the driving force behind Sergio Herman Group with 5 restaurants including Le Pristine, next-door to designer heaven Verso and Blueness Antwerp,
the same historic building as the iconic multi-brand store. Luc is the founder of Fashion Club 70 and their concept store Verso is the jewel in the crown of the family business. Both gentlemen, established in food and fashion, can go wild about the taste of a new dish or the release of a new sneaker.
Is fashion important to you? ‘I’m not the kind of guy to don a three-piece suit, but I appreciate a nice jacket or a beautiful pair of shoes. Clothing is definitely important to me.’ What do you wear in the kitchen? ‘The same thing I wear elsewhere: a T-shirt, a pair of low-crotch jeans or loose pants. Comfort is key.’ Have you ever made a fashion faux-pas? ‘I sometimes look at old pictures and go: Sergio, did you seriously think that was cool (laughs)?’
Do have any favourite designers? ‘At Verso, I love Valentino and Saint Laurent. I also admire the purity of Japanese designers like Yohji Yamamoto.’ Tie or no tie? ‘I haven’t worn a tie since my days at hotel school (laughs).’ Then what will you wear this holiday season? ‘A T-shirt and a jacket.’ Can a stylish look spark as much joy as a tasty dish? ‘I love it when people dress up to go dining as they used to do back in the day. There’s nothing like seeing a well-dressed couple enter a restaurant.’
Is food important to you? ‘It is. The first thing I do when I travel is look up great restaurants. I especially love seeing food and fashion combined. That’s what we aim to do with Sergio at Verso.’ Can you share any favourite hotspots abroad? ‘10 Corso Como in Milan was one of the first to combine fashion and food. Many have followed in their footsteps, from the Fondazione Prada to the Gucci Osteria by Michelin-star chef Massimo Bottura.’
Do you like cooking? ‘I can fry an egg and make toast, but that’s about it (laughs).’ So you’ve never asked Sergio for advice in the kitchen? ‘I haven’t, but I do call him for restaurants tips and we can talk about food for hours.’
What is your guilty pleasure? ‘Dessert. To me, it’s the perfect ending to any meal and I rarely skip it. I particularly love the patisserie at Le Pristine.’ Any legendary fashion parties you remember? ‘Fashion Club hosts a press dinner at Milan Fashion Week each season that always feels like a party.’
If you could invite three people, dead or alive, for dinner, who would they be? ‘Three would not suffice, but I would definitely invite Franco Moschino. He was my first designer and a very intriguing person.’ What about you, Sergio? ‘David Bowie, Keith Haring, Basquiat and Johan Cruijff.’
Rinus Van de Velde is the biggest name to come out of the Belgian art scene in the last 15 years. He is most famous for his floor-to-ceiling charcoal drawings, immersive installations and films, but don’t let his impressive portfolio scare you: he is also a man that likes to encourage the younger generation to explore art, and who enjoys to read a book or watch a hit series. The multidisciplinary artist has known and worked with Tim Van Laere for more than a decade and considers him a close friend.
“I would never refer to myself as a mentor, but I do get a lot of messages on Instagram from high school students that would like to talk to me about their project. I do try to reply to most of them and I don’t mind making time for it. Because I know what it’s like, so I try to convince young people to create.”
RINUS: “You could call my parents a bit culturally savvy, but the focus was never on art. We didn’t really go to a museum on weekends, but when we went on a trip to Florence we did visit the Pitti, as you do.
We also had a framed reproduction of Paul Klee in our house, so there was something there, but it’s not like we owned a library full of art books.”
“Becoming an artist never crossed my mind until I was 16 years old: I accidentally stumbled upon a film about Basquiat’s life. The film is by Julian Schnabel, who’s also a painter, it stuck with me and for the first time ever I realized that you could live as an artist. That made a big impression on me. In 2000 I ended up in a museum in Paris with a friend, and that day I decided that I wanted to pursue a career as an artist. We were in a long queue and I wanted to leave, he convinced me to wait anyway, so that was the turning point. An interest arose during that trip, that really was a special moment for me in time. I then had to tell my parents that it was my plan to become an artist, and I am still grateful to them today that they responded very openly.”
“As a student I often went to Tim’s gallery to look at the exhibitions, but I only knew him by sight. When I had just graduated, I needed a job, because I wasn’t earning anything from my work yet. I first started in the gallery as a builder, I installed the paintings for exhibitions and I thought that was a really great job at the time. I could ask him anything and learned a lot about how things work in the art world. Tim still says I was one of his worst employees ever. He is very generous and would always order food for the whole team. And I would basically wake up during lunch and start to fire 1001 questions at him. He has always followed my work and often came to see my exhibitions in the early days. At one point we decided to catch up over dinner, and then decided to work together. For me it was very logical to start a collaboration with Tim, because I already knew him, and because I trust him.”
