The European Fine Art Fair (Tefaf), held every year in the Dutch town of Maastricht, is a true destination event. But for this year's edition (until 19 March) getting there was even more complicated than usual: due to strike action, trains from Liège were cancelled, while transport from Brussels was also affected.
Who would want to make all that effort to get to Maastricht in March, a month not noted for its clemency? To visit a town which is hardly on the tourist circuit, and with a population of little more than 126,000? With quite frankly inferior offerings of hotels—and good luck to those who hadn’t booked taxis to get to their dinners on the first night?
Nevertheless, over 50,000 people make that pilgrimage every year: collectors, dealers, trustees, curators and patron groups: indeed, this year the fair attracted no less than 67 patron groups including a first outing for two London institutions: Victoria and Albert Museum patrons, led by the director Tristram Hunt, as well as the National Gallery. And the small airport is apparently choked with private planes on the first day.
So what is so compelling about Tefaf, and why do people keep coming to this out-of-the-way town with less-than-great accommodation in a dreary winter month?
“It is simply the most beautiful fair in the world!” says modern and contemporary art dealer Hidde van Seggelen. Indeed many other dealers echo his words. From the range and quality of works on offer, from antiquities right through to contemporary art, the array of Old Master paintings, the precious objets d’art, the exceptional gems held back for this fair. It is a delight to visit and full of discoveries, from the classic to the truly quirky. Much has also been made of the flowers that decorate the rather soulless exhibition hall, although this year they were rather underwhelming.
Tefaf is the way for dealers to connect with a European clientele they may not have at home. This was one reason new London exhibitor Alison Jacques decided to participate this year. It is organised by a non-profit foundation and, despite turmoil over its top job, it remains a well-run fair thanks to the team underneath. “Tefaf is cheaper to do than many other fairs, and the quality of the stand build is exceptional,” Jacques says.
But why not simply move the fair to, say, Brussels? Indeed, like the Loch Ness monster, this idea regularly makes an appearance but is as regularly rejected. According to Will Korner, head of both Maastricht and New York fairs: “As you know, we are contacted all the time by people, by different cities or countries, to do events there, or to move there … but we have made an active decision to be here in Maastricht and in New York.” And as both the city [of Maastricht] and the province of Limberg are desperate to keep the fair where it is, they make an undisclosed financial contribution to the fair, to ensure that it does.
Finally, the very disadvantages of Maastricht work in its favour. Once there, there are few distractions such as there are in, say, Paris, with its excellent restaurants, hotels and museums. The fair is plushy, well lit and comfortable with ample seating, the champagne flows, oysters are shucked in the aisles. Visitors, well fed and watered, concentrate on the treasures on offer and by all accounts many sales were made immediately at the opening. Never say never, but for the moment Tefaf seems to have every reason to stay put.
