collectible fair

A fair for contemporary collectible design

https://collectible.design

COLLECTIBLE, a new and unique fair dedicated exclusively to 21st- century contemporary collectible design, will be held from 7 to 11 March 2018, in the centre of Brussels in the Vanderborght building.

Conceived as a unifying platform and an exclusive meeting point in the heart of Europe, COLLECTIBLE brings together renowned international galleries and designers, all at the forefront of creativity, selected by a committee composed of four distinguished figures from the world of design: Jan Boelen, Tony Chambers, Maria Cristina Didero and Pascale Mussard.

“It’s about emphasising contemporary collectible design,” note the founders of the fair, Clélie Debehault and Liv Vaisberg. “Our objective is to respond to the growing interest of design enthusiasts, art collectors, professionals from related fields, and cultural institutions focusing in contemporary design. Currently, among the pieces of collectible design offered in Paris, London, Basel and Miami, whose prices rival those of other contemporary works of art, it is mainly mid-20th-century creations, vintage or historical design pieces that can be found. Visitors to COLLECTIBLE will only be offered the most contemporary, unique or very limited editions. This represents a radical stance that immediately won over our selection committee, inspiring galleries, collectors and design enthusiasts alike. With this project, which promises many beautiful surprises, we hoped to bring a fresh perspective to the world of art and design.”

The event, which seeks to break with the traditions of conventional fairs, where a certain uniformity is offered, will revive the design fair experience by offering visitors an opportunity to immerse themselves in an atmosphere closer to that of an art exhibition, where everything is for sale. By bringing the fair to life in a new and different way, with an emphasis on creativity, COLLECTIBLE will show that 21st-century collectible design is for all art

lovers. The presence of cultural institutions, as well as the particular care given to the pedagogical aspects, contribute to its unique format.

“We come from the art world,” say Clélie Debehault and Liv Vaisberg. “We want to offer new perspectives on contemporary design to a discerning public. With exhibitors’ projects and presentations, we hope to create a journey for visitors that encompasses different levels of appreciation. Special attention is also being paid to lighting and staging, in order to present collectible design in conditions that best lend themselves to clarity and understanding. Artist Richard Venlet will conceive an original scenographic intervention for COLLECTIBLE. Venlet is the author of many memorable exhibition designs, including Cabinet d’Amis by Jan Hoet in 2016 and Le Musée Absent, presented at WIELS in 2017.”

Undoubtedly, the fair offers a place of discovery, an experience in its own right. The organisers are keen to include young designers, known for their individuality and the innovative nature of their approach. Participating at COLLECTIBLE will allow them to present their work to an audience of art and design collectors, professionals, directors of institutions and consultants, as well as to the general public and those interested in discovering emerging artists and contemporary design.

The exhibitors, designers, galleries, institutions, specialist magazines, collectors and partners, all of whom focus on the emerging design scene with unique pieces and limited editions, are from Belgium, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Italy, the United States, Russia, Switzerland and Denmark, and include the participation of galleries such as:

  • Atelier Jespers / Itinérance 03 (Brussels)

  • Camp Design Gallery (Milan)

  • CMHVVH project curated by Caroline Van Hoek (Brussels)

  • Gosserez (Paris)

  • Maniera (Brussel)

  • Mobilab gallery (Lausanne)

  • Modern Shapes (Antwerp)

  • OAK (espace nomade)

  • Spazio Nobile (Brussels)

  • The Impermanent Collection (Brussels)

  • valerie_traan gallery (Antwerp)

  • Victor Hunt (Brussels)

As well as designers such as:

  • Armand Jonckers (B)

  • Ben Storms (B)

  • Charles Kaisin (BE)

  • Corkinho (B)

  • Destroyers / Builders (B)

  • DIM Atelier / Vladimir Slavov (B)

  • Gérard Kuijpers (B)

  • Gufram (IT)

  • Jean de Piépape (FR)

  • Kostia (FR)

  • KUF Studios (UK)

  • Nel Verbeke (B).

  • Olga Engel (RU)

  • Os & Oos (NL)

  • PaulinPaulinPaulin (FR)

  • Pol Quadens (B)

  • Reinier Bosch (NL)

  • Sébastien Caporusso (B)

  • Xavier Lust (B)

    Partner institutions and museums include, among others, the ADAM Museum (Brussels), the Design Museum (Ghent), FRAC Nord-Pas-de-Calais (Dunkirk), and the National High School of Visual Arts La Cambre (Brussels).

    Several external stakeholders will be offered exhibition spaces, including specialist publications Wallpaper* (UK), Sight Unseen (US), Damn° Magazine (BE), Dezeen (UK) and Modern Design Review (UK).

Culinary art studio, La Bouche (Bénédicte Bantuelle), a collective of designers, artists and chefs, will develop edible experiences in collaboration with stoneware and design specialists, Van Den Weghe (Zulte). A Cocktail Bar will also be on offer from the team at The HOPE Brussels.