Finissage Weekend: The New Age of Humanism

This weekend marks the ending of the collective exhibition of Spazio Nobile Gallery; The New Age of Humanism. The show also celebrates the gallery’s 5-year anniversary and a decade of TLmag_True Living of Art & Design magazine. Bringing together over 30 of their represented artists, designers, and photographers, the group exhibition aimed to present what it’s all about: bringing together quality and nobility of materials. Visitors will also be given the opportunity to be introduced to Ikebana art by Ikebana artist Yuka Isono.

Spazio Nobile is found in the cultural heart of district Brugmann in Brussels. With its impressive architecture, the gallery attempts to imprint its philosophy of living with art and design in these spaces of the bel étage (piano nobile) and his studiolo (cabinet of curiosities) spread throughout seven rooms and the garden of the gallery. The gallery makes for an ideal context to combine with precious sculptural furniture, handmade objects and art photography signed by contemporary artists with whom the gallery actively collaborates. The gallery has opted to strengthen its physical presence in Brussels and to get even closer to its art lovers and collectors. By privileging the quality and nobility of the materials, the beauty and the singularity of its artistic choices, Spazio Nobile creates a sensory and singular path. The New Age of Humanism is a journey that is both experiential and holistic, physical and esoteric, terrestrial and cosmic.

Opening in the lively and cosmopolitan district of the Place Brugmann in Brussels, Lise Coirier and Gian Giuseppe Simeone have united their passions for creation and art history by taking the path of creating a dialogue between contemporary applied arts, design and photography. Without putting any boundaries between the disciplines, visual arts intertwine with fine arts. By giving impetus to the creation of unique pieces, limited editions and installations that are both experimental and artistic, with a particular sensitivity to everything that touches nature and minerality, the gallery has committed itself over the last five years to developing its own philosophy and narrative. Spazio Nobile represents a generation of emerging and internationally renowned artists, designers and photographers, while at the same time bringing the cultures of East and West to the forefront in a dialogue rich in natural and innovative materials. Since its creation, it has curated and installed exhibitions in selected venues reflecting architectural history, art and heritage, such as the Maison Louis Carré by Alvar Aalto in the Yvelines, France; the Ancienne Nonciature at the Grand Sablon in Brussels; the Chalet de la Forêt, a two-star Michelin restaurant in Brussels.

Spazio Nobile Gallery participates in many Belgian and international fairs such as Art Brussels, Luxembourg Art Week, Collectible Design Fair, PAD Paris and PAD London, Design Miami/Basel, Unique Design Shanghai… which in 2020-21 are taking place in a virtual way. In addition, the gallery publishes through Pro Materia, TLmag_True Living of Art & Design (°2008), the biannual art and design magazine, both printed and online, sharing its curated selection and commitment to the artistic community.

Artists, designers and photographers include: Jörg Bräuer, Sébastien Caporusso, Manon Daviet, Anne Derasse, Jesper Eriksson, Ernst Gamperl, Garnier & Linker, Kaspar Hamacher, Amy Hilton, Katherine Huskie, Pao Hui Kao, Eva Le Roi, Silvano Magnone, Bela Silva, Lucile Soufflet, Piet Stockmans, Ann Beate Tempelhaug, Adi Toch, Fabian von Spreckelsen, Rain Wu, François Azambourg, Carine Boxy, Chen & Williams, Alexandre Chary, Cheng Tsung Feng, Marlène Huissoud, Vincent Fournier, Sebastian Herkner, Lionel Jadot, Jin Kuramoto, Laura Laine, Valériane Lazard & Paul Brissonnet, Serge Leblon, Tomáš Libertiny, Mathieu Peyroulet, Päivi Rintaniemi, Marcin Rusak, Kustaa Saksi, Bela Silva & Frederik Vercruysse.

While visiting the Spazio Nobile Gallery & Studiolo this weekend, there is the opportunity to meet Yuka Isono, our Special Guest & Ikebana Artist, to introduce their work. Read more about the event here, and book your visit to the gallery here.

“The word Ikebana means “living flower”, and in Japanese it could also be read as ‘the breath of the flower’. It is that élan that is expressed by Ikebana. Ikebana is movement in stillness. Traditionally we say that in Ikebana space represents 75% and flowers only 25%. Or as a Japanese master once explained, “In Ikebana, in order to express the beauty of flowers, we do not arrange the flowers but the space around them”. I think that is very true. I might even go one step further: the role of Ikebana is to invite space, make space visible, make space come alive. In a certain sense, through Ikebana we ‘create’ space. This way of doing Ikebana does not just apply to our practice as artist or designer, it spills over into the whole of our daily life. It becomes an art of life, life as art.” Extract by Jozef Prelis Seihõ, in: TLmag 33, The New Age of Humanism, SS2020

Cover image: Season XVI, The New Age of Humanism, exhibition view towards the garden, photo Margaux Nieto