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 or her bond with art in this section. This week it’s the CEO of Studio 100 and founder of Museum Het Kunstuur, Hans Bourlon (age 59).
What does art mean to you?
Painting has always been important to me. Our company has branches in many countries and when abroad I often take the opportunity to go and look at art.
Were you exposed to art while growing up?
My grandfather painted landscapes and as a child I sat next to him, and I tried – unhampered by talent – to copy what he drew. It is often the case that the little flame that burns in your youth, later, when you have come to your senses, can expand into a great fire.
Where do you read about the latest developments in the art world?
Auctions work with alerts, so I stay informed about the offer. Buying at auction is humbling, you need to have a certain discipline. If I am convinced, however, that something is a masterpiece, I drop my price limit.
Where do you prefer to look at art?
In museums, because the setting and the light are beautiful. Auctions have become extremely good at making brochures, where they pimp the photos of the work, like in a travel brochure: you can see the sea and the beach from the apartment, but not the autostrada that runs just behind it.
How often do you buy art each year?
SI only buy unique works and very much in function of the exhibitions in Het Kunstuur.
Where do you do your buying: in a gallery, at an art fair, at an auction or online?
In absolute numbers, I buy the most at auction, but you won't find the greatest pieces there. From one private individual to another is also quite common.
Is it important that you and your partner always agree on a purchase?
In this case, my partner is my brother. We constantly have things lined up. Shall we bid on this painting, yes or no? At home there are only children's drawings on the wall. For many people who own art, it is like wearing a tattoo for others: a statement.
Do you have a special relationship with any one gallery?
Gallery Oscar De Vos in Sint-Martens-Latem, with whom we consult very closely, and Francis Maere Fine Arts Gallery in Ghent, who advise us about the work and the underlying story.
If you had an unlimited budget, whose work would you buy?
Then I would buy a Pieter Bruegel the Elder. There are fifteen in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna - including 'The Seasons' - that were allegedly given as 'gifts' once when the Austrians held the reins here. Given the chance, I’d buy all fifteen of them.
Who are your favourite artists?
Valerius De Saedeleer is from my native region (Aalst). His paintings make you dream of a time when everything was so much more beautiful.
Michaël Borremans is today's grandmaster. Nowhere have I seen his oeuvre come into its own as in the Tel Aviv Museum of Art.
The cityscapes of Pieter Jennes, with people in the rain, jagged clouds and sad clowns remind me of Jean Brusselmans and Floris Jespers.
Bendt Eyckermans gives an insight into his alienating world. Hands and feet are a common thread in his works. They are finer than Constant Permeke's coarse farmer’s hands, but the reference is never far away.