The 3
rd editon of the
European Blues Expo was held in
Les Halles St.-Géry, Brussels (Belgium), from March 4th until April 27th 2015. The exhibition showcased the various activities
organized by the
European Blues Union like the
European Blues Challenge (EBC), the
Blues Market, and other cultural events associated with today’s lively
European Blues scene. There was a photo exhibition by international photographers, Pertti Nurmi (Finland), Alain Hiot (France), Sylvie Bosc (France), Roser Blues (Spain), SKAttomaTTO (Italy), Charlie Hussey (Ireland), Aigars Lapsa
(Latvia), Morten Gjerde (Norway), Carme Barrera (Spain), Fred Delforge (France), Christophe Losberger (Switzerland), Jean-Michel Rock’n’Blues (France) and Roald Jungård (Norway). Film footage recorded during the four past editions
of the European Blues Challenge (Berlin, Toulouse and Riga, 2011-14) was provided by Bad Music Blues from Barcelona (Spain). The event was supported by the European Blues Union and Brussels Blues Society. The opening was on
Wednesday, 4 March 2015 at
12.00h. All Expo visitors also enjoyed another fantastic photo exhibition by
Pertti Nurmi, Board member of the EBU. Pertti was the editor-in-chief of the legendary Finnish Blues News magazine for almost a decade
in the 1980s. After 40+ years of blues photography, Pertti’s photo archives are unique even internationally. Hundreds of Pertti’s shots have been published in the Finnish Blues News and other magazines, and his photography artwork
has been on display e.g. in New York City and in Hollywood. A sample of blues photographs provided by
Aigars Lapsa and
Baltic Blues Society (Eutin, Germany) were also exhibited
at Les Halles St.-Géry. In 2010 they decided to create an outstanding exhibition with originally signed photos. Over the years Aigars Lapsa shooted the most beautiful and intense moments by live performers that were not specially
posing. He has and impressive collection of portraits of Blues artists from all over the world. Aigars Lapsa is an international awarded Latvian photographer and was the first european photographer to receive the
Keeping the Blues Award by
the
Blues Foundation for “Photography” in 2012 and Pertti Nurmi has followed his steps by beeing the second european photographer to receive the KBA in January 2015.
