Hof van Cleve - Ann Van Hoey - Ceramics

Messen,
Antoine Van Loocke
leTTers and InITIals
With so much creativity at hand, a
house style must emerge to tie things
together. To this end, Lieve and Peter
Goossens called upon the services of
the Oeyen & Winters couple, who have
a feeling for things like no one else and
who can translate that feeling flawlessly
into letters and initials. They published
a beautiful cahier for the occasion, a
handy little object in which the designers
literally prop themselves up around
the Hof van Cleve. Many conversations
preceded this creation. The way they
tell it, it seems that Peter Goossens is
an affable man who is not at all like the
image of him projected by the media.
“The interior was redecorated, but
the soul of the house was essentially
left intact”, say Oeyen & Winters. “This
is still the old farmhouse where the
history of the van Cleve family is, as it
were, embedded in the walls. Lieve and
Peter have integrated design and art in
the Hof in a thoughtful manner, as if by
stealth. The objects and art works do not
scream for attention. They are present
and those who have eyes to see will see
them. Our task is to listen to the stories
and translate them into a house style
and a publication. The story of the Hof
van Cleve is no fleeting tale, nor a blind
imitation of trends. The Hof van Cleve
remains the Hof van Cleve. Even with a
few touches of design.”
desIgn and arT
When the sommelier brings in the
Monbazillac Château Montdoyen 2005,
it is time to approach topics such as:
Where is the boundary between design
and art? Is gastronomy also a form of
design?
André Verroken ponders the matter:
“For me, the boundary between design
and art is at the very least arbitrary,
non-existent even. Design must be
functional, you hear it said. What is
important, however, is that design has
an image of its own, an identity that
transcends the functional. When I design
a cheese trolley for the Hof van Cleve,
then I will toil away for weeks on end,
and the result is a pièce unique. When
I look at the tabourets made by Jules
Wabbes, how he expresses himself by
using various types of wood, how he
strives for the perfect line, that is what
I call art. Alas, not everyone places the
bar quite so high nowadays, and we
are seeing a decline in quality. It comes
down to separating the wheat from the
chaff, and that does not always happen
in the world of design.”
“What is it that puts the Hof van
Cleve on the map? A myriad of dazzling
dishes, unique flavour combinations,
beautifully presented. And what are the
secrets of this culinary tour de force?
Passion, creativity and quality. The
same labels can also be attached to the
Trapkast, André Verroken
Parts High Platinium, Anna Torfs
designers sitting around this table. In
that sense, gastronomy is not so different
from design, or if you will, art. Look at
the booklet by Oeyen & Winters: what
distinguishes it from other publications
is its spirit. Look at that vase by Anna
Torfs. It is so charged with spirituality
and sensuality. My God, it makes you
want to steal it.”
When dessert is served on a trolley
made by André Verroken, the vintage
Madeira is also brought up from the
cellar. The golden-yellow drink of the
gods makes the glass weep and brings
out a person’s deepest self. “You know,
women always recognize the erotic in
my work”, says André Verroken, now
whispering. “I have long wondered
why that was, since my work is rather
square and austere. So I set out to
discover where the erotic element of
my work may lie. And I discovered that
it often contains an element of gliding
into each other. Could it be that? That
unconsciously, I wanted to express the
perfect act of coitus.”
If it is true that good design can
also serve as an aphrodisiac, then
the combination with gastronomy is
a particularly successful marriage,
one where we note with delight that a
number of chefs in recent years have
made considerable efforts to incorporate
design into their interiors. ▪
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