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Patric Tuytens

THE MERODE COLLECTION

The stories behind the individual artworks are not the only point of interest. How the collection came together is a story worth telling. Be transported by the passions of 3 generations of collectors.

THREE GENERATIONS OF LOVE FOR ART

The story of Merode, as you see it now, begins with Patric Tuytens' parents. Albert was a textiles entrepreneur. He and his wife began purchasing lithographs. They had an eye for beautiful objects, even when on holiday, and brought them home. Then they began to dip their toes in modern and contemporary art. The house and the textile factory soon filled with artworks. Albert Tuytens wanted to make them more accessible to the people. In the first place, his family and staff. “Even if they don't like it, they have experienced it." It would be an understatement to say that Patric grew up among contemporary artworks. His father took him to galleries and exhibitions, and passed on his bug for collecting. In his wife, Françoise, he found another collecting partner. Like his parents, Patric filled his home with contemporary works. This happened at such a rate that he needed extra space to store, and especially exhibit, the works. The premises on Merodestraat provided the perfect solution. Plenty of space for exhibitions, to receive guests and to share the collection's story. History repeats itself with Marie, who was raised, like her father Patric, on artworks. As well as collecting, she would attend the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, In Situ3. Her thesis brought her back to her roots: she turned to her grandparents' collection as her research topic. After a career in education, Marie returned to Merode. She and Patric have made Merode what it is today. An open space were stories, artworks and people come together. Like the collaboration with her father, the perfect symbiosis of wonder and inspiration.

Anneke Eussen Merode

On your visit to Merode, Marie and Patric will immerse you in the evolution of the collection. The further you go, the more you will feel the dynamics and the tension grow. In part one, you will see the works that Patric already owned before buying the building on Merodestraat. These works can be neatly categorised: a space for video, African art, large colour photographs, black-and-white photographs, pop art, cars, etc. The gradual change of energy is palpable. The method of hanging changes, the humour increases and playfulness sets in. The final impression is one of unique choices for eclectic works, including several large installations. There is a very strong sense of "the more outlandish it is, the more readily he'll buy it". Pieces that only work in huge spaces like Merode, where they come into their own. The final space is overwhelming. Marie and Patric won't show it to visitors unless they have experienced the previous parts. That said, a visit to Merode is very accessible. Even if you don't know anything about (contemporary) art, the sheer diversity of the collection will produce something that you enjoy.

MERODE: A STORY IN THREE PARTS

Merode embraces a variety of contemporary artists. Talented youngsters in dialogue with established artists. You will meet many Belgians, but artists of other nationalities too. It is impossible to compartmentalise Merode. It is an Open Space with the boldness to colour outside the lines and encourage personal opinion-forming. The works that Patric buys are not investment pieces. He has no concern for their monetary value. He looks at their value as a means of enriching his own and others' lives. Patric takes his own erratic path, without external advisers, and is always on the lookout for the unknown, the surprising and the astonishing. The works that Patric buys are not investment pieces. He does not care about its value expressed in euros. He emphasizes its value as an enrichment in his life and that of others. Patric follows his own erratic path, without external advice and always looking for what is unknown, surprising and amazing.

THE ARTISTS AND THE WORKS IN MERODE

A tour of Merode feels highly personal. Not just because the collection is a procession of Patric's personal taste, but because each piece has a personal story. This is what makes a visit to Merode unique: anecdotes about the works themselves, the stories of the collector, explanations about certificates, information about editions, contacts with artists, preservation of the works… That along with Marie's critical take on her father's choices. They are stories that you will not hear anywhere else. Unlike galleries and museums, Merode does not have you as a mere spectator. By looking, listening and feeling, you are developing your own opinion and taste. You don't have to find the works beautiful or good. All we ask is that you keep an open mind and allow the diversity to come to you. The works that Patric has chosen for Merode are visually powerful and need little explanation. Humour is always present, along with a certain light-hearted and positive energy. And so the works tell the story of Patric himself. A person who doesn't take himself too seriously and believes that things don't always have to be grave. In short, when you leave Merode you feel inspired, you have learned something and you have encountered creative, open-minded people. Either through the works, the stories or the other visitors.

A PERSONAL VIEW

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