Banner photo credit: Kim De Molenaer

ACAF 2018 - BOZAR, Brussels - 4-7 October

PRIVATE PREVIEW NIGHT - October 4 - HOSTED by American Express

Accessible Art Fair (ACAF) is a CONTEMPORARY ART event bringing together artists and the public. Founded in 2006, The mission of the Accessible Art Fair remains unchanged: forging a bond between the artist and the buyer. This 4-day event offers a platform for artists to exhibit their work in a cultural and prestigious space. We strive to make quality artists accessible to the public and the public accessible to the artists.

Simon de Pury, Kenny Schachter at the Kunsthalle Zurich, June 8, during Zurich Art Weekend talking about new models in the art world, including Accessible Art Fair. Stephanie Manasseh, ACAF founder and director was present at the event.

SIMON DE PURY

Jury member guest of honour

Simon de Pury is one of the leading figures in the art market. He is renowned for his legendary performance on the auction podium and for his deep and longstanding knowledge of the global marketplace. From 2000 to 2012 he was Chairman and Chief Auctioneer of Phillips de Pury & Company. Earlier in his career he was Chairman Europe and Chief Auctioneer Worldwide at Sotheby's. He was also curator of the ThyssenBornemisza Collection that is housed today in it's own museum in Madrid. Simon has been instrumental in championing the careers of many contemporary artists, photographers and designers. He has auctioned and secured a substantial number of the most legendary art collections for auctions and private treaty. Simon founded, together with his wife Michaela, de Pury de Pury, a company specializing in building collections, consulting established collectors and institutions together with facilitating private transactions of Impressionist, Modern, Post War and Contemporary Art. Additionally, they conceive and curate exhibitions and are active in the branding of artistic, cultural and real estate projects as well as supporting and advising emerging artists. In 2010, he was the subject of an hour-long documentary on the BBC, titled ‘The Man with the Golden Gavel'. In 2010 and 2011 he was the mentor in Bravo's reality TV show 'Work of Art: The Next Great Artist'. He is an active charity auctioneer, and over the years has raised hundreds of millions of dollars for a number of charities and cultural institutions.

SEE HERE THE OTHER JURY MEMBERS

GUEST OF HONOUR ACAF 2018

Dirk Lambrechts

After more than 25 years as a fashion photographer, Dirk Lambrechts feels the urge to return to the basics, to the game of black and white, to pure photography with a personal approach. That leads to series such as COVER-ed, a hommage to his late father with 2 blankets from WWII, published in De Morgen Magazine. “Flemish Light” where he immerses himself in the history of the masters of the Golden Age and “Fortified Positions” about the first line of defense around the city of Antwerp. Until today he explores his boundaries in his personal photography plunged in to history, graphics, personal interests and collaborations with other artists from different art disciplines.

COVERED PROJECT

COVER-ed

'A series based on an hommage to my late father of whom I inherited two blankets, or COVERS of WWII, each with their own history, which he used to cover the ground of his small workplace. To portray people, known and unknown. Giving everyone their own personal frontpage, their own “cover” with common thread these 2 covers of WWII. Today, when religion and war, leads to a gap between people, I try to start to communicate a dialogue, an interest in one another to emphasis the mutual respect as one person to another. To give them the warmth and protection of these two covers. And to show the richness of diversity in the world. The different cultures, religions, skin color and nationalities. Heritage of History as an important form of expression where today’s values and moralities are based on. We simply must not lose this platform. Two army blankets from World War II, I received of my late father, is the metaphor of connection for bringing today’s diversity of race & culture, religion & believe come all together through a symbol comfort and protection.

As: “To be COVER-ed”

The photography itself as an hommage to the Masters of classic portrait photography and my father.

Different personalities are casted for this personal project. The un-known, as well as, the well-known are photographed in black&white. It’s not the status or profession of one person that counts. It’s the common sense of trust of human interaction that we sometimes forget or loose. We have to remind ourselves these days to constantly be open for it. This project started with a deep passion to search for personal contact and communication. The enthusiasm and the result of the product made this project successful to continue this approach and to bring it to a higher level and international exposure. This photography project will never stop but will continuously move on as an ongoing process of development, depending on my travels around the globe and who I’ll meet.