Location : Art Talks Area, Luxembourg Art Week
Language : English
Guest speakers : Wilhelm Schürmann (collector and curator)
Éléonore Moreau-Gentien (collector and mentor for the Young Collectors Club)
In the framework of the Luxembourg Art Week and its international fair, Mudam invites the public to reflect on what it means to collect artworks, as an institution and as an individual. While museums serve a civic role of preservation and display of artworks for the present and future generations, private collectors can acquire artworks for a variety of reasons. In some occasions these converge with the interests of the museum: this has been the case with the Schürmann donation to Mudam in 2023, which allowed the museum to acquire works that otherwise couln’t have been exhibited to the Luxembourgish public.
In this conversation between established collector and curator Wilhelm Schürmann, and Éléonore Moreau-Gentien, an emergent collector as well as mentor for the Young Collectors Club, we will hear their opinion on questions such as: Why does one start collecting artworks ? For what purpose? What criteria guides their selection of the pieces? What are the differences between a private and a public collection?
Along this exchange, the audience will gain a better understanding of the art of collecting Art, and hear the advice and recommendations of two experienced collectors.
Biographies
Wilhelm Schürmann (1946, Dortmund) became interested in art in the early 1970s, initially through the history of photography. As a photographer and teacher in this field, he co-founded one of Europe's first photography galleries in 1974. The first work in the Gaby and Wilhelm Schürmann Collection is by Hans Haacke, offered in exchange for photographs by Schürmann that Haacke selected for his work Der Pralinenmeister (1981). This was followed by works by Martin Kippenberger, Albert Oehlen, and Günther Förg. In the early 1990s, the collection turned to American art, with a particular interest in the West Coast, including Jack Goldstein, Mike Kelley, Paul McCarthy, and Raymond Pettibon.
The collection comprises around 2,000 works from the 1960s to the present day, as well as photographic prints from the 1920s to the present. It focuses on social issues and works characterized by their relevance to reality, their openness, or their humour. Gaby and Wilhelm Schürmann do not consider their collection to be private property or an object of prestige, but rather an element of cultural value that depends on the public for its existence.
In 2025, Wilhelm Schürmann is co-curator of the group exhibition that jointly presents works from his collection and that of Mudam: Radio Luxembourg. Echoes Across Borders.
Eléonore Moreau-Gentien is a passionate art collector whose journey began unexpectedly when, as a child, she was gifted her first artwork by her parents after being captivated by pieces on display in an art gallery. This early experience sparked a lasting interest in art, which she has since woven into her professional and personal life.
Practicising as a lawyer, Eléonore bridges her legal expertise with her love for art. She pursued specialised studies in art law at Christie’s and deepened her understanding of art history at the École du Louvre. Her collection reflects a commitment to artists engaged with social justice and women’s rights, championing voices that challenge and inspire.
Recognising that many in her circle were drawn to her collection yet felt that collecting was out of reach or too complex, Eléonore co-founded the Young Collectors Club. The non-profit association fosters a vibrant community —whether established collectors, aspiring collectors, or simply art enthusiasts—through monthly events and exclusive benefits, all while supporting the Luxembourg art scene.
