Meet the Benelux Team
Get to know the dedicated and creative Benelux team behind the magic of Affordable Art Fair Brussels and Affordable Art Fair Amsterdam.
Atena Abrahimia
Wednesday 17 December, 2025
Get to know the dedicated and creative Benelux team behind the magic of Affordable Art Fair Brussels and Affordable Art Fair Amsterdam.
Both of our Benelux fairs take place in culturally-conscious, trend-led cities, where art plays a hugely important role in the resident’s lives.
Let’s introduce the faces in charge of bringing you must-see edition after must-see edition, as we hear all about their favourite memories and individual artistic tastes so you know what to expect at their upcoming fairs.
Time to meet the team!
Annick Reibestein, Co-Fair Director
Before Annick started at Affordable Art Fair, Annick studied Marketing Communications and worked as an Online Marketeer at a big Dutch retail organisation, as well as managing her own photography company.
Her current role is Co-Fair Director for Affordable Art Fair Brussels and Amsterdam, where she has been supporting our amazing galleries on their fair participations since February 2019.
What do you enjoy about Affordable Art Fair?
I love working with such gezellig colleagues and inspiring galleries every day. I’m also fortunate to spend lots of time around so much beautiful art!
Describe your most memorable moment at one of the past fairs.
One of the most memorable moments was the Amsterdam fair in 2019. It was my first fair and I was nervous, but excited at the same time. In the end, seeing everything coming to life after all the intricate preparations gave me a truly euphoric feeling!
Could you please tell us about an unforgettable artwork that you spotted at one of our past fairs?
‘Out Red’ by Derrick Ofosu Boateng on Homecoming Gallery‘s stand directly drew me in with its bright colours and joyful spirit. I’m a huge photography fan and looking at this artwork makes me instantly happy, over and over again.
Do you have any tips for people visiting your hometown of Amsterdam?
The Spiegelkwartier is a must-do for culture lovers as it’s full of treasures from across the globe and centuries. For those in need of some nature, a bike-ride through Amsterdamse Bos is dreamy in the Summer.
My top 3 restaurants in the city are Petit Caron, a cosy French bistro in De Pijp, De Kas at Park Frankendael where they farm their own ingredients and the magical tapas at Tasca Bellota in the Haarlemmerbuurt. That said, I love crossing the river to Amsterdam Noord where there seems to always be an innovative new restaurant opening or event happening.
Atena Abrahimia, Co-Fair Director
Atena Abrahimia has a Masters in Culture Studies – Management of the Arts and Culture from Universidade Catolica Portuguesa in Lisbon, as well as a postgraduate degree in Curatorial Studies from KASK in Gent. In the past years, she has worked on several exhibitions, a performance festival in Brussels and written exhibition texts and artist interviews.
Atena started with Affordable Art Fair in winter 2019, having now worked her way up to Co-Fair Director.
What do you enjoy about Affordable Art Fair, and tell us about your most memorable moment at one of the past fairs?
I enjoy the fact that we have such a broad and diverse range of visitors. I’ve come across newborns visiting the fair with their parents, a 95-year-old lady visiting all by herself, Ambassadors, Olympic athletes, and even a parrot admiring the art from the shoulder of its owner.
As a Luxembourgish national, I was proud to welcome our prime Minister, Xavier Bettel, at the 2023 Brussels fair, and I was even more happy when he told me that he had found some artworks to take back to Luxembourg.
What is an unforgettable artwork that you spotted at one of our past fairs?
It’s hard to only pick one! I remember being captivated by Telmo Pieper’s painting Huddled at Gallery Untitled’s stand during Affordable Art Fair Amsterdam 2024. Telmo is known to be part of the street art duo Telmo & Miel, who create amazing surrealistic murals. I had the pleasure of seeing one of their works in Roeselare, titled Range of Vision.