“I started out making drawings. But as I get older, my interest in media starts to take over. Drawing will always remain the core, I can’t imagine that it will stop, but I am also involved with film on a daily basis now. Ceramic is something that comes and goes. I consider myself primarily as an artist who works in different disciplines, but whose core is drawing.”
“I try not to divide my life into work and free time. Otherwise it implies that drawing becomes a job, while that is what I love to do most. My best days are spent in my studio. I do things that other people like to do: I read a book or watch TV series, I like to go to dinner, spend time with my children... That’s how I like it best: when everything flows naturally.”
When Tim Van Laere opened his first gallery in Antwerp’s Zuid district as a twenty-something in 1997, he already knew that the artist would always be his most important incentive. 25 years later, and with a recent move to the upcoming Nieuw Zuid area, the gallerist finds himself in love with the new space that he built together with architects OFFICE Kersten Geers David Van Severen, and life itself amidst the most exciting contemporary artists.
TIM: “My parents, and especially my father, used to take me and my brother Tom (Van Laere, artist Admiral Freebee) to museums from a very young age. On these trips we discovered the works of Picasso, Giacometti and Matisse. Although we often played in the museums at that time, both me and my brother can say that many of those works have left a lasting impression on us. Our father also raised us with Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen.
Tom and I share a passion for art and music. For his latest record The Gardener, he has also collaborated with artists that I represent. For example, Marcel Dzama designed the cover of his record and CD, and he has collaborated several times with Rinus Van de Velde in his studio for the recording of his video clips. We also appear in the film The Villagers by Rinus Van de Velde together. So it’s a cross-pollination.”
WHEN DID YOU DECIDE TO FOUND YOUR OWN GALLERY?
“When I returned from the US, where I did my studies and played College tennis, I decided to open up my own gallery. I’ve always had a passion for art, and for as long as I can remember I’ve been attracted to the autonomous character of the artist.”
“I cannot emphasize enough how important the relationship is between the artist and the gallerist. Our artists are our number one priority. We do everything for them, this also translates to my personal life. I will always make time for my artists. They can discuss everything with me and me and the team will always do everything in our power to support them in their journey, so they can achieve the goals that they have in mind.
This type of collaboration requires tremendous trust from both sides. Bringing out an artist’s works is a delicate thing and getting it out in the right way is a huge responsibility. If this is not done with the right feeling and knowledge, it can destroy an artist. I am very aware of how special that bond between us is. As I said before, as a gallerist, you really have to take the time to get to know your artists and their work. It’s different for every artist. In many cases, close friendships also result from this. I have a very close friendship with Rinus Van de Velde, for example. We can discuss everything together. We also share a great passion for both art and tennis, so we often travel together to see international tennis matches or exhibitions. Jonathan Meese feels like a long-lost brother to both me and Tom. Also with Ben (Sledsens), Kati (Heck), Dennis (Tyfus), Adrian (Ghenie)
“Where a particular work will be hung and/or displayed is of crucial importance for both the artist and the gallery owner. As an artist gallery, I therefore see it as one of our main tasks that we ensure that each work of art is shown in the most optimal conditions. It is therefore extremely important that we feel and understand the work of each artist well. We bear a great responsibility to show the works of an artist to an audience, and we therefore do everything we can to bring the artist’s vision to the outside world. In addition, we also make sure that the works are properly placed. What is very important for us and our artists is that works are included in the collections of museums, institutions and other public private collections. These are important anchor points with which you register yourself as an artist in art history.”
and Bram (Demunter): our cooperation feels like a close friendship.”
WHICH ARTIST IN RECENT HISTORY WOULD YOU HAVE LOVED TO REPRESENT?
“James Ensor, if he would still be alive, I’m sure he would have worked with our gallery.”
HOW IMPORTANT IS THE PLACING OF A WORK OF ART? CAN YOU INFLUENCE OR CONTROL THIS PROCESS AS A GALLERY OWNER?CREDITS PHOTOS: COURTESY TIM VAN LAERE GALLERY, ANTWERP
IS ART EVERYWHERE? DO YOU CONSIDER WHAT SERGIO DOES WITH FOOD AN ART FORM?
