Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights 02:03pm ESTShareSaveComment@font-face{font-family: "Schnyder"; src: url("https://i.forbesimg.com/assets/fonts/schnyders/schnyders-bold-webfont.woff2") format("woff2") url("https://i.forbesimg.com/assets/fonts/schnyders/schnyders/schnyders-bold-webfont.woff") format("woff"); font-weight: 700; font-style: normal;} @font-face{font-family: "Merriweather"; src: url("https://i.forbesimg.com/assets/fonts/merriweather/merriweather-bold-webfont.woff2") format("woff2") url("https://i.forbesimg.com/assets/fonts/merriweather/merriweather-bold-webfont.woff") format("woff"); font-weight: 700; font-style: normal;} @font-face{font-family: "Euclid"; src: url("https://i.forbesimg.com/assets/fonts/euclidcircularb/euclidcircularb-bold-webfont.woff2") format("woff2") url("https://i.forbesimg.com/assets/fonts/euclidcircularb/euclidcircularb-bold-webfont.woff") format("woff"); font-weight: 700; font-style: normal;} @font-face{font-family: "Schnyder"; 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Fotomuseum aan het Vrijthof a private photography museum located in the center of Maastricht shows international exhibitions twice yearly We’re All People: Joseph Rodriguez (until 2 February 2025) features 75 captivating photos of mostly marginalized groups of people and their struggles in everyday life in 1980s and 1990s New York City and Los Angeles by the American documentary photographer Joseph Rodriguez The Bonnefanten museum contains an impressive collection of old masters and modern art in a striking building designed by Italian architect Aldo Rossi Truly Wicked: The Seven Deadly Sins Visualized (on until 12 January 2025) invites viewers into Bruegel's time to see how evil was depicted between 1450 and 1650 Over 80 masterpieces have been brought together around Bruegel's famous print series The Seven Deadly Sins A large number of these have never been on public display before Also on show until 4 May 2025 is Maintaining Its Spirit: Collection Marlies & Jo Eyck a selection from the private collection of a promiment local collector couple Works on show by 60 contemporary artists include pieces by Dutch artists like Peter Struycken alongside paintings by Marlene Dumas and Luc Tuymans don’t miss seeing an extraordinary spiral installation in the tower by Sol Lewitt Netherlands has been repurposed as a bookstore Maastricht makes good use of its empty churches including Boekhandel Dominicanen an expansive bookshop in a historic cathedral The intricate architectural details of the church such as its towering arches and intricate stone carvings make this a unique book shopping experience Second hand and antiquity market at Vrijthof Square in Maastricht the capital of Limburg province of the Netherlands there’s a flea market every weekend in the main square between the statue of Minckelers and the Church of St As well as vintage fashion and antique furniture Fashion Clash an annual festival every November is a brilliant mashup of fashion with free entrance or a nominal ticket price Dutch violinist Andre Rieu performs during a concert at the Vrijthof in Maastricht on July 7 Many tourists visit Maastricht to attend a concert by the extremely popular Dutch violinist and conductor, Andre Rieu The musician performs in the vast main square in his hometown every winter and summer with concerts for 2025 on dates running from 3-20 July The excellent four-course Chef's menu uses local ingredients and fresh herbs from their own garden Harry’s brasserie at the Beaumont Hotel is another great choice both for its characterful setting in a historic building and for its weekly changing seasonal menu that highlights the restaurant’s connection with its own farm The Fitz Roy Hotel is excellent for lunch or dinner with a focus on fish and delicious fresh pasta dishes Michelin-starred Au Coin des bons Enfants offers a super in a historic brick building that was an orphanage is run by Chef Timo Reichelt and sommelier Lino de Vrede who moved to the Netherlands from Beirut in 2020 has created a classic levantine menu with delicious dishes like fatoush You have to enter Onglet through a door in the back of a butcher shop so it’s no surprise that meat is a key part of Chef Alan Oostrom’s menu with dishes like pork cheek Black Angus Entrecote and Wagyu Kagoshima Ribeye Bar Beurre is another popular choice for French cuisine with a contemporary take on cherished classics like steak tartar For a more casual setting, the cafe in the Lumière cinema Eurostar offers daily trains to Brussels, about an hour from Maastricht. From Brussels take a local train via Liege or a taxi. and freshly shucked oysters made for a typical scene at The European Fine Art Foundation (TEFAF)’s Maastricht fair which got the first of its two VIP preview days underway yesterday Now in its 38th edition, TEFAF Maastricht sits among the senior citizens of the art fair world and has a formidable reputation in the industry. The fair’s claim to represent “7,000 years of art history” is not just a tagline, but a serious declaration of intent that it achieves with remarkable consistency: Everything from Old Masters through to jewelry and contemporary art can be perused across the MECC convention center Installation view of Jorge Welsh’s booth at TEFAF Maastricht While TEFAF is perhaps best known for historical works, it would be a mistake to think that the fair is not looking forward. New managing director Dominique Savelkoul (TEFAF’s fifth managing director in four years), formerly the head of the Belgian museum Mu.ZEE, has stated her plan to encourage next-gen collectors to the MECC This is highlighted through the fair’s Showcase section which this year features 10 galleries that have operated for 10 years or less Also of note this year is the fair’s digital “Insider’s Guide,” which spotlights artworks under €20,000 ($21,728) Installation view of D’Lan Contemporary’s booth at TEFAF Maastricht the porosity between modernity and antiques,” said gallery owner Kamel Mennour For me it was very important to be close to this idea of what people are expecting to see here so I try to be Mennour with a price “exceeding” $50 million at Landau Fine Art’s booth—dealers will hope that the initial energy on the ground will be met with a similar vigor when it comes to transactions Artsy picks out five outstanding works from the fair This tender work showcases Cassatt’s mastery of pastels, which she was encouraged to use by her friend Edgar Degas in the 1880s. By the 1890s, Cassatt had established herself as one of the foremost American women artists. This work encapsulates the artist’s enduring and touching focus on the lives of women “It’s so skillfully rendered and so delicate and so sensitive, but I also interpret it as truly kind of an early feminist artwork which makes it particularly special,” said Rebecca Rau, vice president of acquisitions at M.S. Rau “The scale and refinement and the palette are so unique and so specific burnt umber hues that I don’t often associate with her.” The work, which is priced at €4.5 million ($4.88 million), is one of a cluster of hefty artworks at the New Orleans gallery’s booth. Works by Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, and Claude Monet are among those on view here Courtesy of Richard Saltoun Gallery London Richard Saltoun is showing a solo booth of late Palestinian artist Juliana Seraphim one of the leading 20th-century Middle Eastern modernists The gallery’s tightly arranged survey of work from across Seraphim’s career sits in the Focus section of the fair dedicated to curated presentations of single artists or concepts After being displaced in 1948, Seraphim moved to Beirut as a teenager. She attended classes with the esteemed Lebanese painter Jean Khalifé, who would organize Seraphim’s first exhibition. The artist emerged in the 1960s and mainly depicted women in a style that is often compared to Surrealism combining dreamlike settings with a distinctively female sensuality “Her work is characterized by these women set amongst these sort of fantastical architectural worlds,” said Richard Saltoun director Niamh Coglan In The Eye (1970)—one of the few works available for purchase by the artist from the 1970s—a giant eye casts protection on a woman amid an ambiguously austere cityscape encapsulates the feminine touch and freewheeling imagination that came to define much of the artist’s oeuvre “The images in my paintings come from deep within me; they are surreal and unexplainable,” the artist said in an interview for The Woman Artist in Lebanon “I want to portray a woman’s world and how important love is to a woman Few men understand the quality of love a woman seeks La servante assise dans le jardin d’Éragny One of an abundance of Impressionist works on view at the fair, Camille Pissarro’s La servante assise dans le jardin d’Éragny (1884) was executed at a turning point in the artist’s career The landscapes that he earned renown for in prior decades had now developed into more close-up figurative depictions of moments and places a servant watches lovingly over two children in a garden The maid’s head is turned away from the viewer as the children play Her watchful demeanor is mirrored by another woman in the background Painted shortly after Pissarro moved to Éragny (where he would spend the rest of his life) the painting is a prime example of the artist’s signature flourishes: rich foliage and a simplicity in its setting that brings an emphatic realism to this Impressionist work The painting is priced at €1.3 million ($1.4 million) and is part of London gallery Alon Zakaim Fine Art’s strong booth of mainly 19th- and 20th-century art. It also includes works by the likes of Picasso, Paul Signac, Marc Chagall, and Hans Hoffmann Emiovwo Beroma I; Ore Mu Vbo Gbo; Agogo and Tisha One of the most prominent figures of Nigerian modernism and a founding member of the influential Zaria Art Society, Bruce Onobrakpeya is represented in TAFETA’s booth with a stunning patinated four-panel metal work Emiovwo Beroma I; Ore Mu Vbo Gbo; Agogo and Tisha (1983) The imagery on the panels references the relief plaques and commemorative heads of the Benin bronzes which date back as far as the 14th century but most were taken by British forces in 1897 Onobrakpeya harkens back to a pre-colonial representation of mythologies and symbolic tradition—themes that the artist draws upon across his practice and are often amalgamated with his personal experiences GreekA Monumental Attic Red-figure Calyx Krater, Attributed to the Kleophrades Painter, 480-470 BCEGalerie CahnUS$357,000 TEFAF wouldn’t be TEFAF without a discovery from ancient art history This two-handled terra-cotta vase dating back to 480–470 BCE is a stunning example One side depicts an elderly couple followed by a girl followed by several mythological figures including Theano a priestess of Athena in Troy during the Trojan War On the other side is the ancient Greek god of the sea holding a trident in one hand and a fish in the other Other figures on the vase include Theano’s husband Antenor; a woman holding a ribbon; and a bearded man clasping his head in what appears to be a state of anguish “This vase is not only quite exceptional in the scenery, but also in its movement,” said Galerie Cahn director Jean-David Cahn though the surface has suffered.” The terra-cotta was reassembled from fragments with restorations and fillings It is also a rare extant example of the mythological figure of Theano being represented clearly in a visual artwork It’s also one of a number of fascinating artifacts presented in the booth of the Basel-based gallery and Roman sculpted heads are among the delights on view here it was Maastricht University's turn to join the Dutch universities' relay strike against the government cuts. Take a look at the highlights and read about what happened.  The strike is organised by the trade unions FNV 12:00 – 12:30 Find each other and go together to Vrijthof 12:30 – 13:00 Music and free fries @ Vrijthof 13:00 – 14:00 Speeches and music @ Vrijthof 14:00 – 14:45 March through the city centre 14:45 – 15:30 Strike market @ Vrijthof WOinActie Limburg shares the following message with the community: As Janosch Prinz perfectly summarised: "Solidarity between students Connection with OU and Zuyd was also great." From morning teach-outs to our powerful march through the city we showed The Hague that Limburg's education sector stands united against these harmful cuts President Rianne Letschert's words ring true: "If you do not sow you will not reap." Today was just the beginning of our collective resistance.Thank you for standing up for higher education in our region The Strike Market is about to close up for today How was the experience of participants?Click on the icon to view photos There are now plenty of activities taking place at the Vrijthof These activities aim to showcase the value of scientific education and research to citizens of Maastricht and Limburg Join now! Here is the programme of the market The crowd has left Vrijthof and is making its way through the city center.  