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Maastricht / Paris / Cologne (dpa) - Tens of thousands of tulips and other flowers greet visitors to TEFAF in Maastricht at the beginning of March every year.
The huge floral arrangements, which look different every year, are a trademark of the old master fair and trigger spring fever in many art lovers.
But this year the TEFAF will have to switch to autumn flower arrangements - because of Corona.
The fair in the Dutch city with Burgundian charm pushed its date to the end of May / beginning of June and then to September 11th to 19th.
Something similar is Art Basel, which is considered to be the leading fair for contemporary art: it has moved its edition planned for June to September 23-26.
The largest German art fair, Art Cologne, took place for the last time in April 2019 - the new date for this year is now November 17-21.
So there are two and a half years between the two editions.
An enormously long time.
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The organizers hope that the vaccination programs will have an effect by autumn.
Even then, the pandemic will not be out of the world.
"We have to look at this realistically," says TEFAF boss Hidde van Seggelen of the German press agency.
“I assume that many people will still be reserved about a trade fair event in September 2021.
But if we work with care and the rules are adhered to, then this reluctance can be overcome. "
As an encouraging sign, van Seggelen sees the fact that there are just as many applications from gallery owners for September as usual. The TEFAF just took place in the first half of March last year, but four days shorter.
At that time it was the time when some shook hands and others only greeted with bent arms.
All the major trade shows responded to the pandemic by organizing online editions.
In these "online viewing rooms" there was certainly also a purchase - but not at the level of a normal presence fair.
The customers were often looking for direct contact, said Art Basel boss Marc Spiegler.
Van Seggelen also sees it this way: “The pandemic brought us all a period of withdrawal.
We miss the personal conversations with art lovers, collectors, patrons, curators, museum experts and colleagues. "
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However, the online editions are to be continued in the future.
"The digital media will also gain in importance for the art trade, especially for the younger generation who grew up with them," says van Seggelen.
"I believe that both the traditional art trade with face-to-face fairs and the online art trade coexist."
Dealers confirm this. Collectors wanted and should see the works in front of them if they should dig deep into their pockets, is the credo of the Austrian gallery owner Thaddaeus Ropac, who is one of the major industry players.
Elena Soboleva, online sales manager for gallery owner David Zwirner, who was born in Cologne and has branches in New York, London and Paris, confirms: Yes, the internet is an interesting channel, but it does not endanger the classic business model of galleries and trade fairs.
The pandemic may offer an opportunity for smaller trade fairs to be established.
The most important trade fair FIAC in France was canceled last year, but the much smaller Art Paris took place in September under stricter health regulations in the Grand Palais.
For the first time, the more than 100 dealers included prestigious regular guests at FIAC, which should have opened around four weeks later.
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Instead of the 5,000 visitors allowed at the time, Art Paris director Guillaume Piens only allowed 3,000 on an area of 13,500 square meters.
The trade press rated the fair as an unexpected success.
Although there were more visitors than ever from France, the number of collectors and representatives of art institutions rose by a quarter compared to the previous year.
Hidde van Seggelen also hopes for another effect of the pandemic: “We learned last year that we spend more time at home - and even work in the home office.
The design of the personal living and working area has thus gained in importance, and for many people works of art are a great enrichment in the house, apartment or office. "
What the retailers are now primarily hoping for is a piece of normality.
In advance of this, van Seggelen announces that the TEFAF 2022 will again take place regularly in March - with fresh spring flowers as a welcome.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210204-99-297885 / 2