“The word art can have different connotations. There are certainly those who describe culinary creations and music as art. I also greatly appreciate their creative process and drive. Both in Sergio and in my brother I recognize many qualities of good artists: they constantly question themselves, explore every possibility to go a step further and want to continuously evolve. I remember when Sergio first visited the gallery during Tal R’s first solo show, I was immediately impressed by his way of looking at the works. I immediately noticed that he thought like an artist, he found an entry point
a project he has been working on for two years and is now showing for the first time in Antwerp. We received a lot of positive reactions and a lot of artists are also very enthusiastic about Tal R’s exhibition.”
“In the spring of 2023 we will host solo exhibitions by Ryan Mosley, Armen Eloyan, and our newest addition: 92-year old artist Inès Van den Kieboom will have her fist solo show in March. In the autumn you can expect exhibitions by Rinus Van de Velde, Adrian Ghenie and Bram Demunter.”
Jos Smolderenstraat 50, 2000 Antwerpen www.timvanlaeregallery.com
for each work and then completely dissected it. His feeling for what he saw was instinctive. I suspect that that density also has a lot to do with how he sees himself as someone with a lot of talent, drive, discipline and a great passion. I always have a lot of respect for people who get so far in their own field, and who know how to make that world their own. In addition, he also has a very international vision, something that my artists and I also have in common.”
THE TAL R ‘FOREST IN MY EYEBROW’ EXHIBITION WILL BE ON FOR ANOTHER WEEK. HOW’S THAT GOING?
“Tal R is the number 1 artist in Scandinavia. So we are delighted that this is his second solo exhibition with us. The Forest in My Eyebrow is a very special exhibition by Tal R, it shows a new series of works that arise from a confrontation between the artist and an opening in the forest, created by felled trees. The opening, which strangely took the shape of an eye, prompted the artist to make a series of drawings, which he later transformed in his studio into colored drawings on paper, woodcuts and large-format paintings. In addition to these works, Tal also presents a new bronze sculpture in the outdoor patio of the gallery. It is
“I
IMPORTANT THE RELATIONSHIP IS BETWEEN THE ARTIST AND THE GALLERIST. OUR ARTISTS ARE OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.”
“CaviarBernard Shaw
The Japanese word izakaya is made up of three kanji with the meaning: ‘staydrink-place’. A type of informal bar that serves alcoholic drinks and bites. A place to settle in and get comfortable.
Sergio’s take on Blueness Izakaya is based on the original izakaya philosophy. The bar as a center piece embracing the open kitchen where guests can enjoy the craftmanship and passion of the chefs and bartenders. Crudo’s, yakitori’s and gyoza’s are available all day on walk-in basis at the bar or porch. And for more appetite our menu of middle and main dishes can be combined. Just as addicted to desserts as mister Verso? Don’t miss the most surprising desserts.
What’s a celebration without friends and family to celebrate with? For this celebration issue, we invited our colleagues in front of the camera. Verso is a fashionista’s dream and browsing through all of those amazing pieces by beautiful brands inspired our beloved team to bring out their inner model. We couldn’t be more proud.
‘I’M DREAMING OF A WHITE CHRISTMAS, BUT WHEN THE WHITE RUNS OUT, I WILL DRINK THE RED’JACKET - GENNY, PANTS
- GENNY BYVERSO
‘MY PERFECT CHRISTMAS IS WHEN THE CHAMPAGNE IS FLOWING ENDLESSLY, AND THE ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK CHRISTMAS SONGS ARE BLARING THROUGH THE SPEAKERS’COAT - PRADA, SHIRT - RAF SIMONS, SHORTS - PRADA, SHOES - PRADA, BY VERSO
‘MY FONDEST MEMORIES OF CHRISTMAS ARE THE ONES WHEN I WAS SINGING OPERA AT THE FESTIVE CHRISTMAS MARKET IN FRONT OF THE VIENNA STATE OPERA’SWEATER - PRADA
, SKIRT - PRADA
BRANDON: “I first found out about the academy when I was in high school during a trip to Antwerp. We visited the Momu, the Walter store, and the boutique RA that used to be in the Kloosterstraat, and I remember that I couldn’t believe my eyes. There was so much creativity and joy spilling out of a place I was only just finding out about. That summer I fell completely in love with Antwerp and it became a bit of a religious obsession (laughs). From then on, I always followed my intense attraction to the energy of the school, for me there wasn’t another place that created with so much energy, fun, authenticity, and explosive creativity.”
“I love dinner parties, it’s my favorite way of celebrating something. The problem is that I don’t have enough plates. If I could, I would do them more often with more people. Someone once told me that a good party is about nice food and a DJ. And I couldn’t agree more. I’m big on Thanksgiving, it’s easy to celebrate in Belgium, because it’s not a holiday here, so everyone’s free to come over. I love a good farewell dinner or a celebration of something... I enjoy cooking and I like to put a lot of food on the table. My dad’s Chinese and my mom’s Spanish, both food cultures. I love to fill the table. I usually start very late, so everyone arrives and starts drinking and talking, so by the time the food is ready everyone is buzzed and I’m exhausted (laughs).”