This action brings academics in close contact with society and its citizens The message: our region's economy is at risk Maastricht University is the largest employer in Limburg Citizens hold also a stake in defending Zuyd Hogeschool the Open Universiteit and all other educational institutions against these cuts We want to let the government that we should all care about the future and stop the cuts." - Pamela Habibovic Rector UM"Very glad that there are a lot of people here It is great to see people from Maastricht University but also other institutions It is very important to show solidarity with each other." - Maarten van Wesel They also educate humanists who help all citizens find orientation in a complex society That is why our efforts today are also important." - Tullio Viola Assistant Professor at FASoS (UM)Click on the icon to view photos The protestants are welcomed by Janosch Prinz from WOinActie The rain does not stop us!Click on the icon to view photos Strikers and citizens are now gathering at their buildings and preparing to join the main protest at the Vrijthof square FSE and other units are about to begin their journey Prepare to sing “Eppo Ciao” with the Maastricht University Choir academics visited elementary and secondary schools today to teach the next generations The budget cuts are not only a threat to jobs in higher education The cuts put in danger the capacity within the Netherlands to provide high-quality education across different levels. The following teach outs took place: The people at the Inner City are gathering colleagues and students are preparing and rallying their peers at their own faculty or unit The people at Randwyck are also joining of course Staff and students from Zuyd Hogeschool and Open Universiteit are invited to join us You are still in time to convince colleagues and students to join That is why WOinActie created a video series addressing the key questions:  You can find more useful information at www.supportscienceandeducation.com Maastricht University joins the relay strike of Duch universities Employees and students will lay down their work and studies to protest against the government cutbacks in higher education more than 2.500 concerned academics and citizens called on the whole community to join the strike by signing an open solidarity letter Stay updated by following this liveblog. Share also your own perspective in Bluesky or your favorite social platform. Use #WOinActie in all platforms! Follow the UM Bluesky account: @maastrichtu.bsky.social Follow the relay strike account: @woinactielimburg.bsky.social From the enormous flower display, suspended at the entrance to the fair, TEFAF—the annual art and antiques fair in Maastricht, Holland—packed its usual punch now in its 38th year and offering work spanning 7,000 years really knows how to put on a show from the off visitors were greeted by an astonishing 1750 Sicilian brocade tapestry embellished with silver thread and a million coral beads; a swaggering 1788 painting of Frances Cooke by George Romney; and a painful post-operative self-portrait by Tracey Emin—fresh from last year’s White Cube exhibition And that was just in the first three minutes at chic Parisian antiquarian gallery Perrin was catnip for anyone currently reveling in the decorative beauty of 19th-century Sicily thanks to Netflix’s The Leopard and came at the equally dazzling price of €1.2m Other works of extravagant luxury were to be found at French maximalists Steinitz whose Paris home is an 18th-century mansion in the eighth arrondissement “We try to outdo ourselves every year,” confessed Benjamin Steinitz “We are deeply invested in the French tradition of savoir faire and feel it’s our duty to show the rarest pieces that have always suited French tastes.” Next to him were two Louis XV gilt framed chairs “The rest are in the collection at the Getty,” said Steinitz While the fair’s remit includes very ancient works—among them this year a bronze pin made in western Iran in the early first millennium BC—there is a necessity for it to evolve “What we really want to offer is an increasing dialogue between the archaeological works and antiques and the modern and contemporary pieces,” he said “Perhaps we should make more of the fact that we’re the best 20th-century art fair around.” There was plenty of that to prove his point a delightful 1941 Kandinsky watercolor was situated next to a fabulous salon hang that included a single-stroke Richard Serra an Agnes Martin gouache and a Francis Picabia pencil drawing of a woman Skarstedt was offering a great George Condo from 1995—a Goya infanta in a helicopter hat; an impeccable Joseph Beuys sleigh; and a night-time view of Paris by Nicolas de Stael (1954) an artist under refreshed scrutiny since the Musee d’Art Moderne’s monographic show in Paris last year The other 20th century emphasis was, of course, Art Deco a movement currently celebrating its 100th year (L’Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs took place in Paris in 1925 and eventually gave the style its name) A number of galleries exhibited top-ranking works from the era by designers including Jean-Michel Frank and Andre Sournay but none more so than Parisian specialist Marcilhac who stole the show thanks to its recreation of a fully furnished Art Deco salon featuring exceptional examples of the movement’s master—Jacques-Emile Ruhlmann British gallerist Stuart Lochhead presented an exquisite bronze Christ on the Cross modeled on an original design by Michelangelo This one had been cast by the master Jacob Cobaert in the late 16th century The same Michelangelo model figures in the accompanying painting by Velasquez held tightly in the hand of Mother Jeronima “These objects travelled across Europe,” said Lochhead “It’s a fascinating part of history.” Though the crucifix was available for acquisition There was nothing more glittering in the fair than this superb example of a late-17th century Venetian mirror “Another was acquired at the time by the Spanish court,” said Benjamin Steinitz This one had spent over a century in the possession of the Rothschild family—a peerless example of their maximalist taste—and once hung in the Hotel Lambert in Paris Pauline Pavec runs a small gallery in the Marais district of Paris where she concentrates on enhancing the reputation of over-looked female painters at TEFAF she focussed on the work of Marie Braquemond (1840-1916) who was one of a handful of female Impressionist painters in Paris around the turn of the last  century whose influence is clear in a 1892 self-portrait showing the artist with her bulldog This was acquired at the fair by a soon-to-open museum in France while another smaller Renoir-ish picture was snapped up by Liverpool Museums “We brought our major Lalique pieces,” said Patricia De Wit a fine jewelery gallery established in Kortijk One substantial necklace really stood out—a radical piece with its combination of carved glass fine diamonds and enamel showing every skill in the Lalique canon and dating from 1905 with its introduction of strong geometric lines,” said De Wit “It was considered quite shocking at the time.” Meanwhile two exquisite dragon fly pins demonstrated the very best of Lalique’s Art Nouveau output the grand piano was at the centre of Marcilhac’s stand that had been turned into a complete Art Deco salon had been made to commission for the private residence of Francois Ducharne it is a perfect example of Ruhlmann’s love of sumptuous materials and carefully considered lines Keith Haring started painting on tarpaulin in 1981 when the New York dealer Tony Shafrazi asked the artist for something he could actually sell its contemporaneous with his famous “Subway Drawings” which he started to make in the New York subway over expired adverts in the same year the work is on offer at Monaco’s Retelet for €4.5 million There were twenty exceptional examples of Ettore Sottsass’s work in glass at Friedman Benda with prices ranging from $40,000 to $90,000 who had strongly supported Sottsass’s career over 25 years the Italian’s irreverent way with the material was writ large Sottsass combined glass with anything from ceramic to stone “There was no one like him,” says Mourmans who was on the stand on day one of the fair using metal and glue with glass in a way that would horrify Venetian traditionalists.” Christopher Kurtz fashions furniture that wouldn’t look out of place next to its Art Deco antecedents It is classical in its construction and material choices but contemporary in its organic sensibility a smooth walnut top floats on stacks of flat wooden “pebbles.” (Kurtz is often inspired by skimming stones.) Next to it attracted the attention of the President of the Friends of Versaille the eminent art historian remarked on its innovative use of a material that is so familiar in the traditional grand French setting © 2023 Hudson One Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy The German-Swedish painter Lotte Laserstein’s Self-Portrait, around 1932, which MFA Boston acquired at Tefaf in 2023 from Agnews Forget the oysters. The US museum presence is what Tefaf Maastricht is all about. During the preview days of the fair, when I ask dealers how it’s going, they rarely discuss sales. Instead, as if on cue, they start listing the American institutions that are in the building. In part, this is a game of confidence. In 2020, when Covid curtailed the fair, the sight of US curators scurrying from the exhibition centre towards hastily rebooked flights seemed an omen of difficult times ahead for the fine art market. Last year, for the first time since the pandemic, I heard the old refrain along the aisles of “Cleveland, Chicago, Minneapolis…”. The buoyancy was back. Happy dealers make sales happen. Of course, that confidence is grounded in anticipation. Many US museums bring buying power to the fair—and arrive eager to wield it. “At every Tefaf Maastricht, we intend to acquire,” says Frederick Ilchman, MFA Boston’s chair of European art. As Salvador Salort-Pons, the director of the Detroit Institute of Arts, points out, America’s top collecting institutions often have funds restricted for the acquisition of “non-contemporary European visual and decorative arts”—and the fair is the pre-eminent place to spend them. “Tefaf allows our curators to see and select some of the best works new to market,” he says. “Non-attendance very often means missing out.” There is an unwritten contract in operation here, an understanding between questing curators and expectant dealers that springtime in Maastricht is worth the trip. Salort-Pons notes that many exhibitors at Tefaf successfully cater to two markets at once: private collectors, who may have particular tastes or interests, and institutions seeking to prioritise “art-historical perspectives, historical context, learning opportunities or representational equity intheir galleries”. That last imperative is crucial. Among the dealers in European art who thrive at the fair are those who source, research and promote work by artists whose stories have been told less frequently. Visitors from US museums are not about to give a rediscovered Rembrandt the cold shoulder. But these days they also travel to Maastricht anticipating a broader range of new encounters. “It’s exciting to see work that has historically been undervalued find prominence at the fair,” says Claire Whitner, the director of curatorial affairs at Worcester Art Museum, Massachusetts. For her, Tefaf Maastricht increasingly provides opportunities to view pre-modern works by women and people of colour. She name-checks Marguerite Gérard and Laura Theresa Alma-Tadema, as well as the French neoclassical painter Guillaume Lethière. A 17th-century Safavid mirror was sold at Tefaf last year to the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto from Lisbon’s São Roque gallery The journey from the US to reach Maastricht will always be a hike. But once they arrive, US museums and their patron groups seem to relish the concentration