Translated by Bethszabee Garner

Brussels is a city that you never stop rediscovering, visit after visit, like a slow unveiling. In terms of art, it has a wealth that is the equal of any other European capital and is easily accessible. Two neighborhoods effectively share the cake: the Sablon, where the galleries of ancient art are grouped, and the entire area on either side of the grand Avenue Louise, which is home to most of the galleries devoted to contemporary art. With just a few weeks to go until the famous Brafa, the Brussels Fair that brings together all forms of art and many galleries from the Belgian capital (as well as many foreign dealers), a stroll was in order, with visits to galleries, meetings with professionals and, of course, contemplation of works that stand out from the crowd.

We started, chronology reversed as it happens, in the ‘Louise district’ and, chauvinism demanding, with a French gem, Nathalie Obadia's gallery, which is also present in Paris. The space is impressive, the welcome from Valérie Wille, the director, warm and competent, revealing to us, for example, the most iconoclastic aspects of the artist Joris Von Moortel, musician, painter and sculptor to whom the gallery is dedicating a fascinating exhibition. All his worlds unfold there, the colors and their fractures explode in your face in a wave that goes from the self-portrait to his beloved guitars (until 11 January 2025).

Hypnotic landscapes

After lunch, we head for the Béraudière gallery, an impressive mansion evoking Spanish architecture with its interior arcades and a splendid glass roof bringing in natural light that enhances the works. During our visit, contemporary ceramics by major artists including the absolute master, Pablo Picasso, were on display. An opportunity that does not necessarily correspond to the traditional artistic line of Jacques de la Béraudière, who was for a long time an important player in contemporary art in Paris.

During a busy day, during which we cannot detail all the stops here, as enriching as they were, we chaotically discovered the Archot & Cie gallery, specializing in European goldsmiths, where we were shown some elegant but also amusing rarities, the very chic Colnaghi gallery upstairs, exhibiting both ancient and modern art, and the vast Patinoire Royale which represents the Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos, guest of honor at the next Brafa in January 2025.

This crazy day ended with a final stop at the welcoming and sympathetic Rodolphe Janssen, notable among the notables of the Brussels art world. An exhibition by Jason Saager adorns the walls of the uncluttered rooms of his gallery, where the supernatural landscapes painted by the artist have an almost hypnotic effect on visitors. With its clear lines and gentle colors, the world of the New Lands offered by Saager is reminiscent of both 19th-century engravings and the Surrealists.

Functional art...

The next day, as planned, we headed for the Sablon. Two neighborhoods, two atmospheres. The Sablon possesses an irresistible charm with its pretty buildings with sculpted and colorful facades, it's very appetizing chocolatiers and, of course, its richly endowed antique shops and galleries.

After a visit to the Patrick Derom Gallery, which specializes in paintings and sculptures from the end of the 19th century to the present day, we headed for an authentic Brussels institution, the Costermans Gallery on the Place du Grand Sablon. This spectacular apartment exhibits antique paintings, furniture and art objects from the 16th to the 18th century on two levels. Upstairs, the wallpaper that adorns the walls was coveted by Jackie Kennedy who offered to buy it! In the courtyard, the restoration workshop revealed to us by Arnaud Jaspar-Costermans is a place out of time...

The other great moment of a morning rich in encounters was the discovery of the Objects with narratives gallery created by three boys passionate about contemporary design who have set up their huge showroom in place of the Ladurée boutique. Oscar Eryatmaz describes, enthusiastically, a few pieces of ‘functional art’, an oxymoron that describes the uniqueness of his artistic style. Not so functional in truth because the tables and chairs on display, for example, would not be of much use at mealtimes. Similarly, Ben Storms' marble cushions don't look very comfortable... On the other hand, their artistic dimension is undeniable and undoubtedly justifies the prices asked.

Brafa Art Fair, from 26 January to 2 February 2025, Place de Belgique 1, Brussels

Article written by Yves Derai, to be found in issu n°10 of OniriQ Magazine.