Didier Claes

From an early age, Didier Claes was confronted with African cultures and traditions. He deepened his knowledge during many trips to the Congo and for ten years, he supplied merchants in Brussels, Paris and New York. From the 2000s, Didier Claes himself presents his selections of works by exhibiting at numerous fairs such as the International Tribal & Textile Arts Show in New York, the Foire des Antiquaires de Belgique, Bruneaf and Grands Antiquaires in Brussels. , as well as Parcours des Mondes and the Collector’s Fair at the Grand Palais in Paris. In 2002, Didier Claes opened his first gallery in the renowned Sablon district of Brussels. He then devotes his activities to the presentation of fine quality art objects from major Western collections.

Since 2005, he has been part of the Chamber of Experts in Works of Art and has also joined the Royal Chamber of Antiquaries of Belgium as well as the National Syndicate of French Antiquaries. In 2008, Didier Claes participated in his 1st edition of TEFAF (The European Fine Art Fair) in Maastricht, a prestigious antique fair. At the same time, he is implementing numerous projects. Vice-president of Bruneaf, he was co-curator in 2007 of the “Mestach l’Africain” exhibition then of the “Congo mythical masks” exhibition in June 2009, in Brussels. In 2011, he curated the exhibition “Arts d’Afrique. See the invisible ”at the Musée d’Aquitaine in Bordeaux and directs the book“ Empreintes d’Afrique: tribal art over the rivers ”published by 5 Continents. In 2015, Didier Claes is curator of the exhibition “Uzuri wa Dunia” (“beauties of the world” in Swahili), which brought together 130 masterpieces in the Ancienne Nunciature in Brussels, on the occasion of Bruneaf’s 25th anniversary. he was chairman of the committee from 2013 to 2016. The gallery owner has since resigned for the chairmanship in 2017. Didier Claes was also an expert for several years with the Pierre Bergé & associés auction house in Brussels. His remarkable participation in the BRAFA (Brussels Antiques and Fine Art Fair) in 2011 – creating the event with the presentation of a unique Bakongo sculpture – is emblematic of his great concern for high standards. While his appointment in 2012 as vice-president of BRAFA undoubtedly brings him great recognition from his peers, his first highly noticed participation at the Biennale des Antiquaires de Paris, in September 2012 at the Grand Palais, earned him laudatory feedback from the press and the public. The Didier Claes gallery is now installed in a prestigious space and now counts among its clientele many American and European collectors as well as international museum institutions.