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I S S U E 1 | N O V E M B E R 2 0 13
DOUTZEN KROES P U R E
I N T E N T I O N S
P ROMOTI NG B ELGI U M,
THE
CULTURAL AND CULINARY A D V E N T U R E S
B Y
R A I L
PLUS: DESIGN, CULTURE AND TOURISM
NETHERLANDS
AND
LUXEMBOURG
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Discover Benelux | Contents
Contents NOVEMBER 2013
17
10
COVER FEATURE 6
Doutzen Kroes Born and raised in the rural north of the Netherlands, Doutzen Kroes is now the world’s fifth highest paid model. More than just a frame for beautiful clothing, she is using her position to promote a healthier, happier lifestyle.
TRAVEL 16
17
Colect Interior decorating and design is at the heart of top Belgian company Colect. Founder Katrien Van Hulle works with Belgium’s best designers to create some of the world’s most stunning interior pieces.
12
Design Ideas
22
24
Fashion Trends Autumn is the time to update our wardrobes so we check out the best and most current fashion trends from Benelux.
24
Hotel: Sofitel Legend The Grand One of Amsterdam’s top hotels opens its doors to us. Roam the canals by day and treat yourself and your weary legs to a stay in this luxury hotel.
Julie Lindén uses the autumnal colour palate to add a little colour to our lives as the days get darker.
15
A Taste of Benelux We take you on a railroad journey through the Benelux regions to stimulate not only your taste buds but also your appetite for culture and history.
DESIGN 10
“Life is like riding a bicycle.” Sandra Ishmael, the UK Director for the Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions gives us an insight into the Dutch and their bicycles.
BUSINESS 30
A butcher’s shop without meat? We thought it was not possible but Jaap Korteweg tells us how he is helping Benelux to reduce their meat intake without sacrificing flavour.
Attraction: MUDAM Attracting both artists and visitors from all over the world, the MUDAM continues to exhibit the best in modern art, music and literature.
34 27
The Vegetarian Butcher
Antwerp’s Red Star Line Museum
Top Ten Issues To Consider When Buying Art
We visited this brand new museum that follows the footsteps of the emigrants who left Europe to seek their fortune in North America.
There is no denying that buying a piece of art can be a gamble. Our expert shares his top ten secrets to make it that bit easier.
Issue 1 | November 2013 | 3
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Dear Reader, Discover Benelux Issue 1, November 2013 Published 04.11.2013 ISSN TBC Published by Scan Magazine Ltd. Design & Print Liquid Graphic Ltd.
Publisher: Scan Magazine Ltd. 4 Baden Place Crosby Row London SE1 1YW Phone +44 (0)870 933 0423 Fax +44 (0)870 933 0421 Email: info@discoverbenelux.com www.discoverbenelux.com
Executive Editor Thomas Winther Creative Director Mads E. Petersen Editor Emmie Collinge Contributors Tamsin Blanchard Lydia Evers Julie Lindén Sandra Ishmael Peter Morrell Julika Hüther
Hello and welcome to the first issue of the newly launched Discover Benelux, a magazine dedicated to showcasing the best of Benelux. It is now time for the Lowlands to take their place in the sun, although you may have to wait another six months until you catch a glimpse of it in our hemisphere. To distract us from this, we present to you a dazzling array of delights that will be the perfect antidote to those winter blues. First up, we have an interview with Doutzen Kroes, a model from the rural north of the Netherlands with much more than just good looks. Delving further into the Benelux region, we embark on an adventure by railway, revelling in both cultural and culinary treats along the way. As if that was not enough, we have also sourced a whole range of the coolest offerings from Benelux; from top hotels to vegetarian butchers, kitchenware to clothes. Proud to be at the helm of this particular ship, I humbly introduce myself to you. My passion for Benelux began as a young child on our enforced family cycling holidays in the region and is yet to wane. Having now lived in Belgium and travelled extensively around Benelux, I’m really excited to share my favourite places with you and discover new and exciting experiences alongside you.
Giovanna Dunmall Stuart Forster Gregor Kleinknecht Cover Photo MJ Kim Advertising info@discoverbenelux.com
© All rights reserved. Material contained in this publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without prior permission of Scan Magazine Ltd. This magazine contains advertorials/promotional articles
4 | Issue 1 | February 2013
Emmie Collinge Editor, Discover Benelux
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OUR ROAD TO FREEDOM
Tread in the footsteps of the Allied Forces and follow the European path of Liberation!
Originated in Holland Audio stories True multi perspective stories from 1944-1945 Walking, cycling or driving For all ages
More information:
www.liberationroute.com The activities of Liberation Route Europe are powered by vfonds (National Foundation for Peace, Freedom and Veteran Support) and the European Union.
expansion in 2014 European expans to Southern England, France, ionBelgium, in 2014 Holland, Germany and Poland
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Photo: MJ Kim
Discover Benelux | Cover Feature | Doutzen Kroes
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Discover Benelux | Cover Feature | Doutzen Kroes
Pure intentions Doutzen Kroes is using her position as one of the most sought-after models to make the world a healthier, happier place. TEXT: TAMSIN BLANCHARD / TELEGRAPH FASHION MAGAZINE / THE INTERVIEW PEOPLE | PHOTOS: MJ KIM / FRANCOIS DURAND
Doutzen Kroes, Victoria’s Secret Angel, the face (and hair) of L’Oréal, and the world’s fifth-highest-paid model (just behind Gisele Bündchen and Kate Moss), is a family girl at heart. She lives with her husband, the DJ Sunnery James and their two-year-old son, Phyllon. Sometimes they are in New York, sometimes in Amsterdam. Theirs is a thoroughly modern relationship, which often involves their agents making dates for them and making sure they have family time. ‘My husband travels much more than I do,’ Kroes told me on the phone from her home in Amsterdam one July evening. She had arrived back from shooting in New York that morning and had just put Phyllon to bed. ‘Oh my God, the travel he does! I thought I travelled a lot in my past, but I always managed to make sure I could see a place, so I stayed a bit longer, but he is just in and out. It’s so tough.’ James works with his partner, Ryan Marciano, and their day will usually start at 10pm and go on to the early hours before they get on a plane for the next club night or festival. ‘We usually are not apart for more than five days. Sometimes it’s such a puzzle to get us together.’
