BRAFA

BRAFA Art Fair is a long-running show that has grown to become truly unmissable. Indeed, it is today one of the leading fairs of its kind in Europe. With approximately 130 top international dealers attending each year, there are at least 10,000 unique items available over the 9 days. The range of mediums and epoques is very wide. Visitors can thus admire and purchase fine furniture, Old Master paintings, delicate watercolours, antique sculptures, bronzes, glassware, ceramics, among other rare and sought-after pieces. Above all, a team of experts verify the pieces that are exhibited to ensure their authenticity. Therefore, collectors can buy in total confidence. In brief, BRAFA is a qualitiative and highly-attended art fair that gather around 66,000 visitors from all over the world annually.

Lee Cavaliere

Beatrix Bourdon shares her views!

Managing Director BRAFA

1 minute in the booth

by Pauline Loeb

BRAFA 2024

Location

Brussels Expo
Heysel
Place de Belgique 1
1020 Brussels
Belgium

Dates

28 January – 4 February 2024

Entrance Fee

General Admission: €25
16-26 years old: €10
Children Under 16: Free
Groups (+10): €15 per person

Mediums

Painting
Sculpture
Jewellery
Furniture…

Art Periods

Antique
Modern
Contemporary

Contact

info@brafa.be
+32 (0)2 513 48 31
Website

Ceramic Brussels

Insights BRAFA Art Fair

Lee Cavaliere

Beatrix Bourdon

Managing Director BRAFA

What would you say is the DNA of BRAFA?

Quality and professionalism. For years, Brafa has placed quality at the centre of its development strategy: the quality of exhibitors, of the works of art on display, of the fair’s welcome and design, and of its organization. Not to forget the fair’s eclecticism, its broad diversity of styles and periods, and – a characteristic of the fair highly prized by collectors – its friendly atmosphere, openness and energy.

What type of galleries are chosen to exhibit, and why?

Our first criterion is always quality; but we also consider each gallery’s speciality in order to safeguard the eclecticism of the event. We are interested in the gallery’s geographical origin too, because we are always keen to increase our foreign clientele. Retaining a balance between artistic disciplines and countries represented is key. We are keen to strengthen our relationship with easily accessible countries with a strong potential for collectors. The more substantial and high quality the fair becomes, the more foreign collectors we will attract. In other words, we aim for an ideal combination of loyal traditional exhibitors who constitute the backbone of the event, while remaining open to prestigious new names that we are proud to welcome among us.

What is the price range of pieces? Who is the average buyer?

Every year Brafa provides an extremely attractive range of classical archaeology and pre-Columbian art, tribal art, old masters, modern and contemporary paintings, sculptures and art objects, drawings, engravings and vintage comic strips, Asian art, gold and silverwork, antiquarian books, art objects and curiosities. Our ambition is to offer the best in an extremely wide range of fields and prices. We must be able to exceed the expectations of confirmed collectors who have very specific knowledge and requirements and, at the same time, to encourage art lovers to start a collection or buy a piece of art. The pieces presented appeal to both sectors of the public; alongside museum-worthy pieces, at naturally high prices, it is vital we offer more accessible pieces to encourage people to start a collection or succumb to an impulse! I feel strongly that Brafa must remain an open, generous fair, accessible to all.

“Our ambition is to offer the best in an extremely wide range of fields and prices.”

VOLTA Basel

BRAFA Art Fair © Le Soir

Who is the typical attendee of BRAFA?

Private collectors and art lovers. Buyers at Brafa have a reputation for being cultivated and choosy, curious and open-minded; on the other hand, they are also quite conservative, insofar as they are keen to ensure the long-term investment-value of the objects and artworks they acquire.
What is BRAFA special appeal?

What strategies – physical and digital – will you adopt in the short and medium term?

The Covid crisis has had a big impact on the world of art fairs. Many have been forced to postpone or cancel their normal dates, and a large number have created online editions, or designed new formats. Brafa was lucky to be the last international art fair that could be held in normal conditions in 2020, just before the pandemic broke out, and we have also been very creative with our ‘Brafa in the Galleries’ 2021 edition. We all hope the situation will return to normal in the near future, but we presume this will take some time. That is why we will focus at first on reassuring the visitors and collectors. We can’t wait for our exhibitors to participate again, but our main challenge will be to convince collectors and clients to come back, too.

What are two other art fairs you would suggest?

You May Be Interested In

Knokke Art Fair
TEFAF Maastricht

The European Fine Art Fair is the fair of all superlatives showcasing “museum quality” pieces covering 7.000 years of art history. Two further editions take place in New York.

Knokke Art Fair
Art Brussels

Founded in 1968, Art Brussels has grown over the years to become a not-to-be-missed fair in the Europe art calendar. It focuses on modern and contemporary art.

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Eurantica Fine Art Fair

Eurantica is an eagerly awaited art fair where more than 100 exhibitors display fine sculpture, ancient art, Old Masters paintings, ceramic, estate jewellery and antique furniture.

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The London Summer Art Fair

Launched in 2023 to replace the Masterpiece London, The London Summer Art Fair celebrates the strengh of the city as a centre for all disciplines of collecting

@galerienicolasfournery at @printempsasiatiqueparis 2024. Founder Nicolas Fournery presents me the incredible collection of turquoise glazed ceramics made in China for the European market.

#chineseceramics #turquoiseceramics #chineseart #antiqueart #ceramics #artworkoftheday #art

@galerienicolasfournery at @printempsasiatiqueparis 2024. Founder Nicolas Fournery presents me the incredible collection of turquoise glazed ceramics made in China for the European market.

#chineseceramics #turquoiseceramics #chineseart #antiqueart #ceramics #artworkoftheday #art
...

