Tribal Art Fair

Tribal Art Fair at De Duif in Amsterdam

Every year in the last weekend of October, the former church De Duif on the Prinsengracht in Amsterdam is the setting for the TAF where dealers exhibit their best objects from Africa, Asia, Oceania and South America. The range ranges from African masks and statues and jewelery and cloths from Asia, to wickerwork, shields and ancestor statues from Oceania. Enchanting works of art can be found in between in all price categories.

This year's exhibitors include many regular participants such as Sothert & Trice from UK, Galerie Punchinello from France, Michael Woerner Oriental Art from Thailand

Raccanello Tribal Art from Austria and Zubek Gallery from Germany. New participants this year include Joe Loux from the United States and Raphaël Sevette from Switzerland. Prior to the fair, experts check the offer for authenticity.

Lecture program

The lecture program during the TAF this year offers two book presentations, a mini-symposium on 'Authenticity in tribal art' and a lecture by Arnold Wentholt on the Aldo and Hannie van Eyck collection. The book presentations concern Eye to Eye with the Gods by Alexander Reeuwijk about the idol of Nataraja, the dancing Shiva, in the Rijksmuseum, and Covered by Emeritus Professor of Urology Philip Van Kerrebroeck, an anthropological study of the human need to cover the genitals.

Those who visit the Tribal Art Fair may be surprised by intriguing objects, which the exhibitors are happy to explain.