Art Antwerp
After being forced to postpone the planned launch in 2020, the Art Antwerp fair could take place in December 2021. Created by the same team as the successful Art Brussels, headed by Anne Vierstraete and Nele Verhaeren, the fair brings together 56 European galleries, 39 of them Belgian. Internationally renowned exhibitors – such as kamel mennour, Nathalie Obadia or Templon – rub shoulders with local or younger galleries to offer collectors and visitors a wide range of styles and prices. All of them have been invited by a Hosting Committee, composed by Belgian members of the Art Brussels international committee. The fair is held at Antwerp Expo, a building with huge volumes, perfectly suited to this type of event. In parallel to the physical fair, as has been common since 2020 for many fairs, Art Antwerp offers an online viewing in partnership with Artsy.
Nele Verhaeren shares her views!
Managing Director
Art Antwerp 2023
Location
Jan van Rijswijcklaan 191
2020 Antwerp
Belgium
Dates
December 2023: TBA
Entrance Fee
General Admission: €20
Opening Day Ticket: €120
Children under 16: Free
Mediums
Painting
Sculpture
Art installation…
Art Periods
Contemporary
Contact
artantwerp.ops@easyfairs.com
+32(0)9 241 96 04
Website
Insights Art Antwerp
Nele Verhaeren
Managing Director
What would you say is the DNA of Art Antwerp?
Art Antwerp is the sister fair of Art Brussels. In December 2022, this new contemporary art fair celebrates its second edition. The fair is locally well anchored with 22% of the participating galleries coming from Antwerp. 50% of the galleries is internationally based in Western Europe. The DNA is young. 28% of the represented artists are under 35 years old.
What type of galleries are chosen to exhibit, and why?
Art Antwerp works on invitation. The Hosting Committee members invite galleries with a strong contemporary profile. There is no selection process. Galleries are invited and once the invited gallery confirms, the gallery becomes an exhibitor. This means that there is no selection process based on an artistic project. The gallery is invited because of the profile of the gallery, its reputation and its deontological approach.
What is the price range of pieces? Who is the average buyer?
The price range goes from less than €1,000 until €180,000. One out of four collectors comes from abroad. The average buyer is a Belgian collector, based in Brussels or Flanders, who is curious, travels a lot and is well informed about the offer on the art market. This collector loves the atmosphere of social gatherings in the art world and regularly buys art at their favourite galleries and at art fairs. This collector is also open for discoveries and to support young emerging artists, no matter where they come from.
“CITATION”
Art Antwerp © PLUS-ONE Gallery
Who is the typical attendee of Art Antwerp?
Art lovers mainly coming from Flanders considering art as a life style option.
What strategy – physical as digital – will you adopt in medium to long term?
Although the eagerness to meet in person, we still have an online sales platform for Art Antwerp. We collaborate with Artsy as this offers the participating galleries to do sales with intercontinental collectors. The Artsy data base is globally very strong, whereas we are focusing on our visitor communication. We will continue with this strategy where both platforms are complimentary to offer the best of both worlds to the exhibiting galleries and their artists.
What are two other art fairs you would suggest?
I would most certainly advise everyone to visit Art Brussels in April. We are changing venue and move to Brussels Expo. We are very excited to review the in real life experience of the fair.
Another interesting fair, worth mentioning, with a very specific angle is the contemporary art fair 1-54. I think they are doing an amazing job in promoting contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora.
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