12 april 2021, Oscar van Gelderen
Ask an Art Collector... Mania De Praeter
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 Mania De Praeter (Neurosurgeon, age 52)
What does art mean to you?
For me, art means the creation of something beautiful or even something ugly, but above all something that moves me, stays with me, amazes me or even something I detest. In short, something that touches me. Art has enriched my life.
Raphael Adjetey Adjei Mayne, ELECTION YEAR, 2020, Geukens & De Vil.
Were you exposed to art while growing up?
No, in that respect I am really a late bloomer and I had to discover everything myself. For that reason, I have taken my children with me from an early age (sometimes dragged along) to museums, so that they have a head start.
Where do you read about the latest developments in the art world?
In the newspapers, of course, but especially online, following museums, galleries, exhibitions via mailing lists and on social media.
Maaike Schoorel, New World Natives, 2018, Galerie Stigter Van Doesburg.
Preferably away from the crowd, at the beginning or end of opening hours in museums, or quietly in one of the many galleries that New York has to offer. I have a phobia of crowds, and if the museum is too busy, I rather go to the exit as soon as possible.
How often do you buy art each year?
I don't have a big budget to buy art, but luckily, I prefer work on paper. Sometimes I buy two works in a year, and sometimes I buy nothing for a year.
Where do you do your buying: in a gallery, at an art fair, at an auction or online?
I usually buy in a gallery, sometimes at an auction, but also sometimes online, preferably after seeing the work in real life.
Koen van den Broek, Special Edition: Casting Balance, 2019, Galerie Ron Mandos.
Is it important that you and your partner always agree on a purchase?
Since my partner and I don't actually live together, we can choose what to buy and hang in our house, but we always confer because one day we hope to live together and merge our collections.
Do you have a special relationship with any one gallery?
Here in Antwerp, it is PLUS-ONE Gallery and Gallery Sofie Van de Velde. In New York, there are a number of modern art galleries where my partner purchases art as well as, and there is Bruce Frank’s tribal art gallery.
Ilse D'Hollander, Untitled, 1996, Gallery Sofie Van de Velde.
If you had an unlimited budget, who would you buy a work from?
Undoubtedly a work by Marlene Dumas, or perhaps a Wayne Thiebaud. When it comes to photography, I am a big fan of Saul Leiter. Edward Hopper's "Nighthawks" is of course a wonderful work, but the drawing of it is to me the most beautiful and most inspiring work of art I have ever seen.
Who are your favourite artists?
I love the colours and abstraction of Ilse D'Hollander. Making such works at such a young age is really impressive. It is no coincidence that I also love the abstract works of Raoul De Keyser, from whom she also took her inspiration.
I find Michael Wolf’s architectural photographs of Hong Kong incredibly impressive, but it is mainly the photos from the Tokyo Compression series that captivate me.
I only recently discovered Raphael Adjetey Adjei Mayne’s work. The combination of fabrics and paint and the use of colours is very special. Despite the vibrant colours, his works do not just give one a cheerful feeling.
Michael Wolf, Tokyo Compression # 108, 2010, Galerie Wouter van Leeuwen.