Ten years ago, when Kroes was a wideeyed 18-year-old country girl, she had barely ever left her village of Eastermar in Holland. She had sent some photographs of herself to a model agency in the hope of getting a bit of extra pocket money, and was signed up immediately. ‘I felt superyoung coming from the north of Holland, and I went to Amsterdam only once before I went to New York. It was a really big adventure to go there.’ Her first big break was when Steven Meisel shot her for the cover of Italian Vogue and – apart from a nine-month break after she had Phyllon – she hasn’t stopped working since. She had little interest in how she looked or what she wore when she was growing up. The woman whose thick glossy hair was to become worth millions of dollars to L’Oréal says that as a teenager she barely knew what a hairdryer was. She was born in Friesland, a rural province with a population of less than 650,000 and a lot of cows and windmills, and its own language. Kroes still likes to speak West Frisian, though obviously not when she’s shooting with Mario Testino. Her mother was a nurse, then a
teacher, and her father is a psychotherapist. In the 1970s they were both champion speed skaters. Kroes, 28, and her sister, Ren, 26, a nutritionist, were brought up in typically rustic Dutch style: skating, cycling and eating healthy food. ‘I biked to school every day, about 25km there and back. My mum would say, if you go on your bike it will make you stronger. I think it did. I see a lot of Dutch women on their bikes with their kids and their groceries and it makes me happy to see that it’s how we are, and how I was raised. In the countryside I was always outside, kind of like a tomboy.’ They didn’t have central heating, and their father would spend the summer chopping wood for the fire in the winter. Her mother grew their own vegetables and would always have earth under her fingernails. ‘I never even thought about my looks. We didn’t have social media so we couldn’t look at other girls and pictures from magazines. We didn’t really buy a lot of magazines; my mum and dad would just read papers. It was a different world, I realise now.’
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Discover Benelux | Cover Feature | Doutzen Kroes
Her world now revolves around her family, her regular work commitments, her fitness regime (Victoria’s Secret requires her to be ‘bikini-ready’ all year round), her work with the charity Dance4Life, and her 635,000 followers on Instagram. When she posted a picture of herself on her husband’s shoulders at the Tomorrowland electronic music festival in Belgium over the summer, she had more than 47,900 ‘likes’ within 48 hours. While she admits that she couldn’t see the point of making snapshots of her life public via social media at first, she now embraces it fully – and enjoys the interaction it gives her with her fans. ‘It’s a tool you have to use. I enjoy reading what people have to say and answering – I can’t answer everything but especially when I’m talking about menus for my son, I have so many people who love what I give him.’ She makes him incredibly healthy meals such as tofu marinated in garlic, turmeric and ginger, and her sister, who also lives in Amsterdam, makes him sugarfree cakes. At some point, there will probably be a cookbook. Despite her healthy-eating messages, Kroes is aware of the extra pressure Instagram puts on young women. ‘I feel I’m such a big part of that insecurity that some girls might have because of my job, that girls think they have to be that picture. And even boys, they think that that picture exists and it’s so frustrating because I don’t look like that picture – I wake up not looking like that picture.’ Occasionally, she will post a picture of herself on a beach without make-up, but she says that people want the fantasy. Kroes says she started building her social media to help promote the work she does for Dance4Life, a charity devoted to sex education and teaching safe sex to young people around the world. ‘I think it has something to do with being Dutch [talking about sex in an open way]. I have friends around me who have sex with no condoms and I think it’s crazy.’ She has been to Philadelphia to talk to – and dance with – children in one of the city’s most deprived schools, as well as to Tanzania and
8 | Issue 1 | November 2013
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Photos: Francois Durand
Discover Benelux | Cover Feature | Doutzen Kroes
Thailand. While children in Tanzania are not aware of who Kroes is, when the teenagers in Philadelphia found out she was a Victoria’s Secret model, they suddenly took a renewed interest in what she was telling them about safe sex. ‘These kids who were looking really bored and falling asleep suddenly became fully engaged. It’s amazing what Victoria’s Secret can do.’ It’s also amazing what a profile Victoria’s Secret has given models such as Kroes and her fellow Angels (who include Alessandra Ambrosio, Adriana Lima and Karlie Kloss), who are on contract with the underwear brand which last year recorded sales of more than $6.12 billion. ‘For the show, there is no retouching,’ Kroes said. ‘We can’t escape from the truth. There are millions of people watching – and even
people watching live – so it’s really important to work out a lot, which I do, and I definitely change my diet. Diet is 70 per cent of what your body looks like. You can work out all you like but if you don’t eat well… I stop drinking [alcohol] a month before the show and no sugar. I still eat carbs because to have just protein and vegetables for me, it doesn’t work. But I eat one potato with some fish and greens – very basic and happy food.’ Exercise is part of Kroes’ daily routine. She has a personal trainer, the former boxer Michael Olajide (if you want to see them in action, there is a series of videos on YouTube that will inspire you to work on your abs like nothing else) and she is also working with Mary Helen Bowers, the founder of Ballet Beautiful. ‘She comes to
my place [in New York] and she does Skype sessions. Ballet is amazing for a woman’s body – you work on the little muscles. I like the combination between both boxing and ballet. It’s very extreme.’ Despite her regime, Kroes is no size zero. And nor does she want to be. ‘I’m not a sample size at all,’ she says. ‘At some shows I know they have been using very young girls who have not gone into the change of the body yet – no hips, no boobs. I’m 28 and I’ve had a baby. I have a woman’s body, and once in a while you run into the fact that things are not fitting the way they should be. But I joke about it and say, “What 13-year-old girl was wearing this?” If they think I’m too fat, I’d rather not do the job – because I am super-healthy and fit and I’m so happy the way I am.’
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Discover Benelux | Feature | Design
B E T W E E N F U N C T I O N A N D A R T:
Finest furniture from Belgium Elegant, timeless and unique: Colect creates, represents and promotes conceptual furniture from renowned Belgian designers. The company’s feel for contemporary style, function and the finest quality makes them one of the best decoration and interior design creators that Belgium currently has to offer.
TEXT: LYDIA EVERS | PHOTOS: FILIP DUJARDIN
B-Leaf, B-Inside-Out, B-long or B-Triple – what seems to be a riddle at first, turns out to be a stunning collection of contemporary Belgian furniture. Under the logo “Belgian products with an A label”, Colect summons the designs of renowned and upcoming Belgian designers for both a national and constantly growing international clientele.
A designer with a mission With the creation of her interior decoration and design shop “B” in Bruges, Belgium, in 1998, Colect-founder Katrien Van Hulle es-
10 | Issue 1 | November 2013
tablished the mission that contemporary Belgian designers needed to be properly represented: in the right place in the right context and in front of the right people. “B” thus held a collection of Belgian furniture, lighting, ceramics and jewellery, and quickly became the rendezvous for Belgian contemporary art and design adepts. What started as exclusive “B-products” selected by Katrien Van Hulle, turned into Colect in 2007, a firm that successfully introduces Belgian conceptual furniture to an international market with professional design, production and marketing as key success fac-
tors. Today, its fundamentals are creative originality, uncompromising quality and flawless delivery.