of the fair as much as ever. So many objects, so many networking opportunities, and indeed, so many oysters. “The location is more of a positive than a negative,” Ilchman says. “People have a commitment to being there and to using their time well.” • Thomas Marks is the co-founder of Marks|Calil, a strategic consultancy that works with international museums and art businesses. From 2013 to 2021 he was the editor of Apollo magazine comment5 March 2019Vexed issue of vetting: force for good or conflict of interests?Tefaf Maastricht's removal of art trade professionals as voting members of its vetting committee raises the wider question of the role of self-policing by fairs analysis10 March 2024Focus, not faff: considered adjustments prove welcome at TEFAF MaastrichtA shorter runtime a new Focus section and outreach to young buyers show promise as a way forward for the venerable Dutch fair analysis11 March 2019Tefaf Maastricht overhauls Modern art section in battle to stay on top in changing marketLoss of some regular exhibitors in favour of blue-chip contemporary art galleries is the latest in a string of changes to the venerable Dutch fair Former Senior Snowflake Exec Bolsters Leadership Team to Drive Growth With over 15 years of proven success in sales leadership Brian brings a wealth of experience in the Snowflake ecosystem and a passion for building high performing sales teams Brian Maastricht previously served as Regional Vice President of Sales Central Enterprise Acquisition at Snowflake where he consistently exceeded revenue targets Known for fostering strong team culture and leading with a results-oriented mindset Brian is widely recognized for his expertise in enterprise software negotiation "We are thrilled to welcome Brian Maastricht as our Chief Revenue Officer," said Eric Neef "His extraordinary leadership skills and track record of delivering results at Snowflake are exactly what we need to accelerate our growth and continue to exceed client expectations We're proud to have him onboard as we enter this exciting new chapter." Brian is equally enthusiastic about his new role at evolv "I couldn't be more excited to join evolv at such a pivotal moment," he shared "The company's people-first culture and commitment to excellence align perfectly with my core values and my history at Snowflake I'm eager to work with this talented team to achieve new milestones and deliver exceptional solutions to our clients." we are deeply committed to building the right culture for our Team Members and our clients—one that prioritizes communication Bringing Brian onboard marks a significant step forward in our mission to lead the industry through thoughtful evolv Consulting stands at the forefront of data and AI business transformation unlocking value to support your organization's most strategic initiatives evolv also earned recognition as one of the Inc the leader in data and AI-led business transformation today announced the appointment of Brian Kelly to its Board of Directors its annual list of the fastest-growing private companies in.. Computer & Electronics Artificial Intelligence Household, Consumer & Cosmetics Personnel Announcements Do not sell or share my personal information: 01:21pm ESTShareSaveComment@font-face{font-family: "Schnyder"; src: url("https://i.forbesimg.com/assets/fonts/schnyders/schnyders-bold-webfont.woff2") format("woff2") #article-stream-0 .headline-embed .font-base{} #article-stream-0 .headline-embed.font-size #article-stream-0 .subhead3-embed .font-accent{font-family: Euclid,"Noto Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Corbel,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;}Megan van Engelen an annual festival every November that’s a brilliant mashup of fashion When creative director and cofounder Branko Popovic launched FashionClash over 15 years ago to promote emerging design talent his main objective was to create an event that was fully inclusive because traditional fashion weeks can feel intimidating he has certainly created a really unique annual event The FashionClash Festival is all about discovering and supporting talent and participants of the festival belong to a generation of designers and artists who explore and question the boundaries of their discipline The annual festival is the result of a selection from various open calls and from projects initiated by FashionClash itself and developed in co-production with various organizations and makers Eva Immerzeel with her knitwear collection on show in Fashion Makes Sense at Centre Cèramique over 100 designers and artists from more than 20 countries were given a platform to present their work to an international audience More than 100 young people were actively involved in Fashion Makes Sense Even the festival Afterparty was transformed into a showcase of fashion The catwalk was built over the altar in the shape of a bridge metaphorical for the various bridges or clashes that FashionClash is building between fashion supported by theater maker Nadîja Roza Broekhart and dancer and choreographer Laisvie Andrea Ochoa explored alternative ways of making and presenting fashion Human Herd by Paula Dischinger Fashion Clash the desire for rituals and the location of the physical body in space and time The moving performance was shown again in a more intimate space later that weekend Paula Dischinger asks whether man is a herd animal and translates this into everyday human activities such as following each other On Sunday morning the performance was repeated in a public space where the group of performers moved like a flock of birds across Plein 1992 Polish designer Julia Burak concluded the opening night with Ate and left no crumbs a celebration of body diversity and a statement against prejudices about how overweight and obese people are perceived An exhibition at Bureau Europa showed the work of five fashion practitioners commissioned by the festival to collaborate on the concept of New Fashion Narratives This year's curatorial team included Chaewon Kong a group of fashion makers with diverse backgrounds and practices within and beyond the fashion landscape Jiwoo Lee and Hankyul Jeong used dried food to embellish a very wearable collection of separates while upcycled earrings by 2mm made from found objects created standout displays Still from I Remember My Dream by Jhenyfy Muller in this year's FashionClash film program the program consisted of 31 films from different countries in the world thus showing a very diverse range of perspectives The 17th edition of Fashion Clash is scheduled for the weekend of 14-16 November 2025 Social sustainability and building a community are also important building blocks of a greener future On April 6th, Students Fight Cancer  Maastricht will host their biggest annual event – the SFC Run every contribution supports vital cancer research at the local hospital.   Social sustainability and building a community is also an important building block of a greener future We brought an interesting interview with Students Fight Cancer to learn more about their impact and practices.  Students Fight Cancer Maastricht (SFC) has grown into a powerful student-led initiative dedicated to raising awareness and funds for cancer research The organization works closely with Cancer Research Fund Limburg supporting eight to nine research projects at the local hospital SFC mobilizes students and the Maastricht community through fundraising events culminating in their biggest initiative: the annual SFC Run.  Maarten van Roode, SFC’s acquisition manager is responsible for securing sponsors and prizes for various events “We work together with cancer research and a local fund directly supporting researchers and the community The money we raise today could even help future students who go into cancer research themselves,” he explains.  attracting an increasing number of participants each year the organization reached an incredible €200,000 a milestone that highlights their rapid growth and impact including collection weeks where students go door-to-door to raise funds bottle collection programs at Maastricht University such as waste separation and healthier food options.  success is measured in more than just money “The awareness we’ve built is also a huge achievement Want to get involved? Follow SFC Maastricht on Instagram!  A visitor to the stand of Jorge Welsh gallery at Tefaf Maastricht 2025 And yet despite these challenges, exhibitors pronounced themselves satisfied by the second day. They had not come with high hopes, but early sales, reserves and interest did much to calm nerves. As always, they were greatly encouraged by the extraordinary number of museums, trustee groups and curators in attendance, including those from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Tate, the Hermitage and the Louvre—the full list fills eight pages. Then there were hordes of private collectors such as Christian Levett, who has opened a private museum in the south of France devoted solely to women artists. Picasso, Les Dormeurs (1964) shown by Landau Fine Art The fair always offers a feast of works, from the most classic Old Masters to the stunningly offbeat. The most expensive work on offer, apparently, was Picasso’s large and rather chaotic Les Dormeurs (1964) offered for $50m on the stand of Landau Fine Art, which has locations in Montreal and Luzern, Switzerland. Stuart Lochhead's stand at Tefaf Maastricht 2025 Photo: Jaron James. Courtesy of Stuart Lochhead There were other big names on view, including a small but attractive Van Gogh with Rau gallery, Still Life with Two Sacks and a Bottle (1884) ($4.4m); the New Orleans dealer was also showing Cézanne’s Fleurs dans un Vase avec Partition Musicale (1874-76). This year the €50,000 Tefaf Restoration Fund went to the Musée Condé in the Chateau de Chantilly for the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, which is being restored and will be on view in the chateau between June and October. On view at the fair was an exquisite book of hours made for Catherine of Aragon, around 1509, showing her and her husband Henry VIII. Interestingly, according to Dr Sara Oberg Stradal of the exhibitor, Jörn Günter Rare Books, while manuscripts tend to be a male purchase, women are often buyers of books of hours. Frank Prazan of Applicat Prazan was upbeat on the first day, having sold three works including Serge Poliakoff’s attractive abstract Composition en bleu (around 1953) for €1.3m. “The fair has started well for me, and I have interest in other works. I am optimistic,” he said. the grande dame of art and antiques fair is changing news4 September 2024After controversy, Tefaf appoints fifth managing director in four yearsDominique Savelkoul recently served as director of the Mu.Zee museum in Oostende preview28 September 2018US fairs help bring new blood to Tefaf MaastrichtThe success of Tefaf New York Spring this year marked a sea-change My mission is to spotlight great art and culture globally.Follow AuthorMar 18 10:49am EDTShareSaveComment@font-face{font-family: "Schnyder"; src: url("https://i.forbesimg.com/assets/fonts/schnyders/schnyders-bold-webfont.woff2") format("woff2") #article-stream-0 .subhead3-embed .font-accent{font-family: Euclid,"Noto Sans","Droid Sans","Helvetica Neue",Corbel,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;} Marie Bracquemond at Galerie Pauline Pavec Rediscovered Masterpieces including a lost Madonna and Child painting by Titian and Klimt’s portrait of an African Prince are among the artworks stealing the show at the 38th edition of TEFAF Maastricht which also shines the spotlight on African Modernism and overlooked women artists The European Fine Art Foundation (TEFAF)–a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the art market and the preservation of cultural heritage–is widely regarded as the world's preeminent organization for fine art 273 dealers from 22 countries are exhibiting at TEFAF Maastricht and visitors can expect to discover a vast curated selection of the finest paintings manuscripts and objets d’art spanning a 7,000 year period of art history from ancient to contemporary Some dealers at TEFAF are worried about the new EU Regulation 2019/880 which applies to antiquities and artworks more than 200 years old and valued over €18,000 ($19,500) which was introduced recently as an anti-terrorist policy and means stricter import controls the atmosphere at the 2025 Maastricht edition of TEFAF feels buzzy and buoyant with visitors posing for photos under the epic floral installation at the fair’s