The special exhibition at art karlsruhe with works by Tamina Amadyar from the Christoph Keller Collection, in conjunction with works from the Städtische Galerie, curated by Stefanie Patruno, can be seen in Hall 3 from February 20 to 23.

The exhibiting galleries, almost 30 percent of which are traveling from near and far abroad, will show the spectrum of artistic perspectives in four halls - from Classical Modernism to Concrete Art and Pop Art to Contemporary Art. The conceptual changes under the dual leadership of Olga Blaß and Kristian Jarmuschek, which will be further developed in 2025, are confirmed by returning galleries and have aroused the curiosity of new exhibitors, many from the Rhineland.

From Classical Modernism to Pop Art: art karlsruhe's big names

Classical Modernism is an essential component of art karlsruhe. Around two dozen of the 180 or so exhibitors are planning to show works of classical modernism. Marc Chagall, Salvador Dali, Lyonel Feininger, Joan Miró and Pablo Picasso are among the classics most frequently represented. Galleries such as Jeanne (Munich), Koch (Hanover), Koch-Westenhoff (Lübeck), Ludorff (Düsseldorf), Raphael (Frankfurt am Main), Rudolf (Kampen/Sylt), Schwarzer (Düsseldorf) and Rotermund (Hamburg) will surprise visitors with carefully selected paintings by George Braque, Otto Dix, Max Ernst, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, August Macke, Henri Matisse, Emil Nolde and others. Internationally, Cortina (Barcelona), De Zutter (Knokke), Gilden's Art (London), Kroken (Höganäs), Mollbrinks Gallery (Uppsala), Schanewald (Toulouse) and WOS (Zurich) strengthen the offer in the field of classical modernism.

Five galleries alone are taking the 30th anniversary of the death of American painter Sam Francis as an opportunity to present the American artist's colour-intensive compositions, some of which are influenced by Claude Monet. Galleries such as Luzán (Berlin) and Schlichtenmaier (Grafenau) are also showing works by the Stuttgart artist to mark the 70th anniversary of Willi Baumeister's death.

Works by the soon-to-be 85-year-old Imi Knöbel will be shown by four galleries alone (including Edouard Simoens, Knokke/Belgium and Fetzer, Sontheim). The ZERO artists Heinz Mack and Günther Uecker are also strongly represented, demonstrating the continuing interest in the art of the late 1950s and early 60s. More austere, minimalist works can be found at galleries such as Bender (Munich), Geiger (Constance), Koch (Hanover), Luzán (Berlin), Roy (Felanitx/Mallorca), Heike Strelow (Frankfurt am Main) and van der Koelen (Mainz/Venice).

Important protagonists of American Pop Art such as Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol and Tom Wesselmann can be found at Benden & Ackermann (Düsseldorf) and Cortina (Barcelona).

Growth from the Rhineland: contemporary and modern art

art karlsruhe is looking forward to new support from the Rhineland in the coming year. Following their appearance at art karlsruhe 2024, Cosar and Petra Rinck (both Düsseldorf) will now be accompanied by Thomas Rehbein, Martin Kudlek, Anke Schmidt (all Cologne) and Setareh (Düsseldorf). Galerie Löhrl (Mönchengladbach) is also returning to Karlsruhe this year. Internationally active galleries complement the portfolio of art karlsruhe with their high-quality program of contemporary and contemporary art.

Among the new additions to the upcoming edition are ASPN from Leipzig, whose gallery owner Arne Linde joined the art karlsruhe advisory board this year, and the Berlin gallery Taubert Contemporary.

After their debut in 2024, the galleries Nanna Preußners (Hamburg) and Galerie Schlieder (Frankfurt) are also taking part in art karlsruhe again. The latest positions can be discovered at the new:comer galleries Laetitia Gorsy from Leipzig and PAW from Karlsruhe, among others. The spectrum of galleries from Karlsruhe includes Meyer Riegger, Burster and Yvonne Hohner.

The “friends” format is also well received once again. In 2025, ten galleries will present themselves together on a stand with a befriended gallery. The Cologne gallery Martin Kudlek has invited the London gallery Patrick Heide, the DavisKlemmGallery (Wiesbaden) is bringing the Micheko Gallery (Munich), and Sievi (Berlin) is bringing the BBA Gallery, also based in Berlin.

Sculptures at art karlsruhe

Since the first edition, sculpture spaces have been a focal point at art karlsruhe - 10 x 10 m areas where sculptors are presented on a larger scale. In 2025, a total of 18 galleries in Halls 1, 2 and the dm-arena will occupy one of the sculpture spaces. Galerie Eric Mouchet from Paris is planning a particularly elaborate sculpture project this year.

Constructive balancing acts by Jörg Wiele (Schrade, Mochental) can be found alongside wooden constructions by Stephan Wurmer (Fenna Wehlau, Munich) and car sculptures by Stephan Rohrer (Scheffel, Bad Homburg), which are reminiscent of oversized blasting drawings. From these 18 positions, an independent jury will select the winner of the Loth Skulpturenplatzpreis - donated by L-Bank - which, in addition to prize money of 20,000 euros shared by the artist and gallery owner, also includes an original work of art by the Karlsruhe sculptor from his estate. Since last year, the sculpture spots have enlivened the hall aisles and given the galleries the opportunity to draw attention to compelling individual positions. These include artists such as Andreas Blank, Matthias Dämpfle, Christiane Erdmann and Joachim Röderer.

