Momentum Art Gallery is, above all, the story of a dream. The dream of a man who has always been captivated by contemporary art — since he was twelve, in fact, and the acquisition of a Vasarely poster that changed everything. A man who wished for his passion to have a showcase: a place where he could exhibit, promote, exchange, surprise, discover and advise. All of this at the same time.

It is also the story of a friendship. More than twenty years ago, founders Claude Skalawski and Olivier Wayenberg opened our first gallery here in Belgium — on the coast, in Knokke-Le-Zoute, on the Zeedijk, the seawall facing the sea. The choice of our artists made a hit, and very quickly this gallery became a friendly and essential place of the Belgian coast.

Knokke is the city of fine arts par excellence. Our seaside resort of almost 35,000 souls is particularly beloved by visitors, thanks to the charming assets of the Flemish coast, but above all thanks to the richness, diversity and value of what it offers — not only artistic but also gastronomic. Knokke has a real artistic vocation: famous artists were born or lived here, and art can be enjoyed even outdoors. As soon as one has the ambition to present art, Knokke is a must for everyone, amateurs and artists alike.

Our gallery stands on the seaside dike, facing the sea, easily accessible and designed to be visible to the public. On the Zeedijk one is easily lulled by the creativity and originality that are omnipresent in our gallery, now a must for the destination. We are happy to help make the city even more beautiful, as a propagator of “emotional matter”.

We love contemporary art in all its forms: sculptures and paintings, in all materials from resin to glass, from bronze to gold leaf. We are adept at shapes, movement, the play of light, modernity, the message. We permanently exhibit internationally renowned artists whose work we follow as it evolves, and we also discover new talents that correspond to our state of mind: contemporary and popular.

The artists we work with come from many different countries, but they all have one thing in common: a sincere and warm relationship with us. Painters or sculptors, they are resolutely anchored in their time. We know them all personally, and they trust us to be the perfect ambassadors of their work and their philosophy. The optical and kinetic art of Patrick Rubinstein, the bronze works of Andrea Roggi and the figures of Nimrod Messeg are just some of the universes and fabulous pieces to discover in our space.

Our avowed objective? To contribute to the influence of each of these artists by presenting their work to visitors — collectors, enthusiasts or simply the curious — in order to, who knows, trigger a love affair. We wanted our gallery to be above all a place of discovery, based on exchange and conviviality, in which our team has only one wish: to listen to you, to guide you, and to share with you the same passion for contemporary art.

Behind the gallery lies a lifetime in art. Claude learned his trade during lunch breaks at the Hôtel Drouot, watching the auctions and acquiring works on modest means. Little by little, through encounters with artists and respected figures of the trade, he became an international exhibition curator for great artists such as Antoine Bourdelle, Messagier, Bernard Buffet and Vasarely — a wink to his childhood — before opening his first gallery in Paris near Place Saint-Michel, on the Quai des Grands Augustins.

Then came the meeting with Olivier, an enlightened amateur of contemporary art, and together the decision to open the gallery in Knokke-Le-Zoute, on the dike facing the sea. From the outset, our preference has gone to living artists: artists we love, with whom we have real relationships and exchanges, whom we can defend because we understand their message — artists who live in their time.

In 2020, the story took on a lovely family dimension with the arrival of the sparkling Léa Marciano, Claude's daughter, who joined the adventure. Léa now runs our sister gallery in Nice, in the heart of the emblematic Cours Saleya — in the building with the iconic ochre façade where Henri Matisse lived for many years. A nice symbol, and a bridge between the Belgian coast and the French Riviera.

We can also advise you on managing your artistic assets. Tax-advantaged solutions exist to enable you to invest in a work of art, through leasing or finance leasing, and our advisers are entirely at your disposal to carry out simulations specific to your acquisition project.

Meet us crossing the beach from the Indi Beach Club, or after tasting a lobster, the local speciality. Because of our proximity to the artists who exhibit with us, we have it at heart to deliver the message of the works that touch you, to transmit this memorial and sensory heritage, and to communicate our passion.