This journal grows from direct engagement with the places, people and institutions that shaped Belgian modernism and our collection. We visit buildings, attend exhibitions and trace the origins of the pieces we represent, to understand them in their original context, how they were conceived, built and used before they became collectibles.
We document what we find and share it here, offering the context and background that we believe every piece deserves, for the collectors, architects and clients who choose to work with us. It is how we work, and how we think about what we collect and represent. The journal is updated regularly as our research continues.
When speaking about Belgian modernist architecture, attention usually shifts to Antwerp, Brussels or Ghent. Yet quietly, in the Kempen, one of Belgium's most remarkable concentrations of late modernist architecture took shape during the 1960s and 1970s.
In an era dominated by mass production, digital trends, and the rise of AI-generated imagery, there is a profound longing for what is truly real. While algorithms can now simulate a perfect interior in seconds, they cannot replicate the soul of a tangible, historical object. At Maison Moderniste, we believe that choosing a piece of furniture or art...
We visited Mariakerke, just outside Ghent, during a walk with Toerist Modernist. The neighbourhood dates back to the 1950s, when land from the Nowé family estate, including a small castle, was subdivided into a model development. Buyers were required to build with Olivier Nowé, René Heyvaert or Dan Craet. This resulted in a coherent modernist...
Ceramics are often overlooked within modernist design, but for me it is one of the most convincing mediums within art. What draws me in is the material itself: the variation in texture, the depth of the glazes, and the way a surface can shift from raw to refined within a single piece. That becomes clear at Keramis. The Centre...
Maison Moderniste recently acquired two sculptures by Pol Spilliaert from his former residence and studio in Belgium, shortly after his passing. Set in quiet green surroundings in Sint-Kruis, Bruges, Spilliaert's residence was a remarkable white modernist house designed by architect Rik Scherpereel in 1968. Its low horizontal lines and strong...
Maison Moderniste recently visited 'The Architecture of the Detail' at Design Museum Brussels, an entire exhibition dedicated to Belgian interior architect Christophe Gevers. Through models, archive material, drawings, prototypes and interior elements, the exhibition offered a strong overview of Gevers' practice. It showed a designer who worked...
