Didier Claes Art Gallery
The expert in contemporary & modern African art
The Story
From his earliest years, Didier Claes was exposed to African culture and traditions. His knowledge came from numerous trips to the Congo and for decades he supplied dealers in Brussels, Paris and New York.
From around 2000, Didier Claes started to present selections himself by exhibiting at many fairs, such as the International Tribal & Textile Arts Show in New York, the Antique Dealers’ Fair in Belgium, Bruneaf (the Brussels Non-European Art Fair) and Great Antiques in Brussels, as well as Parcours des Mondes (Route of the Worlds) and the Collectors’ Salon at the Grand Palais, in Paris.
In 2002, Didier Claes opened his first gallery, in the famous Sablon district of Brussels, focusing on presenting high-quality art objects from great Western collections. Since 2005 he has been a member of the Chamber of Experts in Art Works, as well as the Royal Chamber of Antiquarians of Belgium and the National Syndicate of French Antiquarians. In 2008 Didier Claes had his first experience of the prestigious TEFAF (The European Fine Art Fair) in Maastricht. At the same time he undertook numerous other projects. As the vice president of Bruneaf, he was the co-curator of the exhibition Mestach the African, in 2007, and then Congo Mythical Masks in Brussels in June 2009. In 2011, he curated the show The Art of Africa: Seeing the Invisible at the Aquitaine Museum in Bordeaux, and edited the book Prints of Africa: Tribal Art along the Rivers, published by 5 Continents. In 2015 Didier Claes was the curator of the exhibition Uzuri wa Dunia (‘Beauties of the World’ in Swahili), which presented 130 masterpieces at the Ancienne Nonciature in Brussels to mark the 25th anniversary of Bruneaf. He was also an expert for many years at the Pierre Bergé & Associates auction house in Brussels.
He was particularly noted for his role in BRAFA (Brussels Antiques and Fine Art Fair) in 2011, when he made headlines by presenting a unique Bakongo sculpture, which was typical of his exceptionally high standards. While his nomination in 2012 as vice president of BRAFA brought him much recognition from his peers, it was his participation in the first Paris Biennial of Antiquarians that brought him rave reviews from the press and public.
Today the Didier Claes Gallery is housed in a prestigious space, and includes many American and European collectors among its clientele, as well as international museums.
The Man behind the mask
Member of the Belgian Chamber of Art Experts, Member of the Belgian Royal Chamber of Antiques and Art Dealers, Member of the french Syndicat National des Antiquaires, Chairman, Brussels Non European Art Fair (BRUNEAF), Vice-Chairman, Brussels Antiques & Fine Arts Fair (BRAFA)
Patric Didier Claes is an expert in African art, specialising in the arts of Central Africa. His association with the culture and traditions of Africa began when he was very young. During his many travels to the Congo he broadened his knowledge of the subject and located valuable objects for dealers in Brussels, Paris, and New York.
In 2000, Didier Claes began displaying his own selection of art works at various fairs, including the International Tribal & Textile Arts Show in New York, the Foire des Antiquaires, Bruneaf, and Grands Antiquaires in Brussels, and the Parcours des Mondes and the Salon du collectionneur at the Grand Palais in Paris.
Since 2005, he has been a member of the Belgian Chamber of Art Experts. He also belongs to the Belgian Royal Chamber of Antiques and Art Dealers and the Syndicat National des Antiquaires français. In 2008, Didier Claes takes part in his first edition of TEFAF (The European Fine Art Fair) in Maastricht, prestigious Antique Fairs.
Didier Claes is also engaged in a number of other projects. As Vice-Chairman of Bruneaf, he was the co-curator of the Mestach l'Africain exhibition in 2007 and then of Congo Mythical Masks in June 2009, both in Brussels. In 2011, he co-curated Arts d'Afrique. Voir l'invisible at the Musée d'Aquitaine in Bordeaux and edited the book Empreintes d'Afrique: l'art tribal au fil des fleuves for 5 Continents Editions. Didier Claes has served for several years as the official expert on African art for the auction house of Pierre Bergé & associés in Brussels.
In 2015, Didier Claes is curator of the exhibition Uzuri wa Dunia ( Beauty in the world in Swahili), which brought together 130 masterpieces at the former nunciature in Brussels, on the occasion of 25 years of Bruneaf. Didier Claes was also expert for several years for the auction house Pierre Bergé & associés in Brussels. His display of a unique Bakongo sculpture at BRAFA (Brussels Antiques and Fine Arts Fair) in 2011 created something of a sensation, and demonstrated his serious concern with quality Didier Claes's nomination as Vice-Chairman of BRAFA in 2012 represents a gratifying recognition by his peers of the eminence he has achieved in his field. His first appearance at the Biennale des Antiquaires in Paris at the Grand Palais in September that year won him high praise from both the public and the press.
