BRAFA 2025: Why Interior Designers Need to Visit Art Exhibitions
Brafa Art Fair brings together galleries—mostly from Europe, but also from the US— to showcase selected pieces from their collections. Each gallery has its own stand where they display carefully selected artworks. Eugenie Dymkina, interior designer from Luxembourg, shared with us why she loves Brafa, why she attends it every year, and what impressed her the most this time.
About the Exhibition
Exhibition: BRAFA ART FAIR
Location: Brussel
Dates: January 26– February 2, 2025
I’m Eugenie Dymkina, an interior designer with over fifteen years of experience. I’m currently living and working in Luxembourg.
For me, Brafa is always an injection of pure aesthetics! Everything is so elegant, tasteful, and refined—you just get immersed in something truly meaningful and cohesive. There isn’t an overwhelming amount of works, but every single piece exhibited at Brafa holds real value. You can stand there, admire it, and take it all in.
A Personal Date with Art
For me Brafa is always a very personal date with art. This year there were many works by Chagall, Miró and Dutch masters, or a famous African mask. In other years there were sculptures, jewelry, and even pieces from the Roman era or the Renaissance. Normally, we see that level of art in major museums, but here it’s right in front of you, with no glass barriers or alarms. You can step up close and really examine the details. Just the two of you: you and the Art.
Art is a trend
I wouldn’t say Brafa is about trends. Maybe a specialist in collectable art could talk about collecting trends, which is also interesting. For me, this fair isn’t about what’s “in fashion.” But the fact that Brafa has been around for many years, occupies two large exhibition halls, and attracts collectors who come to buy art shows that there is a demand. In my opinion, that itself is a trend.
It means that despite economic, social, and political challenges, there are still people investing in art and enjoying it. To me this is a hopeful sign for all of us.
Classic and Modern
Brafa mainly features classic art, though there are plenty of contemporary art stands as well. Modern art is still a bit of a debate for me, but regardless of personal taste, the way everything is presented is always a treat for the eyes.
Stands design
I absolutely love the way the stands are decorated. And two main instruments are of course color and lighting!
– It’s not just white walls like we’re used to see in galleries. The booths are always painted in bold, rich colors, which create such a striking contrast with the artworks.
– Professional lighting makes a huge difference in how each piece is perceived.
Hallways design
Every year, Brafa invites a guest artist to design the exhibition space—creating installations throughout the hallways. This time, it was the Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos, known for her large-scale installations. The exhibition had these surreal, fluid, abstract sculptures that gave Brafa its own unique character.
VIP stand sponsored by a private bank
Another interesting detail—there’s always a VIP stand sponsored by a private bank, designed with an interior-focused concept. It is always curated with incredible taste, blending fine art and design in a way that feels seamless and sophisticated.
And finally, here is my personal favorite stand. Maybe it’s because of the lighting, but I’m always drawn to color, patterns and bold compositions—something I so much miss while living in Europe.
Key Insights and recommendations
– Art always comes first. The entire interior can be built around it.
– It’s crucial to designate the right placement for art—an axis of beauty within the space. There should be plenty of breathing room around the artwork, allowing it to stand out.
– Curating a gallery-style composition with multiple pieces—ideally at least five— so they form a cohesive visual statement. This well-known approach works fantastically.
– Color plays a key role. The backdrop against which the artwork is displayed significantly affects its perception.
– Lighting is equally important—it’s essential to create a well-thought-out lighting scenario that highlights the piece in the best possible way.
Eugenie Dymkina started her journey as an interior designer back in St. Petersburg, then moved on to working in Brussels, and now she is based in Luxembourg. She studied Interior Architecture and Product Design at International Design School and at the College of Art and Design in Brussels.
Eugenie also has a strong connection to education—she has been involved in various teaching programs and even taught in schools, which she absolutely loved.
Now, besides residential spaces she is eager to break into public interior projects. It’s a slow process but she sets her sights on it and is making her way there!
Eugenie contacts: