Patrick Derom Gallery
News
Patrick Derom Gallery presents Ai Weiwei. The Art of Defiance
Patrick Derom Gallery presents the first major retrospective of Ai Weiwei in Belgium, spread across two venues in Brussels’ Sablon district.
Bringing together iconic works from the 1990s alongside recent creations, the exhibition offers an overview of the artist’s multifaceted practice. Landmark works such as Study of Perspective, Han Dynasty Urn with Coca-Cola Logo, Illumination, and Backpack Snake explore recurring themes of cultural memory, power, and freedom of expression.
A companion exhibition at the Emile Verhaeren Museum (Sint-Amands) traces the unique connection between the Belgian poet Émile Verhaeren and Ai Qing, Ai Weiwei’s father, whose translations introduced Verhaeren’s poetry to China. Together, both exhibitions reveal the personal and intercultural narratives that continue to shape Ai Weiwei’s work.
Ai Weiwei, Tiananmen Square, Beijing, 2000. Courtesy Ai Weiwei Studio
CONTACT
Brussels
Rue aux Laines 1
BE-1000 Brussels
t. +32 (0)2 514 08 82 | m. +32 (0)475 27 96 32 | m. +32 (0)478 20 99 31
ABOUT
Founded in 1986 by Patrick Derom, the gallery spans a broad historical period from around 1880 to the present day. Its programme highlights works from key modern movements such as Symbolism and Pop Art, while also venturing into contemporary art. A passionate collector, Patrick Derom bases his acquisitions on two essential criteria: exceptional quality and his own personal enthusiasm for the artist or the work. In 2023, his son, Edouard Derom, joined the gallery and co-organized an exhibition devoted to Léon Spilliaert. Edouard holds a PhD from the Institute of Fine Arts at NYU, where his research focused on the ZERO group. In January 2025, Christine de Schaetzen also joined the gallery team. Christine previously headed Bonhams in Belgium and Luxembourg and has been a specialist in modern and contemporary art since 2016. She has supported clients with valuations and appraisals and has consigned major collections of modern and contemporary art, Asian art, and jewellery. For its participation in BRAFA 2026, the gallery will present a major group show bringing together leading figures of modern and contemporary art, including Pierre Alechinsky, Léon Spilliaert, Jean Arp, Günther Förg, Ai Weiwei, Hans Hartung, and Walter Leblanc. Conceived as a powerful ensemble, the project will unite historic works, rare pieces, and recent discoveries, offering a rigorous panorama where European abstraction, international avant-gardes, and contemporary practices converge. In 2026, the programme will also feature an exhibition of contemporary photography, a presentation dedicated to Léon Spilliaert’s interiors and still lifes, a retrospective of Ai Weiwei, and a major show devoted to Fabienne Verdier.
Founded : 1986
Specialisations
Art from the 19th to the 21st century
Associations
ROCAD Royal Chamber of Art dealers, C.B.E.O.A Chambre Belge des Experts en Oeuvres d´Art , C.I.N.O.A. Confédération Internationale des Négociants en Oeuvres d'Art, SNA (Syndicat des Négociants en Art) , B.U.P.