entrance–which is an artwork in itself–before flocking to experience museum-quality booths presented by dealers from all over the world our global community of exhibitors–leading experts in their fields–present the finest examples of art Each presentation is meticulously curated to reflect the finest and most beautiful examples of their specialism TEFAF Maastricht is always a space for rediscovery and connoisseurship with extraordinary new finds across centuries and disciplines From museum-quality Old Masters to modern and contemporary works TEFAF continues to be the premier destination for collectors The TEFAF Summit returns to TEFAF Maastricht for a second year–in association with the Netherlands Commission for UNESCO and partner organizations including ICOM Belgium Flanders–and explores topics related to public funding and philanthropy in the non-profit fine arts sector Notable speakers at the Summit included Kathleen Ferrier (Netherlands Commission for UNESCO) and Barbera Wolfensberger (Netherlands Ministry of Education Two special loan exhibitions–from the Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimente in Naples and KMSKA Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp–demonstrate TEFAF’s commitment to encouraging dialogue between institutions and collectors Here are some highlights to look out for at the 2025 edition of TEFAF which runs until Thursday 20th March at the MECC in Maastricht There are several exciting discoveries and rediscovered Masterpieces on display for the first time in many years at TEFAF Maastricht A breathtaking 1897 portrait by Gustav Klimt of Prince William Nii Nortey Dowuona is exhibited at Wienerroither & Kohlbacher for the first time after disappearing from public view since 1928 Klimt painted the exquisite oil on canvas of the Ghanaian Prince–an important representative of the Osu (Ga)–during the Vienna Volkerschau Alfred Weidinger verified the painting as the lost painting of an African Prince which he had spent two decades searching for The rediscovered painting offers insights into Klimt’s early style and shows the historical connections between Africa and Europe in the 19th Century Gustav Klimt portrait of Prince William Nii Nortey Dowuona at Wienerroither & Kohlbacher Titian’s magnetic masterpiece “The Madonna and Child with St Mary Magdalen” takes center stage at Trinity Fine Art after being hidden for more than two centuries The painting by Titian and Girolamo Dente is dated between 1555 and 1560 and last surfaced in 1937 at Christie’s After X-ray analysis it was discovered that the artist had at some point made significant alterations removing a halo and window and adding a coral necklace and transforming a bearded male figure into the beatific vision of Mary Magdalen A rediscovered Jules Bastien-Lepage portrait of French stage actress and artist Sarah Bernhardt is exhibited at Patrick Bourne 1885) is a highlight of theBowman Sculpture booth Bernhardt starred in some of the most popular French plays of the late 19th and early 20th centuries including La Dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas fils Bernhardt’s Autoportrait at Bowman Sculpture offers a rare glimpse into the artistic side of the legendary actress capturing her distinctive presence in plaster Bowman Sculpture director Mica Bowman said at the fair: “Essentially what’s special about this piece is that–she was very well known for being an actress and was also a director and an artist predominantly a sculptor–but her sculptures usually have a bit of a mythological twist to them She was an eccentric–she slept in a coffin to prepare for particularly dramatic roles lost a leg to gangrene and refused a prosthetic What’s interesting about this (Autoportrait) piece in particular is that it is a self-portrait Thomas Podd at Patrick Bourne said: “This painting by Bastien-Lepage of Sarah Bernhardt is a sketch of the finished Salon portrait which was exhibited in the same year that they were both painted Lepage and Bernhardt had met at a party in Paris and he had fallen head over heels in love with her and asked to paint her portrait This painting–unlike the Salon portrait–was given directly to Bernhardt after Lepage painted It remained in her family for a long time and was in a private collection in France Its rediscovery was a very significant moment.” The Bastien-Lepage portrait of Bernhardt was exhibited alongside the finished Salon portrait at the Petit Palais in Paris in 2023 while the Autoportrait on display at Bowman Sculpture was also featured in the same exhibition Jules Bastien-Lepage portrait of Sarah Bernhardt at Patrick Bourne © Lee Sharrock Other important rediscoveries to be found at TEFAF include Stuart Lochhead Sculpture’s presentation of a newly discovered 25 cm high bronze corpus of Michelangelo’s Crucified Christ–after a model by a late 16th century model by the master sculptor– and a portrait by Velázquez of Jerónima de la Fuente The representation of women artists at TEFAF has grown in recent years and this year more than 500 works have been submitted by over 100 dealers Old Masters specialist Mercè Valderrey Art and the Athena Art Foundation compile a map of the fair which spotlights where to find women artists Unmissable highlights include Marie Bracquemond at Galerie Pauline Pavec Juliana Seraphim at Richard Saltoun Gallery and Artemisia Gentileschi at the Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte special loan exhibition A powerful 17th Century painting by Italian Old Master artist Artemisia Gentileschi–titled Giuditta e la fantesca 1640-45–is exhibited in a landmark loan exhibition from the Museo e Real Bosco di Capodimonte in Naples and demonstrates the 17th Century artist’s mastery of Chiaroscuro Impressionist Marie Bracquemond trained in Étampes before refining her skills in the studio of Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres and–along with her husband Felix Bracquemond she associated with the leading figures of Impressionism including Monet Nine exquisite paintings by Bracquemond are exhibited at Galerie Pauline Pavec of which six have sold to private collections and institutions in the US Unusually the gallery chose to present the canvases in contemporary white frames a bold choice which further highlights Bracquemond’s mastery of light and color Lebanese Surrealist Juliana Seraphim is the star of Richard Saltoun’s booth in the Focus section which is dedicated to the mystical paintings of the 20th-century Middle Eastern modernist and showcases her Surrealist paintings and works on paper from the 1950s-1990s Seraphim developed a unique iconography and politics of her own rooted in the relationship between spirituality making her an early pioneer of contemporary eco-feminist discourse Seraphim was forced to flee Jaffa in 1948 and then settled in the cultural epicenter of Beirut A pioneer of the Middle Eastern art scene of the period she was recently included in Arab presence: Modern Art and Decolonisation Paris 1908-1988 at the Museé d’Art Moderne in Paris (2024) and Beirut and The Golden Sixties Courtesy of Richard Saltoun Gallery London Rome and New York African Art has a strong presence at TEFAF Maastricht this year with a solo exhibition of Salah Elmur at Mariane Ibrahim and a group exhibition of 20th century and contemporary African art at TAFETA Notable African works can also be found at Yann Ferrandin Serge Schoffel – Art Premier and Voyageurs & Curieux Mariane Ibrahim’s inaugural exhibition at TEFAF is dedicated to the work of Sudanese artist Salah Elmur and features a suite of five works centered on the Blue Nile in Khartoum Khartoum) draws inspiration from his upbringing near the Blue Nile and Sudan’s rich cultural history Salah Elmur at Mariane Ibrahim © Lee Sharrock TAFETA is showcasing six African artists who featured in the 2024 la Biennale di Venezia–Ben Enwonwu MBE Malangatana,Twins Seven Seven and Susanne Wenger–alongside contemporary African artists Another highlight of TAFETA’s booth are linocuts and etchings and a metal repoussé panel on board by Nigerian master Bruce Onobrakpeya who was one of first African artists to exhibit in the Venice Biennale in 1990 These esteemed 20thCentury African artists are juxtaposed with contemporary African artists including Venice Biennale alumni Yinka Shonibare CBE TAFETA Gallery at TEFAF Maastricht © Lee Sharrock TAFETA director says: “All the artist in our 20th century section were featured in Venice last year apart from Bruce Onobrakpey whose first showing was at a presentation by the Studio Museum Harlem at the 1990 edition African “Modernism” is certainly getting a long overdue focus with current or future exhibitions at the Centre Pompidou Many dealers at TEFAF Maastricht this year are celebrating the centenary of the Art Deco movement since the1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes Art Deco furniture of note can be found at Viennese gallery bel etage who are presenting a first-class examples of Viennese Secessionist furniture by Dagobert Peche Parisian Galerie Marcilhac are presenting a display honoring Jacques-Émile Ruhlmann's 1925 pavilion and featuring a Pleyel piano by Jacques-Émile Ruhlmann alongside a unique collection of furniture and objects created by Ruhlmann Some exquisite examples of Art Deco jewellery can be found at Wartski SJ Philips and Epoque Fine Jewels–who are exhibiting a choker by René Jules Lalique who is considered one of the driving forces of Art Deco TEFAF Maastricht is at the MECC Maastricht until 20th March, 2025. Joël Kremer is a partner at Moyosa Media, a digital agency located in Groningen that specialises in producing 3D experiences, including the immersive virtual reality (VR) elements of a recent exhibition at the Mauritshuis and the Humboldt Forum, Loot: 10 Stories. Kremer started his career at Google and is the son of George and Ilone Kremer who, since 1994, have amassed a significant collection of 17th-century Dutch and Flemish paintings. In 2017, Joël created a VR museum to make the Kremer Collection accessible to online audiences worldwide, and he continues to direct the collection. My father’s first encounter was with Rembrandt’s The Jewish Bride, which mesmerised himOn 14 March, Joël and George will give a talk at Tefaf Maastricht called Multigenerational Collecting: Carrying on the Legacy of the Kremer Collection Through Virtual Reality. “A very important element for me is that it is fun to have this collection connect us as a family,” Joël says. “We talk about the collection, our projects, exhibitions, auctions and the future almost every day.” The Art Newspaper: What do you and your family collect, and why? Joël Kremer: My parents collect Dutch and Flemish Old Masters. My father remembers his first encounter, as a ten-year-old boy, with Rembrandt’s The Jewish Bride [1665-69] during a school visit to the Rijksmuseum. It mesmerised him. Thirty-five years later, he realised he could still buy Old Masters. I mostly collect prints from Rembrandt’s copper etching plates, but that is really a hobby, not a collection. The most important thing about our taste is that it evolved naturally, through looking at many thousands of paintings over the years. George learned through self-study, gallery and museum visits, and many, many conversations with art dealers and museum specialists, whilst Ilone really has done everything by her intuition. My father read a newspaper article in 1994 and realised to his astonishment that Old Masters were still for sale. In 1995 he bought his first painting, a study of a bearded man by Govaert Flinck. After meeting a dealer from Maastricht some weeks later, things moved very quickly and within a few years my parents had collected 40 works, including [pieces by] Rembrandt, Frans Hals, Pieter de Hooch and A Young Maidservant [c. 1660] by Michael Sweerts. Founded in 1994 by Ilone and George Kremer (above), the Kremer Collection contains a multitude of 17th-century Dutch and Flemish Old Masters. Their son Joël serves as the director of the collection What is the most recent thing you’ve bought? At the time of answering these questions, there are very interesting sales going on at the big auction houses [in New York], so who knows! But officially my answer has to be a beautiful little sunset landscape by Aert van der Neer. What do you regret not buying when you had the chance? The beautiful thing about the art market is that we could always have another chance at buying it if it comes back onto the market… so, “no comment”. If you could have any work from any museum, what would it