Galleries such as Berengo (Venice) and Geißler-Bentler (Bonn) are presenting sculptures by artists such as Ai Weiwei, Tony Cragg, Stephan Balkenhol and Joana Vasconcelos, as well as Erwin Wurm and the recently deceased Daniel Spoerri.

The high-caliber field of participants promises an outstanding start to the new art fair year 2025 with its dialogical composition typical of art karlsruhe.

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Similar to the successful reorientation of the fair this year under the preamble ‘Evolution instead of Revolution’, it now presents itself with a completely renewed appearance. Together with Independent Collectors, a well-known agency in the art scene, we discussed colours, logo, font, visual language and design elements and developed a holistic corporate design that works across all communication channels.

After the conceptual reorientation of art karlsruhe 2024 under the new dual leadership of project manager Olga Blaß and advisory board chairman Kristian Jarmuschek was very well received, this further development is now also reflected visually. In this sense, art karlsruhe is building on its proven origins and yet breaking new ground: ‘art karlsruhe is based on a solid foundation that has developed over 20 years,’ says Britta Wirtz, Managing Director of Messe Karlsruhe. ‘It is important to us to remain true to this heritage - without losing sight of the future. We want to build on our strengths and at the same time be on the move and curious about what is to come. The new corporate design perfectly reflects this mindset.’ Kristian Jarmuschek adds: ‘With our new visual identity, we are giving art karlsruhe a visual identity that emphasises and reflects our further development in terms of content.’

Keep moving - also in terms of design

The renewed visual identity was developed in collaboration with the Berlin design agency Independent Collectors in a development process involving lively dialogue with art market players, accompanied by the art karlsruhe advisory board and a careful selection process. It reflects what art, and therefore art karlsruhe, can do: Arouse curiosity, stimulate and inspire. ‘After 20 years under a striking red and yellow flag - the colours of Baden - these same colours will in future form the bracket around a colour gradient that symbolises a timeline “from classical modernism to contemporary art” on the one hand, but also stands for the transformation of art karlsruhe and can continue to develop with it on the other,’ explains project manager Olga Blaß. "The brand colours are complemented by a text logo that can respond in format and colour to all the requirements of today's, mostly digital, world. A blur effect, which we will always experience differently, alerts us to take a closer look, perhaps even to take a step back or move closer in order to change our perspective, just as we do when looking at art.’ The newly developed font appears modern and clear, but at the same time high-quality and elegant. Whether for classic media, brochures, websites or other digital media - the new corporate design will now appear everywhere art karlsruhe is visible.

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Karlsruhe, 22.11.2024 – From January 1, 2025, the VAT rate for artworks will be reduced from 19% to 7%. After the decision was made in June of this year as part of the annual tax law 2024, the Federal Council finally passed the law today, Friday, November 22, 2024. art KARLSRUHE, which will take place from February 20 to 23, 2025, will be the first art fair in Germany to apply the new reduced VAT rate. In his role as Chairman of the Federal Association of German Galleries and Art Dealers (BVDG), art KARLSRUHE Advisory Board Chairman Kristian Jarmuschek has been campaigning for the introduction of this reduced tax rate for years. “I am delighted that our long-standing efforts have now resulted in a change in the law that will hopefully give the German art market the long-awaited new impetus,” says Jarmuschek. Olga Blaß, Project Director of art KARLSRUHE, adds: “As the first German art fair at which the reduced tax rate will apply, we hope that this important development will bring new, positive impulses that will be noticeable at art KARLSRUHE.”

The change in the law is a significant relief for the German art market and strengthens the competitiveness of galleries and art dealers, who have suffered from the higher tax burden over the past ten years. Since the VAT rate was increased to 19% in 2014, galleries and art dealers in Germany have been at a disadvantage compared to international competitors with mostly lower VAT rates. They are now hoping for a significant strengthening of the German art market and greater competitiveness and presence in an international context.

About art KARLSRUHE 2025

With its 22nd edition, art KARLSRUHE, the fair for classical modern and contemporary art, will once again invite the international art world to the fan-shaped city next year. From February 20 to 23, around 180 exhibitors will span 120 years of art history, creating an exchange between classical modernism, art after 1945, contemporary and contemporary art and sculpture. With an outstanding selection of works, art KARLSRUHE presents diverse artistic perspectives that appeal to both established collectors and art novices.

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77,800.00 euros - that is the impressive result of the first benefit auction organized by the Friends and Sponsors of art KARLSRUHE in cooperation with Messe Karlsruhe. Dynamic, rousing and entertaining, the evening's auctioneer, Kristian Jarmuschek, succeeded in making numerous arms jump up in the packed auction room. A total of 50 works of art were auctioned off at the Konzerthaus in Karlsruhe, achieving a proud total result of 77,800.00 euros. "Together with our guests, we were able to spend a wonderful evening in the special ambience of the Konzerthaus, where top-class, selected works of art from the art KARLSRUHE galleries were shown to an enthusiastic audience, accompanied by good music, exquisite wines, food and good conversation," says Britta Wirtz, Managing Director of Messe Karlsruhe and Chairwoman of the Board of the Friends and Sponsors of art KARLSRUHE. "But the most important thing for us is that we were able to achieve a fantastic result with our charity art auction and thus actively support the Parkinson's Foundation."

