ART Talks
In addition to the traditional BRAFA Art Talks - fascinating conferences
hosted by leading figures from the art world - the King Baudouin Foundation
(KBF) will mark its 50th anniversary with a brand-new series of talks, the
KBF Art Talks, and a special lunchtime performance,
Music @ KBF, featuring talented young musicians.
Daily programme at the King Baudouin Foundation stand n° 151
12 noon - MUSIC @ KBF(King Baudouin Foundation)
Each day at noon, a musician supported by one of the Foundation’s philanthropic funds will offer a 20-minute concert - a vibrant illustration of how philanthropy supports and inspires artistic creation today.
2 pm - KBF Art Talks
A series of talks dedicated to the masterpieces from the King Baudouin Foundation’s collection, presented by curators and experts who will shed light on their history and significance for public collections.
4 pm - BRAFA Art Talks
Leading figures from the art world - curators, museum professionals, and art market specialists - will share their insights and perspectives on a wide range of inspiring topics.
24/01/2026
Happy 50th Birthday Museum Ludwig! Let’s celebrate it with Yayoi Kusama!
BRAFA ART TALK at 2 pm
Yilmaz Dziewior, Director of the Museum Ludwig, Cologne
Language > English
In 2026, Museum Ludwig Cologne will celebrate its 50th anniversary. It was founded thanks to a generous donation from the collector couple Peter and Irene Ludwig. Besides the third biggest Picasso collection in the world one other major holdings of the Museum Ludwig is its fast Pop Art collection. Part of this is a work by Yayoi Kusama, which together with works by Lichtenstein, Marisol, Warhol and many others, was also donated by the Ludwigs in 1976. This is one reason why the Museum Ludwig is dedicating an extensive retrospective to the internationally renowned artist's unique oeuvre, spanning more than seven decades, in its anniversary year. The lecture briefly touches on the history of the museum and deals with Kusama's life and artistic development, as shown in the exhibition.
Yayoi Kusama working on My Eternal Soul (2009–2021), 2017 © Yayoi Kusama / Yilmaz Dziewior © Falko Alexander
Yilmaz Dziewior, Director of the Museum Ludwig, Cologne
Language > English
In 2026, Museum Ludwig Cologne will celebrate its 50th anniversary. It was founded thanks to a generous donation from the collector couple Peter and Irene Ludwig. Besides the third biggest Picasso collection in the world one other major holdings of the Museum Ludwig is its fast Pop Art collection. Part of this is a work by Yayoi Kusama, which together with works by Lichtenstein, Marisol, Warhol and many others, was also donated by the Ludwigs in 1976. This is one reason why the Museum Ludwig is dedicating an extensive retrospective to the internationally renowned artist's unique oeuvre, spanning more than seven decades, in its anniversary year. The lecture briefly touches on the history of the museum and deals with Kusama's life and artistic development, as shown in the exhibition.
Yayoi Kusama working on My Eternal Soul (2009–2021), 2017 © Yayoi Kusama / Yilmaz Dziewior © Falko Alexander
24/01/2026
Between passion and technology: rethinking collecting today
BRAFA ART TALK at 4 pm
Dominique and Sylvain Lévy, French collectors
Language > English
Join us at the stand King Baudouin Foundation n°151
Dominique and Sylvain Lévy, French collectors
Language > English
Dominique and Sylvain Lévy have been collectors for more than forty years. In 2005, they founded the DSLcollection, which is now recognised as one of the most significant collections of Chinese contemporary art in the world. From the outset, they chose to conceive of their collection differently – not as an accumulation, but as a space of transmission, open to technology and devoted to sharing. Their ‘phygital’ approach combines the physical lending of works with the exploration of digital tools. The DSLcollection is a pioneer in this field, having embraced digital innovation since 2006: it launched its first virtual museum in 2012 and currently develops immersive and interactive artistic experiences across the globe. It is this unique journey of a phygital collection - and the reflections it inspires on the role of the modern collector – that they wish to share.
