YIA Art Fair Makes Brussels Debut During Art Brussels Week

The Young International Artfair (YIA), previously held in Paris, has expanded outside France for the first time, choosing Brussels as its new venue during Art Brussels week. The fair is housed in a nine-story building in the upscale Chatelain district of Ixelles, with two or three galleries per floor, echoing the vertical fair trend seen in Brussels with Independent's six-story setup. YIA aims to offer quality comparable to FIAC and Frieze, but the reality is mixed: alongside some quality galleries, there are confused displays, secondary market works, and commercial decorative offerings. The entrance fee of 10 euros is criticized, especially since Independent, a collateral fair featuring top galleries, is free. The venue itself—a vacant, raw space with rough walls—is praised as reminiscent of Berlin twenty years ago. YIA's presence underscores Brussels' magnetic pull for art fairs despite security concerns, following a previous failed attempt by French fair Slick. The fair runs until April 24, 2016, at 186 Avenue Louise.