Auctioning art and doing good: this is the motto under which the Verein der Förderer und Freunde der art KARLSRUHE, in cooperation with Messe Karlsruhe, is inviting you to its first charity auction in aid of the Parkinson's Foundation at the Konzerthaus in Karlsruhe on 21 June 2024. Kristian Jarmuschek, Chairman of the art KARLSRUHE Advisory Board, will be the evening's auctioneer and will conduct the auctions of the 50 or so works provided by the art KARLSRUHE galleries. 50 per cent of the ‘hammer price’ will go to the Parkinson's Foundation and 50 per cent to the respective artists.

‘Buying art and doing good - for me, there is hardly a better reason to come together with our guests,’ says Britta Wirtz, Managing Director of Messe Karlsruhe and Chairwoman of the Board of the Friends and Sponsors of art KARLSRUHE. "As a support association, our central concern is to promote art and culture and to create visibility for art in the public eye. We are all the more pleased that we are also serving a good cause for the Parkinson's Foundation today."

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

"I see a real departure here," summarises the world-famous artist and loyal visitor to the fair Markus Lüpertz. On the preview day, the hand-picked audience of art connoisseurs and gallery owners was already enthusiastic about the conceptual reorganisation under the new management, which has made the strengths of the fair tangible again. Around 47,000 visitors confirmed this initial positive response over the course of the fair.

"There is a unique spirit at art KARLSRUHE this year," says fair director Britta Wirtz. "And this is not only noticeable here, but also far beyond the exhibition centre. The fundamentally high quality of our exhibitors and the new concept are the perfect starting point on the way to becoming the place to be for the art scene in Europe."

Focussed on strengths and ready to provide impetus

With a broad spectrum of artistic creation, art KARLSRUHE offers art lovers an unrivalled collection of works - from classical modernism to post-war modernism and contemporary art. This inspiring interplay is unique in Karlsruhe and forms the basis for innovations that build on the fair's existing strengths. "We receive consistently positive feedback from our galleries," summarise project manager Olga Blaß and advisory board chairman Kristian Jarmuschek. "We are also particularly proud that relevant galleries that had cancelled previous art KARLSRUHE editions have now returned to us because they find our new concept so convincing." For example, the renowned gallery Henze & Ketterer: "The fact that classical modernism has come to Hall 1 was the deciding factor for us to come back to art," explains Dr Alexandra Henze. "My overall impression is that the fair is very appealing, the quality has increased in recent years and the visitors are very well informed. The discussions are really fun." New exhibitors are also finding the reorganisation of the fair positive: "This is our first time at art KARLSRUHE," says Michael Cosar from Galerie Cosar. "We had visitors to our stand throughout, numerous interested people and positive discussions, including some successful deals. We are therefore very satisfied."

Manuel Ludorff from Galerie Ludorff in Düsseldorf emphasises the high sales figures in particular: "Despite a market environment with economic challenges, the response here at art KARLSRUHE was very good. We have met very important and relevant collectors - the basic prerequisite for sales, especially in the high-price segment. For example, we have just sold a watercolour by Lyonel Feininger for 120,000 euros and have reserved works worth half a million euros to date. We were also able to sell all the paintings we had brought from the artist Christopher Lehmpfuhl, for example. As almost every year, things went extremely well for us at art KARLSRUHE."

The prince of painters Markus Lüpertz also praised the further development of the fair: "I've already discovered great colour application and good painting and I'm excited to see where the path will lead. The new structure is noticeable and I am particularly interested in the young art, because the newcomers in particular bring welcome excitement and life to the fair. I see a real awakening here!"

Overwhelming response to new format re:discover

"re:discover" - a format that makes artists visible again who quite wrongly do not have the attention of the art market - was very well received. With funding from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) and together with the Federal Association of German Galleries and Art Dealers (BVDG), art KARLSRUHE placed a special emphasis on artists who, despite the high artistic quality of their work, do not receive the attention they deserve. A total of 20 positions could be discovered in the gallery booths. "I am delighted with the re:discover programme," says Imke Valentien from Galerie Imke Valentien. "It's a great idea as a concept for the art market, but also for the artists. And it was an impulse from the BVDG to establish this concept at art KARLSRUHE."

Close ties with the regional economy and urban society

Numerous players from business and culture used the inspiring setting of the fair to network and exchange ideas. "More companies, networks, institutions and associations than ever before used the prestige of art KARLSRUHE this year as a showcase for meetings with their customers, partners and members," says Britta Wirtz. "We are of course delighted to welcome all regional and national players from the business world who choose our fair for their receptions and get-togethers."

With its important cultural institutions, a lively art scene and as a "UNESCO City of Media Arts", the fan-shaped city is predestined to make art KARLSRUHE a tangible part of city life. This took shape, for example, in project spaces and off-spaces with a sophisticated programme entitled "Kunstrauschen", where experiential spaces opened up for those interested in the art scene. "art KARLSRUHE is a testament to artistic roots in the city and region," says Olga Blass. "Together with the stakeholders of the art scene, we have realised new beginnings that will experience real development in the future." This offer was optimally reflected by the highlight "Forum Karlsruhe" in Hall 3, where a symbiosis of partnership was created that placed Karlsruhe's brand essence, media art, at the centre. In addition to works from the archive of the Centre for Art and Media (ZKM), the next generation of media artists from the Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design (HfG) presented themselves for the first time with four of their own works and the scenographic design of the space.

