One of the biggest highlights of our trip was our visit to Axel Vervoordt's Kanaal at Wijnegem and the Castle of 's-Gravensezel, the 50 room castle near Antwerp that is now Axel and May Vervoordt's primary residence.
Our tour began at the Kanaal, a former distillery complex that the Vervoordts now use as their offices, warehouse, workshop and exposition rooms.
The original grain silos loom over the main brick building.
The unassuming industrial facade does not give any hint of the magic that is inside...
Art Historian Barbara Brodt lead us through the many exhibition rooms in the Kanaal, providing us with details about all of the artwork and insight into the Vervoordt design and lifestyle philosphy.
The first room we visited was this very raw industrial space.
This room, with its enormous cement silos, made an unexpected and exciting exhibition room for several beautiful antiquities.
In another vine covered brick building...
An empty white room was filled with an emotional work by Anish Kapoor.
Our guide Barbara Brodt explained that when someone is underneath the large red dome it is impossible to get a sense of how tall it actually is.
As we walked into the dome, we felt as if we could touch the ceiling of the dome even though it was many feet above us.
And now for something completely different! Barbara explained that Axel Vervoordt wanted the rooms in the Kanaal to represent all aspects of his design philosophy.
To ensure that visitors to the Kanaal understood his passion for collecting many different kinds of objects, Mr. Vervoordt filled the shelves of an antique Italian apothecary with many of his collections.
After leaving the richly colored paneled room, we entered a wonderful sunlit space filled with many pieces from the Vervoordt furniture line.
Mixed with artifacts, the furniture pieces became art in there own right.
A dramatic painting by Zero Group artist Kazuo Shiraga was a fantastic focal point in this mostly neutral colored room.
There were so many beautiful antiquities to view!
A curved chair paired with an industrial table becomes a sculpture to view.
In a serene deep amethyst colored space, the "Seated Lohan", dating from the early Song Dynasty (960 - 1127 AD), meditates.
The wood sculpture still has some traces of its original gilding.
In the next room, Barbara Brodt showed us the detailed model of the Vervoordts' plans for the Kanaal. Work has already begun to transform the entire complex into the "City in the Country", "an authentic cultural and residential island amidst a wealth of art and nature".
This project is sure to be bold and exciting. We would expect nothing less from Axel Vervoordt!
This image captures the interplay between two spaces with very different emotional tones.
This deeply painted brick room was filled with ancient Greek sculptures.
So dramatic!
A limewashed gray room, filled with antiques and more beautiful Vervoordt designs was an interesting change in feeling.
Again, the furniture as artwork.
There was a beautiful purity and authenticity to the industrial building, with its original steel windows left in tact.
In a room with walls, ceiling and columns painted a stark cool white, the art pieces took center stage.
As Barbara Brodt explained, Axel Vervoordt sees the beauty in even the most rustic pieces of furniture.
These stalactites become art here at the Kanaal.
A beautiful rustic piece of Mountain furniture is just as artistic and pure.
A view of this entire exhibition hall shows how well all of these pieces compliment each other, whether they are vivid and contemporary or simple and rustic.
A fisherman's coat, made of fish guts becomes an eery piece of art, illuminated in this chalky gray space.
A well lit space, fitted with Japanese wood shelves, made the perfect space to display a variety of art pieces.
The walls in the dining room were scraped down to the original blue paint.
The entire Kanaal is truly a piece of art!
It would have been very difficult for us to leave the beauty of the Kanaal, but we knew that we were about to have another life changing experience... a tour of Castle 's-Gravenwezel, the home of Axel and May Vervoordt!
The Giannetti Family at 's-Gravenwezel! Unbelievable!!!
The Castle is surrounded by gorgeous gardens.
One of the vine covered side buildings.
We were unable to take pictures of the interior, but Steve did capture a few beautiful exterior details.
Although the Vervoordts renovated the Castle, the finish of the its exterior walls exposed the layers of the Castle's history.
So, what did I learn from my visit to Axel and May Vervoordt's Kanaal and Castle? Too much to write about here! However, one point was very clear...
Reality starts with a dream... The Vervoordts dream big and have created a world for their family that they generously share with all of us. Their passion is evident in every room that we visited. Their belief that the beauty of all objects lies in their natural state, has changed the world of design forever.
Thank you to May and Axel Vervoordt for the gift of this unforgettable day!
A special Thank You to Barbara Brodt for patiently answering all of our questions and generously sharing her knowledge.
To see images of the inside of Castle 's-Gravenwezel, please visit the website of Axel Vervoordt. There are also many stunning images of the Vervoordts' residences and their projects in the book "Axel Vervoordt: Timeless Interiors".
Please read Greet's post about her visit to Castle 's-Gravenwezel to learn more about the gardens of May and Axel Vervoordt.
xo
Brooke
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