artbrussels 2007

artbrussels establishes its position at the top of art fairs artbrussels may well have a youthful image, but it is in fact based on 25 years of experience. In 1968, a humble art fair was born. Art Actuel, as it was named at the time, was a cutting-edge biennial with art from leading galleries, exhibiting at the invitation of Belgian gallery owners. In 1997 the foundation was laid for a new future. Important reorganisations, such as the changeover from a biennial to an annual show, made the art fair evolve to become an event of internationally recognised importance, and nowadays artbrussels is a real premier league player on the international art scene.

From the very beginning, artbrussels has profiled itself as a contemporary art fair that pays just as much attention to established artists as it does to new talent. artbrussels is a much-loved event by international art collectors and curators for this very reason, and because it is a place where you can make genuinely new discoveries. Within Europe, artbrussels’ content and character allows it to identify itself as the contemporary art fair of the moment.

25th anniversary The 25th anniversary of artbrussels will not go unmarked! For this jubilee edition, the fair will be restyled and a variety of projects will be initiated: an exhibition with a selection of 25 exceptional art works, which have been bought at artbrussels over the years, will be on display; the main Belgian museums will present a special exhibition that exposes works by young contemporary artists; and Karen Renders, director of the fair, will invite a number of trend-setting Belgian artists to create a unique intervention for the fair.

Selection The selection of participants for this 25th edition was made by the International Selection Committee: Albert Baronian - Baronian-Francey (Brussels), Elena Buchmann - Buchman Galerie (Berlin-Lugano), Helga Conrads-Galerie Conrads (Düsseldorf), Jo Coucke- Deweer Art Gallery (Otegem), Rodolphe Janssen-Galerie Rodolphe Janssen (Brussels), Nathalie Obadia-Galerie Nathalie Obadia (Paris) and Tanya Rumpff - Galerie Tanya Rumpff (Haarlem).

From more than 340 applications, 150 galleries have been selected to participate in artbrussels, which takes places at Brussels Expo from 20 through 23 April 2007.

The complete spectrum of artistic disciplines will be on show: paintings, drawings, installations, video art, photography, etc. If there is a common thread amongst this diverse representation of creative energy it is embodied in the quality, innovation and international character of the artists presented and the programmes of the galleries on show. At artbrussels ‘international’ is no empty slogan, with participants coming from some 20 countries (of which 80% are from outside Belgium). Finally, at artbrussels selection is based on the quality of the art, regardless of whether the exhibitor is considered established or new talent.

The selected artists and galleries will be exhibiting in clearly defined zones:

First Call: promising galleries who will participate for the first time and that have been nominated by the Collectors’ Committee, which was established in 2004, and whose members include: Jacqueline d’Amécourt (Groupe Lhoist), Wilfried Cooreman, Mimi Dusselier, Filiep Libeert, Cédric Liénart de Jeude, Baudouin Michiels (Belgacom Art), Benedikt van der Vorst, Bruno Van Lierde and Mark Vanmoerkerke.

Young Talent: young galleries emphasising the youthful and innovative character of artbrussels.

Galleries: art galleries of exceptional high quality and with an established pedigree that offer a guaranteed unique overview of contemporary art talent. Within this zone, 15 galleries will present a Solo Show, and at the fair itself the Collectors’ Committee selects a winner from among them.

Modern and Contemporary Design: this brand new zone, introduced in 2006, promises to be another amazing success.

artbrussels at the top of European contemporary art fairs There are more than enough reasons to pay artbrussels a visit: as the centrally located European capital Brussels has a rich variety of art events, unique architecture, a genuine design, art and fashion scene, interesting nightlife and an incomparable culinary offer. At artbrussels quality, space, timing and a record number of visitors are the key elements. As an informative platform with interesting debates, the event will be completed with a stimulating OFF programme.

artbrussels is a must see for all players in the international art world.