The next art KARLSRUHE will take place from 20 to 23 February 2025.

This year's Loth Prize for Sculpture has been awarded to the Art Affair gallery in Regensburg and its artist Andreas Blank. The prize, worth €20,000 and supported by L-Bank, was awarded for the first time in 2018. It rewards both a sculptor and the gallery that presents him or her at one of the 21 KARLSRUHE art sculpture locations.

The jury justified its decision as follows: "Here is a sculptor at work who places us at the heart of his artistic conception of our real world and its social conditions. Where does the irony lead the viewer, the consumer of these tableaux of thought, into a thought-provoking learning process?"

Hans Platschek Prize for Art and Writing awarded to Paula Doepfner

On the opening Thursday, the Hans Platschek Prize was awarded to Paula Doepfner. The laudator was Marion Ackermann, General Director of the National Art Collections in Dresden, who had nominated the artist on behalf of the Platschek Foundation. Rebecca Horn's pupil, who lives and works in Berlin, is "impressively up-to-date". Her writing is filigree and linear, yet extraordinarily serious, influenced by the literary work of writers such as Robert Musil and Paul Celan.

The 16th Karlsruhe Art Prize goes to Carlo Krone and Galerie Fuchs

The 16th Karlsruhe art prize, awarded for the first time at the opening ceremony, was awarded this year to the artist Carlo Krone and the Thomas Fuchs gallery. The €15,000 prize is awarded jointly by the Land of Baden-Württemberg and the city, and is used to purchase works from the artist's One Artist Show presented by the gallery. This year, 79 One Artist Shows will be presented at the fair. The work(s) purchased will join the art KARLSRUHE collection of the Städtische Galerie Karlsruhe.

Carlo Krone, represented by Thomas Fuchs Gallery in Stuttgart, has been studying with Professor Thomas Bechinger at the Staatliche Akademie der Bildenden Künste Stuttgart since 2019. In his paintings, he takes everyday life as his theme, but twists it with a healthy dose of artistic freedom to give it the character of archetypes of our times.

A city characterised by art

With its numerous cultural institutions, Karlsruhe's reputation as a city of art and culture has always preceded it. "Once again this year, the fan-shaped city is honouring its reputation as a city of art and culture with art KARLSRUHE - far beyond the regional borders," says Britta Wirtz. "As the first and so far only German city to bear the title "UNESCO City of Media Arts", it goes without saying that the whole of Karlsruhe is currently dedicated to art: with numerous committed partners and municipal art and cultural institutions, this year we are interweaving ourselves more than ever with the players in the city and offering a unique insight into the local art scene."

The project spaces and Off Spaces have put together a sophisticated programme especially for art KARLSRUHE under the title "Kunstrauschen", which will be made accessible to all those trade fair visitors who are still in the mood for contemporary art after the exhibition halls close on Friday evening with a trade fair shuttle. This perfectly complements the "Forum Karlsruhe" in Hall 4, where the UNESCO City of Media Arts, the Karlsruhe museums and the two art academies will be presenting themselves.

After art party in the Hallenbau

art KARLSRUHE meets Hallenbau: If you're still in the mood to celebrate after the opening of art KARLSRUHE, you can round off the evening with drinks, snacks and live music in the ZKM foyer in the Hallenbau: After a "Get together" for invited guests of the fair and the institutions at 7 pm, the After art Party will follow from 9 pm with DJ sets by deepthought and Caligo. Admission is free of charge.

177 galleries, exhibiting museums, institutions, art academies, associations and media as well as partners from the urban environment are eagerly awaiting the opening of art KARLSRUHE tomorrow. The numerous innovations in store for the 21st edition of the fair are already generating lively interest and anticipation among all those involved, as well as a great deal of media attention. The Managing Director of Messe Karlsruhe, Britta Wirtz, is also looking forward to the coming days of the fair: "In the past nine months, we have initiated many new things, building on the convincing strengths of art KARLSRUHE. This has been well received by the market. I am particularly proud that we have succeeded in bringing the art fair more into the city. Thanks to the numerous, committed partners, municipal art and cultural institutions, we can offer a broadly diversified programme and additional offers to our out-of-town guests as well as interested parties from the region."

Opening and awarding of the art KARLSRUHE Prize

For the first time, the 16th art KARLSRUHE Prize will be awarded to a One Artist Show dedicated by a gallery to one of its artists during the official opening at 5 pm in the Aktionshalle. The 15,000 euro prize is jointly organised by the state of Baden-Württemberg and the city of Karlsruhe.

New structure in the halls

Conceptual adjustments and a focussing of the fair have led to a new structure in the halls, which offers visitors better orientation.

In future, 120 years of art history will begin at art KARLSRUHE in Hall 1 - entitled "Classical Modernism and Contemporary Art" - where the museum quality of the works shown by the exhibitors can be experienced in particular. Together with the high-calibre post-war modernism in Hall 2 - "Art after 1945 and Contemporary Art" - they will convey a comprehensive impression of the diversity and innovative potential of these eras. Positions of contemporary art are combined in a dialogue. This inspiring interplay is unique in Karlsruhe.