Join us at the stand King Baudouin Foundation n°151
25/01/2026
Focus on Willem Key
KBF ART TALK at 2 pm
Koenraad Jonckheere, full professor in Northern Renaissance and Baroque Art at Ghent University
Language > Dutch
Flemish painter Willem Key worked for some of the most prominent patrons of his time and was deeply embedded in the heart of Antwerp’s sixteenth-century art scene. His portraits and history paintings reveal superb technical mastery and keen psychological insight. On the occasion of the King Baudouin Foundation’s acquisition of one of his masterpieces, visitors are invited to take a closer look at this remarkable yet little-known artist, and to delve into his oeuvre as well as the turbulent times in which he lived and worked.
Join us on the stand of the King Baudouin Foundation n°151
Willem Key, Lamentation of Christ with Donors, 1553, oil on panel, 171.5 cm x 131.5 cm.
Collection King Baudouin Foundation. Acquired by the King Baudouin Foundation and the Charles Vreeken Fund in 2025, entrusted to the M Museum, Leuven.
© Vincent Éverard
Koenraad Jonckheere, full professor in Northern Renaissance and Baroque Art at Ghent University
Language > Dutch
Flemish painter Willem Key worked for some of the most prominent patrons of his time and was deeply embedded in the heart of Antwerp’s sixteenth-century art scene. His portraits and history paintings reveal superb technical mastery and keen psychological insight. On the occasion of the King Baudouin Foundation’s acquisition of one of his masterpieces, visitors are invited to take a closer look at this remarkable yet little-known artist, and to delve into his oeuvre as well as the turbulent times in which he lived and worked.
Willem Key, Lamentation of Christ with Donors, 1553, oil on panel, 171.5 cm x 131.5 cm.
Collection King Baudouin Foundation. Acquired by the King Baudouin Foundation and the Charles Vreeken Fund in 2025, entrusted to the M Museum, Leuven.
© Vincent Éverard
25/01/2026
Where do unicorns come from?
BRAFA ART TALK at 4 pm
Dr. Michael Philipp, Chief Curator, Barberini Museum, Potsdam
Language > English
Join us at the stand of the King Baudouin Foundation n°151
In collaboration with CODART
Dario di Giovanni, attr., Virgin with Unicorn (Portrait of Caterina Corner as Allegory of Chastity), c.1467-1468. Esztergom, Keresztény Múzeum / Christian Museum, Inv. 55.212, photo Attila Mudrák
Dr. Michael Philipp, Chief Curator, Barberini Museum, Potsdam
Language > English
How to make an exhibition about an animal that does not exist? The unicorn is magical. No one has ever seen one alive, and yet everyone has a certain idea of what they look like. This is based on the countless paintings, drawings, tapestries, illuminated manuscripts, and sculptures that artists have created of this mystical animal since the Middle Ages. The Barberini Museum in Potsdam and the Musée de Cluny with the Grand Palais RMN in Paris have organised the exhibition Unicorn: The Mythical Beast in Art, featuring over 140 loans from international museums. The lecture explains how to organise an exhibition on such a “magical” topic, how to select the loans, how to obtain them and what new insights can be gained from this work.
Join us at the stand of the King Baudouin Foundation n°151
In collaboration with CODART
Dario di Giovanni, attr., Virgin with Unicorn (Portrait of Caterina Corner as Allegory of Chastity), c.1467-1468. Esztergom, Keresztény Múzeum / Christian Museum, Inv. 55.212, photo Attila Mudrák
27/01/2026
Focus on Evelyne Axell
KBF ART TALK at 2 pm
Francisca Vandepitte, Senior Curator of Modern Art at the Magritte Museum and the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium (RMFAB), and lecturer in the conservation of modern and contemporary art at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Language > Dutch
L’Egocentrique 2 by Evelyne Axell was created in dialogue with Le Galet by the surrealist René Magritte. The pop art artist gives shape to a liberating image of womanhood - colourful and playful - inspired by the feminism of the 1960s. The work reflects her taste for an experimental and free use of contemporary, non-artistic materials.
A surprising encounter between two generations and two genders, each offering their own perspective.
Join us at the stand of the King Baudouin Foundation n° 151
Evelyne Axell, L’égocentrique 2, 1968, enamel, Clartex on Unalit panel, 108 x 72 cm.
