ART Talks

Join us for captivating talks and films screenings!
BRAFA is much more than an art fair: it offers a unique platform where a diversity of perspectives, ideas and voices come together. Its cultural programme is developed in partnership with cultural and academic institutions, organisations and art market professionals. All share their expertise and experience to enrich your knowledge of art and provide a deeper understanding of the current challenges facing the cultural sector.

DAILY FAIR PROGRAMME starting from Saturday 23 January 2027

At the King Baudouin Foundation stand n° 161 12 pm – Film screenings by KBF (King Baudouin Foundation)
In collaboration with CINEMATEK.
A selection of historic films restored with the support of the Myriam Garfunkel Fund.

2 pm - KBF Art Talks
A series of talks by specialists devoted to works of art from the King Baudouin Foundation’s collection, presented by experts and art historians.

4 pm - BRAFA Art Talks
Leading figures from the art world, including curators, museum professionals and art market experts, will share their insights and expertise across a range of fascinating topics.

At the Ixelles Museum stand n° 137 5 pm – Focus talks by Ixelles Museum
A series of 20-minute talks by specialists devoted to masterpieces from the collection of the Ixelles Museum.

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23/01/2027

A Book's Journey: Les Côtes normandes from Library to Museum

KBF Art Talk at 2 pm
Catheline Périer-D’Ieteren, Périer-D’Ieteren Foundation & Sophie Briard, Wittockiana
Language > French

This Art Talk will spotlight Les Côtes normandes by Michel de Saint-Pierre, beautifully illustrated by Raoul Dufy. Through the combined perspectives of the Wittockiana and the donor family, the speakers will explore the artistic, historical, and bibliophilic significance of this remarkable work. The talk will also highlight the donation through which the book entered the museum’s collections, illustrating the vital role that donations play in preserving and sharing cultural heritage.

© Philippe D. Photography

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23/01/2027

Museums and Objects: ethical ownership, provenance research, institutional partnerships

BRAFA Art Talk at 4 pm
Sara Menato, Coordinator of the Interpretation, Accessibility and Sharing Department, Museo Egizio; Federico Zaina, Head of Research and Curatorship Department, Museo Egizio
Language > English

The presentation considers the Museo Egizio’s museum policy in managing a collection of universal value. Provenance research and the complexity inherent in constituting the collections become part of a broader reflection on the role of the contemporary museum, its responsibilities towards society, and the need to engage with legislative, institutional and governance issues, while acknowledging the diasporic nature of the collection. Within this framework, the presentation also addresses questions of ownership and belonging in relation to the collection, as well as the responsibility towards a heritage that comes from elsewhere, questioning the categories through which museums have historically constructed their narratives and claims to legitimacy. Decolonising our gaze means recognising the complexity of the histories that accompany objects and rethinking the ways in which they are curated, studied and made accessible to the public.

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24/01/2027

Beyond the Gendered Genius: A Rediscovery of Jan and Catharina van Hemessen

BRAFA Art Talk at 4 pm
Dr Maarten Bassens, Chief Curator, Museum Snijders&Rockoxhuis (Antwerp)
Language > English

This BRAFA Art Talk offers an exclusive look at Van Hemessen & Father: The Antwerp Workshop of Jan and Catharina van Hemessen, the first major exhibition focused on this sixteenth-century family (Snijders&Rockoxhuis; Oct 15, 2026 – Jan 31, 2027). Dr. Maarten Bassens reveals how this forgotten dynasty reshapes our view of the Antwerp Renaissance. Moving beyond the myth of artistic genius, the talk explores the workshop as a dynamic family enterprise run by Jan and his daughter Catharina - the earliest Western European female painter with a surviving oeuvre. Attendees will gain unique insights into new discoveries, technical imaging and rare international loans.

In collaboration with CODART - International council for curators of Dutch and Flemish art

Jan van Hemessen, Portret van een meisje, ‘de goudweegster’, ca. 1528-29, Gemäldegalerie, Staatliche Museum zu Berlin © Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Gemäldegalerie / Christoph Schmidt

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24/01/2027

Mig Quinet: The Power of Colour

KBF Art Talk at 2 pm
Laura Neve, Mig Quinet Foundation & Eve Delplanque, Museum of Fine Arts Charleroi
Language > French

A leading figure in Belgian lyrical abstraction, Mig Quinet developed an intense, free and deeply personal body of work. Through colour, texture and gesture, her compositions convey a creative energy that continues to resonate today. This talk offers a fresh look at a major artist of Belgian modern art and the enduring relevance of her legacy.