be? Oh, there are many. Probably a major Vermeer such as the View of Delft [1659-61] or The Milkmaid [c. 1658]. Many Rembrandts. Many beautiful Utrecht and Flemish Caravaggists. But also lesser-known masters who have produced incredible paintings, for instance Caesar van Everdingen at the Mauritshuis in The Hague. When did you first visit Tefaf Maastricht, and what did you thinkof it? We first visited in 1995 and loved it. We were very new in the market and the fair was one big party. We also bought significant works for the collection that year. Michaelina Wautier’s Boy with a White Cravat (around 1656) Photo: René Gerritsen-Kunst en Onderzoeksfotografie Where do you like to eat and drink in Maastricht? We usually eat a simple broodje kroket [croquette sandwich] at the fair for lunch. What’s your least favourite thing about art fairs? It can get very busy—good for the fair, less so for the art-viewing experience. But overall we love the fairs. What advice would you give someone who’s visiting Tefaf Maastricht for the first time? That very much depends on why you are going there. If you are going to have a nice time and socialise you should not have a problem: there’s lots to see and experience. If you’re going to try and buy art, have a strategy, which should include a strict budget—and stick to it! dealers share what objects take their fancy archive1 March 2013Connoisseur collectors: A story of ten approaches to acquiring artFrom Liechtenstein to Lisbon these collectors discuss their interests and methods interview6 December 2018Collector's eye: Jorge PérezArt lovers tell us what they’ve bought and why we look at the world’s most beautiful book the future of museum philanthropy and new EU controls on cultural goods The market for ancient art can seem confusing, but there’s no better way to feel the hand of history A show in Chantilly will reveal the ‘Mona Lisa’ of illuminated manuscripts — a rarely exhibited 15th-century prayer book New rules designed to combat terrorism risk consigning artefacts to legal purgatory From a steel explosion to otherworldly furniture, contemporary design dealers are discovering new connections between past and present The 97-year-old Brazilian has opened a foundation in Portugal to house the world’s most significant selection of Ming and Qing export porcelain Hilla von Rebay — a brilliant painter in her own right — was instrumental in shaping one of the great American institutions A presentation of mostly 20th-century Nigerian pioneers at Tefaf in Maastricht rides a wave of global recognition Forgers know how to exploit a business which prefers gentlemen’s agreements to scientific analysis. Authentification requires more rigour Egyptian, Middle Kingdom, carnelian falcon pendant jewellery, around 2030-1650BC (earrings), around 2000-700BC (necklace) Courtesy of Kallos Gallery, Jaron James Tiziano Vecellio (Titian) and Girolamo Dente, Madonna and Child with St Mary Magdalene (Around 1555-60) Courtesy of Trinity Fine Art Ben Enwonwu, Ebony (1965) Courtesy of Tafeta Montelupo Gothic majolica albarello (15th century) Angelo Plantamura This albarello—an earthenware jar often used by apothecaries to store medicines—is one of a rare group known as Italo-Moresques, thought to originate in 15th-century Siena. Only 25 albarelli are known to feature this kind of blue-and-white pseudo-Kufic decoration, an imitation of Arabic calligraphy created by European artists influenced by Islamic design. This is one of the largest, at 33.5cm tall. Most other examples are held in major museums throughout the world. Roman d’Alexandre en prose manuscript (around 1290-1300) Courtesy of Dr. Jörn Günther Rare Books, Basel Research by the Medieval art historian Alison Stones has identified the manuscript with a group produced in the region of Reims in Champagne or Ypres in Flanders. archive31 August 2000Themed shows in the Paris antique shops during the BiennaleRenaissance jewels (and a master faker revealed) Empire and eighteenth-century French lacquer furniture the life of women between Orient and Europe archive1 November 2000At Asian Art Week in London dealers, scholars and collectors congregate for major shows and great partiesFifty-two participants will exhibit everything from Indian statue jewels to Islamic tiles news4 March 2016Put these on your shopping listFrom Danish deck chairs to Ancient Egyptian art, we select some of the highlights at Tefaf this month Browse a selection of fresh works by Pablo Picasso Ernst Ludwig Kirchner at the fair on Artsy and collect from our partner galleries including Ludorff This fair coverage is independent and not officially associated with the fair Adopting a healthy lifestyle is crucial for reducing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) which remain the leading causes of death worldwide identifying ingredients or products with cardiometabolic benefits is essential This thesis investigates the effects of three dietary products (a porcine-derived collagen hydrolysate and mixed nuts) on various cardiometabolic health parameters in populations at elevated risk of developing T2D and CVD the relationship between glycemic variability and fructosamine concentrations in adults without diabetes was also investigated porcine-derived collagen hydrolysates showed minimal effects on cardiometabolic risk markers Almond consumption reduced ambulatory systolic blood pressure (BP) and BP variability but did not impact other vascular markers while mixed nuts improved serum lipid and lipoprotein profiles potentially supporting cardiovascular health Glycemic variability in nondiabetic individuals showed weak associations with fructosamine concentrations These findings support the integration of certain dietary products into dietary strategies for enhancing cardiometabolic health Click here for the live stream "Bridging the Gap: Developing Screening Tools for the Early Detection of Carotid Artery Disease" "Leadership in Colombian Undergraduate Medical Education" "Metabolic Dysfunction-associated Steatotic Liver Disease in Children Associated Determinants Welcome to Websitename.com. This site uses cookies. Read our policy By 2025-01-13T09:33:00+00:00 Atlas Air has begun a new weekly air cargo route from Maastricht Aachen Airport in the Netherlands to Asia (including China) on behalf of MSC Air Cargo Maastricht Aachen Airport confirmed the launch of the route in a press release on January 9 operated with a one-year-old Boeing 777 freighter with MSC Air Cargo livery Kazakhstan and landed at Maastricht Aachen Airport at 9.45pm on January 9 At the beginning of 2024, the last of four newbuild Boeing 777 freighters was delivered to Atlas Air which is operating the aircraft under an ACMI agreement with MSC Air Cargo Flights on the recently launched route will carry e-commerce and general cargo Air Cargo News has requested more information from Atlas Air and MSC Air Cargo on which destinations are served in Asia aside from China head of commercial development at Maastricht Aachen Airport said: ”With every new route we improve the connectivity of our airport Our team is fully prepared to introduce Atlas Air and MSC Air Cargo to the excellent handling for which we are known "Our people are continuously trained to load and unload our customers’ cargo carefully and quickly We provide these training courses ourselves and in this case also in collaboration with Atlas Air Cargo So that we can continue this collaboration in the long term and perhaps even expand it." MSC Air Cargo launched operations in December 2022 and adopted Liège Airport as its European hub As well as the four 777Fs being flown by Atlas Air, in May, MSC took delivery of a fifth 777F for operation by MSC-owned AlisCargo Airlines. The US de minimis exemption for packages from China and Hong Kong ends today with air cargo waiting to see how much of an impact it will have on the market Cargo charter flights out of China have been cancelled as a result of a rapid decline in e-commerce demand to the US Kuehne+Nagel (K+N) is continuing to experience strong airfreight bookings despite the US-China tariff war Site powered by Webvision Cloud From 15 to 20 March, The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF) will take place in Maastricht Some 270 galleries from more than 20 countries will showcase prestigious works of art.TEFAF is not only visited by art dealers from all over the world but also has a magnetic attraction for art lovers academics and students who have an interest in the artworks on display as well as the art world Maastricht University (UM) is organising the following events at this year's TEFAF: Those interested in the executive master's programme can stop by the Chapeau/Maastricht region booth (#811) if they would like to talk to Rachel or the current students There will be an alumni reunion this year at the Chapeau Stand The students are in Maastricht until Sunday Professor Rachel Pownall's second reception will take place on Monday 17 March during the TEFAF Summit. Rachel will be on the Morning Panel - Funding the Future: Building Trust and Collaboration. Those interested in the executive master's programme can stop by the Chapeau/Maastricht region booth (#811) if they would like to talk to Rachel or the current students.  18.45 - 20.45As part of the cultural programming during ‘TEFAF in the City’ Maastricht Marketing will offer exhibitors and visitors to TEFAF a guided tour of two of our university buildings (Law Faculty and Administration Building) The tours will start and end at the Dinghuis and can be booked online.   Click here for more information Tuesday 18 March, 20.00Studium Generale is organising a TEFAF lecture entitled: ‘Expensive and Avant Garde Jokes of Silver from the Dutch Republic’ in the Auditorium of Minderbroedersberg 4-6. The speaker will be Prof Stijn Bussels.  Click here for more information and to register  Click here for more information   School of Business and Economics | Bachelor Business Engineering Peter's elevator pitchCyber-Physical Production Systems (CPPS) are transforming manufacturing by integrating physical machinery and computational systems through advanced networks enabling seamless interaction and real-time data exchange in production environments current research theorizes the operational and environmental benefits of CPPS yet lacks robust quantitative research to validate these claims  This thesis presents and applies a systematic methodology for quantitatively evaluating the net impact of CPPS on carbon emissions in textile manufacturing processes considering both resource optimization capabilities and its additional energy demands Findings indicate that additional CPPS-related energy consumption is outweighed by a decrease in waste generation material consumption and machine energy usage resulting in net reduction of CO2 process emissions In this video Peter is addressed briefly by the immediate supervisor His research lies at the intersection of sustainability studies food charities and develops practical instruments to analyse urban poverty and food support He has been awarded an ERC grant to conduct urban ethnographic research in Palermo Filippo Oncini studied food inequality in Italy focusing on how families obtain and consume food depending on their social class “I looked at the role of school meals in improving children’s eating habits but also at how their different social origins influence their knowledge of and relationship with food.” He conducted fieldwork in a school in an underprivileged neighbourhood of Palermo this was their only proper meal of the day I decided to focus on urban poverty—but still with food at the heart of it.” Oncini received a Marie Curie Fellowship and moved to Manchester to study how access to food support impacts the lives of the urban poor has one of the most advanced systems of food-support provision combining food donations with the redistribution of food surplus developed the first network of food banks and became incredibly successful It’s a traditional model where private citizens donate food.”  the Trussell Trust distributed fewer than 3,000 emergency food parcels; last year This dramatic increase reflects not only a decade of austerity politics but also a growing emphasis on sustainability people primarily bought and donated new food,” Oncini explains the focus has shifted to recovering food waste and channelling it back into the system creating a more sustainable model of food provision.” Filippo Oncini is an assistant professor at the Maastricht Sustainability Institute He earned his PhD in Sociology