The spatial arrangement of the halls is followed by Hall 3 - "Artication" - in which art and education are combined. Here you will find the new "Paper Square" format (a further development of the special show Printmaking) for works with the artistic medium of paper. Under the title "Nature - Beauty and Destruction", LBBW is presenting parts of its art collection as part of this year's special exhibition. The "Academy Square", supported by LBBW and curated by Elke Buhr (editor-in-chief of Monopol), offers current graduates of Baden-Württemberg art academies a new platform at the fair. In addition to the Forum Karlsruhe, a large number of cultural institutions, art academies and art associations from the region and beyond will be presenting themselves in the hall.

The dm-arena, Hall 4 in the counting sequence, is entitled "Discover". It is dedicated to contemporary art.

re:discover - Strengthening female artists in the market and unjustly forgotten artistic positions

In cooperation with the Bundesverband Deutscher Galerien und Kunsthändler e.V. (BVDG) and with the support of the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM), the upcoming art KARLSRUHE is placing a special emphasis on artists who, despite the high artistic quality of their work, do not (yet) receive the attention they deserve. With the new format re:discover, more space will be given to the current and art-historical significance of artists. Galleries participating in the programme will receive 25 square metres free of charge for the presentation of an artist. This year, a total of 20 positions will be rediscovered in the gallery booths through re:discover. The ARTIMA art meeting on 23 and 24 February is dedicated to the topic of re:discover, such as "How to keep artistic heritage alive in a museum context" or "How to deal with estates: What happens after the death of artists to those works that are not purchased by museums or collections?"

Talks on art

In addition to the ARTIMA art meeting on Thursday, 22 February and Friday, 23 February, there will be the SWR Kultur Messetalk every day. For example, the painter Mona Ardeleanu will be talking to presenter Dietrich Brants on Thursday 22 February about her work, which often reproduces patterns from Delft porcelain in the form of textile fabric. Everything in her paintings appears realistic; but none of it is. On Friday, 23 February, Dietrich Brants will be talking to Munich gallery owner Renate Bender, whose gallery programme ensures that Concrete Art remains contemporary art.

And on Saturday, 24 February, and Sunday, 25 February, the LBBW Talks will take place in cooperation with the magazine MONOPOL and the MONOPOL Talks. Among others, Silke Hohmann from MONOPOL will be talking to the artist Julius vom Bismarck, whose works can also be seen in the special LBBW exhibition on site, and the artist duo Super Vivaz, whose works will be shown at Academay Square. On Sunday, the traditional fair summary will be held for the first time with the new management duo Olga Blaß and Kristian Jarmuschek.

Sculpture spots bring even more "large-format" works into the halls

Since the first edition, art KARSLRUHE has been characterised by its expansive sculpture spots. Supported by the Vollack Group, numerous outdoor sculptures can be experienced in the sculpture garden (atrium). New additions are the sculpture spots, also supported by the Vollack Group, which provide space for viewing 23 three-dimensional works in the visitor walkway and in the action hall. The special commitment to sculpture is also reflected in the fifth presentation of the Loth Sculpture Prize with partner L-Bank.

For example, Galerie Heike Strelow, Frankfurt, will be there with Alejandro Monge's sculpture "SHIBUYA 2" from 2023 and Galerie Chiefs & Spirits, London, with the sculpture "The Space Between" by artist Piet Warffemius from 2022. Galerie ARTAFFAIR, Regensburg, is also bringing along a work for a sculpture spot: the bronze "Atlas" by Markus Lüpertz.

Karlsruhe Forum

Art, culture, media art and creativity will once again enter into a symbiotic partnership and merge during art KARLSRUHE into a marketplace of artistic creation under the label "Forum Karlsruhe" in Hall 3. Media art is the focus of the Forum as one of the brand cores of Karlsruhe, the UNESCO City of Media Arts. In addition to works from the archive of the Centre for Art and Media (ZKM), the next generation of media artists from the Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design (HfG) will be presenting four of their own works and the scenographic design of the space for the first time.

From party to project space

During art KARLSRUHE, the cultural scene in the city also really gets going. So it doesn't have to end when the fair closes.

artini is the name of the temporary bar that opens daily from 5 p.m. to midnight at Kaiserstrasse 120, where people talk about art and the art business, art from various networks is exhibited and changing DJs perform sets.

On 22 February there will be a party in the foyer of the ZKM in the Hallenbau on Lorenzstraße. It starts at 9.00 pm and the dancing goes on until 1.00 am. Admission is free.

The long night of project spaces on Friday 23 February from 7.00 pm to 11.00 pm will be presented under the heading "Kunstrauschen". Following the exhibition programme, visitors can explore the city and the local art scene away from established galleries. Karlsruhe has an incredible wealth of project spaces and off-spaces that have been an important part of the city's cultural life for decades. Whether studios or rooms in private flats, backyards or large halls - art takes place in every conceivable corner of Karlsruhe. These spaces, often run by artists, are places of self-determined artistic activity and experimentation that offer a unique insight into the work of contemporary Karlsruhe artists.