Collection King Baudouin Foundation. Acquired by the Isabelle and Philippe Dewez Fund in 2025, entrusted to the Royal Museums of Fine Art of Belgium, Brussels.
© SABAM Belgium 2025, Paul Louis
Francisca Vandepitte, Senior Curator of Modern Art at the Magritte Museum and the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium (RMFAB), and lecturer in the conservation of modern and contemporary art at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Language > Dutch
L’Egocentrique 2 by Evelyne Axell was created in dialogue with Le Galet by the surrealist René Magritte. The pop art artist gives shape to a liberating image of womanhood - colourful and playful - inspired by the feminism of the 1960s. The work reflects her taste for an experimental and free use of contemporary, non-artistic materials.
A surprising encounter between two generations and two genders, each offering their own perspective.
Join us at the stand of the King Baudouin Foundation n° 151
Evelyne Axell, L’égocentrique 2, 1968, enamel, Clartex on Unalit panel, 108 x 72 cm.
Collection King Baudouin Foundation. Acquired by the Isabelle and Philippe Dewez Fund in 2025, entrusted to the Royal Museums of Fine Art of Belgium, Brussels.
© SABAM Belgium 2025, Paul Louis
27/01/2026
Is our heritage at risk?
BRAFA ART TALK at 4 pm
Estelle De Bruyn, Head of Sustainability Unit, Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage (KIK-IRPA)
Join us at the stand King Baudouin Foundation n° 151
In collaboration with KIK-IRPA
Estelle De Bruyn, Head of Sustainability Unit, Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage (KIK-IRPA)
Language > French
Born in the aftermath of the Second World War, the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage (KIK-IRPA) sets itself the mission of protecting Belgium’s cultural heritage. As early as 1948, it trained the members of the Civil Protection, drew up lists of priority works to safeguard, and advised on the construction of atomic shelters. This expertise is now more relevant than ever: in 2021, floods damaged more than 250 cultural sites in Belgium, a stark reminder of heritage’s vulnerability to disasters. Today, KIK-IRPA is reviving this knowledge through its Sustainability Unit, combining scientific research with concrete action to help cultural institutions, churches, and private collections prepare for the challenges of the future.
Born in the aftermath of the Second World War, the Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage (KIK-IRPA) sets itself the mission of protecting Belgium’s cultural heritage. As early as 1948, it trained the members of the Civil Protection, drew up lists of priority works to safeguard, and advised on the construction of atomic shelters. This expertise is now more relevant than ever: in 2021, floods damaged more than 250 cultural sites in Belgium, a stark reminder of heritage’s vulnerability to disasters. Today, KIK-IRPA is reviving this knowledge through its Sustainability Unit, combining scientific research with concrete action to help cultural institutions, churches, and private collections prepare for the challenges of the future.
Join us at the stand King Baudouin Foundation n° 151
In collaboration with KIK-IRPA
28/01/2026
Focus on the treasure of Oignies
KBF ART TALK at 2 pm
Aurore Carlier, Conservator and Collections Manager at the Archaeological Society of Namur, and Fiona Lebecque, Conservator - Project Manager at the Archaeological Society of Namur
Language > French
Nearly 800 years ago, the first pieces of a precious goldsmith’s treasure emerged from the workshop of a small priory on the banks of the Sambre. Discover how the Treasure of Oignies - an exceptional ensemble of cultural heritage - has continued to capture the public’s imagination and admiration, dazzling both the faithful of the 13th century and the visitors of the 21st century.
Join us on the stand of the King Baudouin Foundation n° 151
Oignies workshop, Reliquary of the Virgin's Milk, post-1243 – c.1250, silver, gold, amethyst, copper, H 45 cm.
Collection King Baudouin Foundation, donated by the Sisters of Notre-Dame de Namur in 2010, entrusted to the ‘Société archéologique de Namur’ and exhibited at the TreM.a - Museum of Ancient Arts, Namur.