and Social Research from the University of Trento in 2018 His recent projects explored the dynamics of cooperation and competition among various food charities in the UK and Japan with particular attention to the relationship between social and environmental sustainability he will further pursue these topics through the ERC Starting Grant for his project Oncini secured a fellowship from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) for a comparative study of charitable food-provision systems in the UK and Japan the Japanese system involves more informal actors independent groups organise monthly distributions of bento boxes or food parcels often outside the scope of formal food-safety regulations “These grassroots initiatives are typically run by local communities or neighbourhood associations reflecting a decentralised approach to addressing food insecurity.” Another feature of the Japanese system is the prominence of kodomo shokudou Initially designed as safe spaces for children their role has expanded to address food insecurity “They now distribute bento boxes and food parcels to support families in need.” Japan faces unique challenges in this area often discussed only in private,” Oncini explains The sector relies on neighbourhood associations that operate discreetly This helps to mitigate the shame of receiving charity while also sparing the public from confronting these realities directly many Japanese now rely on multiple food providers to meet their basic needs so people plan their lives around the schedules of different food charities This adds significant stress and fatigue to their daily routines.” Reducing food waste while providing for the hungry might seem like a win-win situation “But you’re not really solving either problem,” Oncini says And it doesn’t disincentivise overproduction either.” In his view the idea that the problems can cancel each other out is debatable the shift from cash to food transfers restricts people’s autonomy over their time and food choices That charitable food provision ramps up as the state reduces welfare spending is politically convenient and corporations can brand themselves as sustainable and socially responsible But you end up perpetuating the very system that produces poverty in the first place.” Framing the redistribution of surplus food as a socially responsible solution masks the deeper issues of structural inequality and overproduction Oncini will use the ERC grant to develop a theoretical and methodological framework that integrates quantitative and qualitative methods and can be applied in various countries The aim is to create tools to better understand how charitable food provision has become so important in many upper- and middle-income countries he will explore the impact of such food provision on the survival strategies of those who rely on it A key component of the project is event sequence analysis a method used by several researchers at the Maastricht Sustainability Institute “This approach abstracts the roles of actors and events to a level that allows for meaningful comparisons across different contexts It provides a common language and shared categories for studying systems in diverse countries.” Oncini hopes to bring greater scholarly attention to the issue of charitable food provision “We need to make the system more resilient and resistant to shocks,” he says He also pushes back against oversimplifications of poverty “Engaging with statistics on poverty is fundamental “Interacting with the people affected is something entirely different You come to understand the immense burden it puts on them and the suffering it causes but I hope it contributes to a deeper understanding of the situation.”Text Florian RaithPhotography Sem Shayne The Societal Impact Project stimulates students’ autonomous motivation to work on societal relevant problems at least eight people—the highest number since the 1960s—died of whooping cough in the Netherlands Behind this tragic statistic lies a years-long trend: fewer and fewer parents are vaccinating their children against serious infectious diseases Two researchers from Maastricht University play a key role in translating research into vaccine policy recommendations for COVID-19: Timo Clemens Associate Professor health policy and governance Assistant Professor at the department of Health Services Research On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the publication of the first volume of Actes et Paroles the collection of Victor Hugo’s political speeches an international event will take place at Maastricht University on 7-8 May 2025 The event is dedicated to the author’s conceptualization of several legal issues and will explore innovative ways to trigger senses and experiences engaging attendees through different channels (e.g. The "Hugo and the Law" international workshop will allow participants to dive into this author’s multifaceted conception of the law encompassing both its theoretical foundations and its practical implications Through an examination of Hugo’s literary corpus the event will explore how the characters in his books grapple with the complexities of law and its impact on individuals and society with particular emphasis on the moral dimension of the law the event will address Hugo’s critique of the legal machinery shedding light on his observations regarding the potential for injustice and the abuse of power This conversation will investigate the historical context in which Hugo lived and wrote considering the political and social upheavals that influenced his views on the law From the aftermath of the French Revolution to the establishment of the Second French Republic through the rise and fall of the Empire of Napoleon III Hugo’s observations of the evolving legal landscape are integral to understanding his perspective on the nature of power The workshop can be attended both in person and via Zoom The international event includes a book exhibition that will showcase books from UM’s Special Collections relating them to Hugo’s work and ideas on law and justice the exhibition aims to engage in a dialogue between the author and the legal environment triggering reflections on the interplay of law and popular culture.This event is organized by Eline Couperus with the support of the Science Committee of the Faculty of Law of Maastricht University Maison Victor Hugo kindly provided images from their gallery Contact:Law Events OfficeMaud Houben-Nijssen  Inauguration of the Exhibition and Reception Odin EssersUniversity Library Tour of the Special Collections Faure will due to his retirement give a farewell lecture on Friday 4 April 2025 at 16.00 The title of this lecture is 'The Price of Meat'.Interested parties are invited to attend this ceremony by contacting the METRO secretariat (Mrs Due to the limited number of places for this event There will also be a livestream of the event.  the Globalisation & Law Network hosted a seminar featuring Dr Assistant Professor at NOVA School of Law.  But just how far-reaching is the pop star’s influence we will take a closer look at how the so-called Swiftian Turn in academia has challenged academic ideals of knowledge and expertise With the line between fan and researcher blurring When Taylor Swift’s influence reaches academic journals and lecture halls what does this mean for the resulting science how does Swift influence contemporary politics and feminism Sigrid Wallaert is a postdoctoral philosophy researcher at Ghent University in Belgium epistemic injustice and healthcare — and also Michael Faure delivered his farewell lecture as Professor of International and Comparative Environmental Law In recognition of the exceptional way in which he has contributed to the reputation he was awarded the UM Medallion of Honour following his lecture Professor Faure received the honorary medal from Dean Jan Smits “During his 34 years at Maastricht University Michael made a profound and lasting impact on the Faculty of Law, on his academic fields of environmental law law and economics and liability law, on academic cooperation on everyone he worked with: his many PhD-researchers and colleagues in Maastricht and Rotterdam but also much broader throughout Europe and the world. I wholeheartedly compliment Michael with his many achievements,” said the Dean of the Faculty of Law The UM Medallion is awarded to staff members of Maastricht University who have made an outstanding and exceptional contribution—broadly defined—to the visibility The UM Medallion is only presented on the occasion of a staff member’s departure from the university coordinators and students from eight pioneering UM programmes met at Kaleido to discuss how Global Citizenship Education (GCEd) fits into higher education and financial barriers to extracurricular activities They worry about a lack of diversity among staff Some questioned whether universities are even designed to support the values of GCEd They see little cultural and intellectual diversity in their learning environments They criticised the shallow way empathy is included – often mistaken for agreement – and the slow pace of decolonial and inclusive reform Many feel the university is too focused on individual success instead of community-driven learning Teachers want more freedom to experiment with curricula linking local and global issues in meaningful ways They see potential in stronger ties with alumni and smarter use of AI to support global values They want external voices in the classroom and an education system that values disagreement and diversity Teachers want the flexibility to teach in a way that matters Students want a shift in culture – to be recognised as contributors Global Citizenship Education at Maastricht University front runners edition on 30 January 2025 Students and teachers agreed that GCEd shouldn’t be a separate topic It should be part of everyday learning. They proposed: Text by Herco Fonteijn More than 60 UM staff participated in the first UM Education Research Day It was a fun day of meaningful and thought-provoking knowledge exchange skill development and interdisciplinary collaboration “I hope to show people how to view evaluations not as a tick-box exercise, but as an opportunity for meaningful reflection and growth,” says Carolin Sehlbach, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Research and Development at the Maastricht University Faculty of Health educational researcher Anke Sambeth is investigating whether university staff feel their roles align with their academic passions.  Appointed professor of "Integrative Neuropsychiatric Cell Biology" in the Faculty of Health Our brains are by far the most complex organ we possess Beyond monitoring and coordinating our body they perform complex computational tasks that still outperform many artificial systems and most importantly are the source of human intelligence Yet they build themselves by growth to more than 100 billion cells that form an estimated 100 trillion synaptic connections the processes that first form and then maintain healthy functional brain do not always go to plan leading to neuropsychiatric disorders that need clinical intervention poor mental health is amongst the global top 10 chronic health issues we need to understand brain development itself.  I explain how our investigation of human nerve cell formation is building a picture of the molecular processes that control brain development I also look forward to how a rapid emergence of new technologies is initiating an exciting new phase in human brain research.  