MASTERS will talk to prominent figures from the business world. This is also the case with Amanda Valkenburg, gallery manager of Art Center Horus and exhibitor at MASTERS EXPO. Everyone is welcome in the gallery located in Laren and they are happy to help you in your search for that one painting or image...
“Niña Van den Bosch is the driving force behind the Art Center Horus gallery. She organized an exhibition in 2008 in the Egmont castle for her best friend, the sculptor Linde Ergo. She liked it so much that she wanted to do more with it. So she started a gallery in Sint-Martens-Latem, an artists' village near Ghent. Starting with Linde Ergo, but more and more names were added, exclusively artists that Niña herself believes in one hundred percent. She loves her artists and their works. And she likes to pass on that love to others.
A second gallery followed in Sint-Martens-Latem, a third in Knokke and since 2019 this gallery in Laren, also an artists' village. Art Center Horus currently gives forty-four artists a stage. Niña has chosen these artists from her heart. Their authenticity is important to her. Their signature must be recognizable, so that you can see at a glance that it is, for example, a Lothar or a Petra Dorst. She believes it is important to give her artists a good platform and to support them with all means. Life performances are also organized in the gallery, where the customer can meet some of the artists at work.”
“We see the gallery as a place where you can enjoy art. I see that people sometimes have a barrier to entering the gallery. That's not necessary, you don't have to feel like you have to buy something. I like it when people come and have a look and I can help in the search for art, for that one painting or that one sculpture. Because we offer such enormous diversity! That also sets us apart from other galleries. Our artists come from all over the world and work in many materials. We have glassware, photography, paintings, sculptures made of bronze, steel, alabaster, wood and polyester... There is always something that attracts attention! All four galleries have the same warm atmosphere, which you feel as soon as you enter. That also makes Art Center Horus very recognizable. I prefer to change the collection every two weeks by rotating art. So there is always something new to see.
I joined here in 2020 through a friend and immediately had a good connection with Niña and Don Story, my colleague here. Art is my great passion. I love going to art fairs and museums. My preference is for contemporary art and in that respect I am in the right place: everything we have here is contemporary. I love conveying my passion to others and telling them about the backgrounds of artists. Art should make you feel good. And if that good feeling lingers and you come back to watch it again, then it is often a match. I offer to come to customers' homes and present the work of art - to see whether it fits in with the decor and to give advice on how they can best integrate a work into their interior or their garden. This is without obligation, which I think is important, because you have to be happy with what you buy. Some works of art can be viewed for one or two days, but usually when you hang them you can immediately see whether something fits or not. Art has added value and upgrades the interior, creating more harmony and beauty.”
“At MASTERS EXPO I will definitely show the IBEX collection: it is a collective founded by Albrecht von Stetten. He traveled the world for three years in search of the best hyperrealists. The artists only have to concern themselves with the painting itself. That is a very long process; sometimes they use only one hair of a brush, layer after layer after layer. It is no exception that people spend three years painting on one work. It is fantastic to be included in the IBEX collection, because then they can fully focus and they have the guarantee that their work will be sold. Here in Laren we have giclées, high-quality copies of the original hyper-realistic paintings, in a series of 100 worldwide.
At MASTERS EXPO I will be showing - and this is very special - the original paintings, including those by Marco Grassi. You can't get more exclusive than that. I will also include the wooden sculptures by Marianne Turck and the wrought iron sculptures by Nimrod Messeg. Real eye-catchers! Such pieces have added value for every home. Not only are you the driving force behind your home, the art is too. Don't forget: you are your own greatest art expert, because you can feel what the works do to you.”
Curious about all the works of art or the artists represented in the gallery? View the website here.
Curious about the rest of the interview? In the autumn edition of MASTERS an interview with LVMH boss Bernard Arnault (“being the richest man in the world meant nothing to me”), a driving impression of the electric Audi RS e-tron GT, a report with the 'tree matchmakers' of The Green Contractors , an interview with star chef Dick Middelweerd and a visit to Barcelona with Ronald Koeman. The war, the climate crisis, the energy problem... Leadership and entrepreneurship are being called upon more than ever. With MASTERS EXPO | The Colorful Edition (8 to 12 December, RAI Amsterdam) we want to contribute in our own way and give the world a push in the right direction. In this edition of MASTERS a colorful preview of the most exclusive business fair. Time to think ahead, innovate, connect!
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