© Hughes Dubois
Aurore Carlier, Conservator and Collections Manager at the Archaeological Society of Namur, and Fiona Lebecque, Conservator - Project Manager at the Archaeological Society of Namur
Language > French
Nearly 800 years ago, the first pieces of a precious goldsmith’s treasure emerged from the workshop of a small priory on the banks of the Sambre. Discover how the Treasure of Oignies - an exceptional ensemble of cultural heritage - has continued to capture the public’s imagination and admiration, dazzling both the faithful of the 13th century and the visitors of the 21st century.
Join us on the stand of the King Baudouin Foundation n° 151
Oignies workshop, Reliquary of the Virgin's Milk, post-1243 – c.1250, silver, gold, amethyst, copper, H 45 cm.
Collection King Baudouin Foundation, donated by the Sisters of Notre-Dame de Namur in 2010, entrusted to the ‘Société archéologique de Namur’ and exhibited at the TreM.a - Museum of Ancient Arts, Namur.
© Hughes Dubois
28/01/2026
Nurturing Due Diligence: How to remain a trusted partner in the art & antiquities trade
BRAFA ART TALK at 4 pm
Michiel Vervloet, Expert Investigator Fraud Control Department at the Directorate General Economic Inspection
Language > English
Join us at the stand King Baudouin Foundation n° 151
Michiel Vervloet, Expert Investigator Fraud Control Department at the Directorate General Economic Inspection
Language > English
In this Art Talk, Michiel Vervloet will highlight the various aspects of risk management that different market players in the art and antiques world must implement in order to comply with applicable anti-money laundering legislation. Drawing on his extensive practical experience, he will use concrete examples to guide participants through the roll-out of their risk-based policies to ensure that the art sector cannot be misused for money laundering and/or terrorist financing.
Join us at the stand King Baudouin Foundation n° 151
29/01/2026
Focus on an exceptional lace piece
KBF ART TALK at 2 pm
Caroline Esgain, Curator at Fashion and Lace Museum, Brussels
Language > French
The magnificent handmade needle lace, impressive in its scale, presented in this lecture, illustrates the remarkable craftsmanship of Belgian lace makers in the second half of the 19th century. It is an example of point de gaze, one of the four techniques that inherited the excellence of 18th-century Brussels lace. This lecture will situate this exceptional piece within the broader corpus of Brussels lace.
Join us on the stand of the King Baudouin Foundation n° 151
Caroline Esgain, Curator at Fashion and Lace Museum, Brussels
Language > French
The magnificent handmade needle lace, impressive in its scale, presented in this lecture, illustrates the remarkable craftsmanship of Belgian lace makers in the second half of the 19th century. It is an example of point de gaze, one of the four techniques that inherited the excellence of 18th-century Brussels lace. This lecture will situate this exceptional piece within the broader corpus of Brussels lace.
Join us on the stand of the King Baudouin Foundation n° 151
Brussels, needle lace (point de gaze), c. 1860-80, 200 cm x 195 cm.
Collection King Baudouin Foundation. Acquired by the Marie-Jeanne Dauchy Fund in 2025, entrusted to the Fashion & Lace Museum, Brussels.
© Drouot-Etude Couteau-Bégarie
29/01/2026
From legacy to the future: celebrating 50 years of philanthropy
BRAFA ART TALK at 4 pm
Ludwig Forrest, Chief Philanthropy Officer at King Baudouin Foundation; Melanie Coisne, Head of Heritage & Culture at King Baudouin Foundation; Thomas Leysen, Entrepreneur and philanthropist
Language > English
Join us at the stand King Baudouin Foundation n° 151
In collaboration with the King Baudouin Foundation
Ludwig Forrest, Chief Philanthropy Officer at King Baudouin Foundation; Melanie Coisne, Head of Heritage & Culture at King Baudouin Foundation; Thomas Leysen, Entrepreneur and philanthropist
Language > English
As the King Baudouin Foundation marks its 50th anniversary, this panel explores how a half-century of philanthropic engagement has shaped the cultural and heritage landscape - and how these lessons can guide us in the future. With contributions from the King Baudouin Foundation’s leadership, a donor, and a grantee, we will reflect on the challenges and opportunities ahead: how philanthropy sustains heritage, how cultural initiatives transform lives, and how looking back enables us to go further.