Click here for the live stream The Maastricht Business Days (MBD) have been a hallmark of the School of Business and Economics (SBE) since their inception in 1996 standing out as the most prestigious student recruitment event the MBDs connect over 600 students annually with approximately 50 leading companies from diverse industries This student-led initiative not only encourages professional growth through workshops and networking events but also highlights the collaborative spirit of SBE and industry professionals in meaningful ways Curious about the next edition of the Maastricht Business Days? Check out the maastrichtbusinessdays.nl website One of the most remarkable aspects of the MBDs is the professionalism and dedication of SBE students in organizing the event Their efforts created a platform for career advancement and explore opportunities in an inspiring and supportive environment The event also hosted dinners and networking drinks creating an informal setting for deeper connections between students Alumni at the heart of the communityA highlight of MBD 2024 was seeing SBE alumni return enthusiastically to the event Recent graduates and long-standing alumni community members reconnected with SBE by introducing their current employers to potential future employees These interactions underscore the strength of our alumni network and its commitment to nurturing the next generation of business leaders Alumni involvement also reinforced the relevance of SBE's academic programs and strategy bridging the gap between education and real-world application Looking aheadThis year's edition of the MBDs promoted career growth and emphasized SBE's unique community spirit which will take place on the Tapijn Campus The new setting promises an equally vibrant and inspiring experience as SBE continues to support students in achieving their professional aspirations Thank you to everyone who made MBD 2024 a resounding success—we look forward to welcoming even more students particles crash together at nearly the speed of light in the world’s largest physics experiment: the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) This groundbreaking research just earned the 2025 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics Among the 17,500 scientists honoured are researchers from Maastricht University’s Faculty of Science and Engineering They contribute to major experiments exploring the universe’s deepest mysteries: ALICE and LHCb Panos Christakoglou (Maastricht Science Programme) was at the Quark Matter conference in Frankfurt discussing science with his PhD student when people reached out to him certainly because of the recognition of our field” Panos is one of the researchers at Maastricht University who is working on the ALICE experiment of the LHC “The Dutch ALICE group is relatively small but we punch through the ceiling in terms of science” “We have very prominent members in the field and the same goes for the Dutch LHCb group.” The Breakthrough Prizes are major international awards celebrating cutting-edge achievements in Mathematics Founded by tech and science visionaries including Yuri Milner they’re among the world’s most prestigious science honours “ALICE looks at what happens when heavy ions we recreate the conditions that existed in the universe less than a second after its birth We can study how the universe started and how it evolves.” study a very specific aspect of these collisions “The magnetic field created when two heavy ions collide is the strongest known in the universe.” For comparison it is at least 10¹⁹ times stronger than Earth’s magnetic field their magnetic fields could leave detectable imprints in the resulting gravitational waves current detectors are not yet sensitive enough to observe these effects Despite the vastly larger scale of neutron star mergers compared to microscopic ion collisions the same underlying physical principles apply We prepare a theoretical framework that will help scientists to find the effect of these magnetic fields in the signal of the Einstein Telescope.” Panos’s work touches upon the work done by scientists at the Gravitational Waves and Fundamental Physics group of the Faculty of Science and Engineering The Fundamental Physics part of that group is involved in another experiment part of their energy is transformed into new particles according to Einstein’s famous equation E=mc2 The theory predicts that there will be an equal amount of matter and antimatter particles The same theory also predicts that during the birth of the universe an equal amount of matter and antimatter would be produced all matter and antimatter would destroy each other Students and staff from both MSP and GWFP included Experimental physicist Jacco de Vries and theoretical physicist Keri Vos talk about their work at LHCb Hunting down the reason for the abundance of matter requires extreme precision both from the experimentalist and the theoreticians I try to predict the outcome of an experiment as exactly as possible” Jacco adds: “At LHCb we look for tiny differences between the observations and the prediction hoping to find clues that help solve the matter/antimatter mystery.” A Maastricht speciality in LHCb research is the study of extremely rare events in particle collisions events that occur only once in a billion collisions and that is why we look for them using LHCb.” Keri adds: “To find even more rare events we need larger precision and faster computers to do the calculations Our group is therefore exploring the options of quantum computers in the field.” “A huge advantage of Maastricht is that we are one of the few LHCb groups where experimentalists and theorists work side by side.” Literally, because Keri and Jacco share an office. Also, the proximity of the Department of Advanced Computing Sciences helps we share a PhD student and regularly discuss the computing issues involved in LHCb.”  Scientists at ALICE and LHCb are steadily making progress. At LHCb they already discovered that nature is not as perfectly symmetrical as the theory predicts but the imbalance is still 10 billion times too small to explain why the universe is made of matter as a partner of the National Institute for Subatomic Physics is slowly expanding its research into this field of science Sense more of our Science here the fraying of alliances and international order natural catastrophes — all this is making the unthinkable suddenly look possible: the undoing of the European project European and transatlantic foreign and security policy will share her view on the future of the European project the role of NATO and other geopolitical issues Constanze Stelzenmüller is the director of the Center on the United States and Europe and the inaugural holder of the Fritz Stern Chair on Germany and Trans-Atlantic Relations at the Brookings Institution in Washington as well as international law and human rights Stelzenmüller held the Kissinger Chair on Foreign Policy and International Relations at the Library of Congress and from 2014 to 2019 she served as the inaugural Robert Bosch Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution she directed the Berlin office of the German Marshall Fund of the United States and later served as Senior Transatlantic Fellow with the organisation Stelzenmüller’s work in the think tank sphere follows a distinguished career in journalism including the role of Defense and International Security Editor in the political section of Die Zeit from 1994 to 2005 She has contributed to a variety of publications writes a monthly column for the Financial Times and is a frequent commentator on American and European news outlets Maastricht University and the City of Maastricht jointly organise this lecture in commemoration of Robert Schuman and the Treaties of Rome (1957) and Maastricht (1992) Robert Schuman (1886-1963) was the French Minister of Foreign Affairs and co-founder of the European Union Liesbeth Kester will join the School of Health Professions Education as professor of Instructional Design Kester is currently working as professor of Educational Sciences at Utrecht University She has extensive experience with research on topics such as instructional design personalized learning and self-regulated learning Kester will be appointed at the School of Health Professions Education and the Department Educational Development and Research of the Faculty of Health Medicine and Life Sciences at Maastricht University We look forward to welcoming her and are excited about the contribution she will make to optimal healthcare through science-informed models for the education of future and current healthcare professionals Liesbeth Kester is a distinguished Full Professor of Educational Sciences at Utrecht University where she has been a pivotal figure since 2015 With a Doctorate in Educational Psychology from the Open University of the Netherlands her research primarily focuses on the intersection of technology and education particularly in learning analytics and personalized learning Kester has held various academic positions including Associate Professor and Assistant Professor and has contributed significantly to the field through her extensive publication record which includes numerous peer-reviewed articles and book chapters Kester has demonstrated strong leadership capabilities as the chair of the section Education and the scientific director of the Interuniversity Centre for Educational Sciences (ICO) She is committed to fostering an inclusive and collaborative academic environment as evidenced by her active participation in professional development workshops and her dedication to mentoring staff and students Kester's contributions to educational innovation and her involvement in editorial boards of prominent journals underscore her influence in the field of educational technology and cognitive psychology Her work continues to inspire and shape the future of education in a rapidly evolving digital landscape the FPN Green Team recruited a group of 17 volunteers from various faculties from the university who gathered at Griendpark for a trash pickup initiative the FPN Green Team recruited a group of 17 volunteers from various faculties from the university who gathered at Griendpark for a trash pickup initiative.   they focused on the riverside area of the park and the space in front of the Compley stairs over 20 bags of trash were collected along with two bikes retrieved from the river participants enjoyed a “build your own lunch” meal and reflected on the day.   Maastricht University's Faculty of Law recently launched the Friends of the Law Faculty initiative PhD students and (former) staff to strengthen their ties with the faculty and actively contribute to its future.  Friends of the Law Faculty support study facilities research activities and the faculty community including discounts on post-graduate education faculty merchandise and professional LinkedIn photos They also get the chance to mentor students offer internships and participate in inspiring networking events.  One of the first projects supported by the Friends is the transformation of the faculty's courtyard garden into the ‘Garden of Justice’ - a green and soothing meeting place for students and staff The grand opening of this garden is scheduled for 2026 the year the faculty celebrates its 45th anniversary.  Alumni and others who care about the faculty are invited to join. More information and the opportunity to become a Friend directly can be found at https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/alumni-law/friends-law-faculty.  Climate negotiations have been ongoing for 35 years Yet global temperatures have exceeded 1℃ above pre-industrial levels and are projected to surpass 1.5℃ Six justice challenges dominate the climate negotiations: setting targets and addressing market mechanisms and climate drivers Balancing environmental sustainability with basic human needs remains a critical challenge; meeting the minimum needs of the poorest adds pressures comparable to the consumption of the top 4% Gupta will make clear that achieving sustainability and justice requires systemic transformation One proposed long-term solution is a Global Constitution drafted through public contributions and research to address these intertwined crises with principles of Earth System Justice Joyeeta Gupta is Professor of Environment and Development in the Global South the highest scientific distinction in the Netherlands for her research on interconnections between climate crisis Obesity is one of the great public health problems we face New drugs such as Ozempic offer possibilities but also raise moral Why is ‘just lose some weight’ naïve and unempirical Why might covering Ozempic be cheaper for health insurers Gijs Goossens and Mickaël Hiligsmann to talk about obesity and its new miracle cure It is possibly the most consequential and lucrative innovation to come out of Denmark since Lego and coastal raids in longboats: Ozempic it was developed by the Bagsværd-based multinational Novo Nordisk as a treatment for diabetes; its active ingredient semaglutide A side effect that quickly took centre stage is that this reduces appetite Patients feel full for longer; as a result Losing excess weight does not only improve quality of life Professor of Cardiometabolic Physiology of Obesity at the Institute of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM) explains that the consequences of obesity are very serious “Obesity acts as a gateway to many complications and chronic diseases It is also associated with mental disorders such as depression weight loss is as simple as consuming fewer calories than one burns A common moral syllogism is that eating less requires discipline therefore relying on drugs is somehow cheating Goossens is quick to push back on that intuition a healthy lifestyle is the cornerstone in the prevention of obesity and related complications It helps reduce high blood pressure and high levels of cholesterol and blood sugar we often need to treat these symptoms with medication to prevent further complications Few people have a problem with that – but using obesity management medication triggers a different response.”  