The Colect concept Rather than thinking in terms of products, Colect thinks in terms of product groups and thus addresses a package of visions and “B”-collections around which one constructs. That way for instance the Rondeterrastafel (“round terrace table”) and the Grootbureau (“grand desk”) by designer Bruno Vermeersch evolved into the socalled B-Leaf and B-Two; the designers
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Discover Benelux | Feature | Design
Philippe Vandermeulen and Annemie Strobbe created B-Triple, another family member of B-Inside-Out. Certain groups of furniture can be endlessly expanded, their possibilities explored regarding shape, material or colour. Colect intends its furniture to survive all trends and to thus be archetypical and utterly readable. Balanced proportions and subtle colours such as white, black, beige or brown and a sleek finish give all designs a minimalistic look, allowing them to be both modern and still timeless.
Functional art The groundbreaker and in the meantime a true classic of all Colect-furniture had already been designed in 2000: together with Siegfried De Buck, a renowned Belgian silversmith, Katrien Van Hulle created the Table for tools, a seemingly modest dining table with eight hidden jewel-boxlike aluminium drawers. The original idea was to present them as eight aligned little rows of Tools for table silverware by Siegfried De Buck – minimalistic and secretly playful at the same time.
ABOVE: B-Inside-Out. OPPOSITE: B-long, both by Philippe Vandermeulen
is individually produced by a choice of carefully selected highly skilled artisans. Other designs include for instance B-ar and B-artable by Katrien Van Hulle, Fold and Profile by the accomplished painter and designer Fabiaan van Severen or PAT, a suspended bookshelf created by Patrick and Bieke Hoet, floating between sculpture and function.
A success story The B-Inside-Out is an original concept of a “growing” table by designer Philippe Vandermeulen. It combines two tables, respectively made of aluminium and aluminium with noble wood finish, giving a new dimension to the definition of multifunctionality: Placed on top of each other, they form a regular single table. Placed side to side lengthwise, they become one long table with the possibility of endless extension. The B-long by Michiel Mertens (who also designed a B-short-table) is equally a two-piece aluminium table, which can be extended to a maximum length of almost five metres. Both designs are suitable for exterior, interior or office use. The three aluminium Gardeners by Katrien Van Hulle offer a lot of flexibility to their owner: they can be grouped or positioned and therefore ideally integrated in any garden or terrace concept. Furthermore they can be used as bench, to plant flowers or shrubs, to store drinks, to create a herb garden or to be placed around other garden plants. Like all Colect products, the trio
The combination of functionality and minimalistic art has driven Colect to succeed both nationally and internationally. Since 2010 the company’s product range has
grown significantly and sales in Belgium and abroad have substantially increased. Colect was furthermore present at the Biennale Interieur 2010 and 2012, the leading biennial design event in Kortrijk, Belgium. The evolution of Katrien Van Hulle’s path combined with her passion for Belgian design brought her with Colect to where she is today: attracting more and more gifted Belgian designers and bringing them successfully onto the international conceptual design scene. One can thus be curious for what furniture jewels come next from our Belgian friends.
ABOVE LEFT: Colect-founder Katrien Van Hulle. BELOW: The three aluminium Gardeners. RIGHT: B-leaf by Bruno Vermeersch (Photo: Hilde Verbeke).
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Discover Benelux | Design | Design Ideas
Design Ideas... Just because a darker season has knocked on our doors, there is no excuse to forgo colour entirely. Let your wardrobe designs go hand in hand with your home, and combine deep gemstone colours with durable natural materials for a cosy new look. Who said autumn has to bring gloom?
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BY JULIE LINDÉN | PRESS PHOTOS
1: We absolutely adore Libeco’s winning combination of chequered patterns, popping colours and quality linen material. The fact that this 155-year-old Belgian company is also a big believer in ecological and traditional production makes us lasting fans. Table runners, Libeco, EUR 38.00 www.libeco.com
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2: Coloured lanterns are a simple way of changing the look of any room, with the added bonus that they spread an enchanting glow when lit. The understated Villeroy & Boch Soulmates glass lanterns are favourites with us. Soulmates lanterns, Villeroy & Boch, starting at EUR 34.0 www.villeroy-boch.com
3: It’s always fun to change the presentation of a meal. Try this wooden étagère for an artistic touch to your next dinner party. Étagère plate tower, Villeroy & Boch, starting at EUR 89.00
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www.villeroy-boch.com
4: Set a beautiful autumn table in any nuance with these linen napkins. Linen napkins, Libeco, EUR 15.50 apiece www.libeco.com
4 12 | Issue 1 | November 2013
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Discover real Private Banking At SEB Private Banking, we acknowledge that everyone has a unique set of challenges. It’s why we do not oer ready-made solutions, concentrating instead on developing meaningful, long-lasting ďŹ nancial relationships and making the eort to really understand you and your requirements. We look after all aspects of your personal and your family’s business ďŹ nances – from daily transactions to long-term investments. And we oer everything from in-depth ďŹ nancial management to specialist advice on legal and tax matters. As one of the world’s strongest banks and with more than 150 years of experience in private banking, we have just what it takes to ensure your future prosperity. To ďŹ nd out what SEB can do for your personal wealth, contact us in London: Christian A. Hvamstad +44 (0) 20 7246 4307 privatebanking@seb.co.uk
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Your Shortcut to Scandinavia Bergen
NORWAY
Oslo Stockholm Bromma
SWEDEN Aalborg
Gothenburg
Aarhus
DENMARK
UNITED KINGDOM
Billund
Manchester
London City
GERMANY Brussels
Düsseldorf
BELGIUM
Munich
WINNER OF DANISH TRAVEL AWARD 2012 “BEST EUROPEAN AIRLINE”
S n acks
Me als
Drinks
ba.com
Pap ers
Lounges
Smiles
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Discover Benelux | Design | Fashion Trends
Fashion Trends This autumn we look to the celebrated A/W collections by Maison Martin Margiela for inspiration on how to look effortlessly chic. The Margiela style expresses just the right power and confidence to suit any office environment, while maintaining a classic femininity that goes perfectly well with an after-work drink. Bring on an autumn of powerdressing! BY JULIE LINDÉN | PRESS PHOTOS
1: From the Maison Martin Margiela A/W 2013 show. Update your office attire with deep jewel colours such as emerald and ruby red for a statement look. www.maisonmartinmargiela.com 2: This updated version of the little black dress is a perfect example of day-to-night dressing. Remove the strict blazer in favour of a leather jacket and elegant clutch for a night out!
