What do art lovers like? Where do they buy their art and, most importantly, what do they buy? Every Monday an enthusiast tells about his relationship with art in this column. This week an interview with Paul Dacremont (Computer scientist, age 51)
What does art mean to you?
Art is of course first and foremost the work in itself, an image that is beautiful or moving. You can enjoy it as such and get energy from it. Art is also the pleasure of discovering. I like to buy from art students. That is where tomorrow's talent resides. It is of course extra fun when you discover a young artist who breaks through some time later. Then you are a "first believer". This has already happened a number of times and it boosts one’s ego.
Were you exposed to art while growing up?
The walls of my childhood home were covered with paintings; a collection my parents had inherited, including a series of works by Gabriel De Pauw. I have been travelling with my partner almost exclusively to major cities for thirty years, visiting all the major museums. Only recently have I begun to collect contemporary work in a modest way and galleries have been added as places to visit.
Where do you read about the latest developments in the art world?
I get most of my information online. Mainly through Instagram and Artsy. These platforms make connections themselves based on your preferences and then send targeted feeds.
Where do you prefer to look at art?
I only look online to discover things. You should always see a work in real life. I go to museums and galleries. I will be doing more at art fairs in the future.
How often do you buy art each year?
On average, I buy four works per year. Almost invariably unique works.
Where do you do your buying: in a gallery, at an art fair, at an auction or online?
Until now in galleries and from the artist himself. So far, I have not yet bought at a fair and I don't follow auctions either, but I did notice recently that works by household names can go for interesting prices.
Is it important that you and your partner always agree on a purchase?
I always decide on my own. My partner is fine with that. Fortunately, he always thinks I make good decisions. You should always buy what you like. That is always the basis, there is no other.
Do you have a special relationship with any one gallery?
The artists represented by a gallery is of course primarily important. But a bond only develops if you have a nice personal click with the gallery owner. I have that with Sofie & Jason from Sofie Van de Velde / PLUS-ONE, Bart & Geoffrey from Base-Alpha and Brecht & Yoeri from Callewaert Vanlangendonck Gallery.
If you had an unlimited budget, whose work would you buy?
With an unlimited budget, I would probably buy something from an old Italian Renaissance master, preferably Raphael's 'The Marriage of the Virgin Mary', a work from 1504, which is now in the collection of the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan, but I'm guessing they’re not willing to sell it.
Who are your favourite artists?
Pieter Jennes is the new Ensor. Masks, clowns, dancing figures with elastic legs, musicians. Large compositions with many figures and heads and full of movement.
Shirley Villavicencio Pizango makes beautiful portraits. Figures and sets reminiscent of Matisse and Gauguin.
Jef Meyer makes paintings in concrete. Minimalism that often features soft shades of blue, pink, yellow. It makes me happy.
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