Join us at the stand King Baudouin Foundation n° 151
In collaboration with the King Baudouin Foundation
30/01/2026
Focus on Elisabeth De Saedeleer
KBF ART TALK at 2 pm
Cécile Dubois, Tour guide and lecturer, Art Nouveau and Art Deco specialist
Language > French
Thanks to the Raphaël and Françoise Haeven Fund, the King Baudouin Foundation recently acquired an Art Deco-style carpet created by Elisabeth De Saedeleer (1902-1972). This lecture will explore the life and work of this artist who, inspired by the Arts & Crafts movement, played a key role in the revival of carpet weaving in Belgium during the 1920s and 1930s - through her artistic collaborations and her position as a member of the teaching staff at La Cambre, starting from the school’s opening in 1927.
Cécile Dubois, Tour guide and lecturer, Art Nouveau and Art Deco specialist
Language > French
Thanks to the Raphaël and Françoise Haeven Fund, the King Baudouin Foundation recently acquired an Art Deco-style carpet created by Elisabeth De Saedeleer (1902-1972). This lecture will explore the life and work of this artist who, inspired by the Arts & Crafts movement, played a key role in the revival of carpet weaving in Belgium during the 1920s and 1930s - through her artistic collaborations and her position as a member of the teaching staff at La Cambre, starting from the school’s opening in 1927.
Join us at the stand of the King Baudouin Foundation n° 151
Elisabeth De Saedeleer, carpet in Art Deco style after a design by Albert Van huffel, 1924, wool and hemp, 219 x 104 cm.
Collection King Baudouin Foundation. Acquired by the Raphaël and Françoise Haeven Fund in 2025, entrusted to the Design Museum Brussels.
© Vrouyr
30/01/2026
Art and antiques dealing as a profession: contemporary challenges
BRAFA ART TALK at 4 pm
Virginie Devillez, fine Art Expert and Advisor (Virginie Devillez Fine Art); Nathalie Moureau, Professor of Cultural Economics (Université Paul Valéry); Anne-Sophie Radermecker, Associate Professor in Cultural Management (Université libre de Bruxelles); moderator: Liliana Turoiu, ENCATC and BRAFA Ambassador
Join us at the stand King Baudouin Foundation n°151
In collaboration with ENCATC
Virginie Devillez, fine Art Expert and Advisor (Virginie Devillez Fine Art); Nathalie Moureau, Professor of Cultural Economics (Université Paul Valéry); Anne-Sophie Radermecker, Associate Professor in Cultural Management (Université libre de Bruxelles); moderator: Liliana Turoiu, ENCATC and BRAFA Ambassador
Language > English
Selling art and antiques is a long-standing profession, dating back at least to the early modern period. However, new market forces and competitors, online sales, and shifts in taste and lifestyle are requiring dealers to rethink their profession, adapt their practices, and renew certain long-standing business strategies. How are they addressing these challenges? And what key role do art and antiques dealers still play in today’s cultural ecosystem?
Selling art and antiques is a long-standing profession, dating back at least to the early modern period. However, new market forces and competitors, online sales, and shifts in taste and lifestyle are requiring dealers to rethink their profession, adapt their practices, and renew certain long-standing business strategies. How are they addressing these challenges? And what key role do art and antiques dealers still play in today’s cultural ecosystem?
Join us at the stand King Baudouin Foundation n°151
In collaboration with ENCATC
31/01/2026
Focus on the Holy Blood Ensign
KBF ART TALK at 2 pm
Till-Holger Borchert, Director, Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum, Aachen, Germany
Language > Dutch
Till-Holger Borchert, Director, Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum, Aachen, Germany
Language > Dutch
It is extremely rare for art and cultural-historical objects of great importance, but long considered as lost, to suddenly resurface. Yet this was precisely the case with the Processional Ensign of the Noble Brotherhood of the Holy Blood, a beautifully carved wooden candlestick depicting the transfer of the Holy Blood relic. From the 16th century until shortly after the French occupation in the early 19th century, it was carried every year in the famous Procession of the Holy Blood in Bruges. This talk will shed light on the circumstances surrounding the rediscovery of the ensign and explore the religious symbolism embedded in this exceptional artefact.
Bruges workshop, The Holy Blood ensign, 1529, polychromed wood, Ø 64 cm.
