Pop-up gallery with attention to craft
In September, Anne-Claire will open Popup gallery Arti-Pop in Den Bosch, a beautiful spot where artists can exhibit their work for a week or weekend. A pop-up gallery requires that exhibitions be built up and taken down quickly, of course. A flexible and strong suspension system is essential for this. Artiteq was the only right choice for Anne-Claire.
Practical works of art
Anne-Claire (30) started her creative career in fashion. “I did a lot of assistant work for styling,” she explains, “but that world didn’t appeal to me that much.” Six years ago, she moved to Den Bosch, where she lives with her boyfriend Tobias and a very sweet cat. There, Anne-Claire started giving interior design advice and specialised in sustainability in the interior design sector.
But she had much bigger dreams. “I have always wanted to do something with craft in interiors and help tell the story of the makers. That’s how the idea for for the Love of Art (LOA) was born,” Anne-Claire explains. A few months ago, she launched a webshop where you can find beautiful European craft. “I choose handmade products that are a work of art in themselves, but at the same time practical. Useful objects, in other words.”
Attention to craft
One example is the work of Esmee Hofman. “She is a basket weaver and makes beautiful fine wickerwork,” Anne-Claire explains. “Her baskets can be used to present an important document or a piece of jewellery, for example. But they could also stand on a nice pedestal as a work of art in their own right.”
Anne-Claire believes it is important that more attention is paid to the time that goes into craft. “We are used to walking to a Xenos or Casa and buying a basket that costs a few euros. But you actually pay too little for such craft. We could reflect a bit more on the amount of knowledge, skill and passion it takes to make something with your hands.”
A beautiful storefront
Earlier this year, Anne-Claire was looking for a location to launch LOA. She wanted to do that physically. “It is important to me that people can also experience the products I sell in real life,” she says. “That’s how I ended up at a beautiful pop-up location in Den Bosch. The owner indicated that she was going to retire in the foreseeable future and asked if I would be interested in taking over the shop premises.”
“My first thought was: ‘I am just launching my own business, I really don’t have money for that right now’,” she recalls. “But I couldn’t let go of the idea. I visited the property many times and took a close look at how the space could best be utilised. And so the plan to start a pop-up gallery was born!”
A flexible pop-up gallery
With LOA, Anne-Claire specialises in craft in the interior design sector. “But of course there are an awful lot of other makers,” she explains. “Photographers, for example, or artists who create beautiful paintings. This does not fit within the niche of my webshop, but it is definitely work I want to support and promote. So I decided to start a gallery that can be rented for a week or weekend. Arti-Pop is a place for artists who want to exhibit independently but do not have a place to do so themselves. At Arti-Pop, they are given the freedom to set up the space the way they want.”
Flexibility and the ability to quickly build up and take down an exhibition is a key requirement for her concept. “Drilling holes in the walls every time to hang work is really not an option,” Anne-Claire points out. “Moreover, a number of Artiteq suspension rails were already hanging in the premises. The problem we kept encountering is that it didn’t seem strong enough to hang larger works. So I got in touch with Artiteq. It turned out it wasn’t down to the rails, we simply didn’t have the right hooks for it.”
No worries about the technical side
Arti-pop will be a flexible, turnkey gallery. “I want people who rent the space not to have to worry about the technical side,” Anne-Claire explains. “They deserve the freedom to present their work as they see fit. The space is 60m2 in size. So there are already several metres of rail, but we are going to expand that much further. Short segments of rail will be hung everywhere, including in the corners and on small pieces of wall, so that work can be exhibited all over the space and artists have all the choice in how they present their work.”
Many options, both in terms of style and load-bearing capacity
“The nice thing is: with the wide range of wires and hooks, I can offer artists all kinds of different options, both in terms of style and load-bearing capacity,” Anne-Claire adds. “Artworks of up to 30 kilos per linear metre can be hung on the rails and there are hooks for every kind of work. Some artists prefer black wire or steel wire, while others want the wire on which their work hangs to be almost invisible, which is what perlon wire is perfect for.”
“Because Artiteq has such a broad range, I can offer the flexibility I want. The changeover is also extremely fast, allowing exhibitors to build and dismantle everything quickly.” Anne-Claire especially likes that the work on the Click Rail does not hang super tight against the wall. “Just like furniture needs a bit of air, which is why it is better not to put it directly against the wall, the same applies to art. That allows it to breathe. This actually makes the work more 3D, as if floating in space. Personally, I find that much more stylish.”
Arti-pop opens in September
Pop-up gallery Arti-pop opens in September and is already almost fully booked until the end of the year. Anne-Claire: “The first week I will be there myself with LOA. I want to organise my own pop-up once a quarter for the work I sell via my online shop. And beyond that, beautiful work by a ceramicist, among others, is coming. It will take a few weeks of hard work before we can open. I am very much looking forward to it.”
About the Artiteq Click Rail system
Check out our Click Rail product page for more information. Other suitable systems for a gallery, museum or exhibition can be found here.