Participants (index December 2006) First Call: Amerika, Berlin | Chung King, Los Angeles | De Multiples, Paris | Elaine Levy Project, Brussels | Figge Von Rosen, Cologne | Fonti, Naples | Fred, London | Goff + Rosenthal, New York | Kirkhoff, Copenhagen | Newman Popiashvili, New York | Nyborg, Valby | Pinksummer, Genoa | Podnar, Ljubljana | Vilma Gold, London

Young Talent: AD, Athens | AND, Barcelona | Alice, Brussels | Art Agents, Hamburg | Asbaek Projects, Copenhagen | Bastide, Brussels | Bienvenu, New York | Cardenas Bellanger, Paris | De Bruijne, Amsterdam | De Voldere, New York | Dependance, Brussels | Grimm/Rosenfeld, Munich | Groeflin Maag, Basel | Kimmerich, Düsseldorf | Kleindienst, Leipzig | La Blanchisserie/Cantine, Boulogne | Maes & Matthys, Antwerp | Monitor, Rome | Murata & Friends, Berlin | One Twenty, Ghent | Prometeo, Milan | Raucci/Santamaria, Naples | Rokeby, London | Ronmandos, Rotterdam | Rudolph, Berlin | S.A.L.E.S., Rome | Schmidt Maczollek, Cologne | Skuc, Ljubljana | Sommer, Tel Aviv | The Agency, London | V.M. 21, Rome | Vacio 9, Madrid | Van Wijngaarden, Amsterdam | Wentrup< /b>, Berlin

Art Galleries: A Arte Studio Invernizzi, Milan | Aeroplastics, Brussels | Albion, London | Analix Forever, Geneva | Andersen, Copenhagen | Andersson Sandstrom, Umea | Andréhn-Schiptjenko, Stockholm | Anhava, Helsinki | Baronian-Francey, Brussels | Bärtschi, Geneva | Bernier/Eliades, Athens | Bjerggaard, Copenhagen | Blancpain Stepczynski, Geneva | BND, Milan | Bodhi, New Delhi | Box, Brussels | Brolly, Paris | Buchmann, Berlin | Cent8, Paris | Cerami, Couillet | Chelouche, Tel Aviv | Chinese Contemporary, Beijing | Conrads, Düsseldorf | Crown, Brussels | De Brock, Knokke | De Zwarte Panter, Antwerp | De/Di/By Colletpark, Paris | Dels Angels, Barcelona | Deweer, Otegem | Dvir, Tel Aviv | Edlin, New York | Elbaz, Paris | Estrella, Madrid | Fiat , Paris | Flatland, Utrecht | Forsblom, Helsinki | Galerist, Istanbul | Gering & Lopez, New York | Geukens & De Vil, Knokke | Giroux, Paris | Godin, Paris | Golden, New York | Grimm, Amsterdam | Grusenmeyer, Deurle | Gutharc, Paris | Heino, Helsinki | Hoet Bekaert, Ghent | Hohenlohe, Vienna | Hufkens, Brussels | Hussenot, Paris | I8, Reykjavik | In Situ, Aalst | Insam, Vienna | Jacobson, London | Jamar, Antwerp | Janssen, Brussels | Karpio, San José de Costa Rica | Koraalberg, Antwerp | Krinzinger, Vienna | Kudlek Van Der Grinten, Cologne | La Citta, Verona | Lanzenberg, Brussels | Lee, London | Les Filles du Calvaire, Paris | Loevenbruck, Paris | Maruani & Noirhomme, Knokke | Mauroner, Salzburg | Meert Rihoux, Brussels | Mennour, Paris | Minini, Brescia | Moser, Geneva | Mulier Mulier, Knokke | Obadia, Paris | Oniris, Rennes | Papillon, Paris | Paviot, Paris | Photo & Contemporary, Turin | Polaris – Utudjian, Paris | Rech, Paris | Regina, Moscow | Rein, Paris | Röpke, Cologne | Rumpff, Haarlem | Russo, Torre Pellice | Ruzicska, Salzburg | S65, Aalst | Sels, Düsseldorf | Senda, Barcelona | Simoens, Knokke | Soskine, Madrid | Sparta, Chagny | Sturm, Stuttgart | Szwajcer, Antwerp | Tache-Levy, Brussels | Tanit, Munich | Tarasieve, Paris | Templon, Paris | Thoman, Innsbruck | Transit, Mechelen | Traversee, Munich | Triangle Bleu, Stavelot | Vallois, Paris | Van Der Mieden, Antwerp | Vanhoegaerden, Knokke | Vidal, Paris | Vidal Saint Phalle, Paris | Vilenne, Liège | Voss, Düsseldorf | Wallner, Copenhagen | Walter, Zürich | Xin Dong Cheng, Beijing | Zander, Cologne | Zürcher, Paris

Abschlussbericht:

The 25th edition of artbrussels closed its doors this Monday. Collectors, curators, exhibitors, visitors and press alike are unanimous: this edition was a great success on all levels and confirms the place of artbrussels as the number one contemporary ‘cutting edge’ art fair in Europe.

