The story behind the artwork in The Lobby

More than a handshake.

Interview with artist Han Coussement

Anyone who walks into The Lobby today immediately notices the large painting that dominates the space. Two hands meeting. At first glance, a simple handshake. But look longer, and you discover a work where thousands of nuances come together. Much like the conversations that happen in The Lobby every day.

For artist Han Coussement, the brief was surprisingly clear.

“I got a tour and heard the story behind Avenue and The Lobby. Pretty quickly, everything fell into place. It’s about closing deals here, but just as much about people reconnecting, building trust, or starting something new together. A handshake can carry all those meanings at once.”

That double meaning is the starting point of the work. A business agreement. A personal encounter. A new beginning.

In the background, Han wove in subtle references to Antwerp. Not by chance, since it’s Avenue’s new home base. Look closely, and you’ll recognize architectural details from one of the most iconic buildings on the Meir, carefully worked into the painting without pulling attention away from the central image.

The real work is in the details

Han Coussement is best known for his monumental murals. His work can be found throughout Belgium, including the striking piece on domestic violence in Baudelo Park in Ghent. Still, he enjoys working on canvas just as much.

He describes his own style as impressionist.

“I don’t want to create spectacular fantasy worlds. My inspiration lies in the everyday. Things we walk past every day without giving them a second thought. If my work makes people slow down for a moment, or feel inspired to create something themselves, then I’ve reached my goal.”

You can see that in the painting for The Lobby too.

From a distance, you see a powerful composition. Up close, the lines nearly dissolve into thousands of shades of color.

“Really, the painting isn’t just about the handshake. It’s about everything happening within it. I searched for color, texture and movement. There are thousands of transitions worked into it. That searching and shaping is what the work is, for me.”

Painting between a hundred conversations

The artwork was created live during The Lobby’s opening event.

For Han, this wasn’t entirely unfamiliar territory. He often paints murals while people pass by. Still, this was different.

“Working on canvas during an event that size, I’d never done that before.”

While guests met each other, exchanged ideas and made new connections, the painting slowly grew alongside the evening.

“What I love about painting live is that people watch the work evolve. At first they don’t recognize anything. Then suddenly it all clicks into place. Some people gave a thumbs up or asked where it was headed. That’s motivating.”

Still, the surroundings fade into the background after a few minutes.

“Once I start painting, I’m completely in my own world. It has to be that way. Otherwise you no longer dare make decisions on the canvas.”

A place that feels right

It wasn’t only the painting that left an impression. The atmosphere during the opening event stayed with him too.

“Everything felt considered. From the cocktails to the decor. You could tell attention had gone into every detail. At the same time, it didn’t feel businesslike at all. More like friends celebrating something together.”

He recognized that same feeling in The Lobby itself.

“You have privacy when you need it, but you constantly feel the energy of other people around you, each doing their own thing. Yet together it forms one whole. That’s what makes it an interesting place.”

He’d happily meet clients or other creatives there himself.

“Honestly, I hadn’t thought about that before. My work hangs there now. If I’m in Antwerp anyway, say after visiting M HKA, I can easily picture meeting someone here.”

Art and entrepreneurship have more in common than you’d think

Many artists struggle with the business side of things. For Han, it feels different.

“I can’t picture myself doing anything other than painting and running my own business. I see it as a game where you keep getting to try new things.”

Experimentation is simply part of it.

“Not everything works out. It comes in waves. But that’s exactly what makes it interesting. It takes courage to choose this path, but I wouldn’t want it any other way today.”

That search never really stops, even when a painting is almost finished.

“You can ruin a painting by continuing too long. But you also can’t stop too soon. At a certain point, you just feel that everything is right. That’s hard to explain.”

Maybe that’s also what makes this painting fit so well with The Lobby.

Good relationships aren’t built in a single conversation. Neither are good ideas. Just like a painting, they grow layer by layer, nuance by nuance, until everything comes together.