Although Basel is home to the “indisputable number one” contemporary art fair in Europe, Art Brussels is in the top five, says its director Karen Renders. “Each fair has its own specific profile; Brussels is known as a discovery fair.”

The price tags on the works can start at a few hundred euros for, say, a drawing by a young artist. Collectors can easily pay up to €50,000, though, with the occasional top seller going for €250,000. But Art Brussels also serves as one big gallery for art lovers signifying the best – and the next big thing – in the European contemporary arts. Some of the young artists with work at Art Brussels you might find with a solo show at a local museum of modern art 15 years from now.

This year 170 galleries will be present, a quarter of which are based in Belgium. The galleries – which come from elsewhere in Europe as well as from Russia, China, Brazil and other far-flung parts of the globe – will display contemporary paintings, sculptures and photography as well as video, installations and performances.

The galleries will be spread around different areas of the exhibition halls depending on how well known they are. Established names can be found in the Art Galleries zone, up-andcoming artists in the Young Talent zone and the galleries making their debut at the fair in the First Call zone. Guided tours in Dutch and French are offered twice a day.

Among the famous are the Italian-British duo Gilbert & George, with a photo piece in 12 panels entitled “Amor Patrioe” (Bernier- Eliades Gallery); British multi-media artist David Hockney, with the oil on canvas “Puddle near Kilham” (Annely Juda Fine Art Gallery) and Flemish artist Wim Delvoye with his drawing “Art Farm China Limited” (Guy Bärtschi Gallery).

Other work to watch out for are etchings by Antwerp artist Fred Bervoets depicting an almost cartoon-like world in bright colours (De zwarte panter gallery) and José Maria Mellado’s “Hotel by Tequendama Falls”, a photo of a hotel perched on a cliff edge surrounded by mist (Crown Gallery). The giclée print seems almost fantastical, like you’re seeing it in a dream. There are also several good works represented by Denmark’s Gallery Bo Bjerggaard (image left) and Belgium’s Fifty One Fine Art Photography.

Organisers have also by invited seven artists who live and work in Belgium to create sitespecific installations for the fair. Over the last few years, Art Brussels has been shifting the fair into a contemporary art week by organising or linking in with other events.

You’ll find debates with academics, curators and art critics, talking about different art-related subjects, including public-private partnerships for collecting art and how art collecting today differs from a few decades ago.

On 23 April is “Brussels Gallery Night”, when many galleries will keep their doors open until 22.00. Art Brussels is also highlighting numerous exhibitions taking place throughout Brussels during the week.

In Egmont Park, near the Hilton hotel, meanwhile, Art Brussels hosts its “Art in the City” outdoor sculpture exhibition, filling the park with sculptures made by artists represented by the fair’s galleries. A winner will be selected and invited to create an outdoor sculpture for a public space in Brussels.

Another prize up for grabs is the $10,000 (€7,430) Illy prize for the best Solo Show, an area of the fair where 21 of the galleries have been invited to submit the work of one artist. The recent work of a previous winner – South Africa’s Robin Rhode – will also be at the fair, represented by Tucci Russo gallery.

April 23-26
Brussels Expo
Belgiëplein 1
www.artbrussels.be