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 starting Saturday, 24 January 2026
12 noon - MUSIC @ KBF (King Baudouin Foundation) – exception on Saturday 24 January
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.
Download the full programme
24/01/2026
Happy 50th Birthday Museum Ludwig! Let’s celebrate it with Yayoi Kusama!
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
25/01/2026
Where do unicorns come from?
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