Collection King Baudouin Foundation. Acquired by the King Baudouin Foundation in 2007, entrusted to the Museum van het Heilig Bloed, Bruges.
© Philippe de Formanoir
Bruges workshop, The Holy Blood ensign, 1529, polychromed wood, Ø 64 cm.
Collection King Baudouin Foundation. Acquired by the King Baudouin Foundation in 2007, entrusted to the Museum van het Heilig Bloed, Bruges.
© Philippe de Formanoir
31/01/2026
Next generations: redefining collecting
BRAFA ART TALK at 4 pm
Albert Baronian, Gallerist (1973-2024) and Curator; Valérie Boucher-Marcolini, Founder and Director at ArtContest; Diane Van Impe, Head of Relations and Development at Wiels; Marc Hemeleers, Partner at Eeckman; moderator: Eric Hemeleers, Chairman of the Eeckman I PatrimOne Group in Belgium
Language > French
Albert Baronian, Gallerist (1973-2024) and Curator; Valérie Boucher-Marcolini, Founder and Director at ArtContest; Diane Van Impe, Head of Relations and Development at Wiels; Marc Hemeleers, Partner at Eeckman; moderator: Eric Hemeleers, Chairman of the Eeckman I PatrimOne Group in Belgium
Language > French
The art market is being reshaped by new generations of collectors. Their approach challenges established codes, embracing values such as sustainability, diversity, and digital innovation. Even the notion of ownership is evolving: possessing a work no longer follows the same logic as in the past and now comes with new expectations. Collecting is no longer confined to traditional formats but extends to new media, immersive experiences, and socially engaged art. It has become a way to express identity, values, and to engage in dialogue with the world.
01/02/2026
Focus on William Mercer of Aldie’s soup tureen
KBF ART TALK at 2 pm
Ludovic Recchia, Director and Curator of Keramis, La Louvière
Language > French
Soup tureen belonging to William Mercer of Aldie, 1770. Porcelain, soup tureen: Ø 37.5 cm, dish: Ø 39 cm
Collection King Baudouin Foundation. Acquired by the King Baudouin Foundation in 2006, entrusted to the Mariemont Royal Museum, Morlanwelz.
© Philippe de Formanoir
Ludovic Recchia, Director and Curator of Keramis, La Louvière
Language > French
Discover the fascinating story of the William Mercer of Aldie soup tureen (1770), a unique masterpiece from the Tournai porcelain manufactory. Through this exceptional piece, visitors will explore the artistic refinement and cultural exchanges taking place between Belgium and Britain during the 18th century. The lecture will bring together the history, art and heritage of a treasure that has been preserved thanks to the King Baudouin Foundation.
Soup tureen belonging to William Mercer of Aldie, 1770. Porcelain, soup tureen: Ø 37.5 cm, dish: Ø 39 cm
Collection King Baudouin Foundation. Acquired by the King Baudouin Foundation in 2006, entrusted to the Mariemont Royal Museum, Morlanwelz.
© Philippe de Formanoir
01/02/2026
Art and Tax
BRAFA ART TALK at 4 pm
Michiel Maus, Professor in Tax Law at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel – Tax Lawyer at Bloom Law
Language > Dutch
In this exclusive keynote speech, Professor Maus, the author of the book Kunst en Fiscus will provide insight into the complex world of art and taxation. What fiscal considerations should artists, gallery owners, and art collectors take into account when trading or acquiring art? The keynote speech will not only focus on income tax and VAT, but also on inheritance tax and registration duties.
Join us at the stand King Baudouin Foundation n°151
Painting by Alicia Maus
Michiel Maus, Professor in Tax Law at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel – Tax Lawyer at Bloom Law
Language > Dutch
In this exclusive keynote speech, Professor Maus, the author of the book Kunst en Fiscus will provide insight into the complex world of art and taxation. What fiscal considerations should artists, gallery owners, and art collectors take into account when trading or acquiring art? The keynote speech will not only focus on income tax and VAT, but also on inheritance tax and registration duties.
Join us at the stand King Baudouin Foundation n°151
Painting by Alicia Maus
BRAFA Art Talks 2026