The Collector

Zayènne van Heesen-Laclé is a lawyer. Married to Ariën, they have three children; Zarah-Sophia, Olivier and Laurent.

The Artwork

This work is titled “Kim” and is by Pietro Perrone. My husband and I attended the vernissage of the Pietro Perrone exhibition at Ron Lang Art and without consulting each other, we both loved the painting. The ease with which it is painted, with its many shades of white, black and gray that create depth, is extraordinary. The simplicity and shading make it a timeless piece. In addition, the painting really reminds me of my sister, who hasn’t lived in The Netherlands for years. This way it feels like I still have her with me.

Pietro Perrone told us that the busy Asian lifestyle was the inspiration for this painting. “Kim” (Pietro Perrone does not know her real name) is a modern, Asian woman, talking on the phone on the escalator on her way to her next appointment. The similarity to my sister is remarkable – she works as a diplomat and is constantly travelling around the world from appointment to appointment.

When I buy art it’s because I fell head over heels in love with a piece, and I know the perfect spot for it to go back at home.

ZAYÈNNE VAN HEESEN-LACLÉ

The Collection

A house without art is a house without soul. We own other works of art, by artists like Marc Chagall and Theo Mackaay, and not just paintings, also sculptures and photographs. For our home, I definitely select for aesthetic reasons – whether an artwork goes with our interior and whether I think we will enjoy it for a long time to come.

Art has to grab you, inspire you – “Am I touched by this work of art?” “Does it inspire me to think?” The same usually goes for the story behind it. I find inspiration by visiting fairs and museums and I often find installations very impressive, but I think those really belong in a gallery, a corporate collection or a museum. I wouldn’t take one of those home.

When I buy art it’s because I fell head over heels in love with a piece, and I know the perfect spot for it to go back at home. I would love to buy a piece by Flemish artist Rinus van der Velde, who merges fiction and reality like nobody else. But unfortunately Rinus’ works are so large that they don’t fit in the low rooms of our 17th century warehouse.

A house without art is a house without soul.

ZAYÈNNE VAN HEESEN-LACLÉ

Tips & Tricks

A work of art should evoke feeling and emotion – buy art that really touches you.

The “Art of Collecting” series is an initiative of the Young Collectors Circle and Laura Hein.