Shelf life as Cork designer scales new heights

Des O’Sullivan previews the exciting work poised to go on show at The European Fine Art Fair.

An enignum shelf by Joseph Walsh will feature at The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF), which runs in Maastricht from March 16-24. As a fair, TEFAF is now unrivalled in its breadth and quality.

This year, 40 new exhibitors will be among the 279 in attendance at a revitalised event that attracts museum curators, collectors and patrons from all over the world.

‘Rinn Enignum Shelf’, by Joseph Walsh, at TEFAF Maastricht.

The work of the Cork-based designer will feature at Yufuku Gallery, the Tokyo gallery founded in 1993 which promotes artists who push expressive boundaries to new heights. The “Rinn Enignum” shelf is made of ash bleached with a white oil finish.

TEFAF paintings offer a rich selection from Old Masters to Early Modern.

London-based Richard Green is celebrating the father-and-son dynasty of Camille and Lucien Pisarro. Robilant + Voena, also London-based, will bring an Italian re-attribution.

‘Still Life of Fruit with Three Figures of Children’ by Bartolomeo Cavarozzi (1587-1625) at Robilant + Voena at TEFAF (The European Fine Art Fair).

“Still Life of Fruit with Three Figures of Children (Allegory of Autumn)” was listed as 17th-century Italian School when acquired. The gallery has re-attributed it to Bartolomeo Cavarozzi (1587-1625) and it will be offered with a price in the region of €1m.

Daniel Crouch Rare Books will incorporate virtual reality. The gallery is planning to offer visitors a chance to get inside ancient maps through Oculus Rift. With half a dozen headsets, they will offer tours of the first printed map of Amsterdam, a 1544 woodcut by Cornelis Anthonisz (1499-c1557) and Michel-Etienne Turgot’s (1690-1751) monumental 1739 wall map of Paris. Each virtual reality session will last for three minutes.

Koopman Rare Art will exhibit what director Lewis Smith describes as “the most spectacular example of Regency silver of all time”.

‘The Shield of Achilles’ at Koopman Rare Art at TEFAF.

It is a George IV silver gilt masterpiece called “The Shield of Achilles”. Made by one of the most pre-eminent English silversmiths Philip Rundell (1746-1826), it is priced in the region of €5 m.

Design and Tribal, while still distinct sections, have been mixed this year to offer visitors a chance to make exciting and dynamic connections.

Those with deep enough pockets will find this is the place to pick up works by stellar artists like Picasso, Miro, Kandinsky, Claude Lalanne, Max Liebermann, Chagall, Leger, Auguste Macke, Kirchner, Giacometti, Anselm Kiefer, Schiele, Mondrian, Rodin, Derain, Calder, Klimt and van Dongen.

Unique composite atlas in 20 volumes at Crouch Rare Books at TEFAF.

Vetting of all objects to be displayed is now underway. Wim Pijbes, Rijksmuseum emeritus director general, was announced as global chairman of the TEFAF vetting committee, which comprises 180 experts across 28 categories (excluding the scientific research team).

These experts come from 114 different institutions and 14 countries worldwide.