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Dress, MEXX, EUR 89.95 www.mexx.eu 3: Dutch lingerie designer Marlies Dekkers is famed for her exquisite and powerful underwear pieces. The A/W 2013 collection is suitably inspired by the strength and victorious notions of the Golden Age. Body, Marlies Dekkers, (GBP 149,00) EUR 179.95 www.marliesdekkers.nl 4: We love this patent leather clutch from Viktor + Rolf, as it gives just the right touch of colour to any outfit. Clutch, Viktor & Rolf, price upon request www.viktor-rolf.com 5: These ankle boots from Maison Martin Margiela offer both comfort and style – an unbeatable combination, if you ask us. Wear with a tailored dress, or flared trousers for a masculine touch. Patent leather ankle boots, Maison Martin Margiela, (GBP 600,00) EUR 720.00 www.maisonmartinmargiela.com
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6: Don’t forget the fun! Discretely nodding to this autumn’s punk trend, this top adds some spark to skinny jeans and a trouser suit alike. Top, MEXX, EUR 29.00 www.mexx.eu
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Discover Benelux | Travel | Column
“Life is like riding a bicycle” ALBERT EINSTEIN TEXT: SANDRA ISHMAEL, UK DIRECTOR, NBTC NETHERLANDS BOARD OF TOURISM & CONVENTIONS.
My early memories of cycling are still vivid in my mind. I remember with fondness the joy of progressing from a Boxer to a Striker to a Grifter and I oh, so wanted that golden Super Burner BMX bike to practise my bunny-hops in the park! Better forgotten is the time that a ‘major’ wheelie attempt went a little off balance and I chipped my front tooth. All part of growing-up my mum told me... on the way to the dentist! Cycling in the UK seems to have progressed much faster than my career as a stunt-double; it seems to have grown up too. Whether it is the daily commute to work, the power-cycling to keep fit or a leisurely cycle just for the fun of it, our cycling culture in the UK is definitely evolving. As more and more Brits take to their bikes, the need to improve road safety for cyclists has become ever more apparent. Holland (as we Brits affectionately refer to the Netherlands) is often seen as a blueprint for the successful integration of cycling into everyday life. Having worked for the Dutch national tourist board for 7 years, I can totally see why. Holland, with its flat and picturesque landscape, seems to have been created with cycling in mind. In particular, there are so many things to see and experience within relatively short distances. Whether your focus is the cities and their diverse cultural heritage and world-famous museums, national parks, the tulip gardens, the canals, the woodlands or the beach life, the established road network allows cyclists to navigate through the cities and across Holland with ease. Holland has 29,000km of cycle paths and 4,700km of roads have special cycling lanes within them. Teaching your children how to ride a bike is a natural part of their upbringing in Holland. A 4-year-old is considered ready for a ‘real’
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bike and children learn how to cycle within traffic at a young age. On my many visits to Holland, I have often seen young children cycling with confidence along the cycle lanes with their parents leading the way. It seems so natural to the Dutch. Just as owning a bicycle is a natural way of life. Imagine; there are approximately 18 million bicycles in Holland – more than the number of inhabitants! And, if you want to see multi-storey parking with a difference, you have to see the multi-storey bicycle park at Amsterdam’s central station. Incredible! Hundreds and hundreds of bicycles all lined up neatly from wall to wall. The types of bikes you can find in Holland are sometimes unique. One of my favourites is the fantastically quirky ‘cargo-
bike’ (or bakfiets to the Dutch), with its two/three wheels and large box at the front, often used by mothers to transport their young children and the traditional Dutch ladies bike (omafiets or ‘grandma’s bike’) with the big wheels, the step-through frame and the basket on the front. Just lovely! Bicycles are so easy to rent in Holland and most people can find a bike to suit their needs. Plus, local tourist offices and hotels provide cycle maps, making your bicycle journey just that little bit easier. So, I guess the ultimate question is ‘Can we Brits improve our cycling etiquette by learning from the Dutch?’ ‘Yes, definitely!’ or, ‘jazeker’ to the Dutch speakers out there! For more information on cycling in Holland, please visit Holland.com
ABOVE: Sandra Ishmael, NBTC. BELOW: Family cycling in the dunes between Scheveningen en Wassenaar; The Hague, Netherlands. Photo: Den Haag Marketing/Jurjen Drenth
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A Taste of Benelux Peter Morrell goes on a culinary journey by rail to Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands. As well as fine food, he discovers a lot of culture along the way. TEXT: PETER MORRELL | PHOTO: ONT
vided its own surprises. I travelled in a group on a tour organised by Railbookers called Taste of Benelux. Not only did we have numerous opportunities to sample the food and drink of each country but there was also ample time to become immersed in their cultures.
The Benelux countries are not at the top of the list when it comes to people choosing a holiday destination. Perhaps they are too close or too easy to get to. But if you park your prejudices for a moment, all three countries have a long culinary and cultural heritage that satisfies the curiosity of the most demanding traveller.
The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg I recently went on a five day voyage of discovery by train and each destination pro-
TOP: River Alzette in the Grund quarter, Luxembourg. BOTTOM: The Eurostar terminal at St Pancras, London.
A comfortable two hour ride from St Pancras to Brussels Midi station on Eurostar
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and a transfer across a few platforms to our Luxembourg-bound train quickly had us on our way. From the upper deck panoramic windows of our carriage we saw the flat terrain around the Belgian capital slowly morph into the lush hills and valleys of the Ardennes. After a short walk from the station to the Novotel for a change of clothes, we were soon settled on the terrace of the Brassiere Guillaume in the city’s main square. We enjoyed plates of fresh seafood pasta with Cremant, Luxembourg’s sparkling wine from the Moselle, while listening to an open-air classic/pop concert. This performance marked the start of the ‘Summer in the City’ festival that sees more than 500 al fresco musical and theatre events. So in high season you will always find street entertainment. Next day the
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Place Guillaume II, our previous night’s dining spot, was a hive of activity with a thriving farmers’ market and the adjoining Place d’Armes was filled with stalls selling curios and bric-à-brac. To keep us going there are numerous coffee shops and we sample Oberweis, with its Viennese atmosphere and Pâtisserie
Namur for a light bite. Our afternoon gives us the chance of an in-depth look at the history of Luxembourg. After wandering through quaint cobbled streets past the Grand Duke’s palace we made our way down into the Casemates, tunnels that stretch for 23 kilometres under the site of the original castle.
TOP: Battlements and Old Town, Luxembourg . ABOVE LEFT: Restaurant Signs, Luxembourg . ABOVE RIGHT: De Rooden Hoed Cafe, Antwerp . OPPOSITE: Centraal Station, Antwerp. © Antwerpen Toerisme & Congres.
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These were both barracks and gun emplacements, developed over the years by Spanish, French, and Austrian invaders.
Luxembourg had given us some very pleasant surprises but our next destination beckoned. It was back to Brussels for the short ride to the Flemish city of Antwerp.
