In the five decades since Antwerp collector and designer Axel Vervoordt began selling antiques out of an alleyway of restored medieval and Renaissance houses, he’s become a stylistic pied piper to those (like Robert De Niro and Kanye West) who covet his skillful blend of earthy materials, carefully worn elegance, and Belgian
understatement. Over time, homes, museums, and restaurants throughout this Flemish port city have succumbed to his eclectic vision, which he generates out of a vast showroom called Kanaal. Here, more than 14,000 objects, from ancient Egyptian busts to mid-century furniture, Japanese post-war Gutai art to Vervoordt’s own linen-upholstered furniture, fill room after room in a former gin distillery on the Albert Canal. In adjacent workshops, Le Corbusier chairs, Flemish armoires, and Jugendstil lights are repaired before being shipped to international collectors.
Last month, the designer finally opened Kanaal to the public, a 180,500-square-foot enclave with three art galleries, an auditorium, an organic food market, and a French bakery. (For die-hards, there are also 98 apartments kitted out in signature Vervoodt style.) Central to it all is the chance to see artworks from Vervoordt’s foundation, including installations by James Turrell and Anish Kapoor, whose At the Edge of the World colonizes one entire warehouse. His vision upholds the city’s legacy, Vervoordt says. “As a port, Antwerp has always had influences from all over. I want it to keep on inspiring.”
Cogels Osylei, the main street in the Zurenborg district.
Photo by David De VleeschauwerHere are a few of Vervoordt’s hometown picks.
St. Paul’s Church
“The most spiritual church in Antwerp. With its special light and collection of 17th century paintings by Flemish masters such as Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck, St. Paul’s is the finest example of Antwerp Baroque. I’m not religious but I always try to attend a mass here a few times a year.”
M HKA, Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp
“Japanese architect Tatsuro Miki and I renovated the museum’s library using reclaimed Belgian materials, like wooden doors. It reopened last April with a good selection of books and a permanent collection that includes Flemish artists Jan Fabre and Lili Dujourie.”
Cogels Osylei
“A wander around the district of Zurenborg, with its mix of architectural styles, is a must. If you don’t have much time, at least take a taxi down its main street, Cogels Osylei. It’s a unique ensemble of palaces of many different sizes and styles, from Jugendstil to Gothic, all built between 1906 and 1914.”