""In my career, I have hung perhaps twenty thousand artworks in private homes and companies," states Coen van den Oever of gallery Project 2.0. "The funny thing is that I still remember all those places vividly. Handy, that photographic memory of mine." And the counter keeps running. Right after this interview in The Hague, Van den Oever boards his bus again, heading for the next destination: Rotterdam.

Coen van den Oever hangs a work in the living room of client and friend Joris van den Broek.

Project 2.0

For thirty years, the owner-curator of Project 2.0 Gallery and De Galerie Den Haag on Noordeinde has represented internationally renowned artists such as Casper Faassen, Patrick Willocq and Ben Thomas. "Even at this level, there are few gallery owners who think beyond the threshold," he observes with audible surprise.

The idea of personally delivering and hanging each work came from one of his early customers. "To him, I had first sold him something small that he simply brought from the gallery. A year later, I brought his next purchase, a much larger work, to his home," Van den Oever explains.

Once inside, he saw that the small work was still on the ground. "I asked the buyer why, and he replied, 'I didn't dare hang it up.' Apparently, people find art a bit scary, they don't want to touch it for fear of damaging it. Then I started doing it myself with all my clients. After all, a work only comes into its own when it hangs in the ultimate place. That is the best part of my job, then I am satisfied."

A-locations

Sightlines, shapes and uses, that's what a space is all about when searching for what the gallery owner calls 'A-locations'. To illustrate this, the Project 2.0 gallerist browses through some snapshots on his phone. "Look, this work by Manon Hertog I just delivered to a woman I met at 'Unseen', an important fair in Europe," he says.

Remarkably often, the acquired work matches the art Van den Oever finds in all those houses and business premises.

The innovative effigy of a classic apothecary jar hangs prominently in the entrance hall, where it can be seen from all directions while enhancing the design objects already present. "Another option was a room with wainscoting, but that closed up the work, so to speak. I take that into account in my advice, as well as something practical like the right height."

Remarkably often, the work purchased matches the art Van den Oever finds in all those houses and business premises. "You buy art with your feelings. Follow your goosebumps and a line in your collection will naturally emerge," says the expert. It brings him to a picture by David Hummelen that he recently hung at a buyer's house in Amsterdam. "The house is of a standard I have never seen before: cleaner than clean and with only high-quality art. David's sleek, disciplined work fits in perfectly with that; the two belong together. I hung the picture next to the front door, in the public space of the residential complex. That way it immediately catches your eye when you step out of the lift."

Because of his approach, the man behind Project 2.0 knows he is surrounded by loyal artists as well as enthusiasts. "They can grow on with me and that results in long-term relationships," he explains. From the very first encounter, the gallery owner has had a special bond with Joris van den Broek. "About 10 years ago, I happened to be standing in front of the gallery and saw Coen lugging a painting by Christiaan Lieverse," explains the jovial property developer as he joins the conversation. "A cool portrait of an Asian woman with fascinating lips. I immediately said, with my big mouth: 'I want that!'" Then, with a wink and a poke: "Thirty seconds. Your fastest sale ever, right Coen?!"

Denis Rouvre

Van den Broek is a collector of modern art. As such, he has also acquired works by French photographer Denis Rouvre and Canadian artist Franco DeFrancesca from Van den Oever. "My living room is quite large, so they have to be works of considerable size. The Lieverse is about two and a half by two," he gestures. "And it is one of the better ones," Van den Oever adds. "A unique painting because Lieverse also did a lot of mixed art. Internationally, it is in high demand, but nothing new is coming out at the moment because he has taken a sabbatical." "Yes, it's a nice investment," Van den Broek acknowledges. "But I buy art because I like it, not to speculate with it."

Meanwhile, Coen van den Oever and Joris van den Broek have also found each other on a business level. "So cheeky of me again," laughs the real estate man. "I asked Coen if he wanted to decorate one of my projects with art for sale. Normally I never do that, but this was a special case: an old nursery on Tollensstraat into which four insane flats had been made. An empty house often lacks a soul; art can help with that. And it just makes me really happy myself. So Coen came up with terribly beautiful photography by Denis Rouvre. A French expat family was so charmed by it that I sold the flat to them - with the art included."

"Yes, that was a nice compliment to our cooperation," says Van den Oever. "Now I regularly set up projects for Joris and I get all the freedom in that." "Of course!", Van den Broek interrupts him enthusiastically. "Once in a while Coen goes completely wild, but the result is always beautiful. We trust each other; after all these years, we talk about much more than art."

www.project20.nl and www.degaleriedenhaag.nl