Emerging into the light, we strolled along the ‘Chemin de la Corniche’, a two-hour walk along the city walls. This is often described as ‘Europe’s most beautiful balcony’ and it’s not difficult to see why. The ever-changing perspective gives us picture perfect views of the old town.
The central railway station gives the visitor a grand welcome. Completed in 1905 the huge, domed station is a celebration of eclectic styles, and one of the best pieces of railway architecture in Belgium.
Evening brings us the chance to taste some culinary specialities. At the end of a mediaeval alleyway was the rustic Am Tiirmschen restaurant. We started with Feierstengszalot, best described as potted beef with egg and cornichons. Our main was Kniddelen, a flour dumpling covered with a generous helping of melting Roquefort cheese. Both ideal dishes after a cold night’s guard duty in the Casemates.
Hunger pangs reminded us that it was lunchtime so we set off to the dockland area. Buildings and wharves are now undergoing extensive renovation and the de m’ARKT restaurant in the Felixpakhuis, an old warehouse, proved to be ideal. Part food shop, part café we sampled oysters, cheese and charcuterie and some delicious open sandwiches made with their own home-baked bread.
Antwerp
It’s just a few steps to another re-generation project, the newly built Museum Aan de Stroom (MAS). This museum of art, artefacts, photos and curios is a fascinating collection, with a unique Visible Storage Area where 180,000 archived items can be seen in cages. Escalators take visitors up nine floors to the open roof terrace, with its unparalleled panoramic views of the city. Antwerp is a mix of tradition and innovation, particularly in its cuisine. Graanmarkt 13, a smart period building, is part gallery, part fashion house. In the basement is the restaurant of wunderkind Seppe Nobels who is dedicated to giving his diners a unique eating experience. He grows his own vegetables on the roof and has beehives on the terrace. Seppe has that indefinable ‘way’ with food and we are treated to a foodie’s nirvana. From pork glazed
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with honey from the hives to oysters with mango, it was a meal par excellence. The next day was unashamedly dedicated to alcohol starting with a guided tour of the distillery that makes the legendary Elixir d’Anvers. A secret recipe of more than 40 herbs and spices creates this liqueur which is aged for five months in barrels before being bottled. It was time to focus on Belgium’s most famous product, beer. We meet Duval beer ambassador Nicolas Soenen in De Rooden Hoed cafe. He guides us through a tasting of five brews, each with its own intriguing character. A lunch with more beer encourages us to stay, but our train leaves in two hours. In the main square we see the statue of Roman soldier Brabo tossing the severed hand of the giant Antigoon; this is literally an Antwerp or ‘Hand Throw’. We pay homage in the cathedral to the three altar pieces painted by Peter Paul Rubens, exresident of the city, before a tasting of Belgium’s other speciality – chocolate. In The Chocolate Line we also partake of cocoa powder and ginger ‘snuff’, a once in a life time experience. With burning noses we rush to collect our bags from the Radisson Blu hotel and just make the train for the 90 minute run to The Hague in Holland.
The Hague Dumping our bags in Le Paleis hotel it’s a short walk to dinner, passing the Noordeinde Palace, ‘official office’ of the newly crowned King Willem-Alexander. The Restaurant Henricus, in the Carlton Ambassador Hotel took us on a culinary mystery tour, promising a surprise revelation at the end of a meal of smoked eel, tuna and chicken. Over dessert speculation was rife and when the secret was revealed it left us open mouthed. What we had eaten had not been meat or fish; the dishes were prepared courtesy of a company called the Vegetarian Butcher. This was cleverly executed and very well done. The next day, while my travelling companions cycled to the seaside at Scheveningen I pursued more cultural pursuits. The M C
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Escher exhibition in the Lange Voorhout Palace was a chance to gaze in wonderment at his geometric woodcuts. A short tram ride, passing the Peace Palace, home to the International Court of Justice, brought me to the Gemeentemuseum to see the world’s largest collection of Mondrians and magnificent collections of Delftware and Lalique glass. I met my companions at Catch by Simonis, overlooking the harbour at Schevningen, where we enjoyed a pescetarian’s dream lunch of every conceivable type of shellfish and seafood. But our day of indulgence was not over as our next stop was for a Jenever and fresh herring tasting in central Hague. The Van Kleef Distillery has been making the original ‘Gin’ since 1842 and past patrons include Vincent Van Gogh. We tried as many flavours as we could between appreciating the salty tang of filleted raw herring. Our last culinary experience of the day was to try a cuisine which comes straight from Holland’s trading history, an Indonesian banquet. The Rijsttafel, literally meaning rice table, is a veritable feast of Eastern delights which we enjoyed at the well-established Garoeda restaurant.
A short rail hop to Rotterdam was followed by a 90 minute journey by the Thalys train to Brussels for the Eurostar back to London. Thalys is a four county co-operation offering a network of fast, comfortable trains between numerous northern European cities. My five days in the Benelux had flown by, packed with culinary and cultural memories to last a lifetime. We had travelled around 1,000 miles but it had been no effort. The train stations were all in the city centres, meaning that the hotels and attractions were always conveniently close when we arrived. So next time you want a break with a difference that is close to home, go to the Benelux and let the train take the strain. Peter Morrell writes about food, travel and culture and is managing editor of the websites AboutMyGeneration and The Cultural Voyager
Railbookers www.railbookers.com
Luxembourg
ABOVE: Brabo throwing Antogoon's Hand, Antwerp. BELOW LEFT: The Peace Palace, The Hague ©Den Haag Marketing/Jurjen Drenth. MIDDLE: The Hague Noordeinde Palace. RIGHT: The terraces along Scheveningen harbour, The Hague. Photos: © Den Haag Marketing/Theo Bos
Next morning, our last day, we headed back to Scheveningen for breakfast. At the Doen Beach Club, as most of us sipped lattes and nibbled on pastries, a few of my more hardy fellow travellers went for a swim to test the temperature of the North Sea. Verdict: cold.
www.visitluxembourg.com
Flanders www.visitflanders.co.uk
Holland www.holland.com
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GRAND LEGENDS In the heart of fabled Amsterdam lies an historical beacon of luxurious lodging – and it has plenty of stories to tell. TEXT: JULIE LINDÉN | PHOTOS: COURTESY OF SOFITEL
legendary day, rest assured: to this day you may still order the Michael Jackson hot chocolate in the Library d’Or .
