Matt Foss, director
In March, assistant director and collections curator Amalia Wojciechowski and I traveled to the Netherlands for the preeminent art fair for museum professionals and collectors of historic artworks, TEFAF-Maastricht.
Located in the beautiful medieval city of Maastricht, nestled between the borders of Belgium and Germany, TEFAF and the city itself did not disappoint. Besides the omnipresent brick buildings, cobblestone streets, and outdoor cafes that populate many European destinations, Maastricht brought great restaurants, youthful energy, and plenty of attractions. Although Maastricht was charming, Amalia and I were not there to play tourist…
Over three full days, we navigated the expansive fair, perusing artworks and antiquities covering thousands of years, established relationships with gallerists throughout the world, and acquired some terrific additions to the Museum’s permanent collection.
While we’re not new to major art fairs, TEFAF was a different animal for us. The scope of the fair, combined with the number of attendees who came from all corners of the globe, made this a unique experience. The sheer size was impressive and intimidating. Even trying to read the fair map amid the huge crowds was like trying to complete a Rubik’s Cube on a roller coaster.
However, the reason the fair is borderline overwhelming is the art itself, which can only be compared to the holdings of an encyclopedic museum. With thousands of years of magnificent artworks, ranging from ancient Roman antiquities to twenty-first century abstract art, interspersed with fine jewelry, rare clocks, historic furniture, famous books, and almost anything else you can name, it was truly a visual feast.
No doubt about it, Amalia and I felt proud to represent the Woodson Art Museum among other museum colleagues from around the world at this important annual event and to bring some of these treasures back to be enjoyed by the Museum’s audiences. We can’t wait to show all of you what we acquired…