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@wolfandnomad.gallery at @voltaartfairs 2024. Nomad presents me the amazing work of @alejandraaristizabal_t made from fique.

#alejandraaristizabal #fique #naturalfiber #contemporaryart #artcollector #voltafair

@wolfandnomad.gallery at @voltaartfairs 2024. Nomad presents me the amazing work of @alejandraaristizabal_t made from fique.

#alejandraaristizabal #fique #naturalfiber #contemporaryart #artcollector #voltafair
...

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@193gallery at @artmonte_carlo 2024. @cesar.levy1 presents a large steel piece by @aldochaparro.

Outfit by @elisechalmin 💝

#aldochaparro #artmontecarlo #montecarlo #monaco #contemporarysculpture #steelsculpture #artoftheday

@193gallery at @artmonte_carlo 2024. @cesar.levy1 presents a large steel piece by @aldochaparro.

Outfit by @elisechalmin 💝

#aldochaparro #artmontecarlo #montecarlo #monaco #contemporarysculpture #steelsculpture #artoftheday
...

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📣 Interviews at @artmonte_carlo 2024: 
• @193gallery (Video cover: @aldochaparrostudios)
• @hauserwirth 
• @lisson_gallery 
• @galerie_retelet 
• @vandeweghefineart 

Striped outfit by @elisechalmin 💝

#artmontecarlo #artdealer #contemporaryart #artinterview #artlover #monaco

📣 Interviews at @artmonte_carlo 2024:
• @193gallery (Video cover: @aldochaparrostudios)
• @hauserwirth
• @lisson_gallery
• @galerie_retelet
• @vandeweghefineart

Striped outfit by @elisechalmin 💝

#artmontecarlo #artdealer #contemporaryart #artinterview #artlover #monaco
...

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@artmonte_carlo 2024! My flight was delayed by two hours, so I didn’t have time to make a long video introducing this 8th edition, but great interviews are coming up along with my detailed article! Stay tuned 😉

Thanks @flyblade for the ride and @elisechalmin for the stunning silk outfit 💝

#artmontecarlo #helicopter #blade #monaco #montecarlo #artmonaco #collector #artlover

@artmonte_carlo 2024! My flight was delayed by two hours, so I didn’t have time to make a long video introducing this 8th edition, but great interviews are coming up along with my detailed article! Stay tuned 😉

Thanks @flyblade for the ride and @elisechalmin for the stunning silk outfit 💝

#artmontecarlo #helicopter #blade #monaco #montecarlo #artmonaco #collector #artlover
...

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@therealclarechu at @printempsasiatiqueparis 2024 presented an amazing collection of Asian snuff bottles.

#snuffbottle #snuffbottles #antiqueart #antiqueasianart  #chineseart #japaneseart

@therealclarechu at @printempsasiatiqueparis 2024 presented an amazing collection of Asian snuff bottles.

#snuffbottle #snuffbottles #antiqueart #antiqueasianart #chineseart #japaneseart
...

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@cardigallery at @artbasel 2024. Founder @joelaplaca presents an impressive installation by Mario Ceroli, Progetto per la pace, 1968. 

#marioceroli #artbasel #artbasel2024 #contemporaryart #artgallery #artforpeace

@cardigallery at @artbasel 2024. Founder @joelaplaca presents an impressive installation by Mario Ceroli, Progetto per la pace, 1968.

#marioceroli #artbasel #artbasel2024 #contemporaryart #artgallery #artforpeace
...

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@gillianjasongallery at @voltaartfairs Basel 2024. Founder @milliejasonfoster presents a series of paintings by @eleanorjohnsonstudio.

Striped outfit by @lapetiteetoileparis 💙

#eleanorjohnson #artgallery #contemporaryart #artinterview #artoftheday #femaleartist

@gillianjasongallery at @voltaartfairs Basel 2024. Founder @milliejasonfoster presents a series of paintings by @eleanorjohnsonstudio.

Striped outfit by @lapetiteetoileparis 💙

#eleanorjohnson #artgallery #contemporaryart #artinterview #artoftheday #femaleartist
...

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@mennour at @artbasel 2024. Founder Kamel Mennour presents three ‘Monks’ by @ugorondinone0 from 2024.

#ugorondinone #rondinone #kamelmennour #mennour #artbasel #artbasel2024 #contemporaryart
@kamelmennourprivate

@mennour at @artbasel 2024. Founder Kamel Mennour presents three ‘Monks’ by @ugorondinone0 from 2024.

#ugorondinone #rondinone #kamelmennour #mennour #artbasel #artbasel2024 #contemporaryart
@kamelmennourprivate
...

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@applicatprazan at @artbasel 2024. Owner Franck Prazan presents a painting by Jean Dubuffet from 1950, previously owned by the MoMA of New York and sold on day 1 at the fair. 

#jeandubuffet #dubuffet #dubuffetfoundation #modernart #artbasel #modernpainting

@applicatprazan at @artbasel 2024. Owner Franck Prazan presents a painting by Jean Dubuffet from 1950, previously owned by the MoMA of New York and sold on day 1 at the fair.

#jeandubuffet #dubuffet #dubuffetfoundation #modernart #artbasel #modernpainting
...

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Art Basel 2024:🎙️Upcoming interviews:
• @mennour 
• @seankellygallery 
• @cardigallery 
• @applicatprazan 
• @goodman_gallery 
• @galerieasbenichou 

#artbasel #mennour #seankelly #artbasel2024 #artexploration #contemporaryart #artlover

Art Basel 2024:🎙️Upcoming interviews:
• @mennour
• @seankellygallery
• @cardigallery
• @applicatprazan
• @goodman_gallery
• @galerieasbenichou

#artbasel #mennour #seankelly #artbasel2024 #artexploration #contemporaryart #artlover
...

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