Starting with the Vernissage frenzy on Thursday, the fair has attracted a growing number of art lovers over the 5 days. Combining quality, conferences and debates, exhibitions, private visits and numerous dinners and parties, artbrussels was once again the European platform for contemporary art.

Karen Renders, director of artbrussels, says: “The 25th anniversary of the fair has met and over passed all expectations. As the organisers, we’re extremely happy with the show and we’re very proud of the individual efforts made by the exhibiting galleries and the overall effect on the profile of the fair.“

Rodolphe Janssen confesses: “Sales have been great and the collectors were impressed by the quality of the fair. artbrussels definitely has the touch for combining established galleries and artists with young and emerging talent.”

Nathalie Obadia entrusts us with: “Next to the more recent works on show we did bring an historical painting by Martin Barré dated 1961 and sold it for 65.000 € to a French museum.”

Max Estrella was tempted to participate in artbrussels on the occasion of the currently running exhibition of Bernardi Roig, at the PMMK in Ostend. “This first participation was a great success. We made a lot of new contacts and sold works to collectors we didn’t know. Amongst others, a work by Pedro Calapez (aluminum panels and paint) for 21,000 € to a French collector.”

French newspaper Le Figaro states: “[…] dès l’entrée de cette 25e édition, chacun retrouve une certaine fraîcheur et part à la découverte comme si cette jeune foire bien contemporaine était une grande école d’art, joyeuse, sérieuse sans complexe inutile."

Le Monde shares : "[…] certains, comme Georges-Philippe et Nathalie Vallois, ne savaient plus où donner de la tête tant les clients étaient nombreux. Outre les mythiques collectionneurs belges, on croisait ici beaucoup de nos compatriotes, dont Lise et Jacques Toubon, mais aussi quelques-uns des 28 000 Français recensés à Bruxelles […]."

artmagazine.cc comments: “Die stärkste Kunstmesse des Rheinlands findet in Belgien statt.” and quotes Martin Kudlek: “Hier ist das Publikum super. Die Atmosphäre ist prickelnd.”

The Scandinavian contingency with 12 galleries attracted a great number of Scandinavian collectors. Mr. Ole Faarup, President of the Danish collectors association explains: “Denmark came to Brussels with good and exciting galleries and a strong, growing number of collectors. I am proud to be here. You can be proud of the Brussels art fair which has renewed itself with a large diversity, a strong profile and a cutting edge approach that is interesting for the collectors. I’ve been collecting art for the last 30 years, it is therefore difficult to find good new artists but I believe I succeeded here and it has been a very exciting experience.”

During the first debate (Reception of conceptual art; how it became part of the art system),moderated by Sophie Richard which had the looks of a reunion, the “good old times” were the main topic amongst the panel members Jacques Charlier (artist), Herman Daled (President of Wiels, Brussels), Anny De Decker (former galerist, critic, curator), Prof. Klaus Honnef (curator, critic), Lynda Morris (curator Norwich Gallery and EAST) and Seth Siegelaub (former galerist, curator, critic).

Illy caffè presented a cheque of 10,000 € to the best Solo Show, chosen by the collectors committee: Robin Rhode for his work Air Guitar (2005, super 8 filmed sequence transferred to dvd, 7’15”) at Tucci Russo Studio per l’Arte Contemporanea. Nominees were Simone Aaberg Kaern (Jet Blue Comet, 2006, collage) at Martin Asbaek Projects and Andy Wauman (Errant Girl, 2006, lambdaprint on dibound) at Deweer Art Gallery.

One of the Solo Shows was presented by Ronmandos: Renato Nicolodi with Mausoleum III (2005), a huge concrete wood and cement sculpture. The piece was sold for 25,000 € to a Dutch collector and will receive its own space in a private home.

artbrussels is also proud to have welcomed a great number of collectors from the European mainland and from overseas.

Adding an extra touch to the numerous OFF activities, the parties in Beurschouwburg, Le Mirano and the exhibitors’ walking dinner at Bozar illustrated the overall festive mood in Brussels and the relaxed atmosphere during the fair.

The 26th edition of artbrussels takes place from 18 to 21 April 2008. We are already looking forward to welcoming you!

artbrussels 2007
Brussels Expo – Hall 11 & 12, Place de Belgique 1