Sofitel Legend The Grand is the first hotel within the European Sofitel family to bear the Legend crown, and has for centuries welcomed royalty, movie stars and private visitors alike. Oh and the stories? Well, let’s start with that time Michael Jackson caused quite a stir in the hotel kitchen…
Princes, Princesses and Hollywood Royalty “That is one of our favourite stories,” Marketing Manager Nynke van der Berg tells me, continuing: “Michael stayed here during his 1995 world tour, and countless fans were standing outside waiting for him in the
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biting cold. He just couldn’t bear the thought of them freezing. He called down to the kitchen and ordered hot chocolate for everyone waiting, so it’s safe to say our chef got pretty busy!” she recalls. Not difficult to imagine. Were you not there on that
Depending on your appreciation for pop and hot beverages, other tales might say even more about the historic building. Until 1578, this grand monument served as the St. Cecilia convent, before taking on a new name and purpose. Princenhof, Logement voor ‘Princen en Groote Heeren’ (‘Court of Princes, guest house for princes and nobility’), would operate as elegant accommodation for personages such as Queen Maria de Medici of France, the Princes of Orange and Princess Royal
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Mary Stuart. Later on the Princenhof would yet again demonstrate a welcoming versatility, following countless years as the Admiralty headquarters, before taking on the role as the city’s Town Hall. It was, for instance, in this very building that the wedding of former Queen regnant Beatrix and Claus von Amsburg took place in 1966. To this day the hotel is a popular venue for weddings.
The Grand way – from the personal to the sublime
and infused with historical memories. How about, for instance, a night in the Maria de Medici suite? Any guest booking one of the suites is automatically treated to the much-appreciated butler service. The butler is the guest’s assistant and point of contact throughout the stay, at hand to make the experience as seamless as possible with the utmost discretion and understanding of privacy, unique in the Netherlands.
Mary Stuart may have checked out and Princess Beatrix may have handed the crown to a younger generation, but the former Princenhof remains uniquely regal on its throne of Sofitel Hotels. Luxury is effortlessly married with a personal approach to each and every guest, all in order to secure your comfort and delight.
“Each of our butlers has worked with us for a long time so they embody all the knowledge and understanding of service you would expect,” says Van der Berg. “This service definitely adds to the Sofitel Grand Legend’s legacy of uniqueness and luxury, embodying tradition to meet the promise of a tailor-made experience.”
“The moment a room is requested, a representative of The Grand will enquire into any personal wishes for the coming stay. We send you a questionnaire to ensure that we know of your preferences – we even have a pillow and bath menu,” says Van der Berg.
And naturally… first-class dining to complete your stay
She explains that service is the very heart of The Grand. “Our distinctive feature is that we operate on a tailor-made basis; always trying to be in a position to see what guests want. We maintain a dialogue with each one, and try to foresee what their interests will be on coming to Amsterdam.”
This experience is by no means limited to pillows, décor and personalised assistance. The feinschmecker need not go to bed hungry, as The Grand prides itself on culinary expertise in several fields. Bridges, inspired by Ron Blaauw, an exciting partnership between Michelin star chef Ron Blaauw and The Grand, caters to the tra-
ditional and exploratory alike by bridging French and Dutch culinary heritage. The popular restaurant encompasses the Raw Bar (fresh sea food prepared before your eyes), a Cocktail Bar, a Vinotéque and a private courtyard garden, providing plenty of lavish locations to meet any yearning. Should you desire a more secluded evening of delicious tastes, the Private Dining experience and Private Lounge offer comfort and first-class service for smaller parties. In natural continuance of the well-known culinary bloodline of Amsterdam (influenced, amongst others, by the creator of modern nouvelle cuisine, Paul Bocuse), The Grand annually hosts Stars, Food & Art, an exclusive event gathering the most eminent of international chefs. This year’s event, held on 1-2 November, is wholly devoted to Dutch culinary masters of the past 50 years. “We are very excited to carry on the gastronomic traditions in this way,” says Van der Berg. “It’s a wonderful way of bringing people and traditions together.” For more information, please visit www.sofitel-legend-thegrand.com www.starsfoodart.com
The suite life So a good night’s sleep before exploring the Keukenhof and Anne Frank House seems only right. The Grand boasts 177 guestrooms including 52 suites categorized from Junior to Imperial; each one individually decorated with a French touch
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M U D A M :
Modern Art between Past and Present The Mudam is a multifaceted museum of modern arts, conceived to put the financial centre Luxembourg on the map for art lovers around the world. Besides visual arts, it incorporates literature and music events, encouraging visitors to engage with art, rather than simply viewing it. TEXT: JULIKA HÜTHER | PHOTOS: COURTESY OF MUDAM
The Mudam's official name, Musée d'Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean, is a reference to the grand duke who ruled Luxembourg until the year 2000. It was built between 1999 and 2006 in the Kirchberg quarter on the ruins of the former Fort Thüngen, which had been a military fortification for more than a century. The Sino-American architect Ieoh Ming Pei, who also redesigned
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the Louvre in Paris and added an exhibition hall to the German Historical Museum in Berlin, designed a modern museum that creates harmony between the past and the present. The French landscape architect Michel Desvigne had a similar concept in mind when he redesigned the Three Acorns park
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that surrounds the Mudam. Geographically and metaphorically, it is the transitional point between the historical part of Luxembourg city in the South and the modern financial district, the northernmost part of which is formed by the Mudam and the Place de l'Europe. The plain, monumental building of the Mudam encompasses this notion by allowing visitors to view both sides of the city through openings and glass facades from within the museum, and by guiding them from the outside towards the entrance via two converging foot bridges. Today, the Mudam is known for temporary exhibitions and an international collection of contemporary art that includes all kinds of media from paintings and sculptures to installations, videos and many more, a collection that has steadily grown since its inception in 1996. A dedicated committee focused on young artists has been adding to it since the year 2000. While roughly ten per cent of works stem from Luxembourgish artists, the selection criteria are solely concerned with the quality of the respective work and the impact it has on contemporary arts.
Live at the Mudam Far from being just another museum of modern arts, the Mudam engages its visitors through a large choice of regular as well as one-off events. There is “Art for Lunch”, where visitors can enjoy their lunch time on Mondays by getting to know a particular work of art with the help of a guide, who speaks at least one of four languages, followed by a meal in the Mudam Café. Another favourite is “Wednesdays@Mudam”, a free event where upand-coming artists from international music scenes play live or DJ, whether it be electronic or acoustic music. Literary enthusiasts will love “Many Spoken Words”, a monthly event dedicated to words, literature and language where texts are presented in a very individual way.
