Weekly arts agenda: TEFAF, Lucian Freud

The world's leading arts and antique fair, the TEFAF Maastricht Arts and Antiques Fair, will kick off during the week of March 8. A record number of exhibitors will showcase more than 50,000 stunning examples of art and artifacts from across the globe. A striking exhibition of works by Lucian Freud -- one of the most important living artists in the world -- will also take place during the week at Paris' Centre Pompidou.

The world's leading arts and antique fair, the TEFAF Maastricht Arts and Antiques Fair, will kick off during the week of March 8. A record number of exhibitors will showcase more than 50,000 stunning examples of art and artifacts from across the globe. A striking exhibition of works by Lucian Freud - one of the most important living artists in the world - will also take place during the week at Paris' Centre Pompidou.

Lucian Freud exhibit
March 10-July 19
Centre Pompidou
Paris, France

Lucian Freud's first exhibition in France since 1987 will revolve around the theme of the artist's studio. The flesh-like qualities of Freud's paintings are evident amongst the recurrent themes of the portrait and the nude and have made the artist, now 88, one of the most important living artists in the world. Around 50 of his large-scale paintings have been selected for the Parisian exhibition including his main full-size compositions, variations on former masters, his series of self-portraits and the more recently completed portraits of Leigh Bowery and Big Sue. These works will be supported by a selection of graphic works and photographs of the artist's London studio.
http://www.centrepompidou.fr

TEFAF Maastricht Arts and Antiques Fair
March 12-21
Maastricht Exhibition & Congress Centre
Maastricht, The Netherlands

TEFAF (The European Fine Art Foundation) is the world's leading Arts and Antiques Fair. Last year the fair attracted close to 68,000 visitors. In 2010 a record number of more than 260 art and antiques dealers will travel to the fair from 17 countries. Visitors will have the unique opportunity to view approximately 50,000 stunning examples of art and artifacts from across the globe. Because of the size of the fair (at 31,000m2 it would fill about seven football fields) the event is divided into nine sections that represent all the different forms of art and antiques. A new section has been added this year that is entirely dedicated to works on paper.
http://www.tefaf.com/

Tutankhamun's Funeral
March 16-September 6
Metropolitan Museum
New York, USA

More than 60 artifacts have been prepared for an exhibition that traces the life, death and mummification of Tutankhamun. Objects such as jars, linen sheets, bandages and floral collars found in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt - Tutankhamun's final resting place - will help explain the rituals associated with the burial of the pharaoh. Sculptures of the youthful Tutankhamun and paintings depicting funerary rituals of the time will be paired with archival photographs from the Tutankhamun's tomb excavation to provide an evocative background.
http://www.metmuseum.org/special/se_event.asp?OccurrenceId={D691DB0A-3F0D-41C4-BCCD-7D711394AC32}

Art Dubai
March 17-20
Madinat Jumeirah
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Whilst relatively new on the art scene, Art Dubai has become a hub for contemporary art from the Middle East region. The third edition of Art Dubai attracted 14,000 visitors in 2009. The 2010 arts festival will encompass the unveiling of the artworks by this year's recipients of the Abraaj Capital Art Prize; a prestigious watch exhibition curated by Van Cleef & Arpels; film screenings talks and performances at Art Park; architectural tours, performances and talks as part of Contemparabia 2010.
http://www.artdubai.ae/

Art Paris+Guests
March 18-22
Grand Palais
Paris, France

Art Paris bends the rules of traditional art fairs by creating an event that is centered around contemporary art projects rather than the traditional art fair booth model. Participating galleries co-organize projects with other local and international participants, creating a cacophony of thematic works that extend the barriers of art. The artworks revel around strong creative ideas fusing mediums such as painting, sculpture, drawing, video, performance and installation with architecture, design, fashion gastronomy, literature and cinema.
http://www.artparis.fr/2010/en/home

ArtExpo New York
March 25-28
Pier 94 on the Hudson River
New York, USA

The 32nd international Artexpo will welcome more than 400 artists, galleries and publishers from around the world. The world's largest fine art trade show hopes to attract in excess of 25,000 buyers and art enthusiasts in 2010 all coming to view and purchase wholesale works directly from artists and publishers. In addition to the large showcase of prints, paintings, drawings, sculptures, photography and ceramics, Artexpo will host a special Education Series. The educational seminars and conference classes will be held across the three days on subjects such as art and the economy, art marketing and social media for artists.
http://artexponewyork.com

Art Fair Tokyo
April 2-4
Tokyo International Forum, Exhibition Hall & Lobby Gallery
Tokyo, Japan

Art Fair Tokyo is a broad-ranging art fair that encompasses contemporary and modern art as well as the more traditional Japanese art forms such as nihonga (Japanese-style paintings) and ukiyoe (Japanese woodblock art). The event, now in its fifth year, draws more than 40,000 visitors annually. The Fair's motto is "art is something to buy, not just something to look at." More than 135 galleries will showcase works made by local and international artist. A special section called "PROJECTS" is reserved for new galleries whose artists primarily create cutting-edge contemporary art.
http://www.artfairtokyo.com/en/

ART COLOGNE
April 21 - 25
Cologne Trade Fair Centre (Koelnmesse)
Cologne, Germany

Almost 200 leading local and international galleries will showcase classical 20th century art, post-war art and contemporary art at the 44th edition of ART COLOGNE. A selection of special projects under the banner of Open Space and New Contemporaries will feature works by young and cutting-edge artists. In 2009, 56,500 people attended ART COLOGNE.
http://www.artcologne.com/

CONTACT 2010 Toronto Photography Festival
May
Various locations
Toronto, Canada

CONTACT is the world's largest annual photography festival with more than 1,000,000 visitors each year. The month-long festival is organized in collaboration with galleries throughout Toronto and is comprised of exhibitions, public installations, lectures, films and events. In 2010 CONTACT will explore the ways in which photography "informs and transforms human behaviour."
http://www.contactphoto.com