21 march 2024, Wouter van den Eijkel
The choice of... Jac en Miny Defauwes
In the section The choice of..., we interview a variety of art enthusiasts – from occasional buyers to art professionals – about their experiences with art and ask them about their preferences: Where do they prefer to see art? Where do they buy? And especially, who do they buy from? This time around, we talked to Jac and Miny Defauwes.
What does art mean to you?
Art has had a tremendous impact on our lives and has become a way of life for us, a sort of new foundation. Conversations and correspondence with artists have opened up a whole new world for us, for which we are still grateful. Every day, we are surrounded by art that constantly raises new questions, but still brings some peace to the absurdity of the present. It gives us the opportunity to occasionally take refuge without betraying reality.
No, we did not inherit it. There were no museum visits and no art on the walls in our childhood homes. But one thing that is crystal clear is that the choices we make today are influenced by how our parents taught us to look at the world. And they instilled in us a fearlessness of the unknown.
Where do you prefer to view art: in a gallery, museum, at a fair or online?
We were fortunate to be co-founders of the Parkstad Limburg Prize for artists under 35. In the 20 years that we were part of this organisation, we visited many artists in their studios every four years when this prize was awarded. These visits gave us insight into their working methods, as did our conversations with them. We visit galleries, fairs and open days at academies, but prefer studio visits.
How often do you buy art each year? And do you prefer editioned works or unique pieces?
At this stage in life, we are taking it easy because our house and storage are slowly filling up and what do we do then? At our most active, we bought art every four to six weeks, often series and almost never a single artwork. We’ve mostly purchased drawings.
Is it important for you to agree on purchases?
It is not important for us to agree on purchases. Both Miny and I make our own choices. If you discuss a purchase, you run the risk of both compromising and buying a weaker piece. But generally speaking, we agree on the purchases we make.
Are there any galleries you have a special bond with?
The galleries we had a special bond with and which have often led to long-lasting friendships are:
- Cokkie Snoei, Rotterdam
- Van der Grinten Galerie, Cologne
- Martin Kudlek, Cologne
- Hidde van Seggelen, Hamburg
- Ardi Poels, Solignac
- Galerie Transit, Mechelen
- Galerie Fons Welters, Amsterdam
Our gallery visits have often been accompanied by studio visits to the artists.
If you had an unlimited budget, whose work would you purchase?
With an unlimited budget, at the top of the list would be a drawing by Egon Schiele, followed by a box by Joseph Cornell. And add a vase of flowers by Odilon Redon to that. We would also make a bid on drawings by Giacometti, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Paul Klee and Käthe Kollwitz.
Who are your favourite artists on GalleryViewer and in general?
One of our favourites is Hadassah Emmerich, an artist we’ve been following since she graduated from the academy who continues to surprise us with her choices. The same goes for Les Deux Garçons, Johan van Barneveld, Jeroen van Bergen and the recently deceased Jos Berkers and Ruud Berends. Oscar Santillan, Mehdi-Georges Lahlou, Berend Strik, Andrei Roiter and Simon Schubert are definitely on our list. All these artists explore the unknown in their own unique way and always make us curious about the next step.
We made a beautiful book about Bergen painter Jaap Mooy (1915-1987) in 2017, with contributions from Catharien Romijn, Cees de Boer and Hans den Hartog Jager, entitled Noord West — Zuid Oost, a reference to the route we took when traveling to Bergen.
Which exhibitions have made a lasting impact on you?
The melanie bonajo exhibition that ran at the Bonnefanten Museum in 2019-2020, the recent Nan Goldin exhibition at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam and Bill Viola in Liège.
What advice would you give to novice art buyers?
Don't buy beautiful things. Buy things that are interesting and keep asking questions. Art shouldn't lull us to sleep with its beauty.
Jac en Miny Defauwes in the Bonnefanten Museum. Photo: Henry Peters (Studio G2)
