On 12 March 2026 at TEFAF Maastricht, the third MAZE/Art Awards F.P.Journe honored Jeanne Selmersheim-Desgrange for “Untitled (Fleurs d’automne)“, presented by the Pavec gallery. F.P.Journe acquired the work and will propose it to the Kunstmuseum Basel, a quiet, practical gesture toward public collections rather than headlines.
Built around a curatorial approach that adapts to each fair, the prize highlights historical artists reintroduced by modern or contemporary galleries. It fits TEFAF’s character – a place where centuries meet and speak – and draws attention to careers long kept at the margins, while recognizing the galleries that bring them forward.
The jury for this edition comprised Gabriel Dette, curator of art before 1800 at Kunstmuseum Basel, Lydia Berkens, curator and scientific expert in modern and contemporary art at the Conservation Institute Maastricht, and Annabelle Ténèze, director of the Louvre-Lens museum.
Earlier awards set the rhythm: in November 2025 at MIRA Art Fair in Paris, Victor Fidelis (Verve Gallery, São Paulo) was distinguished for “No limit do privado” and the work was offered to the Centre Pompidou. On 19 February 2026 at Art Gstaad, Sonia Gomes (Mendes Wood DM) received the award for “Untitled”, with the work offered to the Kunstmuseum Basel.
With a second work proposed to Kunstmuseum Basel, the initiative continues its stated aim – enriching public collections and reinforcing institutional recognition for the artists it surfaces. For a watchmaker known for patient craft, the cadence feels familiar: steady, precise, and intent on leaving something worthwhile for the next set of hands.
Leave a Reply