© Andy Simon Studio

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26/01/2027

The Line of Genius: Discovering a Drawing by Rubens

KBF Art Talk at 2 pm
An van Camp, Rubenshuis
Language > Dutch

What can a single sheet of paper tell us about one of history's greatest artists? Combining an autograph sketch and a handwritten letter by Peter Paul Rubens, this exceptional document offers a rare glimpse into his creative process and the artistic networks that shaped seventeenth-century Europe. A fascinating encounter with the man, the artist and the diplomat behind one of the masters of Western art.

Peter Paul Rubens, Three Men in Classical Attire (recto) © Rubenshuis

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26/01/2027

Art4Alzheimer: When Art Awakens Memory, Movement and Connection

BRAFA Art Talk at 4 pm
Renato Walkowiak, Founder of Move4Alzheimer and initiator of Art4Alzheimer
Expert in non-pharmacological interventions and support for people living with Alzheimer’s disease
Language > French

Art4Alzheimer aims to transform a visit to an art venue into a therapeutic experience tailored to people living with Alzheimer’s disease, as well as their families and caregivers. Through a carefully selected series of artworks, the experience combines art mediation, reminiscence, gentle movement, sensory stimulation and free expression. The goal is not to test memory, but to awaken emotion, movement, connection and dignity. The conference will introduce the concept, explore its foundations in non-pharmacological approaches, and examine its potential for replication in museums, art fairs and foundations across Belgium and Europe.

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27/01/2027

Preserving art, funding research: the essential role of philanthropy

BRAFA Art Talk at 4 pm
Kim Oosterlinck, General Director of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium (Brussels)
Language > French

In an international context marked by a reduction in public spending on museums, private and corporate sponsorship represents an important means of enabling museums to fulfil their missions. Drawing on examples from the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, this presentation will highlight how such partnerships can contribute to advancing research into museum collections, whilst also supporting the restoration of works of art and the acquisition of new pieces.

Kim Oosterlinck © Hatim Kaghat /

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27/01/2027

Everyday Beauty: Furniture at Hannon House

KBF Art Talk at 2 pm
Grégory Van Aelbrouck, Hannon House
Language > French

Furniture is more than decoration: it reflects ideas, craftsmanship and ways of living. Drawing on examples from the Hannon House, this talk explores how furniture helped shape Art Nouveau interiors and how it contributes today to the preservation of a unique cultural heritage. A captivating story of design, innovation and everyday beauty.

© Emulation, 1905, Archives Maison Hannon

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28/01/2027

Henri Evenepoel, page by page

KBF Art Talk at 2 pm
Davy Depelchin & Sarah Van Ooteghem, Royal Museums for Fine Arts of Belgium (Brussels)
Language > Dutch

Nearly one thousand drawings and documents preserved in nineteen albums provide an exceptional insight into Henri Evenepoel's artistic evolution. This intact archive reveals how ideas moved from first sketch to finished work, offering a unique perspective on one of Belgium's leading modern artists. A rare journey through the making of an oeuvre.

© Philippe D. Photography

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28/01/2027

Listening first: What do Museums need from Philanthropy today?

BRAFA Art Talk at 4 pm
Géraldine David, General Director of the Art & History Museum (Brussels); Dr. Stefaan Huygebaert, Curator at Mu.ZEE - Permekemuseum - Peire Museum. Moderator: Mélanie Coisne, Head of Heritage & Culture, King Baudouin Foundation
Language > English

Museums currently face challenges that go far beyond exhibitions and acquisitions. Conservation, research, public engagement, digitisation and social inclusion all require significant resources, many of which remain invisible to visitors. Drawing on their experiences at two leading Belgian museums, Géraldine David and Stefaan Huygebaert will discuss how museums and philanthropic partners can work together to preserve heritage, strengthen collections, support research, broaden access and create lasting societal value.