OPPOSITE: Thea Djordjadze © Remi Villaggi. OPPOSITE BOTTOM: Mudam. © Christian Aschman. ABOVE LEFT: Lutz Guggisberg, The Forest © Remi Villaggi. TOP RIGHT: Elmar Trenkwalder © Aurelien Mole. MIDDLE: Lee Bull; After Bruno Taut (Beware the sweetness of things), 2007. Photo: Patrick Gries. Courtesy: the artist and Foundation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, Paris. RIGHT: Empire's Borders I 2008-2009 © Chen You-Wei.
of it. An artist or designer will create a concept for a room that relies on the help of visitors to shape it. The visitors thus become part of the artwork, which they have helped create, dispelling the distance that causes many a visitor to remain a viewer rather than a contemplator. Workshops and special events top the Summer Project off.
tions of the body by wearing overalls with prosthetic growths. Nowadays focusing on architecture as a way to show how the perception of one's environment and surrounding space can be manipulated, the exhibition will be spread across the entire ground floor of the museum. In addition, Lee Bul will transform the Grand Hall with a specially developed project.
Future exhibitions The event “My Mudam” on 30 October ties in with this idea. The graffiti artist and graphic designer Sanctobin aka Odnok will install a two and three dimensional mural that has been inspired by the Mudam's architecture. It will play with light and colours to create an interaction between the exhibition space and the work itself and will be accompanied by food in the Mudam Café and a playlist of music chosen by the artist, followed by a live performance of Luxembourgish electro artist Sun Glitters.
UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS: Lee Bul: 05/10/2013-09/06/2014 Chen Chieh-Jen:
05/10/2013-19/01/2014 Elmar Trenkwalder: 05/10/2013-09/03/2014 J'ouvre les yeux et tu es là. Collection Mudam:
05/10/2013-19/01/2014
CURRENT EXHIBITIONS: Thea Djordadze. Our Full:
until 19/01/2014
While these events aim at encouraging the visitor to experience art in different ways, the Mudam Public Summer Project takes this idea to the extreme by immersing visitors in an exhibition and making them part
Another upcoming highlight is an exhibition by the South Korean artist Lee Bul, who made a name for herself in the 1980s through street performances in which she explored the taboo inherent in deforma-
Lutz & Guggisberg. The Forest:
until 19/01/2014 Audiolab. Laurent Massaloux. Collection Mudam: until 01/12/2013
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A N T W E R P ’ S
Red Star Line M U S E U M Discover Benelux visits Antwerp and rediscovers the epic journeys sailed by the Red Star Line ocean liner ships and their passengers. TEXT: GIOVANNA DUNMALL | PHOTOS: COURTESY OF RED STAR LINE
“We want to tell the story of what happened in these buildings,” says Luc Verheyen, director of the new Red Star Line Museum which opened late September in Antwerp. “Why did these people take the decision for this journey? And what fears, hopes and more drove them?” The new museum tells the story of the more than two million passengers – many of them Jews from Eastern Europe fleeing persecution – who left their home countries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in search of a new and better life in North America. The fact that it is housed in the original humble red brick warehouses of the US Red Star Line shipping company, located in the old port neighbourhood of het Eilandje, makes the experience even stronger and more authentic. “We re-create the journey starting from Warsaw and the buying of the ticket,” explains Verheyen. “Visitors will experience the train ride to Antwerp, the controls in the building, life on board ship, the arrival at Ellis Island and the start of a new life.” As well as being thoroughly screened on arrival in the US, third-class passengers were thoroughly vetted before departure too. “They were cleaned, de-liced and disinfected, and their luggage and clothes fumigated in special auto-claves,” explains Verheyen. Would-be migrants were rejected if they were deemed unfit to look after themselves or be productive once they arrived in the US, or if they were sick with trachoma (an infectious eye disease that can cause blindness), or in the earlier years TB and cholera. The rationale for medical controls before boarding was that if someone had a contagious disease the entire ship could get sick. Later the rationale became more cynical. “The company had to take rejected passengers back to Europe at its own expense,” says Verheyen.
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The new museum uses historic footage, original photos, animation with narrators, personal belongings and maps and models to bring to life this story of human mobility, but also of personal bravery. “We found hundreds of stories over the last three years, from families, descendants and survivors,” says Verheyen, clearly enthused. “We had so much discussion about how to tell this historic story in such a way that it becomes the story of all of us,” he continues.
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The team decided that the first room you enter in the museum before you embark on the emigrants’ journey should focus on the concept of ‘why’. “Why am I here? Why should I know the story of what happened in these buildings?” In this room visitors are presented with a very long timeline from 60,000 BC up to the present day. “We tell the entire human story as a history of migration and mobility and travel,” says Verheyen. “Our historians picked 20 well-documented persons
across the ages who represent a period of major human mobility.” Examples range from Mungo Man (whose skeleton was found in Australia in 1974 to which he had migrated some 42,000 years earlier from Africa) to Albert, a small boy living in a refugee camp in Congo Brazzaville today. Hopeful migration stories rub shoulders with desperate ones. Verheyen is keen to point out that the museum is not trying to make a political statement of any
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kind. “We don’t want to say ‘look at this story and come to this conclusion’,” he says. “What we are trying to say is, ‘this is something that has happened to people throughout the ages and may happen to your kids or grandchildren’.” Later he adds, with a smile: “Of course we want discussion, but that’s another thing.” Once visitors have experienced the migrants’ journey they can climb the new steel, concrete and glass viewing tower
that has been designed to look much like the bow and smokestacks of a ship. It replaces the tall chimney that was there during the Red Star Line years (but later demolished) which was used to expel the steam from the giant sterilisers which fumigated passengers’ belongings. It also had another function at the time, however. It became an Antwerp landmark by which emigrants would find their way to the quays from the city’s central station. Modern-day visitors who ascend the tower will not only
get a 360° panoramic perspective of the city, but also views of the river banks from where the emigrants embarked on their fateful voyage. “It’s a very good way to end the visit,” says Verheyen. “After all these stories you need a place where you can go and reflect.” www.redstarline.org
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The Vegetarian Butcher On passing TheVegetarian Butcher’s concept store in the centre of The Hague, you could be forgiven for thinking you were outside a traditional butcher’s shop. While the products inside may look and taste like meat and fish, not a single animal has been slaughtered to produce them. TEXT: STUART FORSTER | PHOTOS: COURTESY OF THE VEGETARIAN BUTCHER
The business is the brainchild of Jaap Korteweg. It aims to provide meat lovers with an opportunity to reduce their intake of animal flesh without forsaking their favourite dishes. The concept has gained in popularity rapidly and, last year, The Vegetarian Butcher was a fi-
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nalist in the Netherlands Institute of Marketing Awards and the Accenture Innovation Awards. “From one butcher shop, in September 2010, we grew to a brand that is represented in over 600 stores throughout the
Netherlands and with resellers and franchisees in Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Portugal and Finland. We expect the turnover over the year 2013 to be €3 million,” says Armanda Govers, the company’s marketing and communications manager.
