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4 DECEMBRE 2014

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15 NOVEMBRE 201415 November/16 November 2014 ★ FTWeekend 3

Collecting

I t is just a small part of Flanders, innorthernBelgium,betweenBruges,Tournai and Ghent, and centredaround Courtrai, but it turns outthat the Flemish-speaking area has

an astonishing concentration of art col-lectors. Some, such as Filiep Libeert,Mimi Dusselier and Bernard Soens arefamiliar in the artworld, butmany oth-ers – for example André Gordts orLieven Declerck – are certainly nothouseholdnames.“When we had the idea of showingprivate collections from Flanders wethought therewouldbe four or five can-didates–andweendedupwith18!” saysCaroline David, curator of Secret Pas-sions, an exhibition of selections fromtheirholdings. It is beingheld in theTri-postal, a vast former sorting office rightin Lille station, in the north of France,which has been converted into an exhi-bition space after being narrowly savedfromdemolition.Secret Passions is the latest in a seriesfocusing on collectors held in the Tri-postal: previous shows featuredCharlesSaatchi, François Pinault and thedealerEmmanuel Perrotin. Lille is a staunchlysocialist town whose mayor MartineAubry is a former leader of France’sSocialist party but also a visitor to artfairsandexhibitions.Belgiumis thought tohavethehighestnumber of art collectors, per capita, inthe world, and the ARTnews top 200

spenders included six names last year;the Art Brussels fair has a 10-memberCollectors’ Committee, which includessomeof those in theLille show.Flandersis, of course, in themorewealthypart ofBelgium, and many of the collectorshave fortunes derived from industryandtextiles.When she started researching hershow, David was astonished to findmore than 4,000 works of art spreadbetween the 18 lenders – and a remark-able range of art, from Belgian artistssuch as Michaël Borremans, FrancisAlÿs or Berlinde de Bruyckere – whoyou would expect to see in suchcollections – to Carl Andre, SterlingRuby orMike Kelley. One collector hadhung his office meeting room with aseries of typically provocative, nudity-and-worse Paul McCarthy and DamonMcCarthy photographs (“HouseboatParty Photograph Portfolio”, 2005),with never a complaint from staff,apparently.In keepingwith the Flemish traditionof non-ostentation, most of the lendersasked for anonymity, and even thosewho were named have not been identi-fied as owning a particular work ofart. But a surprising aspect of theshow is that somany allowed theworks

of art to be photographed in their ownhomes by Gautier Deblonde, and theseimages accompany the show as wellas being published in a catalogue,Collectors(2014).The pictures form a surprising con-trast to the works of art, which whendisplayed in an exhibition are almostalwayshungorplaced in isolation, care-fully lit, on white walls. Here you get apeek into how the owners actually livewith their art, and it certainly isn’t ascarefully “curated” as in a gallery orshowroom.Anexample is theElmgreenand Dragset spot painting, ripped toshow a safe, sitting above a jumble ofart books and a high-backed chairdraped randomlywith an orange shawl

– clashing with the wine-red walls. Nodecorator with a “mood board” evergot in there!Another shows thecorridorin a house, plastered with paintingsone can’t step back from, with a sculp-ture of rutting deer by Wim Delvoyeseemingly abandoned to one side. Thesculpture itself is in the show, alongwith preparatory drawings. Yet anotherinterior shows the 1974 sculpture of agirl fastening a shoe by Jacques Ver-duyn, crouched beside a leather sofathat has definitely seen better days andbeneath a Thomas Struth image ofTiananmenSquare.While some of the collectors knoweach other, others don’t, so anothersurprise was that some artists turned

