Art Collector’s Story: Sylvie & Stijn – Finding “The One” at Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong
Long-time visitors of Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong, Sylvie and Stijn finally made their first purchase with us in 2024, a year that also marked a new chapter in their lives: a beautiful seaside home designed to grow with their family of five. (911 words, 5 minute read time.)
Coco Ma Hiu Lam
Monday 20 April, 2026
Just a short boat trip from the heart of Hong Kong, the home of Sylvie and Stijn opens up to sweeping views of the South China Sea. The atmosphere is immediately calm and full of life, framed by sunlight, laughter from their daughter, and the soft shuffle of their dog wandering between rooms. The couple wanted their new home to be more than just a place to live; they wanted it to be a canvas that reflected their shared experiences and love of art.
Having travelled extensively over the years, Sylvie and Stijn had always collected smaller works and furniture, mementoes picked up across different continents. But when they purchased this family home, they decided it was time to look for something larger, a statement piece that could serve as the visual focal point of their living room.
“We were ready to invest in art that could define a space,” says Sylvie. “Something meaningful, something that brings the outdoors in and feels like part of our everyday life.”
A Family Approach to Collecting
Buying art for a family home, as they admit with a smile, can be “an adventure in opinions.” With a shared appreciation for styles, Sylvie and Stijn approached collecting with both intention and openness.
“Before the fair, we discussed what would work for our interior, size, theme, and how the piece would interact with the views and light,” Sylvie and Stijn explains. “It’s about harmony. We wanted art that could live with us and feel natural against the backdrop of nature and the sea.”
This thoughtful approach led them to Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong 2024, where they arrived, not just to browse, but with a clear purpose: to find the one.
Finding “The One” at Affordable Art Fair
In a city known for its exclusive, ultra-premium art events, the Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong offered Sylvie and Stijn something refreshingly different, an accessible platform that represents creativity across levels and cultures.
“For us, Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong has always felt welcoming,” says Stijn. “You’re surrounded by incredible artworks from local and international galleries, but without the pretence. The transparent pricing makes it easy to focus on what truly matters, whether you love the piece or not.”
With past visits already making them familiar with the fair’s warm and inclusive atmosphere, they arrived feeling confident and excited.
A Belgian Connection
During their visit, the couple found themselves captivated by the displays at Visus Gallery. Two artists in particular stood out, Axelle Gosse and Antoine Gaussin, both exhibiting strikingly different yet complementary works.
Taking their time, Sylvie and Stijn walked through the fair, returned for a second look, and eventually revisited Visus Gallery to meet the gallerist and the artists themselves. The conversation that followed felt serendipitous; not only did they share a Belgian connection, but they were also able to dive deeper into each artist’s creative process.
As Stijn put it, “One thing is to see the art, but another is to understand what it means to the artist.”
Axelle Gosse’s works, sculptural and textured, use ropes of varying thicknesses and organic materials to create rhythmic, tribal-like compositions, tactile and alive. The works spoke to Sylvie’s sense of balance and movement.
Meanwhile, Antoine Gaussin’s photograph Forth Away struck a deeply personal chord with Stijn. Its vast coastal imagery reminded him of summers spent by the North Sea growing up.
“The piece instantly opened a window into my memories,” Stijn recounts. “It brought both depth and serenity to our living room.”
As a photographer himself, Stijn connected strongly to Gaussin’s visual language, one that evokes both distance and familiarity. Together, the works by Axelle and Antoine now create a dialogue within their space, melding the texture of nature and the tranquillity of the sea into their modern home.
Art, Family and Living in the Moment
For Sylvie and Stijn, collecting art is not about permanence but presence.
“You can never be completely certain how an artwork will live in your home,” says Stijn. “But when you see something that feels right, you take it home, you live with it, and if in the end it doesn’t fit, you can always let it go again.”Their philosophy is simple yet freeing:
“art is meant to be lived with, not locked away.“
Their daughters also play a role in shaping that journey, offering fresh perspectives and fearless opinions. “They see things we don’t,” laughs Sylvie. “They’ve actually encouraged us to embrace more colour, to be bolder.
Where Home and Art Meet
Looking around their living room, it’s clear that Sylvie and Stijn have found their rhythm, not only in the flow of their home but in how art inhabits it. Every piece tells a story, echoing their travels, their family’s growth, and the landscapes they love.
What started as a search for one statement artwork turned into something deeper: a renewed connection to creativity, family, and a reminder that art, at its heart, is about joy, the joy of discovery, conversation, and living with beauty every day.
In Sylvie and Stijn’s home, art doesn’t just hang on walls; it breathes with the sea breeze, laughter, and life. And that, they say, is the kind of art worth collecting.
The 2026 Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong will return on May 14-17. Secure your tickets and discover “the one” that will tell your story!
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