Grethe Zeberg: Interview with a President extraordinaire

Interviewer: Christophe Dosogne

The first woman to head the national organisation of the Foire des Antiquaires de Belgique, Grethe Zeberg is also the first director who is not from Brussels. A confirmed polyglot, she is Danish, which immediately gives her a strategic position outside of Belgium’s language disputes. Describing herself as strict but fair, she has a talent for resolving differences. Her temperament as well as her personal charm and natural elegance undoubtedly helped the Foire’s board of directors to decide in her favour and to renew her mandate for another three-year term. Moreover, heir to the family business founded in Antwerp in 1886, Zeberg has been the president of the famous Fondation Antiquaires of that city for the last eight years. Altogether, she has a curriculum that includes management experience that the Foire has badly needed ever since the long mandate of Christian de Bruyne and the departure of Jan De Maere.

Grethe Zeberg, you have been the President of the Foire des Antiquaires since 2005. What would you say your priorities are?

First of all, my work as president has centred on changes and improvements in management strategies and here I have profited from my experience in Antwerp. I think of my position as a double presidency in the sense that I am concerned with organising the fair itself and helping the exhibitors in any way I can, but then I am also active in the Chambre des Antiquaires, concerned on a daily basis with finding solutions to the legal and tax problems of its members. I have also succeeded in increasing our sponsorship budget and working out a partnership agreement with the city of Brussels which now seems to appreciate the impact that our fair has on the capital’s image. This was my on my own initiative. I am convinced that Brussels has to position itself as an art city, and the fair can contribute to that goal.

How would you evaluate the art market in Belgium today?

I think we can consider the situation generally satisfactory. Business is steady because the Belgian art market is relatively sound, considering its central geographical position of the country. Belgium is easy to reach. Foreign visitors appreciate Brussels for its cultural and artistic riches, and they find it convenient that so many people speak more than one language. Then there’s a greater availability and variety of objects on offer. Our country can be proud of the fact that we have some really fine antiques dealers in every segment of the market. There are many works of art to be seen and many shops where you can find exceptional items, which of course helps to attract many Dutch and British visitors among others.

Belgium has attractive tax advantages for expatriates. Does the market reflect that fact? No, I don’t think that can be considered a very decisive factor. Even if the relatively large presence of expatriates in Belgium does have a certain stimulating effect, especially in Antwerp where we see a good many collectors from the Netherlands…. In Brussels, it’s rather the influence of wealthy French buyers, although of course they are primarily active in France.

How do you explain the renewed interest of foreign dealers?

The special effort we have made in the latest fairs organised at Tour & Taxis has done a great deal to add new life to the fair and its international image. We now see increasing readiness to participate on the part of foreign dealers. Perhaps it’s also due to that famous myth that says the grass is always greener on the other side. French dealers, particularly the ones specialising in the 18th century, are now eager to test the Belgian market because in France this period has lost some of its importance. In general, however, Belgian collectors have a reputation for being very interested in Asian and African art and antiquities as well as modern and contemporary art. The fair strives to satisfy this special interest by attracting major foreign dealers. The public enjoys the diversity of our exhibition.

What would you say is the biggest difference between antiques on the one hand and 20th century and contemporary art on the other? How much space do you set aside for the newer exhibits?

In recent decades we have seen a notable difference in collectors’ tastes. Their interests are much more varied. In my parents’ day everyone furnished their homes with traditional antiques. When Christian de Bruyne was in charge, it would have been unthinkable to have contemporary art at the Foire des Antiquaires. Now, in order to survive, we have to adapt to what has become a worldwide reality. And so we have accepted the challenge by opening up one fourth of our space to modern and contemporary art, while at the same time including only the most important Belgian and international galleries. For the 2007 edition of the fair we’ll have four prestigious French dealers.

What can you tell us about fine jewellery, the haute joaillerie, that is so conspicuous elsewhere? Is there a place for it in Brussels?

If a jeweller like Leysen is taking part in the fair it is because we feel the house has shown it is seriously dedicated to quality and maintains a unique tradition of its own. But we are not planning to feature a separate section of fine jewellery. We prefer to concentrate on antique jewellery by attracting the most famous dealers in this speciality.

What position do you think the fair occupies at the European level and how do you intend to maintain its future progress? Are you hoping to attract an ever larger number of visitors? Ever since we moved to Tour & Taxis, the international press has recognised that in terms of quality we come just after Tefaf in Maastricht and the Biennale des Antiquaires in Paris. Maastricht has the finest old paintings and the strength of the Biennale is in its 18th century furniture and Art Deco. We like to think that we offer a good balance between quality and diversity. The Dutch fair is concerned with a different clientele, perhaps more American, attracted by the kind of aggressive marketing approach they are used to. It isn’t easy to coax the Americans to come to Europe twice in the space of a few weeks.

Consequently, our primary objective is to establish the trust and confidence of our clients by maintaining our reputation for quality. This is the main reason why vetting will be divided according to sections; the number of experts will be doubled, meaning at least 15 or so for each field. Obviously, no dealer will be allowed to take part in this exclusive membership, thus guaranteeing the honesty and transparency of their decisions.

We have noticed that many of the visitors who for one reason or another had ceased to attend the fair because of the way the stands were arranged when the fair was in the Palais des Beaux Arts, are beginning to return. Naturally we are delighted, and yet if we are to preserve our standards of excellence we hope their number will not exceed 50,000. Our sponsors – the Banque Delen among others – are well aware of the quality aspect since that is precisely the image they wish to convey. Their support makes it possible for us to guarantee our high standards.

This year we are undertaking a promotional campaign in those countries where we are least well known, as in Southern Europe (Italy, Spain, Portugal), and for the first time in the United States and Russia. We are especially interested in Russian interior decorators. We are also working closely with dealers in Germany and the Netherlands. As for the many French participants they are a valuable help in spreading the reputation of our fair in their country. Our major concern is to make steady progress towards our objective of a stable and durable position in the international antiques market.

Are you entirely satisfied with the present size of the fair?

Yes, although from a certain point of view it is perhaps already a bit small if we consider the large number of applicants. The waiting list is already very long and includes a number of quite prestigious galleries. But I don’t really want to expand too much. Of course, if we raise our standards we certainly won’t grow any larger. We already occupy the entire Hall A of Tour & Taxis. To get any bigger than that might simply prove confusing, not to say exhausting, for the visitors. For this year I have completely rearranged the layout; it is now built along three broad aisles. It represents a valuable saving of space and should allow the 130 exhibitors to feel more at ease, in closer association with their colleagues. We won’t have any more ot those little corners or places considered, rightly or wrongly, to be less visible to the public. I am extremely careful about this particular aspect of the fair because a good working relationship among the exhibitors is reflected in the overall atmosphere of the place and, as a result, in sales and business which, after all, is our primary concern. [Translated by Luisa Moffett.]