At 29, American born Brandon Wen is a contemporary of most of his students. The newly appointed creative director is ready to bring the Antwerp Fashion Department into a new era full of humor, self-reflection and of course the explosive creativity and authenticity the academy is renowned for. He talks to Anverso about food, celebration and his love for Antwerp.
PHOTO: AKHIL BABU FOR ROYAL ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS ANTWERP“I usually go home for Christmas, this year we are going to Spain to visit my mom’s family. It’s usually a huge dinner with the family, all my cousins visit, it’s nice.”
“Belgium has a nice culture around drinking, and I really love this. In the US art is sort of reserved for finer people. You just don’t walk into a gallery, and when you do go, you feel like an alien. Here you can go to gallery openings, there are drinks, people hang out... It sort of leads to a more open environment of having people over. The difference between Antwerp and a city like Paris: that it’s a lot cheaper to live in, people are less concerned about rent. So there is more room to socialize and people are more generous with their time. For me, this clicks.”
“I hope to see a future full of creativity and authenticity. I think there is a feeling and a need for design that is more personal, more daring and connected to a deeper understanding of ourselves, from an artistic point, but also a business point of view. I hope that we will be a new generation of creatives who know who they are, what they want and will work to create a professional and artistic space in the world.”
“SOMEONE
As a guest editor you are allowed to share your voice on almost any topic. The Spotlight makes waves for artists and soulmates, ideas & conversations, poetry & philosophy. Be in the know on music this time.
For nearly twenty years, Admiral Freebee has been one of the most captivating artists of the Benelux. Songs such as ‘Rags ’n Run’ and ‘Oh Darkness’ became true classics while the Admiral playfully conquered the biggest stages and collaborated with Living Legends like Emmylou Harris and J. Mascis – to name a few. Yet even a seasoned veteran like Tom Van Laere felt unprepared for the last year and a half. There he was with a brand spanking new album at the ready for fall 2020, seeing all his carefully laid out plans either cancelled or adjusted because of you-know-what. Now, at long last, The Gardener has arrived. Admiral Freebee’s seventh studio album features fifteen tracks, nine of which were written in a time BC (before covid) while six others sprang to life in the heat of the pandemic.
On a particular day I had this feeling that I lived in a universe in the middle of nowhere where you could find lemon-flavoured ice cream and people to play and build sandcastles with - in other words, it was a time when I felt like a warm and grateful person. That was the day I wrote this song.
At that time, I was in excellent condition because of all the tennis I played. It was also a time when a comb seemed more and more unnecessary. I even started wearing a hat from time to time. I also didn’t know if a certain woman fancied me or just the hat I was wearing. I haven’t got a clue where either of them is now, although I think I might have lent the hat to someone.
It’s quite a cliché, but it turned out to be a beautiful song. When I first played it to a friend, he didn’t like it very much. He thought ‘The wonder of Life’ as a title didn’t fit the jolly despair of the Admiral Freebee repertoire. A while later, my friend was confronted with a lot of personal issues, one setback after another. He asked me to hear the song again and suddenly thought it was the best thing I ever wrote. Although it was no more than a demo, I had to send it to him over and over again via WhatsApp.
In my opinion, it was neither my best nor my worst work, rather somewhere in between, but by talking about it with my friend, the song kept getting better and better. I noticed he wasn’t as deeply unhappy as he made himself out to be.
I saw that through his setbacks, he discovered a sense of freedom unlike ever before. And while his face remained shut, I detected a glimmer of an inner smile that he tried to keep hidden. During that time, we became closer as friends and the song kept getting better. It seemed as though the depths of his suffering revealed the majesty of love.
I’m pretty sure we’ll hear more stories such as these from people like me in the near future. And sometimes, when I go to sleep, I’m sad that I didn’t glance at the full moon for a little longer. It’s good stuff.’
“ITCOURTESY TIM VAN LAERE GALLERY, ANTWERP
1 shallot, chopped
½ clove of garlic, finely chopped
25ml of olive oil
200 grams of spinach, washed and without stems
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
125 grams of ricotta
2 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
MOUSSELINE VIN JAUNE
5 egg yolks
25 ml ready-to-use gastric or tarragon vinegar
2-3 tablespoons of vin jaune
250 grams of melted salted butter
1 tablespoon of cream and a pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice
2 fresh lasagna sheets (Italian delicatessen) olive oil
1 tablespoon of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra 10 Zeeland mussels
A few sprigs of bronze fennel or dill
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of sea buckthorn berry oil (available at your bio market)
The process of creation comes in many shapes and sizes and Anverso is happy to shine a light on a unique creation in every issue.
Start with the spinach ricotta filling. Heat a pan over medium heat and sauté the shallot and garlic in the olive oil. Add the spinach, let it wilt slightly and season with salt and pepper. Remove the pan from the heat, transfer everything into a colander and let it cool. Mix the cooled spinach with the ricotta in a bowl, season with salt and pepper. Add the Parmesan cheese.
Cook the lasagna sheets according to package directions in salted water with a dash of olive oil. Cool in cold water and drizzle with olive oil. Place about 3 tablespoons of spinach ricotta filling on each sheet and roll each sheet into a tight cannelloni. Drizzle with olive oil again and cover with cling film.
Make the mousseline vin jaune. Whisk the egg yolks with 5 tablespoons of water, the gastric or tarragon vinegar and vin jaune in a small saucepan over low heat. Continue whisking with a whisk until the egg is cooked and fluffy. This takes at least 5 minutes. Mix in the melted butter little by little until you have an airy and thick sauce, then add the cream. Season with cayenne pepper. Refresh with the lemon juice and mix everything gently and lightly.
In the meantime, cook the mussels according to package directions. Let them cool slightly and remove them from the shell.
Steam the cannelloni in a steamer basket for 5 minutes or in a 140°C steam oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Then generously grate Parmesan cheese over it.
Place the cannelloni onto a nice warm plate, divide the shelled mussels on top and cover with mousseline sauce. Finish with the bronze fennel or dill, pepper and sea buckthorn oil. Grate some extra Parmesan cheese over the mussels.
“THIS SPINACH,
CANNELLONI WITH MUSSELS AND PARMIGIANO IS AN INSTANT CLASSIC, CREATED FOR LE PRISTINE”
01. BRAM DEMUNTER - Rock - 2022 - Oil on canvas, 02. DENNIS TYFUS - If the kids are united, they will never be divided - 2022 - Colored pencil on paper, 03. TAL R - Clearing, Broken & Rosa Road - 2022 - Oil on canvas, 04. INÈS VAN DEN KIEBOOM - Channel Swimmers Association, Dover, Kent - 1987 - Oil and pencil on wood panel, artist frame, 05. BEN SLEDSENS - Under a Tree - 2021/2022 - Oil and acrylic on canvas, 06. RINUS VAN DE VELDE - I would never’: he said on the phone, …, - 2021 - Charcoal on canvas, artist frame, 07. JONATHAN MEESE - KUNST PROLL IM HERZEN (LADY OF EIS) - 2021 - 3 panels, acrylic and acrylic modeling paste on canvas, 08. ARMEN ELOYAN - Someone says it’s She, someone says it’s He - 2018 - Oil on canvas, 09. TAL R - Goat - 2021 - Patinated bronze, 10. KATI HECK - Instrumentenfrage I - 2022 - Oil on stitched canvas, artist frame COURTESY TIM VAN LAERE GALLERY
LAY- OUT
Alexander Tolaro
COPY
Catherine Kosters / Elspeth Jenkins / Jacco La Gasse / Kim Alderden
SERGIO HERMAN GROUP
Sergio Herman
Jacco La Gasse
Kim Alderden
Johan Cuypers
VERSO
Luc Dheedene
Miguel Dheedene
Tim de Jong
Enya Torrez
Catherine Van Erck
PROJECTMANAGER
Marjorie Romeijn
FOR ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES:
Enya.Torrez@fashionclub70.be
Check the Spotify playlist of Tim van Laere for Anverso magazine on the Sergio Herman Group Spotify account
VERSO
Lange Gasthuisstraat 9 2000 Antwerpen www.verso.com
LE PRISTINE / LE PRISTINE CAFE
Lange Gasthuisstraat 13 2000 Antwerpen www.lepristine.com
BLUENESS ANTWERPEN
Lange Gasthuisstraat 11 2000 Antwerpen www.blueness.com
INSTAGRAM anversomagazine
As we draw endless inspiration from food and fashion, we would like to thank 2022 for the opportunities that were handed to us.
In our efforts to give more spark to this world we will continue to do so, and it is with much anticipation that we, the editors of ANVERSO magazine, are looking forward to the year ahead.
2023 promises to be a colorful year in various ways and all our receptors are open to impulses that will make us give it all for the forthcoming spring issue.
We hope you enjoy ANVERSO magazine, and all our hopes are for a peaceful 2023
SALUTI!
JACCO LA GASSE FOR ANVERSO MAGAZINE