When I looked at Huddled, I found myself caught between the tension and tenderness of the captured scene, unsure whether the entangled figures are fighting or embracing. It made me reflect on how complex human relationships can sometimes be. I was impressed by the artist’s painting skills, especially in the detailed depiction of the textiles and hands. His use of color and the way he captures light and shadow in this piece is also incredibly compelling.
What are your favourite non-art places in Brussels?
To unwind, I enjoy walks through the many small parks in Brussels. Parc du Viaduc, Parc d’Egmont and Abbaye de la Cambre are among my favourites. I also love going to Place Poelaert for its extraordinary view over the city.
On Sundays, I like to stroll around the Marolles and Sablon area to check out the Jeu de balle flea market, have lunch at the Taiwan inspired, plant-based restaurant Liu Lin.
For a beer, my favourite spot is Le Pantin at Flagey. I’ve been going there ever since I moved to Brussels 11 years ago. I enjoy going to Wide Awake Espresso Bar for coffee and to Renard Bakery for a cinnamon roll or cake.
Justine Rainer, Fair Coordinator
Before joining Affordable Art Fair as a Fair coordinator in spring 2024, Justine studied Drawing at ARBA ESA and completed her Master in Fine Arts at NCAD. She has been active as an artist and curator for a few years, working as a Barista on the side, before she started working in Art management as an assistant Gallery Director and opened an Art Gallery in the Maldives.
What do you enjoy about Affordable Art Fair?
I love that the focus is to support living artists, every sale helps fund artists that are currently practicing and further developing their work, being an artist myself, I find that the most important as it creates more opportunities for emerging artists to make a living of their work.
What is an unforgettable artwork that you spotted at one of our past fairs?
There are these pieces that I remember from the first Affordable Art Fair Berlin edition, of a Vietnamese Artist Thai Ho Pham, who studied arts and is also a tattoo artist and he works with these tattoo skins, tattooing them and painting them. I found it amazing to see a practice that uses other mediums so creatively.
What are your favourite non-art places in Brussels?
I love strolling through the Woluwe park when the weather is sunny, enjoy a Belgian beer at A la mort subite for the ultimate Belgian pub feel and another lovely place to people watch when then the weather is looking up is Place Saint-Géry.
Marie De Saedeleer, Marketing & Sponsorship Coordinator
After completing her master’s in Arts Journalism in London, Marie has gained experience by working as a communication advisor and marketeer as well as a copywriter for clients within arts, healthcare and fashion. After having worked in a contemporary art gallery in her hometown, Antwerp, she joined Affordable Art Fair to do what she loves most: translating the story of artists to the greater public.
What do you enjoy about Affordable Art Fair, and tell us about your most memorable moment at one of the past fairs?
The inclusive nature of the fair. After my studies, I spent some time in Argentina, Colombia and Cuba. What struck me is how within Latin culture, art is approached in a very instinctive way: it is there for everyone to enjoy. Background knowledge is a plus, but not a must. Same goes for our fair: one has the possibility to learn, as we are also committed to education, but that’s completely optional. There are no wrong questions, on the contrary, exhibitors love to chat!
The build-up days before the fair kicks off. Only then one realizes how many helping hands and heads it takes for everything to run smoothly. Everyone is attuned to each other and has their well-defined tasks. The energy is special: somewhere between very nervous and very excited. Ah, and a good 90’s playlist, that helps too.
What is an unforgettable artwork that you spotted at one of our past fairs?
Standing in front of Magali Cazo‘s breathtaking natural spectacles at Galerie Insula’s stand reminded me of a powerful Bigness.
What are your favourite non-art places in Brussels?
For those who have never been to Brussels, I recommend looking up. The city is commonly pointed at as the epicentre of Art-Déco and the chic details on some windows, gates and doors amaze me every time. Or the terrace of Brasserie Verschueren in Sint-Gilles is perfect for my favourite activity: people-watching.
Main image: Photos from Affordable Art Fair Amsterdam (left) and Affordable Art Fair Brussels (right).
Author