The future of collecting in France and Belgium

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Recently, Happening was in Brussels for the conference “Passions Dévoilées” (passions unveiled) organized by CENTRALE, the Ministry for Culture, Brussels. In partnership with the Association for the International Diffusion of French Art (ADIAF), the Young Belgian Art Prize, Bozar and the French Embassy in Belgium, the conference was led by French collectors from ADIAF and Belgian collectors.

 


The first theme concerned the two prizes awarded for young creation, France’s Prix Marcel Duchamp and the Young Belgian Art Prize; ADIAF president Gilles Fuchs will present the next edition of the aforementioned prize, created in 2000 to promote French artists, or artists residing in France, allowing the prize winner greater visibility in France and internationally thanks to an awards ceremony during the FIAC. As for the Belgian prize, its 15th anniversary will be celebrated with an exhibition “Invitation au Voyage”: Fuchs’ Belgian counterpart, Baron Gillion Crowet, will present the Young Belgian Art Prize, which since 1950 has been recognizing Belgian artists under the age of 40, providing a platform for their work.
 

HAPPENING

Young Belgian Art Prize, Hana Miletić

 

Sharing the collections

What’s the best way to share one’s passion as well as one’s collection? For some, the solution is to create a foundation, following French collector Estelle Francès’ example in Senlis, northwest of Paris, where she gathered 500 artworks based upon the theme of “Mankind’s excess”, bringing new life to an area with few cultural institutions. Joost Declercq chose another path, creating the Dhont-Dhanaens Museum in Deurle, Belgium, where artists are given complete freedom to create: a recent example of one such successful project is collaboration between Santiago Serra and Thomas Hirschhorn which took place at the museum. Daniel and Florence Guerlain chose to donate 1,200 drawings to Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris; Florence Guerlain declaring, “We remain loyal to the national museum of modern art.” Alain Servais criticized Belgian institutions for not creating a relationship of trust and collaboration between public institutions and private collectors with a provoking address: “Come talk to us, do not fear the collectors! We are all very well-behaved.” The French collector also pleaded for “a greater fluidity of information in the art market”.

Where does the government come in?

Former French minister Jacques Toubon called for public institutions to dedicate more consideration to young artists: “The government needs to protect creation!” he exclaimed. The price boom also has consequences for the way that collectors behave. French collector Michel Poitevin explained he preferred to find new artists at fairs, citing Artissima in Turin in particular, adding: “I don’t go to Art Basel to buy artworks anymore. I’ve been going for 20 years and every year, all I bring back is the glorious catalogue. I keep each year’s issue in my bookshelf. This year, I only went to Basel to see the 21st century.”
 

 

Make way for the young

The conference was also the opportunity to reveal the names of the finalists for the Young Belgian Art Prize, whose works are currently exhibited at BOZAR in Brussels.