April 2027
A Non-History of Coffee
And foolish I would climb once more, a tree too weak to stand
What do a steaming cup of coffee and Maastricht have in common? More than you might think. For centuries, Maastricht was the heart of Dutch ceramics production. Millions of cups, pots and tableware sets made their way from factories such as Petrus Regout, Société Céramique and Mosa to coffee tables in the Netherlands and beyond. Anyone exploring the story of coffee through the cup we drink it from will therefore almost inevitably arrive in Maastricht.
But A Non-History of Coffee is not a conventional, chronological account of coffee’s past
The exhibition explores the relationship between coffee and ceramics from a range of perspectives: from the everyday ritual of drinking coffee to craftsmanship and industry, changing tastes and social customs. Familiar stories are combined with unexpected angles and fresh perspectives. The result is not a comprehensive history, but a narrative that leaves room for different voices, associations and interpretations.
Through the eyes of contemporary artists
Contemporary artists play a central role in the exhibition. Gladys Zeevaarders (1993, Kerkrade) and Sara Bachour (1988, Bologna) have been given carte blanche to respond to Maastricht’s ceramic coffee heritage. Drawing on their own perspectives, they connect past and present, adding new – and perhaps even future – chapters to the story of coffee and ceramics.
Curious to find out more?
A Non-history of Coffee is a collaboration with Keramiekmuseum Princessehof in Leeuwarden, where the exhibition Coffee? A Dutch History in Ceramics will be on display from November 2026. Then, from April 2027, come to Maastricht to discover our coffee story in the very place where an important chapter in the history of Dutch ceramics was written. After all, the finest coffee stories begin in a Maastricht-made cup.