16 january 2020, Oscar van Gelderen & Manuela Klerkx
Philippa's pick..
In this section we let a selection of art lovers – from occasional buyers to art professionals – talk about their perception of art and preferences: where do they want to see art? Where do they purchase art, and above all: from which artists do they buy? Below, an interview with Philippa van Loon (Artist and collector, 55)
What does art mean to you?
Art is my favourite universal language: it's not necessarily about words but about images and imagination, about association and imagination. To me it is a kind of manna, divine food, that can express everything in the most surprising and profound way.
Laurence Aëgerter, Compositions Catalytiques II, (Metsu), 2019, Caroline O'Breen.
I came into contact with art and artists at an early age, through my father, who founded Museum Van Loon, a museum full of old masters and centuries-old works of art, and through my mother, who ran a contemporary art gallery. I was attracted to artists from a very young age. I went to art school in London, and I still make my own work.
Where do you get your information about the ups and downs in the art world from?
I keep an eye on what kind of exhibitions take place in museums, galleries and institutions. I also look a lot at Instagram, to see what is happening, being made and exhibited all over the world.
Where do you prefer to see art?
I think a big retrospective is cool, like the Antony Gormley retrospective at the Royal Academy of Arts in 2019. I tend to look wherever there is art: at fairs, in galleries, at open days at the Rijksakademie or De Ateliers.
Iris van Dongen, Uschikake, 2017, Galerie Stigter Van Doesburg.
How often a year do you buy art?
I don't have a fixed pattern in my purchasing policy, although I find it very difficult to hold back during fairs like Unseen or Art Rotterdam. There is always something (often several works!) that I would like to buy, so that's what happens.
And where do you buy: in the gallery, at an art fair, at an auction or online?
I sometimes buy directly from the artist, if I know him, but I also like to buy in galleries. I admire the work a gallery does and think they should be supported.
Is it important that you and your partner always agree on a purchase?
Luckily, I can decide what I purchase myself, because I am to the one paying for it! I do think it is important that my husband and my children like the work, but so far nothing has stopped me...
Katinka Lampe, 4050185, 2018, Galerie Ron Mandos.
I've been friends with Diana Stigter for years, ever since she and Annette Gelink had the Bloom gallery. I also like to visit Akinci gallery, because I think they show interesting and diverse young artists, and the same goes for Lumen Travo. I like to go to Carolien O'Breen, because she shows artists who work with the medium of photography, but aren’t classical photographers.
If you had an unlimited budget, who would you buy a work from?If I were to win the lottery, I would create a large collection of works by female artists, the numero uno being Louise Bourgeois, followed by Sophie Calle, Marlene Dumas, Rieneke Dijkstra, Tracy Emin, Joanna Vasconcelos, Sarah Lucas, Rebecca Horn, Marina Abramovic... and many others.
Who are your favourite artists?
I think the work of Laurence Aëgerter is very good, it is always surprising and conceptually super interesting.
Iris van Dongen also makes contemporary portraits in a wonderful way - and with mixed techniques - with references to art-historical works.
I think Melanie Bonajo is one of the interesting younger artists. Her universe is totally unique and refreshingly free, yet full of references to all kinds of cultures and social phenomena.
Melanie Bonajo, Cuddle Coven, 2019, AKINCI.
Have a look on the Instagram of Philippa van Loon
Have a look on the Website of Philippa van Loon
