Press release

Entry is free but ticket is mandatory: Book Ticket

36 galleries meet in one place

The first edition of the Rooms, Art & Design fair will be hosted at Mix Brussels. The event will welcome over thirty internationally renowned art galleries in the hotel, each of which will take over a hotel room to create a unique world in the image of each participant. The weekend will be filled with food, music, and DJ sets. This four-day event is open and accessible to everyone.

36 galleries
CLAES GALLERY, COLNAGHI, ARNAUD DE SPA, EDJI GALLERY, GRUSENMEYER WOLINER, GALERIE HIOCO, PATRICK & ONDINE MESTDAGH, GALERIE MINIMASTERPIECE, MOREUPSTAIRS, FREDERIK MULLER , SORRY WE’RE CLOSED, SPAX PROJECTS, GALERIE RAF VAN SEVEREN, ZABULUM ART & DESIGN, WALID AKKAD, L'OEIL DE KO, SPAZIO NOBILE GALLERY, DAVID UTZON_FRANK, HENRI VANHOENACKER, SOPHIE DEROM, , LANCZ GALLERY, GALERIE CHRISTOPHE GAILLARD, COSTERMANS, BALLON ROUGE, GALERIE MEYER OCEANIC & ESKIMO ART, ARTIMO FINE ARTS, HARMAKHIS, PILI COLLADO STUDIO, GALERIE ARY JAN, GREGE GALLERY, MODESTI PERDRIOLLE GALLERY, THIBAUT WOLVERSPERGES, KALISTO FINE ART, AEROPLASTICS, GALERIE DE LA BERAUDIERE

Simply entitled The Rooms, this singular fair will take over several dozen rooms at the end of May

(22-25-05), several dozen rooms at Mix Brussels, a 4-star hotel and club due to open in spring spring 2023 in the former headquarters of Royale Belge, in Watermael-Boitsfort.

A new vision for art fairs

Desiring to offer a playful alternative to traditional art fairs by drawing inspiration from similar successful experiences, particularly in New York (Gramercy), Brussels (White Hotel), and Bangkok (Hotel Art Fair), the art dealer Patrick Mestdagh (Galerie Patrick & Ondine Mestdagh) has partnered with gallery owner Sébastien Janssen (Sorry We’re Closed) to organize a brand-new art and antiques fair in Brussels. 

Entitled simply The Rooms, this unique fair will take place at the end of May (from May 22 to 25), occupying several dozen rooms of the Mix Brussels, a four-star hotel and club inaugurated in the spring of 2023 in the former headquarters of Royale Belge in Watermael-Boitsfort. 

This art and antiques fair is the result of a friendship between two dealers: Patrick Mestdagh, who specializes in ethnic and non-European art, and Sébastien Janssen, who specializes in contemporary art. Both were keen to set up a “gallery fair organized for and by galleries”. 

For them, as well as for all participants, the goal is to break away from conventional art and antiques fair formats, embracing a more intimate approach that has already proven successful, while organizing it in an unexpected venue. The Mix Brussels, nestled within a modernist building emblematic of the 1960s, set in a lush green environment, and featuring resolutely forward-thinking design, serves as the ideal location—a symbol of a new, dynamic, youthful, and creative energy. 

In total, approximately thirty contemporary art galleries, art dealers, and antique merchants will occupy the spaces, filling an entire wing of the building. These exhibitors, some of whom do not participate in any other fairs, represent a diverse range of specialties, including jewelry, modern art, contemporary art, non-European art, decorative arts, ancient art, the High Middle Ages, archaeology, as well as classical art from Asia, Africa, and Oceania. 

This unique format, where dealers and galleries each occupy a hotel room and tailor their offerings accordingly, will result in a one-of-a-kind experience for visitors, whether they are enthusiasts or collectors. The primary idea is to preserve the convivial and original character of the rooms as much as possible, thereby offering the public a distinctive, more intimate experience of engaging with works of art. 

The event, which is free of charge, is open to all audiences and will feature a sculpture exhibition, as well as a room entrusted to the care of designer Lionel Jadot (Zaventem Ateliers). Jadot, the interior designer for the Mix Brussels, has been invited to curate and stage a selection of objects from the various participating galleries. 

To meet the growing demand from the public, eager for knowledge and relevant information, *The Rooms* will also host a series of conferences and roundtables, in partnership with the private bank Puilaetco, which specializes in wealth management and has a presence within the former Royale Belge. Topics will cover a range of diverse and engaging subjects, including patronage, the transmission of heritage, the fight against money laundering, artist jewelry, the dialogue between dealers and collectors, art leasing, insurance, and more. 

Another unique and delightful initiative will be a Mood Room, where, in a single large room transformed into a warm and festive space, the spirit brand Aperol, barber Bayer & Bayer, chocolatier Pierre Marcolini, and art publisher Taschen will come together. 

This synergy aims to foster accessibility and dialogue, with an emphasis on conviviality, positioning *The Rooms* as an essential and enduring event for art enthusiasts and collectors.