TEFAF 2018

Maastricht, Netherlands

42nd ENCATC Cultural Happy Hour goes to The Netherlands for the first time!

On 18 March, ENCATC held a very exclusive Cultural Happy Hour for a limited number of guests who had the privilege to receive a VIP entrance to the TEFAF held at the MACCH (Maastricht Centre for Arts, Culture, Conservation and Heritage). 

This Cultural Happy Hour was ENCATC's first partnership with the TEFAF Maastricht and the first happy hour held in The Netherlands. Guests were treated to a private space for networking time and to get an overview of the art fair. This was followed by a guided tour of some of the most breath-taking pieces on display. 

Established in 1988, TEFAF is widely regarded as the world’s pre-eminent organization of fine art, antiques, and design. TEFAF champions the finest quality art from across the ages by creating a community of the world’s top art dealers and experts to inspire lovers and buyers of art everywhere. Cultural Happy Hour guests were given a tour of TEFAF Maastricht which covers 7,000 years of art history. 

This special event also marked the Cultural Happy Hours first installment in The Netherlands and makes it the 5th country to host a Cultural Happy Hour after Belgium, France, Italy and Spain. 

Summary Report

BY YELENA KHARITONOVA, ENCATC MEMBER

 For the 42nd edition of the ENCATC Cultural Happy Hour, a limited number of guests had the privilege to receive a VIP entrance to the TEFAF at the MAACH (Maastricht Center for arts, Culture, Conservation and Heritage).

MACCH was hosting its 4th annual trandisciplinary conference together with Bonnefantenmuseum and Van Eyck Academy in Maastricht. This year’s theme “Crossing boarders in Arts and Heritage” was a success story again, gathering students, academics across different disciplines and professionals from cultural heritage fields in Europe and beyond.

Officially established in 1988, TEFAF (organized by The European Fine Art Foundation), held in Maastricht, is widely regarded as the world’s pre-eminent organization of fine art, antiques, and design. TEFAF runs three Fairs internationally - TEFAF Maastricht, TEFAF New York Spring, focused on modern and contemporary art & design; and TEFAF New York Fall, covering fine and decorative art from antiquity to 1920. TEFAF champions the finest quality art from across the ages by creating a community of the world’s top art dealers and experts to inspire buyers of art everywhere.

This year TEFAF has a new President-Nanne Dekking, a Dutchman, who lives and works in New York; he constantly travels to Europe because of his own company, Artory, which mission is to bring more accountability and buyer’s confidence, as well as digital leadership in the art world to the market place! TEFAF itself must lead further the market in drive for transparency in the international art world for the future to come!

On the 12 of December 2017 a strategic agreement was signed at the premises of the Government, the Province House of Limburg. The City authorities of Maastricht, the Province Limburg, TEFAF’s CEO, Patrick van Maris and its President Nanne Dekking, MECC-conventional center had concluded the deal in order to keep TEFAF in Maastricht and made it as an instrument for European (and International) understanding and excellence in the world of cultural heritage and exceptional art fair for all of us to enjoy.

ENCATC’s guests had been witnessing this time how TEFAF Maastricht-2018 took steps to refine the fair. It was done via the adjustment of the floor plan, the creation of the two preview days and the continuation of high-level focus on vetting standards. This way all the parties involved (the private and institutional buyers, the dealers, the participants and the organizers) were happy and satisfiedred with the highest quality of work available on the market from the world’s dealers, specializing in works across 7,000 of art history across a wide range of disciplines. TEFAF 2018 was held from the 8 till 18 of March in the MECC, Maastricht and welcomed around 68,000 visitors!

ENCATC's participants had a chance to visit different galleries at TEFAF. We started our journey at the famous J. Kugel gallery, which is always situated immediately on the left side of the entrance to TEFAF, annually. One of the high-lights of TEFAF 2018 was a magnificent xvii-century Bulgari clock, made from the ivory and represented the Barokko style. Once upon a time this clock was a part of Baron Alfred de Rothschild’s collection.

ENCATC’s participants had a unique opportunity to observe one of the best galleries in the Tribal Art Section: Galerie Meyer and to talk to the owner: Mr. Anthony JP Meyer, who took his time and explained how his Gallery works and functions in Paris. He explained the essence of his Gallery’s collection and the way all the objects becoming a part of it. Mr. Meyer disclosed many stories and secrets about the essence of tribal arts and all the spirituality and rituals behind his collections. It was fascinating to hear his story about collectors of Oceanic and Eskimo Art, some of whom became close friends.

Our ENCATC’s participants were privileges to listen to many interesting stories from one of the founders of Morsink Icon Gallery: Mr. Simon Morsink, who gave us an overview about his Gallery, full of extraordinary early Russian, Greek and Byzantine icons. This Gallery is located in the center of Amsterdam and is world-famous of its collections of icons. Mr. Morsink has “personal” and intimate relations with icons, which he presented.

ENCATC’s guests of TEFAF this time had fascinating meetings with representatives of AXA-ART, an important art insurance company as well as an art broker-AON. The speed of innovations in the world of art insurance and brokerage is unprecedented and the European (Western) notions of art insurances don’t necessarily apply everywhere else. Usually we are fascinated by the beauty of art works by conventional art fairs and in museums and rarely think about all these aspects immediately. It was a “wake up” call in order to start thinking about how and what are other issues at stake we have been facing!

TEFAF Charity pavilion was visited by ENCATC’s guests as well, since the Fair has been stubbornly and consistently contributing for different charity activities in the world art in the Netherlands and internationally, holding the helm of a champion in this field.

ENCATC’s participants had overwhelming sentiments visiting other galleries at TEFAF and confirming that the Fair had been resounding success, time and again, reassuring the international reputation of TEFAF, which offers extraordinary and unrivalled quality and continues to keep the status of a hub for collectors and aficionados worldwide.

Everyone at TEFAF was for the finest art, but the famous flowers were pretty much eye-catchers as well! Ten Kate flowers and decorations company installed 150 000 flowers of pastel colors, which became the most photographed and shared image of the Fair.

ENCATC will come back next year with a bang and an excellent program for its members, friends and acquaintances! Keeping calm and waiting for TEFAF 2019!