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29/01/2027

Hidden treasures - The value of Public Art in storage

BRAFA Art Talk at 4 pm
Nancy von Breska, PhD, Lapislazul; Laura D’hoore, PhD researcher at the University of Antwerp; Marieke De Baerdemaeker, Head Curator at Brussels City Museum; Eric Hemeleers, Chairman of the Eeckman I PatrimOne Group in Belgium. Moderator: Anne-Sophie V. Radermecker, Associate Professor in Cultural Management (Université libre de Bruxelles)
Language > English

Belgium’s public collections are highly decentralised, with no single official total of artworks held in storage. As in the global museum sector, an estimated 80–90% of collections may remain in storage. Yet storage conditions and incomplete documentation - such as photographs, measurements, provenance and condition reports - can affect an artwork’s value and future safekeeping. While some institutions have adequate inventories and storage, others lack the resources to properly assess their collections. In times of shrinking public funding, how can these “hidden treasures” be re-evaluated, valorised and made accessible to the public?

In collaboration with ENCATC - European network on cultural management and policy

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29/01/2027

Rediscovering Antoine Mortier

KBF Art Fair at 2 pm
Camille Brasseur, Paul Delvaux Foundation and Antoine Mortier Fund
Language > French

Antoine Mortier developed a powerful visual language that placed him among the leading figures of post-war abstraction. Through selected works and recent research, this talk explores the intensity, scale and emotional force that characterise his oeuvre. Marking the 10th anniversary of the Antoine Mortier Fund hosted by the King Baudouin Foundation and the launch of the online catalogue raisonné, it offers an opportunity to rediscover one of Belgium’s major abstract artists.

© Philippe D. Photography

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30/01/2027

Is beauty still enough?

BRAFA Art Talk at 4 pm
Beatrice le Hodey, Artist, Emilie De Pauw, Collector, Jean-Pierre Buyle, Lawyer and Chairman of Quartier des Arts, Dirk Snauwaert, Director of WIELS, Marc Hemeleers, Partner at Eeckman. Moderator: Eric Hemeleers, Chairman of the Eeckman I PatrimOne Group in Belgium
Language > French

Is beauty still enough? This question may seem simple but is undoubtedly not quite so straightforward. For centuries, we have viewed works of art primarily in terms of their beauty, harmony and the emotion they evoke. Nowadays, our perspective seems to have been enriched by other dimensions. We are also interested in their history, their provenance, the artists’ backgrounds, the context in which they were created, the ideas they convey, and sometimes even the debates they provoke. Are works of art still viewed solely for what they show, or also for everything they tell us? And does this shift alter the way we appreciate, collect, exhibit or pass on art? Ultimately, when a work catches our eye today, is it its beauty that moves us first… or the story we know - or imagine - behind it?

In collaboration with Eeckman - Art & Insurance

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30/01/2027

Rik Wouters, from vision to form

KBF Art Talk at 2 pm
Véronique Van Passel, Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp
Language > Dutch

Why do some artists fulfil their potential while others remain undiscovered? This terracotta portrait of Madame Giroux tells the story of a woman who, together with her husband Georges Giroux, believed in Rik Wouters and helped make his career possible. A fascinating glimpse into the world of art, friendship and patronage surrounding one of Belgium’s most celebrated modern artists.

© Rik Klein Gotink

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31/01/2027

Words to See, Images to Read

KBR Art Talk at 2 pm
Laurence Boudart, Archives and Literature Museum
Language > French

Poet, co-founder of CoBrA and creator of the celebrated logograms, Christian Dotremont pushed the boundaries between literature and visual art. Through a free and spontaneous gesture, he transformed words into works that are both read and seen. This talk explores the singular world of an artist whose innovations left a lasting mark on post-war poetry and the European avant-garde.

Christian Dotremont © L'atelier de l'Imagier – AML

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31/01/2027

Ixelles Museum. From slaughterhouses to an art museum: 135 years of evolution in the service of art

BRAFA Art Talk at 4 pm
Claire Leblanc, Director-Curator at Ixelles Museum
Language > French

From former slaughterhouses to a twenty-first-century art museum, this lecture explores 135 years of history marked by profound transformations. From the formation and expansion of the collections to the evolution of the museum’s remit, by way of the spectacular conversion of its built heritage, it traces the journey of an institution that has become a key player in Brussels’ cultural life. An immersion in the unique history of a municipal museum where architecture, memory and contemporary creation engage in dialogue over time.

Théo Van Rysselberghe (1862-1926), Le Thé au jardin, 1900-1904, gift Octave Maus, collection of Ixelles Museum

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ART Talks

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