up in two or three collections – anunexpected favourite being theSpanish artist Juan Muñoz. Hiswrought-ironbalconywithahotel sign–“Hotel Declercq” from 1986 – was intwo collections. Another room showsthree Elmgreen and Dragset worksincorporating safes – again from twodifferentsources.Sorting out the 4,000 pieces andselecting just 150 of them was David’stask, and she decided to organise theminto four themes: the representation ofwomen, themirror, a visionofAmerica,and Belgian artists. She eliminatedsome artists whosework had figured inprevious Tripostal shows, or whichdidn’t fit in,mentioning specificallyGil-bert & George. Some of the selectionsare classic, such as a Louise Bourgeois“Spider” or a Dan Graham glass pavil-ion; others are more unexpected, suchas a series of stills by the Belgian artistLiliDujourie.The venue is immense, whichenabled the inclusion of some large-scale works, revealing that not every-thing is held in the collectors’ ownhomes. This is the case for agiant, taxidermied horse impaled onscaffolding, “Eén” (2001) by Berlindede Bruyckere. This was, accordingto David, bought in 2000 and left withthe artist because the collectordidn’t have a big enough house. DeBruyckere installed it in the exhibition,and the collector was finally able tosee it in its entirety. In the case of KrisMartin’s “TYFFSH.” (2009), a hot airballoonwhich lies on the top floorof theTripostal, it fills its room,puffedupbyalargefan.“Thepiece iswiththecollectorbut folded up into the basket,” saysDavid. “Again, the collector wasdelighted that we had the space toexhibit itas it shouldbeseen.”The show continues until January 4next year: then, like the hot air balloon,it will all be packed up and returnedto its owners – and back into theirsecretcollections.

‘SecretPassions:PrivateFlemishCollections’,Tripostal,Lille,untilJanuary42015, lille3000.eu

Flanders’ field of secret passionsCollectors | Belgium could

have the highest density of

art collectors in theworld.

Georgina Adam takes a look

at some of their treasures

Above: a photograph byGautier Deblondedisplaying a sculpture byJacques Verduyn (1974)and a Thomas Struthimage of TiananmenSquare, published in thecatalogue ‘Collectors’(2014).Below: ‘TYFFSH’ (2009)by Kris MartinGautier Deblonde, Maxime Dufour

Upcoming fairs and salesArt Basel in Miami BeachDecember 4-7Miami Beachartbasel.com/miami-beachThe favourite winter meeting placefor the art world, Art Basel MiamiBeach attracts more than 70,000visitors each year to view work byestablished and emerging artists inmodern and contemporary art. Thisyear the fair has nine sectors,showcasing work from morethan 200 galleries fromaround the world. “Nova” is aspace for galleries to shownew pieces, and this yearfeatures work by OscarMuñoz, Shinro Ohtakeand Pedro Reyes.“Positions” allows asingle artist to presentone major project, and“Public” consists ofoutdoor works.The main fair is accompanied by satelliteshows (Art Miami, Context, Scope, andPulse), as well as performances scatteredaround nearby beaches, integrating artwith the local landscape.

Sales of Russian ArtSotheby’s London is Russia-mad thisNovember, auctioning Important RussianArt on November 24 (a sale of the sametitle will take place at Christie’s in Londonon the same day). It will offer, amongother works, two large-scale IvanAivazovskys – “Venice” (1882) and his

(c1938) and Fernando Botero’smonumental sculptures “Adam and Eve”.Sotheby’s is selling American and LatinAmerican art on November 20 and 25respectively. And Phillips’ Latin Americasale (November 24) include AlejandroObregón’s “Souvenir of Venice” (1954)and Roberto Obregón’s 17-part, cut-rubber “Pétalos” (1993).

extremely early “Moonrise over Ayu Dag”(1856). This is followed the next day by a

trio of related sales at Sotheby’s:Russian Paintings spans early19th- to mid-20th-century Russianart; Contemporary East featurescontemporary art from Russiaas well as eastern Europe andthe Caucasus; and RussianWorks of Art, Fabergé and Icons

will offer Russian decorative artsincluding an Ovchinnikovsilver triptych icon presentedto Prince Andrei Alexandrovichon his birth in 1897. BonhamsLondon (New Bond Street)brings up the rear withThe Russian Sale onNovember 26.

