The song said it a long time ago: every day is exactly the same. The same faces, the same people, the same landscapes. You are walking down the street and all the stores are the same. All of them? Some small businesses are reluctant to be swallowed by that gray whirlwind. Balthazar Project Gallery is a small stronghold located in the charming town of Moraira, in Alicante. Patrick Jacquemin, its owner, makes the difference from his shop, where he reflects his personality by mixing the concept of an art gallery with an exclusive products store.
How did you start in this business?
Well, I really like decoration, especially of houses and interiors. I used to have an antique shop, both in Belgium and in France. But since I now live in Spain and everyone should have an occupation, it occurred to me to open a store three or four years ago. I have started little by little. The idea has come to me by mixing things that could be sold in a store, like objects or furniture, with art. And that’s where the art gallery came from. I am passionate about art and decoration, and in Moraira there wasn’t any store of this type. I think it has attracted a lot of interest.
Your gallery exhibits artistic pieces and also sells products.
Yes, the idea is a mixture of concepts. What I offer are different products, things that you do not find in other places. That’s why I go to Parisian fairs twice a year, to make a difference with other stores. People tend to prefer exclusive products, and that is the conception of home decoration I look for. I think you have to live in a house where the decoration is personal, in a space that identifies with your personality. That’s why I offer a variety of modern things, antiques, avant-garde art and so on.
What type of art is exposed in the gallery?
I am looking for artists of all kinds, but especially Spanish. Many times we tend to think highly of foreigners, but we live in Spain, and people have to know that we have very good artists from the land. For example, I have artists from Valencia, a very good one who lives here, in Moraira, another Belgian who does portraits… The level of the artists who exhibit in my gallery is higher than average. On the other hand, the art of my gallery is modern and contemporary, with a figurative and conceptual style. Right now I have three artists in exhibition of very different influences. They are unique and less commercial artists. I have been in fairs like ARCO, where I see a more economic than artistic movement. When something becomes fashionable, all artists do the same. What I’m looking for is something different, artists that reflect their soul and value more the art than money.
Moraira is a small town in Alicante. Do you think this kind of art interests the people of the area?
Yeah, sure. In Moraira we have clients of a higher level with respect to other areas, both foreign and Spanish. They show a lot of interest in the artists. In addition, we have a personal contact with these people. They not only come to see and buy, but also to talk and have a personal contact. That is, the gallery is a meeting point. Furthermore, Moraira is a very small town, there are few people and we have to organise events to make ourselves known. In summer we even open on Sundays in the afternoon, due to the large number of people who visit us.
What kind of products do you sell?
Well, I’m looking mostly for Nordic, Scandinavian, Belgian and Danish items. We sell things like furniture, cosmetics, crockery, cooking products, decoration items, antiques, stationery… even Bluetooth speakers. And, of course, the paintings that are exhibited. What all the articles have in common is that they are always exclusive and high quality. Customers are looking for this exclusivity, so I come to an agreement with brands in this area.
Is there something special that you are interested in promoting right now?
Now we are starting with the Christmas campaign, promoting magical and special objects to give as gifts. These days we throw ourselves into these smaller items of exclusive brands, since we think that few people will give an expensive painting for Christmas.
So, do you have anything in mind for Christmas?
Well, we’re going to do micro-exhibitions for two nights. One of them is a self-taught artist that I think is very interesting. We will also expose Rosa Padilla during a special night, on December 20th, just before the holidays.
You could find this exclusive art gallery on 5 Baranquet street of Moraira (Alicante). For more information, call them at +34 965 74 42 03, visit their website www.conceptstoremoraira.com or their Facebook page.