Parallel to art KARLSRUHE, around 15 of these project spaces will open their doors simultaneously for one evening for the first time this year, offering the chance to discover the sometimes hidden spaces in a relaxed atmosphere and get to know the artists personally. A shuttle bus connects the fair with the project spaces and offspaces. Further information is available at kaunstrauschen-karlsruhe.de

The official after-art party will take place on Saturday 24 February at P8 in Schauenburgstraße. An international DJ line-up featuring Acid Pauli, Anna Schreit and Shahrokh Dini will provide the basis for a perfect evening. Artist Dominik Rinnhofer will provide the visuals.

Credit: Alejandro Monges Skulptur "SHIBUYA 2” Concrete, fiberglass, resine and pigments 2023, Galerie Heike Strelow, Frankfurt

On this page you can download the digital press kit of art KARLSRUHE 2024

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To the media library

To the List of Galleries

The re:discover funding programme offers artistic positions that have remained under the radar for various reasons a broad space at an art fair for the first time. A total of 20 artists were selected by an expert jury from the applications submitted by art KARLSRUHE exhibitors for the first edition of the re:discover programme.

Among them is media art pioneer Dieter Jung, who was recently presented in a solo exhibition at the Centre for Art and Media (ZKM) in Karlsruhe (Galerie Kornfeld, Berlin). With his holograms, he broke down the boundaries of two-dimensionality back in the 1980s and enriched kinetic art with light and laser sculptures.

The artist Rune Mields (Galerie Judith Andreae, Bonn) represents a consistent position. She works with mathematical symbols and explores the abstract network of relationships created by their connections in her works. With her scientific way of working and the communication of knowledge, she is one of the "trailblazers" among artists.

The filmmaker Dore O. (Galerie Ricarda Fox, Mülheim), who died in 2022 at the age of 76 - she took part in documenta 5 and 6 - was described as one of the "most important pioneers of German experimental film". Her oeuvre consists of films, books, paintings and photographs. Her works give a great deal of space to experimentation; for example, she intervened in the chemical process of developing Polaroid photos.

The painterly work of Dieter Schosser (Galerie Alfred Knecht, Karlsruhe) was characterised by formal rigour in the early years: "Circle, triangle and square are not much, and yet almost everything" - this is how the artist described the core of his work. It was only in his later work that he emancipated himself from such guidelines and developed a great deal of artistic freedom. Schosser now also uses plastic bags and discarded paper as a painting surface and paints with coffee or washing-up liquid. This results in very spontaneous, unconventional works.

The Berlin-based artist Frank Oehring (Malte Uekermann Kunsthandel, Berlin) is only well known to a few insiders in the art market. Over the past decades, the designer has realised countless works in public and semi-public spaces. In the early 1970s, for example, he created the iconic signage and information system as well as the central light sculpture in the ICC Berlin. For friends and clients, he was a bringer of light and a signifier of private interiors.

The re:discover funding programme also aims to contribute to the debate on artistic estates and the mechanisms of the art market. An integral part of the project is therefore a presentation of the Brauweiler Artists' Archive. Since its opening in 2010, the institution, which is located in a former abbey near Cologne, has been regarded as a model project for dealing with estates. Under the direction of the Stiftung Kunstfonds, selected artistic legacies are preserved, researched and exhibited here as cultural heritage.

The programme accompanying the "re:discover" format offers insights into the art market and sheds light on the various perspectives and mediation practices of its players. The ARTIMA art meeting will take place on 22 and 23 February at the fair and will be dedicated to the topic of "How art and the art market benefit from rediscoveries" with lectures and panel discussions.

With the re:discover promotional programme, art KARLSRUHE offers its visitors a unique discovery tour. All the artists presented have created a broad oeuvre and will be present at their galleries' stands with a wide variety of works and groups of works. Interested parties can familiarise themselves with the individual artistic positions on guided tours.

Karlsruhe, 25.01.2024 An impressive list of artists, a high-calibre line-up straight out of a picture book of contemporary art history: from Franz Ackermann and Anselm Kiefer to Diana Thater and Thomas Grünfeld to Olafur Eliasson and Andreas Gursky. What Landesbank Baden-Württemberg (LBBW) and its predecessor institutions have collected since 1970, totalling around 3,000 works, is truly impressive.

Sarah Haberkorn, Head of the LBBW Collection from January 2024, is curating a special exhibition entitled "Nature - Beauty and Destruction", which will present a changing field of tension between beauty and destruction with depictions of flora and fauna.

Sarah Haberkorn comments: "This raises critical questions about the relationship between man and nature: What place does nature have in culture? What is our relationship to nature? To what extent is nature repressed, adapted or manipulated? Where and how do destructive processes become visible?".

Haberkorn will cover a broad spectrum - from the Impressionist Max Slevogt, who painted the "Quarry near Albersweiler" in 1912, to the contemporary duo Julian Charrière and Julius von Bismarck, who recreated and blasted rock formations. Nature vandalism as a theme. According to Sarah Haberkorn, the work also deals with the question of "which landscapes are categorised as worthy of protection and what happens when they are destroyed".

