German to English Art/Literary General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters auctions

Hello there,
Sorry if this is a bit obvious but I am translating something about a picture which is sold off at auction and I am being a bit dense about this phrase. Here is the context:
"Die Bilder wurden zu einer Messe in den Vereinigten Staaten ausgefuehrt"
The text is about whether VAT should be charged because the picture has been exported outside the EU but I cannot undestand why it would be exported "zu einer Messe". The picture has been exported at a trade fair??? It cannot be, can it? Don't you exhibit valuable pictures in galleries and not at trade fairs?