Attended the annual Art Nocturne Knocke arts & antiques fair in Belgium.

Report on the fair
Sunday 18 August ANK ended on an enthusiastic note.
The fair was visited by 10,000 art lovers in one week’s time.
 
Most of the modern art and antique dealers were satisfied, not only with the turnout, but especially with the quality of the visitors.  Perhaps it is true what they say: Knokke ‘est un art de vivre’ (an art of living).
 
At Galerie Hores newcomer Koen Soberon was the main draw.
Anthony Short Antiques managed to sell all their main pieces, including a gorgeous William IV rosewood writing table (1830-1840) and a rare chest of drawers, namely ‘a very fine William & Mary Period (1698-1710) walnut with oyster veneer chest of drawers’, England ca. 1695.
At Van Loon, the main highlight was the three-dimensional photography by Jeffrey Robb, while the Old Treasury’s main attractions were its Danish silver and antique jewels. On the other hand there were the contemporary jewellery creations by Werner Aerts, whose craftsmanship appealed greatly to connoisseurs.
Alex Moens brought ‘The Limited Edition Greenwich Regulator’ to Knokke. Not an ordinary timepiece, but a creation by designer Zone Creations and British clockmaker Comitti. This prime example of precision with its 345 parts also graces the halls of Buckingham Palace. It was a gift to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee. This time it was not necessary to take a trip to London to admire it, you could do so right here in Knokke. The Ming-K’l Gallery sold the wonderful standing female dancer figurine dating from the Western Han dynasty.
At Douwes Fine Art, which presented an impressive stand featuring both old masters, modern work and old drawings, the best sellers were the old masters, including Cornelis Dusart and Willem van de Velde.
Incidentally, they have already signed up for the next edition in 2014!
The most popular features turned out to be the eye-catcher with constructivist Roger De Myttenaere and the project revolving around Latin American art.
 
In short, ‘art is hip’. Many successful business people invest in it and stars don’t just focus on exclusive cars anymore, they also like buying quality art.
 
Belgium, and especially Flanders, has always been home to many art collectors. This also gives rise to new museums such as M KHA, and next year Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) is introducing a new degree, namely ‘connoisseur of fine arts’. The programme is based on the most recent discoveries regarding neuroscience, material analysis, art history, law, sociology and the economy of the art market.
 
Don’t forget to write down the dates for the 39th Art Nocturne Knocke in your diary (9 – 17 August 2014), and definitely keep an eye on the website.
 
 
‘After all, art is definitely hip!’
www.artnocturneknocke.be