The fact that the LBBW art collection was not only used decades ago to decorate the company's offices in a representative manner, but was also dedicated to promoting artists and the social issues of the time, is shown by the fact that the Landesbank has repeatedly acquired works over the past century that deal with issues such as identity, globalisation, digitalisation, the environment and sustainability.

LBBW has been involved with art KARLSRUHE in a variety of ways since its first edition in 2004, when it was still supported by Baden-Württembergische Bank (BW Bank), which was incorporated into LBBW on 1 August 2005.

Illustration: Max Slevogt, Quarry near Albersweiler, 1912, Courtesy LBBW

Karlsruhe, 5 January 2024 - Marion Ackermann, General Director of the Dresden State Art Collections, attests to the "impressive topicality" of the text drawings by Paula Doepfner, born in 1980 and based in Berlin. The artist was a master student of Rebecca Horn at the Berlin University of the Arts and deals with crises and wars, including Auschwitz dramas. She is therefore regarded as an existentially orientated draughtswoman. She follows in the literary footsteps of writers such as Paul Celan and Robert Musil.

Marion Ackermann was invited by the award organiser - the Hans Platschek Foundation in Hamburg - to nominate a personality for the 2024 prize as a solo juror. The Hans Platschek Prize for Art and Writing has been awarded annually by the Platschek Foundation at art KARLSRUHE since 2008. Paula Doepfner's work, which often consists of spoken word and visual art, establishes a congenial relationship with Hans Platschek. The painter and writer, who last lived in Hamburg and died there in February 2000, was born in Berlin in 1923, like Paula Doepfner, had to emigrate from Nazi Germany with his family as a teenager and then studied at the art academy in Montevideo.

After returning from Uruguay in 1953, Hans Platschek quickly became a valued member of the informal circle. With his intellectual acumen, he opened up the artistic path to New Figuration as early as the end of the 1950s. A trailblazer and a double talent who sometimes hid his light under a bushel. "I am a painter and I write about art," Platschek liked to modestly introduce himself - even when he had long since been awarded Biennale and documenta honours.

Paula Doepfner is currently represented with an exhibition, "Darkness at the break of noon", at the Residenzschloss of the Dresden State Art Collections until 28 January 2024. During art KARLSRUHE 2024, she will engage in a dialogue with works by Hans Platschek in Hall 3 of the fair. The prizewinner, who frequently observes autopsies and makes sketches at the Charité hospital in Berlin, will impressively document for the general public that art is much more than just creating beautiful pictures. In the spirit of Hans Platschek.

The award ceremony will take place at the upcoming art KARLSRUHE on Thursday, 22 February 2024, 4 pm in the ARTIMA art Forum in Hall 2. The laudatory speech will be held by Dr Marion Ackermann, Director General of the Dresden State Art Collections. The artist Paula Doepfner will be present.

Details of the paintings on display:

Paula Doepfner, "I got nothing, Ma, to live up to", text: "Vergiss Deinen Namen nicht - Die Kinder von Auschwitz" by Alwin Meyer, ink on Gampi paper, 101 x 180 cm, 2022 - 2023. photo: Mathias Schormann

Portrait: Paula Doepfner, 2023

Karlsruhe, 23.11.2023 - 177 galleries, 46 of which come from abroad, have prevailed in the art KARLSRUHE jurying process and will fill the four light-flooded halls with two- and three-dimensional works of art in a wide variety of materials. At the same time, art KARLSRUHE will continue to focus on its expertise in the fields of classical modernism, post-war and contemporary art. At the same time, it radiates into the city of Karlsruhe, combining the local with an overview of 120 years of international art.

Male artists still dominate the fair at present. But the One Artist Shows make it clear that something is changing here. One third of almost 60 individual artistic presentations are female. Visitors can also discover even more sculptures than in previous years: In addition to the sculpture squares and the sculpture garden in the atrium, there are additional "sculpture spots" and thus even more perception for large-scale works, for example in the visitor circuit.

Classical Modernism in many guises

Classical Modernism continues to enjoy great popularity. This was recently reflected in the auction of a Picasso painting worth millions at Sotheby's. A total of five galleries, including the newly founded LE Gallery (Keerbergen/Belgium), are showing works by the Spanish artist. Classical Modernism in its various facets, from Impressionism to Surrealism, Cubism and Expressionism, will be represented with outstanding works of art of museum quality. Max Liebermann (Ludorff, Düsseldorf, Nöth, Ansbach), Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (Ludorff, Düsseldorf; Henze & Ketterer, Riehen; St. Gertrude, Hamburg), Erich Heckel (Henze & Ketterer, Riehen; Kampen, Sylt; Schrade, Ehingen) and Marc Chagall (Jeanne, Munich; Raphael, Frankfurt; Kampen, Sylt; Gildens Art, London) are just some of the artists on show.

For decades, women artists have been neglected by museums and the art trade. Something is changing here. Only a few galleries still have an exclusively male programme. Three galleries are bringing exclusively women to the fair in 2024 (BEGE, Ulm; Claeys, Freiburg and Judith Andreae, Bonn).

A broad spectrum of post-war art

Art Informel, ZERO and Concrete Art: all art movements that played an essential role in post-war Europe. art KARLSRUHE has always focussed on these different styles and every year provides a profound overview of the art of the 1950s and 60s. Whether lesser-known Informel pioneers, such as Eugen Batz (Döbele, Mannheim), or names commonly associated with the gestural-spontaneous painting style of the first post-war period, such as Hans Hartung (Brita Prinz, Madrid) or Antoni Tàpies (Cortina, Barcelona and MDA, Höganäs) - the new departure in the visual arts, liberated from the object, is an important area at the fair.

