Watch Now: Michaël Borremans and Dries Van Noten In Conversation

Curated by Dr. Nicholas Cullinan (Director, National Portrait Gallery), Frieze Masters Talks provides a platform for leading artists, museum curators, writers and critics to discuss the history of art and its continuing significance in contemporary practice.

The paintings, drawings and films by Belgian artist Michaël Borremans (b. 1963, Geraardsbergen) overwhelm the viewer through the use of deceleration and precision. His seductive works contain timeless images of internal drive and external force, of the latent pressure involved in being human. Behind a veil of stylistic perfection, the artist simulates common rituals of interpretation and meaning by deliberately inserting mistakes and vagaries. His intensely atmospheric images are puzzles involving political and psychological patterns of perceiving the world, which oscillate in a camouflaging, fragile way between inexorable realism and nebulous distance. Borremans’ work has been the subject of numerous exhibitions including at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art (2020, Kanazawa, Japan), Hara Museum of Contemporary Art (2014, Tokyo, Japan), and S.M.A.K., Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst, (2005, Ghent, Belgium), The Cleveland Museum of Art (2005, USA), Bozar Centre for Fine Arts (2014, Brussels), Dallas Museum of Art (2015, USA) and Tel Aviv Museum of Art (2014, Israel); has been invited to participate in international exhibitions including the Biennale of Sydney (2018, Australia), Yokohama Triennale (2011, Japan), Berlin Biennale (2006, Germany), and Manifesta 5 (2004, San Sebastian, Spain). Work by the artist is held in public collections internationally, including Art Institute of Chicago; Dallas Museum of Art; Hammer Museum, Los Angeles; The Israel Museum, Jerusalem; Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris; Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; The Museum of Modern Art, New York; National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst (S.M.A.K.), Ghent; and Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

Dries Van Noten (b. 1958 in Antwerp) is the third generation in a family of tailors. At the age of 18, Dries entered the fashion design course of Antwerp’s Royal Academy. On graduating, he began to freelance as a consultant designer before starting hisown collection of menswear in 1986. Since its beginnings Dries Van Noten has presented collections for women and men for Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter each year. He celebrated his 50th fashion show in 2004 and 100th fashion show in 2017. In June 2008,the Council of Fashion Designers of America honoured Dries Van Noten with its International Designer of the Year Award. 2014 began with the grand opening of Dries Van Noten, “Inspirations”, a first ever exhibition featuring his designs and influences at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. Another configuration of the exhibit moved to Antwerp in 2015. In July France decorated Dries Van Noten with the honour of ‘Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.’ In October 2016, Dries Van Noten wins the Culture Award from The Province of Antwerp for his contribution to Culture. In June 2018 Puig entered the capital structure of Dries Van Noten as majority owner. The designer remains, over the long term, a significant minority shareholder and continues hisrole as chief creative officer and chairman of the board. 2019 saw Mr Van Noten collaborate with world renowned fashion designer Mr Christian Lacroix on his collection for Women, Spring/Summer 2020. In June 2020and September 2021,the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) has again nominated Dries Van Noten for itsInternationalDesigner of the Year Award.