Sales of Chinese ArtChristie’s Hong Kong isbusy with five Chineseart sales from November

22–25, including the inaugural auctionChinese Contemporary Ink (November24) that features work by prominentartists such as Liu Kuo-sung and Xu Lei,with new interpretations of calligraphyand experimental brush technique. Asian20th Century and Contemporary Art(November 22) presents a survey of artfrom across China. Highlights in FineChinese Classical Paintings andCalligraphy (November 25) include twofive-character poems in running script byFu Shan and Wang Duo. Sotheby’s followswith two sales in Hong Kong(November 24) and Beijing(November 30), and Bonhams offersboth classical and contemporaryAsian art in Hong Kong onNovember 23.

Sales of Art from the AmericasNovember sees New York auctionhouses selling art from across theAmericas. Christie’s New York offersAmerican Art on November 19.Highlights of Christie’s LatinAmerican Art, which takes place onNovember 24, includes Alfredo

Ramos Martínez’s “Mujeres con flores”A silver triptych icon (1897)by Ovchinnikov —Sotheby’s

Sales of European ArtModern British art will be auctioned atboth Sotheby’s London (November 18)and Christie’s London (November 19).Highlights of the latter include paintingsby LS Lowry and sculpture by BarbaraHepworth and Henry Moore. November25 sees two sales of impressionist art: OldMasters, 19th Century and ImpressionistArt at Christie’s London, while Bonhams(Knightsbridge) has European, Victorianand British Impressionist Art. These arefollowed at Christie’s on November 26 byVictorian, Pre-Raphaelite and BritishImpressionist Art, which features EdwardArthur Walton’s brooding portrait “Thefortune teller, Miss Jane Aitken”.

‘Mujeres con flores’ (c1938) byAlfredo RamosMartinez— Christie’s

‘Maquette for CurvedMother and Child’ (1980)by HenryMoore— Christie’s

DECEMBRE - JANVIER 2015

10 OCTOBRE 2014

DeMorgen. donderdag09/10/2014 13

VLAMINGEN,NOESTEVERZAMELAARS

eBelgenzijn samenmetdeAmerikanendebesteprivé-collectioneurs terwereld,

hoor jewel eens. En: buiten Italië zijnernergens zoveel verzamelaarshedendaagsekunst als inBelgië.Opdevraagwaaromerdanzoveel ver-zamelaars zijn inons landhoor jedathet eenuiting is vanhetBelgischeindividualisme.Overalhangtwel eenkunstwerkje aandemuur.Ener isookhet internationaal geroemde‘beeldendvermogen’ vanonzekun-stenaars: het zougekzijn als dat ookniet bij het publiek zouvoorkomen.Kortom:kunst enverzamelenzit inhet leidingwater.IndekunsthalTripostal inRijsel

wordthoofdzakelijkhedendaagsekunstuitVlaamsecollecties getoondendannog specifiekeruit de regioKortrijk enZuidwest-Vlaanderen.Vande jaren70 totnu is er kunst tezienvanklinkendenamenalsAnselmKiefer,DanielBuren, PaulMcCarthy,MichaëlBorremans,PanamarenkoenLucTuymans.“DeBelgischeverzamelaarneemt

eenvrij uniekepositie in”, zegtTanguyEeckhout vanMuseumDhondtDhaenens inDeurle, dat zelfontstaan isuit eenprivécollectie.Hijbereidt eenproefschrift vooroverBelgischekunstverzamelaars.“OnderdeBelgenbevindenzich

veel verzamelaars vanconceptuelekunst”, zegtEeckhout. ZekopenBeuys, Broodthaers,DanGrahamenBruceNauman. “Conceptuele kunst

is vroeger aanvaard inEuropadan indeVerenigdeStaten,waar collectio-neurs langer inpopart enabstractexpressionismezijnblijvenhangen.”

