Independent Collectors

Merode

An open space for unexpected encounters

Installation view. Photo by Valerie Clarysse
Installation view. Photo by Valerie Clarysse

No label fits at MErode. That is why they call it an open space: open to colouring outside the lines, reaching your own interpretation and thinking outside the box. Dialogue and difference of opinion are what make the world an interesting place.

MErode is not a foundation, a museum, or a gallery. It began as a hobby that grew out of hand. At first it was not open to the public, until friends started asking if they could visit the collection.

Today, MErode is a work in progress, home to a variety of spaces offering multiple possibilities. Visiting requires an open mind to take in the bigger picture. MErode is the work of collector Patric Tuytens, shaped much like an artist would shape his own creation.

Marie Tuytens and Patric Tuytens. Photo by Kim Langie
Marie Tuytens and Patric Tuytens. Photo by Kim Langie
Installation view with works by Jean-Pierre Raynaud, Pavlos Dionyssopoulos, Aaron-Victor Peeters, Early Foley. Photo by Kim Langie
Installation view with works by Jean-Pierre Raynaud, Pavlos Dionyssopoulos, Aaron-Victor Peeters, Early Foley. Photo by Kim Langie
Installation view with works by Chéri Samba and Maurice Mbikayi. Photo by Kim Langie
Installation view with works by Chéri Samba and Maurice Mbikayi. Photo by Kim Langie
Works by Damien De Lepeleire and Joost Pauwaert. Photo by Kim Langie
Works by Damien De Lepeleire and Joost Pauwaert. Photo by Kim Langie
Works by Anthony Duffeleer, Stephanie Rizaj, Max Pinckers and Frederik Lizen. Photo by Kim Langie
Works by Anthony Duffeleer, Stephanie Rizaj, Max Pinckers and Frederik Lizen. Photo by Kim Langie

The collection is personal, intuitive, and often humorous. It brings together young talents and established names, Belgian and international alike. Every work has been chosen and purchased by Patric, not for investment value but for the way it enriches life through surprise, wonder, and discovery.

MErode embraces a wide spectrum of contemporary artists. Talented youngsters enter into dialogue with established figures, creating encounters that cannot be neatly categorised. Patric follows his own instinctive path, without external advisors, always searching for what is unknown, surprising, and astonishing. For him, the value of a work is never financial, but emotional and experiential. Each piece adds meaning and energy to daily life, for him and for others.

Installation view with works by Vladimir Scoda, Takis, Jenny Brosinski, Luit van Chaim and Toon Boeckmans. Photo by Mahira Benizem
Installation view with works by Vladimir Scoda, Takis, Jenny Brosinski, Luit van Chaim and Toon Boeckmans. Photo by Mahira Benizem
Installation view with works by Barbara Kruger, Max Pinckers, Can Dongdong, and Marie Jo Lafontaine. Photo by Mahira Benizem
Installation view with works by Barbara Kruger, Max Pinckers, Can Dongdong, and Marie Jo Lafontaine. Photo by Mahira Benizem
Installation view with works by YAN YE XIAN, Michael Johansson, Fabiola Burgos, and Charlie De Voet. Photo by Mahira Benizem
Installation view with works by YAN YE XIAN, Michael Johansson, Fabiola Burgos, and Charlie De Voet. Photo by Mahira Benizem
Aaron Victor Peeters, 'Boot leggers‘, 2022. Photo by Mahira Benizem
Aaron Victor Peeters, 'Boot leggers‘, 2022. Photo by Mahira Benizem
Marie Tuytens speaks in front of works from the collection, including Cai Dongdong, Offer, 2010, and Marie Jo Lafontaine, Babylon Babies N°8, 2001. Photo by Mahira Benizem
Marie Tuytens speaks in front of works from the collection, including Cai Dongdong, Offer, 2010, and Marie Jo Lafontaine, Babylon Babies N°8, 2001. Photo by Mahira Benizem

A visit to MErode feels highly personal. The collection reflects Patric’s taste, but also carries countless stories about the works, the certificates, the editions, the preservation, and the encounters with artists. Added to this is Marie’s critical eye on her father’s choices. These anecdotes make a tour of MErode unlike any museum or gallery visit, since it is hosted by Marie or Patric themselves.

At MErode you are not a passive spectator. By looking, listening, and feeling, you develop your own opinion and taste. You don’t have to like every work, an open mind is enough. The pieces speak visually for themselves, often with humour and a light-hearted energy. Together, they tell the story of Patric, a collector who doesn’t take himself too seriously and believes things need not always be solemn.

When you leave MErode you feel inspired, you have learned something, and you have encountered open, creative people through the works, the stories, or fellow visitors.

Patrick Van Caeckenbergh,'The secretary (collection of skins)’, 2018-2022 and Adrien Degioanni, 'La Théorie des Miroirs‘, 2022. Photo by Valerie Clarysse
Patrick Van Caeckenbergh,'The secretary (collection of skins)’, 2018-2022 and Adrien Degioanni, 'La Théorie des Miroirs‘, 2022. Photo by Valerie Clarysse
Works by Jimena Chávez Delion, Notebaert Marcel and Thomas Verstraeten. Photo by Valerie Clarysse
Works by Jimena Chávez Delion, Notebaert Marcel and Thomas Verstraeten. Photo by Valerie Clarysse
Karl Philips, 'Floating bibendum‘, 2020 - 2022 and Frederik Lizen, 'Çois Suffit‘, 2020. Photo by Valerie Clarysse
Karl Philips, 'Floating bibendum‘, 2020 - 2022 and Frederik Lizen, 'Çois Suffit‘, 2020. Photo by Valerie Clarysse
Installation view with works by Lizen Frederik, Marinda Vandenheede, Martin Laurent and Charlotte Vandenbroucke. Photo by Valerie Clarysse
Installation view with works by Lizen Frederik, Marinda Vandenheede, Martin Laurent and Charlotte Vandenbroucke. Photo by Valerie Clarysse
Installation View. Photo by Valerie Clarysse
Installation View. Photo by Valerie Clarysse
Gianin Conrad, 'Skulpturenkosmos', 2019 and Roeland Tweelinckx, 'Beam and Chair’, 2018. Photo by Valerie Clarysse
Gianin Conrad, 'Skulpturenkosmos', 2019 and Roeland Tweelinckx, 'Beam and Chair’, 2018. Photo by Valerie Clarysse
Installation View. Photo by Valerie Clarysse
Installation View. Photo by Valerie Clarysse
Installation View. Photo by Valerie Clarysse
Installation View. Photo by Valerie Clarysse

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