MoMu Talk: Villa Bloemenwerf

On the occasion of Fashion & Interiors. A Gendered Affair., Priska Schmückle von Minckwitz and Marion Vignal explore the artistic vision behind Villa Bloemenwerf and its influence on modern living.

From the Art & Crafts movement to the Bauhaus, architectural historian Priska Schmückle von Minckwitz with curator Marion Vignal will explore art and design history through the dialogue between fashion and interiors by women artists and designers of the early modern times.

Villa Bloemenwerf in Brussels, the first studio-house of Belgian artist couple Henry van de Velde and Maria Sèthe, marks a turning point for women to take part in the design of their environment. How much did Maria Sèthe take part in the conception and construction of the total work of art Bloemenwerf, for which the couple even designs the dresses she's going to wear ? What does it mean for European women around 1900 and how does it open new possibilities for key women artists and designers of the early 20th century, like Sonia Delaunay and Charlotte Perriand?

Schmückle von Minckwitz and Vignal will explore the artistic vision behind the house and its influence on modern living.

A Paris based freelance preservation consultant and writer on architectural history. Her specialization on Henry van de Velde grew out of her consultancy for the restauration of the Villa Esche in Chemnitz that was achieved in 2002. Former member of the advisory boards of the Henry van de Velde Societies in Chemnitz and in Hagen, she's been member of the scientific committee of the Fonds Henry van de Velde in Brussels since its creation in 2004. She has been advising the present owners of Villa Bloemenwerf for their restauration project.

An expert in contemporary art and design, Marion Vignal promotes and supports young international creative talents through exhibitions and special commissions or projects. With a distinctive curatorial vision, she shapes unique projects across the Parisian cultural scene as a curator, author, and speaker. Founder and president of ida M., she launched the Genius Loci association in 2021 to promote architectural heritage and contemporary art. She curated Genius Loci exhibitions at Maison Bernard (2024), the Ozenfant Paris studio-house (2023), Auguste Perret’s Paris apartment (2022), and L’Ange Volant by Gio Ponti (2021). She is the author of several books on design, interiors, and olfactive art.