Location: Art Talks Area, Luxembourg Art Week
Language: French
Guest speakers:
Sophie Clauwaert, art advisor, director, Puilaetco, A Quintet Private Bank
Pierre Naquin, founder and CEO, Art Media Agency (AMA)
Martine Schreiner, director, M-Brokers, Luxembourg
Amicie de Villenfagne, curator and art market specialist
Moderator: Eric Hemeleers, chairman PatrimOne Group in Belgium
Art has always been driven by passion and cultural value, yet it increasingly finds itself at the center of financial considerations. Collectors today are not only drawn to the emotional or symbolic power of a work, but also to its potential for appreciation, its liquidity, and the role it can play within a broader wealth strategy. Recent market observations show that while art is seen as a compelling tool for diversification, many buyers remain cautious, mindful of the risks of speculation and of the uncertainties surrounding new forms of creation, particularly in the digital sphere.
This duality places the art world at a fascinating crossroads: how can emotion and rationality, intuition and financial logic, coexist? As private banks, market intermediaries, and cultural institutions become increasingly involved, this question is becoming central to understanding the current shifts reshaping the art market.
Biographies
Sophie Clauwaert is Art Advisor at Puilaetco, A Quintet Private Bank, where she helps clients navigate the management, valuation, and transmission of their art collections. Having worked for over 15 years in the international art market — from auctions to independent advisory — she has built a wide network of experts and institutions that she brings to the service of her clients. For Sophie, a collection is never just an asset: it is a reflection of passion, identity, and legacy. Her approach combines financial expertise with the human dimension of collecting, helping families address the challenges of acquisitions, due diligence and succession, amongst many other topics. She regularly speaks on how art can be both a source of financial value and a driver of meaning across generations.
Eric Hemeleers holds a degree in Business Engineering from UCL. After early career experience in the industrial, pharmaceutical, and financial sectors – including at PricewaterhouseCoopers – he joined the family firm Léon Eeckman SA in 1998, a brokerage founded in 1920 and specialized in art insurance. Having led Eeckman for many years, as well as Eeckman Underwriting, he played a key role in establishing the company as a reference in the field of fine art and valuable assets insurance. He is now Chairman of Groupe PatrimOne in Belgium, where he oversees the group’s strategic development while maintaining a long-standing commitment to the arts and culture. In parallel, Eric Hemeleers serves on the boards of several cultural, artistic, and philanthropic institutions.
Pierre Naquin is a French entrepreneur at the crossroads of innovation, technology, and art, based in Monaco. He founded Art Exchange, the first financial marketplace dedicated to art, and Art Media Agency (AMA), a leading press and content production agency focused exclusively on the art market. His work combines editorial expertise, market insight, and cultural engagement. With significant international experience — including time spent in India (Calcutta) and China (Shanghai) — he has built a dual expertise: understanding the global dynamics of contemporary art while forging connections between artistic creation, the market, and the media. As Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of AMA, Pierre Naquin oversees editorial strategy, content production, and the dissemination of analysis covering art, fairs, auctions, trends, and innovation. He is also recognized for his journalistic contributions to specialized media (such as Gazette Drouot) and for his role in advancing the institutional framework of art finance.
Martine Schreiner is an insurance broker in Luxembourg with over 25 years' experience in providing insurance services to companies and individuals. Her clientele also includes a large number of collectors of art, jewellery and classic cars. Always eager to provide her customers with the most comprehensive service, she accompanies them step-by-step, from drawing up their inventory, expert appraisal, advice on preventive measures, subscribe an insurance coverage, and of course support and assist in the event of a claim.
Amicie de Villenfagne is a Belgian art and culture professional with over a decade of international experience across Brussels, London, and Luxembourg. She began her career as a silver specialist at Bonhams and Chiswick Auctions, later serving as a business developer at Sotheby’s, before contributing to the growth of the London-based art tech start-up Artvisor and specializing in the organization of cultural journeys. Now based in Luxembourg, she is Conservator at the Administration of the Properties of H.R.H. the Grand Duke, a lecturer for Luxembourg Accueil, and a board member of the Friends of Museums. Her career reflects both deep expertise in the art market and a strong commitment to cultural mediation.
