PAN AMSTERDAM: ART, QUALITY & CLASS
This year sees the twenty-third PAN Amsterdam, the most important national art and antiques fair. The fair attracts a huge variety of art lovers, both young and old, with a wide range of antique and modern art at prices from € 250 to € 1 million. PAN Amsterdam is also a good venue for potential art buyers who would like to look around and make comparisons. Each item is vetted before the fair begins by experts who verify quality, condition and authenticity, so buyers can purchase with confidence. Every year more than 35,000 people find their way to PAN Amsterdam. This year the fair will run from 22 to 29 November in the Parkhal in Amsterdam’s RAI conference centre. For up to the minute information see www.pan.nl
History
The first art fair in the Netherlands—the Fine Art and Antiques Fair in Delft—was staged in 1949, and for many years it was the country’s leading event of its kind. The coordinating 'Association of Fine Art Dealers in the Netherlands' (VHOK) was closely involved with it. In 1987 disagreements within the VHOK led six prominent Dutch antique and art dealers to leave the Fine Art and Antiques Fair in Delft and set up an independent fair, Pictura Antiquairs Nationaal (PAN), now PAN Amsterdam. In the words of Evert Douwes Senior, one of the founders, ‘The Dutch art market was ready for a new look. This change was not possible at the Fine Art and Antiques fair in Delft.’ In 1993 the Fine Art and Antiques Fair in Delft joined forces with PAN Amsterdam and the largest national art fair was born. Nowadays there are around 120 exhibitors at PAN Amsterdam.
Range
PAN Amsterdam offers an exciting combination of antique and modern: old masters alongside contemporary art; modern and antique jewellery, old and contemporary silver, ceramics and glass; antique furniture and twentieth-century design. Equally surprising is the diversity of art from Classical Antiquity and non-European cultures, including Asian, African and Pre-Columbian art, ethnic art, and new Japanese and South Korean painting. This very diversity encourages many people to make impulse purchases and blend styles and periods into their own individual collection.
Design
The fair’s latest innovation—the design pavilion—is PAN Amsterdam’s response to the growing demand for top-quality decorative art and design. Ad van den Bruinhorst of De Andere Tijd in Kampen says, ‘The Netherlands lacked a fair of PAN Amsterdam’s quality, where design and decorative modern art was presented alongside classical art. This combination works extremely well, because there is frequent cross-pollination. People are increasingly combining different styles in their interiors. This is something that worked fantastically well for me at PAN Amsterdam. By the end of the fair I had almost sold out.’
Quality at PAN Amsterdam
More than ever, art buyers are mindful of quality. Eighteen specialist vetting committees guarantee this quality at PAN Amsterdam. They are made up of more than eighty experts, who assess the quality, authenticity and condition of all the art objects before the fair opens. If an object does not satisfy the requirements it is immediately removed from the fair. ‘This strict vetting system attracts visitors who attach importance to quality and like Vetting PAN Amsterdam
to be able to buy art with confidence.
This also makes PAN Amsterdam very enjoyable for me as a dealer,’ says Jacques Fijnaut, Chairman of the vetting committee.
Confidence
Confidence in the art market has remained stable despite the present uncertain financial and economic climate. For Galerie de Rijk from The Hague, specialist in Nul / Zero and concrete art, PAN Amsterdam 2008 was actually the best fair ever. Heleen de Rijk says, ‘Collectors seem to be rediscovering Nul / Zero and concrete art. The quality of this segment has grown enormously at PAN Amsterdam and this attracts seriously interested art lovers.’ Salomon Lilian, one of the original exhibitors at PAN Amsterdam and a specialist in old masters, is also experiencing continued confidence, ‘There is more interest in old masters than in previous years. The prices are relatively stable and people value the security that old masters provide.’
Looking at art and learning to appreciate it
PAN Amsterdam set up the PAN Academy for art lovers who want to increase their knowledge about the art market or would like to build up an art collection. The PAN Academy runs a short practical Dutch course every October and November. There is a daily opportunity for visitors to visit the fair accompanied by an art expert, also in Dutch. On Thursday evening there is PAN Art Encounters, an event specially aimed at art lovers in the thirty to fifty age range. Young art collector Jeroen Hofhuis has attended this private evening for many years, ‘PAN Art Meetings is the place to get to know about art as a novice art buyer. Art dealers make time to answer all your questions, you can look and compare in a quiet atmosphere and there are often artists on hand too. This all takes place during a relaxed and pleasant get-together Jeroen Hofhuis (Photo: B. van Musscher / PAN)
over a drink; the perfect way to expand your
knowledge about the art world.’
PAN stimulates all the senses
PAN Amsterdam is more than just an art fair. The attractive decor and catering facilities make it an experience where art can be viewed, compared and purchased in a stylish and relaxed manner.
It is also the most efficient way to visit 120 galleries, art and antique dealers in one afternoon. They will be delighted to share their knowledge with every art lover, even if they are not going to buy anything. This is why PAN Amsterdam is an annual highlight for 35,000 art lovers.
Van Lanschot Bankiers is the principal sponsor of PAN Amsterdam 2009.
Note for editors
On www.pan.nl (under Press) you can download press releases, various images of the fair and objects in high resolution (JPG, 300 dpi).
For further information:
PAN Amsterdam, Ghislaine Hofman / Titia Vellenga
T. +31 (0) 411-646 440 / E-mail:
Contact for PAN Amsterdam in Belgium and Luxembourg:
Truuske Verloop, T: +32 497 485 967 / E: