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Galila’s P.O.C.: A contemporary cabinet of curiosities
I am not an art collector. I am an ‘artoholic’, this is a serious addiction. Art is my main interest in my everyday life; regardless of the joy aesthetics can procure it is a source of constant stimulation for the mind and spirit, a spring of creativeness and a problem-solving approach to life. Then there is another feature, the human aspect; being in contact with young artists who reflect the world of tomorrow and sharing that experience is very nourishing and generates a great source of happiness.
Galila in It's Mine, A Tribute to Art Collectors, Wetterling Gallery
Galila's collection presents itself as a contemporary curiosity cabinet bearing countless objects of a seemingly disharmonious nature. However, the abundance of crafts in all genres has organized themes evoking motley accumulation and classifications one can find in Renaissance curiosity cabinets.[…]
At the heart of this untimely accumulation of artworks a particular interpretation of the world is deployed, made by a woman devoted body and soul to building her personal art world.[…] For more than fifteen years, it is chiefly her passionate gaze that guided Galila’s instinctive choices. This is one of her main initiatives as an art collector. Her attraction to works of art, as with objects in general, voices a passion for pure aesthetics; form, colour, vibration, material and texture initiate an array of visual appreciation. Consequently, it is in the sole power of attraction of an artwork that Galila’s aesthetic sensibility is triggered, surrendering to the magnetism of art. An acquisition has never been the fruit of reason, scheme or speculation nor has it been the knowledge of his value.[…]
François de Coninck, Art Historian — Translation by Jonathan Sullam
In 2004, Galila’s husband and lifelong partner, Jacques Hollander, suddenly passed away at the age of 65. The following year, Galila decided to take a healing trip to New York City, a place of shared memories. When an ad for the Armory Show caught her attention, she thought it was a fair on armor; she then bought a ticket, thinking of her husband's passion for antiques. She soon discovered it was a show dedicated to contemporary art. Galila quickly overcame her initial shock and, within fifteen minutes, had bought her very first contemporary artwork. A piece multiplying the sentence “WHY?” 11.522 times, by the artist Tom Fowler.
Ever since, the urge for discovering emerging artists has been insatiable as she endlessly travels to discover and acquire new artworks. Her intensive art addict lifestyle has allowed close friendships with her fellow artists; a genuine practice, which permitted cross influences and the commissioning of made to measure artworks. The self-proclaimed “Artoholic” built her collection amid 20 odd themes such as eyes, books, chairs, or recycling concepts. All of these themes outline the owner’s personality traits, a psychoanalytic approach making this collection very autobiographical.
While it has always been her mission to highlight the collection by advertising her young artists and lending artworks, Galila’s P.O.C. is as of today a step forward on her journey. In order to make this art accessible to the public she collaborated with architect Bruno Corbisier and renovated a historic 1950’s industrial building in the Brussels Forest district.
Today, Galila is delighted to share the experience of Galila’s P.O.C., an intimate yet generous contemporary cabinet of curiosities completely free of prejudice. She hopes that it will bring a smile on faces.
