Joana Vasconcelos, Valkyrie Seondeok, 2023 © ArtisTree, Taikoo Place; Courtesy of BRAFA BRAFA Art Fair is celebrating its 70th anniversary in style this January, adding a touch of flair and festivity to the winter event. Over the years, BRAFA has become a real institution, a place of discovery and exchange for art enthusiasts and experts in an elegant and friendly atmosphere. Marking seven decades of art, tradition, and evolution, the fair returns once again to the Brussels Expo, bringing together more than 20 specialities, from antique to contemporary art, by way of Old Master paintings, classical African art, antique and design furniture, goldmithery, carpets and textiles, rare books and jewellery.
The fair, one of the oldest and most prestigious art events in the world, will stay true to its tradition of celebrating tradition and renewal while fostering its laid-back, pleasant atmosphere. Once again, the fair will present an exceptional showcase of rare and high-quality pieces of art and antiquities from different periods, covering around 500 years of history.
Even at 70, BRAFA is still going strong, bringing together 130 exhibitors from 16 countries presenting a selection of exquisite works from all eras and continents combined. The list of exhibitors for the upcoming fair includes an eclectic mix of new and returning galleries. The exhibitors who have been around since the early editions, still show loyalty, while the host of new exhibitors infuses the fresh blood into the longstanding fair.
The returning galleries include Axel Vervoordt, bringing works such as Jef Verheyen's Kathedraal (1967) and Shiro Tsujimura's Large round vase, Bizen style (2024), and Patrick Derom Gallery, bringing works such as Lucio Fontana's Concetto spaziale, Teatrino (1964), Fabienne Verdier's Torrent de haute montagne au printemps (High Mountain Stream in Spring) (2023) and Léon Spilliaert's Wall-Mounted Cabinet with Cup and 'Le Carillon (1908), among others.
As for the debuting galleries, COLNAGHI and its selection of Old Masters is the name on everybody's lips, including works such as Wilhelm Leibl's Study of a skull (circa 1868) and Willem Adriaensz Key's The Crucifixion (circa 1550) as are Stoppenbach & Delestre's selection of French Impressionism, including Maurice Estève's Sans Titre, n° A1182 (1987), Henri-Edmond Cross's La jeune femme et le cygne (circa 1905) and Gustave Loiseau's Chaumière à Vaudreuil (1903), and Galerie Nathalie Obadia, bringing a selection of contemporary art works, including Shirley Jaffe's exceptional piece of abstract art, Untitled (circa 1955).
Other highlights include George Condo's Female composition (2006), a fine example of the artist's Artificial Realism presented by Galerie von Vertes, as well as Lucio Fontana's rare canvas slashed with 14 incisions and titled Concetto spaziale (1959). Unique in his opus, the work will be presented by the Lugano-based Cortesi Gallery and is widely regarded as the precursor to Fontana's celebrated Quanta series. Boon Gallery will present Günther Uecker's Wind (2005)—a relief nail arrangement inspired by Eastern philosophy, while the booth of Repetto Gallery, which focuses on Postwar Italian art, Arte Povera and Land Art, will include works such as Christo Javacheff's Wrapped Reichstag (Project for Berlin) (1980) and Kazuo Shiraga's Ouichi (October 1973).
This year's Guest of Honour is Joana Vasconcelos, the artist widely recognized for her monumental sculptures that examines the status of women, consumer society and collective identity, while challenging the dichotomy between high and low art. Working with textiles, cement, metal, ceramics, glass, and found objects, Vasconcelos creates monumental sculptures and immersive installations that decontextualise everyday objects and revisit the concept of craft in the twenty-first century. As part of the honour, the artist will bring two of her majestic Valkyrie sculptures created in collaboration with Dior.
The sculptures, crafted from materials as varied as tassels and LED lights, represent female figures from Norse mythology who played a pivotal role in guiding warrior souls to Valhalla. Textiles and embroidery furnish the substance, while lights and ornaments make the sculptures shiver just slightly to remind audiences of their ephemeral nature. The works are a part of Vasconcelos' ongoing series and, as the artist herself reflected, are there to "not only celebrate the fair’s rich heritage but also to engage in a dialogue with the contemporary moment, creating an atmosphere that resonates with the depth and vision that BRAFA embodies."
Through these installations, my hope is to contribute to the creation of a distinctive and memorable experience, befitting the significance of BRAFA's 70th anniversary
Since its modest inception in 1956 as the "Foire des Antiquaires" in Brussels, BRAFA has grown into a globally recognized art fair, cherished by gallerists, collectors, and enthusiasts alike. Initially organized by Charles Van Hove to unite Belgium's leading antique dealers, the fair quickly gained prominence, rivaling international events like Grosvenor House in London and Prinsenhof in Delft. Its growing popularity led to a relocation in 1968 to Brussels’ Palais des Beaux-Arts, and under the leadership of Christian De Bruyn from 1971 to 2002, BRAFA expanded its global reach, solidifying its position as an essential event in the art market calendar.
BRAFA 2025 will take place at the Brussels Expo's Halls 3 and 4 from January 26th until February 2nd, 2025.
The vernissage will take place on January 25th, on invitation only, while the doors of the fair will be open to the public from January 26th to February 2nd from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., with the exception of Thursday when the fair will be open until 10 p.m.
The fair will be accompanied by the BRAFA Art Talks, a series of daily lectures that will bring together leading figures from the art world, exhibition and museum curators and art market experts.
