Uppercut unveils summer exhibition in the stately rooms of Chateau de Spycker
Antwerp-based gallery Uppercut is presenting the works of six contemporary designers in the ornate halls and salons of a neo-gothic villa near Bruges.
Elaborate glass vessels by Danish designer Alexander Kirkeby and melted polystyrene furniture by French designer Nicolas Zanoni are among the pieces on show inside the rooms of the 19th-century Chateau de Spycker in Sint-Kruis.
The exhibition, titled God Speed, also features pieces by Belgian designer Linde Freya Tangelder, South Korean designer Yoon Shun, New York-based Greek designer Kiki Goti and LS Gomma, the studio of British designer Joel Muggleton.
The is the fourth annual summer exhibition that Uppercut has staged at Chateau de Spycker since director Scott Lippens founded the gallery in 2023.
Originally the summer residence of an aristocratic family, the villa was bought by Lippens' family nearly 20 years ago and has been operating as guesthouse since a renovation by his mother, fashion buyer Caroline Grootaert.
While previous shows were limited to a single room, this time Uppercut's exhibition extends through from the grand entry hall into the dining and drawing rooms.
In each space, contemporary works are in dialogue with period details that include decorative wall mouldings, gilded furniture, marble fireplaces and antique artworks.
Lippens said the approach was inspired by the newly inaugurated Fondazione Dries Van Noten in Venice, with which he had some involvement.
"I realised I could leave a lot of the antiquities in here and embrace the way they clash with the contemporary design," he said. "They actually go really well together."
The juxtaposition is particularly apparent in the dining room, where LS Gomma's Drunken Vessels, made from metal mesh and PU rubber, are displayed on the table alongside figurative sculptures.
For the drawing room, a space dominated by green walls and colourful textiles, Zanoni's multitextural furniture is arranged over patterned rugs, while Goti's hand-blown glass vases adorn a marble-topped console table.
The balance tips more towards contemporary in the entry hall, where most of the large works are on show.
There are various pieces by Tangelder, founder of the studio Destroyers/Builders, including her folded aluminium Reworked bench and a coffee table on which Kirkeby's glassware is presented.
Shun has also contributed various pieces, including both lighting and furniture, which demonstrate his particular methods of handcarving and charring oak.
Lippens said the gallery focuses on designers who specialise in material processes.
"Maybe it comes from my fashion background, but I'm very material-driven," he told Dezeen.
The gallerist originally studied fashion design, but moved into the world of collectible design when a side-hustle of buying and selling vintage mid-century furniture gained traction.
Uppercut evolved out of this, as Lippens became increasingly interested in working with young talent and staging his own exhibitions.
Until recently, the gallery operated out of Lippens' home, a fifth-floor art-deco apartment in the south of Antwerp. But now, following acclaimed presentations at major shows including Matter and Shape in Paris and the Collectible fairs in New York and Brussels, Uppercut is opening a dedicated gallery nearby.
Lippens said he is growing in confidence with every show, as he becomes more adept at layering different scenographies.
"I've become more strict with myself, but I can also work quite fast," he said, revealing that the install of the summer show was worked out in under four hours. "There's a feeling within you; it either resonates or it doesn't."
Other recent collectible design features on Dezeen include a show in Lisbon's Estrela Basilica and our favourite pieces from NYC x Design 2026.
God Speed is on show at Chateau de Spycker, Spijkersdreef 13, 8310 Brugge, from 30 July to 30 August 2026. See Dezeen Events Guide for more architecture and design events around the world
The photography is by Jules Ange.
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