Brafa Art Fair is back from 29 January to 5 February

Presenting its 68th edition at Brussels Expo, Brafa is ranked as one of the top five art and antiques fairs in the world.

Some 130 leading galleries from 15 countries (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Monaco, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the UAE, the UK and the US) are represented, including 13 galleries new to this year’s edition.

On display will be a wide range of furniture and art objects dating from the Middle Ages to the present day. Among them are ancient and modern painting, contemporary art, design, sculpture, tribal art, Asian art, porcelain, glassware, jewelry, textiles and carpets, drawings, original comic strips, engravings, rare books and photography.

In total, between 10, 000 and 15,000 objects are on view in a 22,000 m2 space with 80 experts from around the world on hand to verify the authenticity and quality of the pieces.

A series of Brafa art talks will be given on a variety of original topics including Theodoor Rombouts, A Virtuoso of Flemish Caravaggism and Art and Money.

Harold t’Kint de Roodenbeke, chairman of Brafa, explained why the fair continues to be successful: “Brafa must constantly try to adapt in a world in perpetual evolution. The current context, including the upheavals linked to digital technology and the proliferation of events and fairs, has made the art market much more competitive.”

He said the fair mirrored this evolution by continually refining its concept. “There is a strong desire to remain varied and diverse, but there is also a market trend that is increasingly focused on modern and contemporary art. We are very attentive to all these elements and we want to maintain a balance.”

With Brussels celebrating the Year of Art Nouveau in 2023, Brafa is staging its own tribute with the theme ‘Art Nouveau in its Different Forms’. There will be displays of fine jewels and other objects and lectures on the movement, while the King Baudouin Foundation (KBF) will be exposing exceptional pieces from its collection by Paul Hankar, Philippe Wolfers and Victor Horta. 

Architects Nicolas de Liedekerke and Daniel Culot drew inspiration from Horta’s drawings when they designed the custom carpet that is underfoot throughout the fair. “From our position as architects, Victor Horta is an icon,” he said. “When you look at his drawings you realise that he drew extremely well. Even if it is not all to your liking, there is such quality and creativity that you can’t help but be impressed.”

Each year, close to 70,000 visitors visit Brafa, from art lovers, collectors, directors of major museums and members of cultural and economic circles, as well as the general public.

On a practical note, it offers a concierge service, restaurants, champagne bars, free Wifi and special parking and access for visitors with reduced mobility.

Brafa
29 January-5 February                                                                   
Brussels Expo
1, Place de la Belgique
1020 Laeken 

Photos: Harold T’Kint de Roodenbeke: Charles-Edouard Jeanneret dit Le Corbusier (Switzerland, La Chaux-de-Fonds 1887-1965 Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France) La pyrénéenne, 1940; De Jonckheere:Pieter Huys (Antwerp, 1519-1584); The Temptation of St Anthony; D'Arschot & Cie: Silver covered ecuelle Liege, reign of Joseph Clement of Bavaria, 1702 Silversmith Gérard De Bèche; De Wit Fine Tapestries: Jean Lurçat (Bruyères 1892-1966 Saint-Paul-de-Vence) Aube de nuit, circa 1950 ; Galerie Mathivet: Eugène Vallin (Herbéviller 1856-1922 Nancy) Art Nouveau sofa, circa 1900. Sorry! Our prize giveaway has now closed and the winners have been notified.