Objects With Narratives Returns to Bruges Inside an 18th-Century Mansion 

Even those unfamiliar with the backstory of Objects With Narratives have likely encountered its Brussels gallery, a landmark Beaux-Arts building on the Place du Grand Sablon that housed the workshop of Belgian furrier Raymond Mallien before serving as the auction house of Pierre Bergé. There, works by Laurids Gallée, Conrad Hicks, and other members of the gallery’s international roster glisten against original gilded moldings and frescoed walls. Yet the gallery’s story began elsewhere. Founded by brothers Nik and Robbe Vandewyngaerde and their childhood friend Oskar Eryatmaz, Objects With Narratives first took root in Bruges before adopting a nomadic approach and later establishing outposts in Brussels and Geneva.  

Now, the gallery has returned to Bruges with a new appointment-only outpost in one of the city’s most distinctive buildings. It occupies the stately apartments of the Hôtel d’Hanins de Moerkerke, an 18th-century mansion built after the excavation of the nearby Coupure canal. Rising atop the foundations of a former Dominican monastery, the residence is emblematic of the mercantile prosperity that helped establish Bruges as one of medieval Europe’s great commercial centers. Traces of that wealth remain etched across the city’s Gothic architecture and richly ornamented interiors. 

For the Vandewynegaerdes and Eryatmaz, the appeal lay in the opportunity to continue presenting contemporary works within a monumental historic mansion. “We’ve always been interested in the relationship between objects and the spaces they inhabit,” says Robbe, who trained as an architect and previously worked at OMA. “For that reason, we’ve never been particularly attracted to the idea of the neutral white box. We’re much more interested in spaces with a strong identity, ones that already carry a certain atmosphere, history, and sense of life.”

Much of that vitality awaits inside the Hôtel d’Hanins de Moerkerke, which recently underwent an extensive restoration following years of neglect. The residence follows an enfilade plan, a hallmark of Baroque architecture in which a succession of rooms align along a single axis. That arrangement inspired the inaugural exhibition, “A Series of Rooms,” which places works within a sequence of exquisite interiors that evoke a collector’s apartment. “Rather than imposing a completely new vision onto the building, we chose to work with these existing qualities,” Robbe says. Each room retains its original color palette, carefully restored during the renovation. 

That setting allows the gallery’s roster of collectible design to take on new resonance. In the living room, a pair of sculptural lounge chairs by Studio Narra fashioned from lustrous patinated metal and a ribbed steel chaise by Manuel Bañó balance the plushness of Paul Cocksedge’s pillowy sofa. The dining room’s glossy black table by Middernacht & Alexander reflects the warm glow of Jan Ernst’s constellation of ceramic pendants overhead, while a mirrored wall sculpture by Ben Storms hangs above a richly veined marble fireplace, distorting the scene around it. The sequence culminates in the oval boudoir, a richly appointed chamber enveloped in oxblood damask, where Benoît Viaene’s bespoke fraké-wood bar introduces a meticulously carved surface whose ripples complement the room’s ornate woodwork and ornamental frescoes.  

Although interest in collectible design has surged in recent years, Robbe attributes the gallery’s success to something more innate. “When we encounter a beautifully crafted object, we often respond to it on a level that goes beyond intellectual appreciation,” he says. “We intuitively recognize the time, dedication, and human presence embedded within it. Even if we cannot always articulate why, there is a profound connection that takes place between the maker, the object, and the viewer.” He also sees craft as one of today’s defining cultural conversations, pointing to the recently opened Fondazione Dries Van Noten in Venice, which champions craftsmanship across art, fashion, and design. The connection runs deeper still: Van Noten recently acquired a mirrored sculpture by Storms, one of Objects With Narratives’ most celebrated artists, for his new Manhattan boutique. 

For Robbe, the opening coincides with a broader cultural resurgence in Bruges, fueled in part by the arrival of Brusk, the city’s new exhibition hall. Yet he also points to its centuries-long history as a locus of cultural exchange—qualities that align closely with the gallery’s mission. “There’s a renewed energy emerging beneath this historical surface,” he says of the growing community of young creatives, makers, and cultural initiatives bringing fresh perspectives to the city. “Our hope is to be part of this evolution. If we can help encourage visitors to discover not only the beauty of Bruges but also the vitality of Belgium’s contemporary cultural scene, then we will have achieved something meaningful.”