cat and the four-leaf clover, everything is there! There is enough to tempt fate and hope for other creations to arrive in the coming weeks... 

Monday 21 January, Flagel is back for the second time in less than a week. This time the square turns into a Flagey Page ("Page Flagey").

On Wednesday 13 March , the square wakes up again “tatooed” by Flagel. The topic this time : Pope Flagey (Pape Flagey in French). Whilst the conclave is opening in Rome, Flagel drew a spider. Why ? Because a new pope is called to reign - à régner in French which sounds like araignée , French word for spider ! Q.E.D !

Flagel

But who is Flagel ? A group of artists who chose the pristine immensity of the snow covered place Flagey to express themselves when conditions permit. Four artists to be precise. Long time friends, they produce their first ephemeral work in 2009. For them, no fear of the blank page. The square appears directly to them as the ideal support for their creation: it is large enough and provides the necessary perspective....

Nothing more is needed. At four and with the help of a shovel, a rake and a wood plank, they give birth to monumental frisko. The success was immediate. The name of the group was found, the adventure could begin! Since then, the four crazies from the beginning are still there. Over time, they have surrounded themselves by a few friends to create more complicated patterns and have refined their technique.

Today, it is a business which works! The weather forecast is favourable, Brussels is getting covered with a white coat? It is time to gather the troops. The evening begins at an institution in the neighbourhood. Around a beer, the mad team gets organized: the sketch takes shape, the friends arrive as reinforcements. Armed with shovels, rakes, scrapers and wooden planks, Flagel gets started. Two hours later, the Place Flagey is transformed into a work of art.

Then comes the moment to admire the result. Over time, the group has made a name for themselves in the neighbourhood. The doors of the apartments overlooking the square open to them. Now warm, they can admire the result and possibly make some small changes. Flagey is then flashed. The pictures are shared on the group's Facebook page, and social networks ignite even before Brussels wakes up.

Rétrospective

This is not Flagel's group first attempt. Over time, the puns have jostled themselves!
Au fil du temps, les jeux de mots se sont bousculés!