Goossens also takes issue with the simplistic idea of weight loss and maintenance as a matter of personal virtue in many but not all cases it’s about eating too much but it’s important to understand that obesity is not a lifestyle choice Research shows that people may gain weight for a variety of reasons such as genetics or side effects of common medications such as anti-depressants anti-psychotics and long-term use of some anti-inflammatory drugs It is important that people realise that obesity is a complex chronic disease.” The timeless wisdom ‘just go to the gym’ is misguided as well While exercising is great for cardiovascular health and long-term health outcomes in general it does little to contribute to weight loss beyond “building muscles through resistance exercise training That then causes you to burn more calories – also while resting.” Goossens explains that obesity is the result of a complex interaction between biological “You needa holistic approach: On the one hand The government is responsible for creating a healthy environment to facilitate a healthy lifestyle we must provide better care for those already living with obesity.” Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience of Abnormal Eating at FPN agrees – and is consequently very sceptical about treating the symptoms at the expense of tackling these underlying reasons you lose weight by eating less – and that has health benefits sure – but you’re not necessarily eating any healthier but I still have a terrible diet lacking in micronutrients and it’ll be impossible to keep the weight off without the medication.” This is not to say that Roefs rejects pharmaceutical treatment in all cases; but she sees a real problem in the way we frame this and other public health issues: “We are taking a societal problem and focusing on the individual we are seduced by a quick technological fix to a complex systemic problem.” Roefs sees an over-reliance on drugs as shortsighted since it takes away incentives for governments to regulate the actual causes of obesity and for individuals to cultivate a healthier lifestyle Both of those would require increasing the friction between people and unhealthy The obvious way forward is doing to high-fat high-sugar food what we have done to cigarettes many people are understandably allergic to the state telling them how to live “But industry is constantly telling you how to live It’s so much more than advertising; it’s our built environment from cities designed exclusively for car use to supermarkets offering 80% unhealthy food We live in a world where living a healthy life requires a lot of effort.”   Roefs is happy enough to concede that these drugs are an effective intervention but thinks that it’s a bad idea for most people to take them It’s naïve to think that people will only use it as a last resort.” On the back of a wave of publicity from influencers and celebrities using Ozempic for aesthetic ends survey data suggests that 1 in 8 adults in the United States has used Ozempic-like drugs at some point and half of those – around 15 million people – are currently using it Some might say this couldn’t happen in the Netherlands where you need a prescription from your GP developed by the same company and with the same active ingredient and managed to do so in less than 5 minutes.  “I filled in an online questionnaire faking the answers and voila for a bit more than €500 I would have been able to order a month’s supply.” This also means that there is competition for this limited resource between those for whom it is a potentially lifesaving treatment and those who are willing to invest their disposable income in visible abs or a thigh gap Even if we discard that consideration and view Ozempic purely as a medicine there remains the question of who covers the cost Gijs Goossens is Professor of Cardiometabolic Physiology of Obesity at the Institute of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM) an institute withing FHML which works closely with the Maastricht University Medical Centre+ He is Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board of the European Association for the Study of Obesity If we frame obesity as a personal moral failing then it seems odd to ask health insurances to cover medications that aid weight loss Leaving aside for a moment that this view is deeply flawed there is also an amoral case to be made in favour of drugs as expensive as Ozempic: “A few years ago we conducted a cross sectional survey that revealed the total costs of obesity to be around €10,000 per year per person,” explains Mickaël Hiligsmann associate professor at UM’s Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI) less than half was health care costs; the rest was ‘societal costs’ that is to say productivity loss because the person or their informal carers skip work or leisure activities.” Hiligsmann explains how the Netherlands National Health Care Institute (Zorginstituut) earlier this year rejected to reimburse Wegovy They concluded that its efficacy is beyond doubt but that long-term effects are as yet unclear and that the costs were prohibitive “Seven million people in the Netherlands are seriously overweight and have associated health complaints; it would cost €1.3 billion per year to treat them with Wegovy.” A lot of money but still only half of what Chelsea have spent on players in the last ten years not to suggest the London football club fund weight loss in the Netherlands instead…) At the same time Hiligsmann points out that there is always a trade-off not only economically but also in terms of quality of life so it’s important to prevent and treat in a cost-effective way we need to compare interventions such as obesity management medication or bariatric surgery as the price goes down and the availability increases Ozempic will be reimbursed by health insurers.” The value of pharmaceutical weight loss interventions becomes more obvious when we clearly distinguish terms The BMI (Body Mass Index) is calculated as kilogrammes per height in metres squared As Goossens himself has pointed out in a recent article suggesting a different framework for obesity diagnostics a rugby player could be ‘obese’ despite having 10% body fat it requires very little data to calculate and holds up well across populations – also due to the relative scarcity of rugby players Overweight starts at a BMI of 25 – think a man of 1.8m and 81kg – whereas obesity starts at a BMI of 30 – the same man weighing 98kg.  Mickaël Hiligsmann is Associate Professor in Health Economics and Health Technology Assessment at the Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI) and is Editor-in-Chief of Expert Review of Pharmacoeconomics & Outcomes Research Goossens explains that lifestyle interventions – diet and exercise – should always be the first step but is also quick to point out the limitations of self-discipline and good advice: “There are people with a BMI of 40 or higher who need to lose a substantial amount of body weight to prevent complications The longer you remain outside of the danger zone the better for your long-term health outcomes Obesity management medication such as semaglutide is more effective in lowering chronic disease risk and improving quality of life compared with lifestyle interventions in certain patients with severe obesity.” wonders whether the results of Wegovy – 10% weight loss after 4 years almost all of which occurs during the first couple of months – wouldn’t be possible gradually and sustainably through a healthier lifestyle “These lifestyle interventions [ideally consisting of group therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy along with a diet and exercise regime] aren’t about hectoring people Most people know in theory what a healthy lifestyle is and don’t need more health information you try to fathom why they find it so hard to eat healthily and exercise sufficiently Then you implement strategies on how to cope and make healthy lifestyle changes.”  Roefs stresses that a shift in mindset is necessary to cultivate a healthy lifestyle over time. “It’s not lack of will power but our environment that promotes an unhealthy lifestyle and deeply entrenched unhealthy habits. Life is not always easy and not everyone faces the same challenges.” Roefs is currently leading a project studying what psychological personal and biological characteristics determine how effective an intensive lifestyle intervention is for individuals “Very preliminary results suggest that the best results are obtained by those who manage to change their habits in daily life,” explains Roefs who finds the idea of temporary diets self-defeating “You can never go back to the eating patterns that made you obese in the first place A healthier lifestyle over time is more sustainable – and a better example for your children: rather than go for a quick fix you are actively taking care of yourself.” She is quick to acknowledge just how hard it is to change habits and that it will be a gradual and lifelong process Anne Roefs is Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience of Abnormal Eating at the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience’s (FPN), where she chairs the Eating Disorders and Obesity section.  Roefs thinks trying to consume our way out of the situation is problematic “We now have a situation where the food industry through marketing and ultra palatable calorie-dense nutrient-poor food is making huge profits and causing a lot of damage now the pharmaceutical industry is making huge profits Nestlé for example has launched a food brand aimed at GLP-1 users so those on weight loss medication.” The profit motive matters because these pharmaceuticals are not a cure but a chronic treatment: patients have to continue taking them – or regain the weight once the bodyfat percentage is back in the green more than half of the initial weight loss is regained after two years and more than 75% within 5 years Our body fights weight loss by increasing hunger and reducing energy expenditure.” While most of the weight lost is fat the decrease in energy expenditure is even lower than we would expect based on changes in body composition This phenomenon is called ‘metabolic adaptation’ but the underlying mechanisms are not yet fully understood.”  This means that once a person with obesity has reached a healthy weight they can consume fewer calories to remain weight stable than someone with the exact same body composition who hasn’t been obese – and they’ll feel hungrier The answer would be Ozempic in the long run Goossens would again point to the fact that we do this for other diseases too but concedes that it’s problematic that we live in a world where this should be necessary and common People not getting obese in the first place would be preferable for a litany of reasons While Goossens and Roefs do not fully agree on whether weight loss drugs are a crucial intervention or a distraction from the actual changes that need to happen they very much converge on those necessary changes Vind jij het ook belangrijk dat we de obesitaspandemie beter begrijpen en wil je bijdragen aan effectievere en persoonlijkere behandelingen voor overgewicht Vooral mannen (van elke gewichtscategorie) en vrouwen met een gezond gewicht of met overgewicht (BMI 25-30) zijn welkom These include a society where the healthy choice is affordable where all children learn good habits early independent of their socioeconomic background precariousness and loneliness are exceptions Both also agree that ‘health at every size’ is a dangerous myth but are quick to stress that the stigma around obesity is counterproductive as it does more to keep people away from healthy behaviours while lifestyle changes need to be permanent “Living and eating healthily around 80% or 90% of the time is good enough.” Still space for the occasional croissant then.  Assistant Professor at the department of Health Services Research.