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nutrition,” explains Paul Bom, a trained chef who’s now the product innovation manager at The Vegetarian Butcher. He also points out that his shop’s products require only five per cent of the water needed to produce the same quantity of meat.
Statistics made available by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations show that, on average, each Dutch person ate 85.5kg of meat in 2009 compared with 56.9kg in 1969. Recent studies suggest that reducing consumption of processed meats brings significant health benefits. Some go as far as suggesting that, on average, vegetarians live up to ten years longer than meat eaters and have 32 per cent lower likelihood of developing heart disease. In recognition of the company’s efforts in this area, The Vegetarian Butcher was awarded the 2011 Triodos Heart Prize.
that estimates suggest vegetarians’ carbon footprints are 30 per cent lower than meat eaters.
The intensive farming techniques used to produce much of today’s low-cost meat impact on the environment. So much so
“You need five kilos of soy to put in an animal to get one kilo of beef. From one kilo of soy we make 2.5kg of our meat with same
“We are a company that that makes and sells vegetarian meat. We have vegetarian products - faux meat - and we call it vegetarian meat. We have a lot of products similar to real meat,” explains Bom, who has played a role in developing the likes of fish free tuna, smoked bacon strips and vegetarian chicken chunks. Reports even state that Ferran Adrià and his team from El Bulli restaurant thought they were dining on chicken thigh while eating The Vegetarian Butcher’s chicken chunks.
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“We make it from the protein out of lupin, soy and wheat...We put a lot of good flavour on and it’s all natural of course. It’s a different vision in development. It’s really made by restaurant chefs, like me, I’m a restaurant chef and not a developer per se,” explains Bom.
range of products. So too have dishes from further afield, including vegetarian chicken teriyaki and marinated shawarma strips. A smoked sausage is set to be launched this winter.
“The customer feedback is 99.99 per cent positive. They are glad we are finally here. Well, of course it sounds a bit, hmmm when you talk about yourself,” jokes Bom, suggesting a reluctance to sing his own praise, ”but they like everything we have developed. They want more, more, more.”
With interest in alternative sources of protein is growing, it looks as if the Vegetarian Butcher has established its branding at just the right time. In August 2013 a team of scientists from Maastricht University, led by Professor Mark Post, made global headlines when they attended a press conference in London and cooked a burger made from lab-grown meat.
Typical Dutch dishes such as bitterballs, the appetiser that’s traditionally served with mustard, and croquettes, the breadcrumb covered snack that you’ll find being served in fast food stores across the country, have been added to the company’s
JWT Intelligence, the marketing and communications agency that provides analysis of global trends, has reported that the consumption of meat substitutes is likely to rise in the years ahead for a combination of environmental, health and budgetary reasons.
32 | Issue 1 | November 2013
The Vegetarian Butcher’s future looks promising.
Jaap Korteweg
For more information, please visit www.vegetarianbutcher.com
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FR TO T EE ENTR Y HE MAR STREET KET
22- 24 November 2013
Albion Street, Rotherhithe, London
Come soak in the festive atmosphere at the Scandinavian Christmas Market, taking place outside the Finnish and Norwegian Churches in Rotherhithe, London, on the 22-24 November 2013. Browse through the different stalls for Scandinavian gift ideas and decorations, and sample some hearty Scandinavian food together with a good mug of hot mulled wine.
CO M P ETI TI O N Win a Stressless Orion Batick Latte Chair and Stool worth ÂŁ1349 To participate, please visit our homepage
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The Scandinavian Christmas Market is the perfect place to pick up some unique Christmas presents for your friends and family. All stallholders will have well-stocked stalls, so visitors can rummage through, taste and purchase some of the best Scandinavian food, gifts, design and decorations at the Scandinavian Christmas Market. We hope to see you at the Scandinavian Christmas Market on 22-24 November 2013!
Organiser
Media Partner
SCAN M A G A Z I N E
Partners
The Finnish Church in London
www.scandinavianchristmas.co.uk
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Discover Benelux | Business | Column
Top Ten Issues To Consider When Buying Art TEXT: GREGOR KLEINKNECHT | PHOTO: SANNA HALMEKOSKI AND THOMAS ERSKIN
London is one of the key centres of the international art market and home to leading international art fairs, auction houses, art galleries and dealers. It also has a thriving contemporary art scene and many artists sell artworks directly from their studios. With so many opportunities to tempt collectors and investors in the primary and secondary markets, there are, however, a number of important legal pitfalls to be avoided. Here are our top ten issues to consider when buying art.
1.
Condition and Price
Investigate and record any problems with condition before buying and transporting artworks; ask for and review any condition reports which have been prepared. Check art market data on pricing or obtain an independent valuation.
10. Commissioning artworks Special considerations apply to commissioning new artworks from an artist and written contractual safeguards should be put in place.
6.
Risk
Ensure that insurance cover is in place at the point when risk passes from the seller to the buyer according to the terms of the contract, including during transport, delivery and installation.
Documentation
Obtain a written contract of sale and invoice including a full description and details of the artwork as well as any supporting provenance documentation. When buying contemporary art in the primary market, and on any subsequent sale, ask for a certificate of authenticity.
3.
5.
port rules and restrictions and ensure that all customs procedures are fully complied with.
Legal title
Ensure that the seller is entitled to sell the artwork and that it is free from liens and other title issues. Make detailed enquiries of the seller and ask for written documents establishing clear title.
2.
an artwork, in particular when buying art on the internet. Seek contractual representations and warranties. Buying from a reputable gallery or dealer provides some protection against fakes and forgeries.
Provenance
7.
Copyright
Purchasing an artwork does not automatically transfer copyright ownership to the buyer and there may be restrictions on the use of the artwork; the artist also retains personal moral rights in the artwork and is entitled to royalties (“artist’s resale right�) when artworks are sold on the secondary market.
Gaps in the ownership history of an artwork may give rise to third party claims in future. Undertake due diligence, including checking public databases where appropriate, to establish that the artwork has not been recorded as lost or stolen. Provenance also has an impact on market value.
Artworks are sometimes imported into the UK for sale on a temporary basis. If this is the case, check that all applicable import duties, VAT and other taxes have been paid.
4.
9.
Authenticity
Consider taking expert advice if there is any cause for doubt about the authenticity of
34 | Issue 1 | November 2013
8.
Tax implications
Import and export
Before taking artworks across international borders, seek guidance on import and ex-
Gregor Kleinknecht LLM MCIArb is a German Rechtsanwalt and English solicitor, and the founder and managing director of Klein Solicitors, a successful independent boutique law firm in Mayfair in the West End of London (Klein Solicitors, 42 Brook Street, London W1K 5DB, E-mail: gk@kleinsolicitors.com, www.kleinsolicitors.com).
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