With Art Brussels in full swing, Whitewall took a moment to connect with the city’s insightful art collectors. Read more to learn about their diverse backgrounds, enthralling recent acquisitions, and sincere advice to purchase that which beguiles you the most—you won’t regret it.
Frédéric de Goldschmidt
Film Producer and Art Collector
Portrait courtesy of Frédéric de Goldschmidt, 2022, © Hugard and Vanoverschelde.
Brussels-based Frédéric de Goldschmidt is a prolific film producer and visionary contemporary art collector. Goldschmidt ardently champions emerging artists and has developed dynamic creative platforms including Cloud Seven. His esteemed family is known for their long-standing cultural and philanthropic legacy.
WHITEWALL: Can you share a recent acquisition you’re excited about?
FRÉDÉRIC DE GOLDSCHMIDT: I recently bought two works by young Belgian artist Céline Mathieu. Her gallery, Gauli Zitter, won last year the prize of the Invited section of Art Brussels. She was one of the two artists and I was on the Jury. Her sculptural compositions are made with objects from her life as an artist. They are also priced according to her house rent. I will show the pieces at the upcoming show at Cloud Seven in September. Curated by Emmanuel Lambion, it will deal with value in art.
WW: What is your advice for aspiring collectors, just getting started?
FDG: Go to a lot of exhibitions and events. Buy artists your age or younger, in the upper limit of the price range you can afford. Go for it, buy what you like: you won’t regret it.
“Go for it, buy what you like: you won’t regret it,”
Frédéric de Goldschmidt
And if an artist gets recognized by history—or at least the market—you’ll be happy to have been among the first ones who did so. For the more cautious ones, or as a way to hedge your bets, editions by recognized artists can be a good way to start too.
Hubert Bonnet
Art Collector and Entrepreneur
Portrait courtesy of Hubert Bonnet.
Hubert Bonnet is an art collector and entrepreneur with a passion for minimal and conceptual art. He has built a collection centered around these movements, featuring both historical and contemporary works. In 2012, he founded Fondation CAB in Brussels, a non-profit space dedicated to promoting minimalist art through exhibitions, residencies, and public programs. In 2021, he expanded his initiative with the opening of a second location in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, in the south of France, adding a new dimension to the foundation’s mission by blending art, architecture, and hospitality. Bonnet’s vision is to create spaces where art can be experienced in a thoughtful, immersive, and contemplative way. In 2024, Bonnet launched the Maisons CAB project, aiming to create artist residencies and prestigious properties in connection with the Fondation CAB and its artistic vision. These unique spaces offer a full immersion into architecture and art.
WHITEWALL: Can you share a recent acquisition you’re excited about?
HUBERT BONNET: I have recently acquired works by Claude Viallat, a major figure of the Supports/Surfaces movement. His exploration of color, repetition, and unconventional materials questions the very foundations of painting. These pieces enrich the collection while engaging with key issues in contemporary art. This acquisition reflects my commitment to the current exhibition at Fondation CAB Saint-Paul de Vence.
WW: What is your advice for aspiring collectors, just getting started?
HB: Follow Your Eye: Visit galleries, museums, art fairs, and open studios. The more you see, the more you’ll refine your taste. Be curious and learn about art history, movements, mediums, and the contemporary art scene.
“Be curious and learn about art history, movements, mediums, and the contemporary art scene,”
Hubert Bonnet
Only buy pieces for which you feel a particular vibe. Works for which you feel something authentic, spontaneous, and deeply connected to your intuition. Consider the long-term value—both emotional and market-wise. Buy art you love living with. Your collection becomes part of your environment and your story.
Yannicke De Smedt and Wilfried Cooreman
Art Collectors
Portrait courtesy of Yannicke De Smedt and Wilfried Cooreman.
Hinako Miyabayashi, “A sign of indifference,” 2024; Courtesy of the artist and Guido Baudach, Berlin.
Yannicke De Smedt and Wilfried Cooreman have been collecting since 1972 as a couple. De Smedt worked as a teacher and Wilfried studied economics, and has been an internal auditor as well as a financial and managing director in the pharmaceutical and logistics industries. He has presided over and been a board member of several cultural institutions: Roomade, Extra City, friends of S.M.A.K., and Kunstenpunt.
WHITEWALL: Can you share a recent acquisition you’re excited about?
YANNICKE DE SMEDT AND WILFRIED COOREMAN: Kobby Adi, “Untitled,” 2024, from Cabinet Gallery, London. In addition, Hinako Miyabayashi, “A sign of indifference,” 2024, from Guido Baudach, Berlin.
WW: What is your advice for aspiring collectors, just getting started?
YDSWC: To aspiring collectors, I would like to advise: stay as close as possible to one’s own personality. Try to see a lot of different artworks. Start with artists of your own generation. Try to grasp the aesthetics and intellect of the work and determine their meaning.
“Try to grasp the aesthetics and intellect of the work and determine their meaning,”
Yannicke De Smedt and Wilfried Cooreman
Be guided by your own convictions. Try to find out what kind of collector you want to be. What are you looking for in art? Prestige? Fashion? Knowledge? Passion? Or do you want to speculate on the market. Take what has already been made, what already exists into account. Try to find the original positions, the most inventive and pioneering attitudes. Then you will probably build a collection you can be proud of.
