BRAFA ART Talks

By François Schuiten, comic book artist and scenographer, and Dominique Allard, Director of the King Baudouin Foundation

The King Baudouin Foundation’s devotion to the transmission of cultural heritage is encapsulated by the works by Victor Horta, François Schuiten and Didier Comèsthat it is exhibiting this year. The Foundation has invited François Schuiten to discuss his own story with you: why donate? What difficulties has the group encountered? Dominique Allard, director of the King Baudouin Foundation, will share his experience of working with the Foundation’s collection.

In partnership with La Libre Belgique – Trends – TrendsTendances

By Axel Vervoordt, gallery owner, antique dealer, interior designer....

Axel Vervoordt is considered one of the most original and adventurous collectors and dealers of our time. His is known worldwide for the extraordinary design of his stands at major international exhibitions and his curation of exhibitions in Venice. He appreciates the universal and timeless quality in art, and has a particular gift for creating relationships between art objects. His business has grown into an international company with 100 employees specializing not only in art and antiques, but also in interior design. The company now has its own Home Collection and a contemporary art gallery. In his lecture at BRAFA he will elaborate on 30 images from his exhibitions, reviving the Vlaeykensgang in Antwerp and the castle of Gravenwezel. He will share with us his passion for life with art.

In partnership with COLLECT AAA

 

By Michael Duffy, Painting Conservator, and Danielle Johnson, Curatorial Assistant, Department of Painting and Sculpture - Museum of Modern Art, New York

During the preparation of the exhibition ‘Magritte: The Mystery of the Ordinary, 1926-1938’, held in New York until January 2014, the MOMA team found a hidden Magritte under another Magritte. After scientific studies and graphic comparisons, MOMA and the Art Institute of Chicago were able to assign these hidden fragments to a painting called ‘La Pose enchantée’(‘The Enchanted Pose’) (1927). The adventure did not stop there because there are still two fragments, hidden in existing collections. This painting can only be recomposed in its integrity when these are found. Michael Duffy, the restorer who discovered this hidden treasure, and Danielle Johnson, assistant curator of the department of painting and sculpture at the Museum of Modern Art will come from New York specifically to share this adventure that led to the identification of these fragments of ‘La Pose enchantée’.

In partnership with Le Vif/L’Express – Knack

 

By Dr Julien VOLPER, art historian, researcher and assistant curator of the section of ethnography at the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren (RMCA)

The famous horned helmet mask collected by Oscar Michaux in the 1890s is one of the most important pieces in the collection of the Royal Museum for Central Africa. Many questions are raised by this work of mysterious beauty. In his lecture, Julien Volper will develop a number of themes arising from his detailed study of the mask.

In partnership with Tribal Art Magazine

By Simon Hewitt, Oxford-trained art historian and art-market journalist since 1985

An investigation into the origins of Leonardo's recently discovered Portrait of Bianca Sforza (1482/3-96) – illegitimate daughter of Ludovico Il Moro, Duke of Milan – produced for the Sforziada, one of the most lavish history books of the Renaissance. How did Leonardo become involved in illustrating the Sforziada? Why is the book now in the Polish National Library in Warsaw? What secrets does Sforziada illuminator Gianpietro Birago reveal about Leonardo, life at Il Moro's court, and the identity of Leonardo's only male portrait, The Musician? And what makes the Sforziada a 'Book of Doom'?

In partnership with Connaissance des Arts

By Gerald WATELET, stylist, TV presenter, chef, and… interior designer

Creativity has been a human characteristic since the beginning of time, and consciously or unconsciously, people have always embellished their surroundings, aiming to make their personal space welcoming, safe and full of energy for themselves and all those they invite inside.
Culture, means and taste – whether good or bad – are irrelevant here, for each one of us strives to create a ‘stage’ of sorts for our lives. It is this scene-setting we are concerned with; how it occurs and how it evolves; what sort of ‘coming together’ is involved in the trade of the ‘ensemblier’ or interior designer.

In partnership with Elle Décoration Belgique / Art & Décoration

By Prof.Dr. Fritz Koreny, former Curator of German and Dutch drawings at the Albertina Graphic Collection (1971-2000) and Professor at the Institute of Art History at the University of Vienna.

Critical research that has compared Bosch's drawings on paper to the underdrawing of his panel paintings (documented by Infrared-reflectography) shows that a number of paintings previously directly attributed to the artist can no longer be claimed as signature works: Dr Koreny will share his insights on these new discoveries.

In partnership with Weltkunst - Kunst & Auktionen - Artinvestor 

By YvanMaes De Wit, Director of the Royal Tapestries Manufacturers De Wit

The conservation of a tapestry involves cleaning, visual integration, lining, hanging and storing. All these aspects will be discussed and documented with pictures.

In partnership with HALI Magazine

By Nikolai von Uexkull and Alex Ford, ocean explorers

In the warm tropical seas of South East Asia, there is a world of adventure, ancient shipwrecks, trade routes, and precious cultural finds. Nicolai von Uexkull and Alex Ford are committed to the preservation of cultural heritage, sensitivity to marine ecosystems, and fostering safe working practices.  They have discovered a number of shipwrecks, between 250 to 1000 years old, several of great historical and cultural significance. 
This talk will give fascinating insights into ancient trade routes in Asia, and will be illustrated with field images, artefacts and stories.

In partnership with Tendencias del Mercado del Arte