Kerken vol werken

Begin20steeeuwwasmen inBelgiëvooralopEuropagericht.Bij eenaan-talVlaamseverzamelaars speeldedeemancipatiegedachtemee: terwijl deBrusselsebourgeoisie inhet interbel-lumdesurrealistenendeEcoledeParisopdevoetvolgde,wildenenkeleVlaamse industriëlenzichonder-scheidendoorVlaamseexpressionis-tenaan tekopen:Brusselmans,DeSmet,Permeke.“NadeTweedeWereldoorlogwor-

dendeVlaamseverzamelaarsbelangrijker.Ze richtenzichookmeeropdeAngelsaksischeenDuitsekunstwereld.TypischvoordeVlaamseverzamelaar isdathij eenontdekker is”, gaatEeckhoutvoort.“Het zijnavontuurlijkeverzamelaars,andersdandeZwitsersenAmerika-nen,dievakereencollectiewillenmet ‘belangrijke’ kunstenaars.Eventypisch ishet feit datwe inVlaande-renwel rijkeverzamelaarshebben,maargeensuperrijken, zoals inRuslandenhetMidden-Oosten.”De traditie vanhetverzamelenzit

ons inhetbloed. “Eigenlijkmoet jeteruggaan totde 16deeeuw”, zegtTanguyEeckhout. “UitAntwerpseboedelinventarissen tussen 1565en1585blijktdat ergemiddeldelf schil-derijen indiewoningenhingen.Dat

gaatnatuurlijkomvermogendebur-gers, diehun fortuin tedankenheb-benaandeeconomischewelvaartvandestad.Opdatmomentzijner inAntwerpenooksuccesrijke schilders:hunwerkwordtdoorburgersgekocht. InhetgecentraliseerdeFrankrijkmethethof inVersailles lig-gendekaartenhelemaalanders.“Ookhetkatholicismespeelt vol-

gensmij eenrol,” vervolgtEeckhout.“Het is eenbeeldcultuurmetkerkendievol schilderijenhangen, in tegen-stelling tothetprotestantisme.“Inde 19deeeuwschenkteenver-

zamelaarzoalsFlorentvanErtborn,burgemeestervanAntwerpen, zijncollectieVanEyck,VanderWeydenenFouquetaanhetmuseumvanzijnstad.Dat isde ruggengraatvanhetmuseumbezit.“De laatste jarenzie je steedsmeer

schattenjagersopduiken.Wiehadookgedachtdatdemarktvoorhedendaagsekunst zozouontplof-fen?Erzijndusmeerenmeercollec-tioneursdiekunstenaarszo jongmogelijkkopen.Vaakalsbelegging.Enhet lemmingeffectduiktop: éénkoopt iets, de rest volgt.“Verzamelen isverslavend”,besluit

Eeckhout. “Het lijktop jagen. Jewilsteedsweereennieuwekick.En jeraakt steedsmoeilijkerverzadigd.”

Passions secrètes. Collections

privées flamandes, 10 oktober

tot 4 januari 2015 in Tripostal,

Rijsel. www.lille3000.eu

D

► Trophy (1999)

van Wim Delvoye,

te zien in Rijsel. © RV

Expo. In Rijsel opent morgende tentoonstelling Passionssecrètes. Collections privéesflamandes, die 140 werkenvan 80 kunstenaarsuit 18 Vlaamse privécollectiessamenbrengt. De hamvraagis: wie verzamelt waten waarom?ERIC RINCKHOUT

© S.A. IPM 2014. Toute représentation ou reproduction, même partielle, de la présente publication, sous quelque forme que ce soit, est interdite sans autorisation préalable et écrite de l'éditeur ou de ses ayants droit.

Le mythique collectionneurflamand s’expose●Formidableexposition à Lille,au Tri postal,sur les collectionsprivées flamandesdu Courtraisis.

●“Passions secrètes”révèle 150 œuvrescontemporainesimportantes parmiles milliersque possèdentles “meilleurscollectionneursdu monde”.

●Elles formentce muséed’Art contemporainque l’on n’a pas!

Wim Delvoye:“Trophy” 1999, avec des cerfs

forniquant dans la positiontrès humaine du missionnaire.S

TUDIO

WIM

DELVOYE

Culture Art contemporain

52 La Libre Belgique - samedi 11 et dimanche 12 octobre 2014

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