The ZERO group around Heinz Mack, Otto Piene and Günther Uecker proclaimed another new artistic beginning after the war from Düsseldorf. They were the enfants terrible of the Rhenish art scene, celebrating wild parties, releasing balloons into the night sky and conquering the gallery and outdoor space in a lively manner. Their artworks can be viewed at a total of nine stands, including Geißler-Bentler (Bonn) and van der Koelen (Mainz) as well as Geiger (Constance). In keeping with this, the ZKM | Centre for Art and Media is showing an overview of Heinz Mack's multifaceted oeuvre in a large-scale retrospective. The artist, who is now 92 years old, is making a link to the media art based in Karlsruhe with a further show at the EnBW headquarters.

From Pop Art to the present day

In the canon of post-war art, Pop Art with important representatives such as Andy Warhol, Tom Wesselmann, Claes Oldenburg or Mel Ramos and their artistic depiction of the world of commodities and consumerism should not be missing. But the more critical British style is also represented by David Hockney (Benden & Ackermann, Cologne). It is clear that the decades after 1945 were not only abstract. From here, a line can be drawn to Gerhard Richter and Peter Dreher, but also to the often large-format paintings by Karin Kneffel (Ludorff, Düsseldorf) or the exaggeratedly realistic sculptures by Carolee Feuerman (Hübner & Hübner, Frankfurt). In contrast, the works of Ambra Durante (Friese, Berlin), who was born in 2000 and was awarded the art KARLSRUHE Prize in 2022, clearly show that the stick figure drawings of Keith Haring continue to inspire today.

Concrete art will also be represented at the art fair with key representatives such as Josef Albers (Ludorff, Düsseldorf), Georg Karl Pfahler and Otto Herbert Hajek (Luzán, Berlin) as well as Marie-Thérèse Vacossin (Wagner, Paris), who is better known to insiders. From here, a further line can be drawn into the present to the colour-intensive compositions by Peter Anton (Braunbehrens, Stuttgart) or the colour field paintings by Arvid Boecker (Monica Ruppert, Frankfurt), some of which have been expanded into spatial concepts. Photography and video art, the crossover of media, can also be found at the upcoming art KARLSRUHE, as well as contemporary art in general, which will be linked to the diverse Karlsruhe art scene with its pop-up galleries and project spaces.

The upcoming art KARLSRUHE – Classic Modern and Contemporary Art (22 to 25 February 2024) will be the debut for the fair’s new dual leadership of Olga Blass and Kristian Jarmuschek. Under the direction of Advisory Board Chairman Kristian Jarmuschek, the committee selected 170 nationally and internationally renowned galleries from the field of applicants. The participating galleries, which will present their programmes in the trade fair centre’s four high-ceilinged, light-flooded exhibition halls, come from a total of thirteen countries. The results of the committee’s selection, in conjunction with the new structuring of the halls, represents a deliberate reduction in the number of participants, thus putting high-quality presentations in the focus of the upcoming fair.

Strong field of participants in Classic Modern and Post-War Modern art

In February, art lovers can look forward to a strong line-up of Classical Modern and Post-War Modern artworks from galleries such as Ludorff (Düsseldorf), Samuelis Baumgarte (Bielefeld), Thole Rotermund (Hamburg), Schwarzer (Düsseldorf), Schlichtenmaier (Stuttgart), Malte Uekermann (Berlin), Raphael (Frankfurt), Hafenrichter (Nuremberg), Luzán (Berlin), MDA (Höganäs, Sweden), Geissler Bentler (Bonn), Rudolf (Kampen, Sylt) and Dr. Michael Nöth (Ansbach). Henze & Ketterer (Basel / Riehen) and Geiger (Constance) will be returning after a temporary absence.

High-calibre galleries presenting contemporary artistic positions

Renowned galleries such as Meyer Riegger (Karlsruhe) and Cosar (Düsseldorf) will be participating either again or for the first time with presentations of contemporary artistic positions. The field of participants will be further strengthened by galleries such as Petra Rinck (Düsseldorf), Dr Dorothea van der Koelen (Mainz / Venice), Benden & Ackermann (Cologne), Commeter (Hamburg), Friese (Berlin), Hilleckes Gallery (Berlin), Renate Bender (Munich) and Scheffel (Bad Homburg).

“I am delighted that so many high-calibre galleries applied to participate. Many of these galleries took part in previous editions of art KARLSRUHE, but there were also a considerable number of galleries that applied to present their artworks at the fair for the first time. This avid interest also shows that the galleries are in favour of the changes that we have introduced, for example, in the structuring of the halls. It is also pleasing to see that many galleries have opted for new ways of participating, such as Newcomers or Friends”, says Britta Wirtz, director of Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre.

Frankfurt galleries with a broad field of participants

The upcoming art KARLSRUHE will also be a prominent focal point for numerous galleries from nearby Frankfurt. It is particularly pleasing that Schierke & Seinnecke have chosen art KARLSRUHE as the venue for their first-ever participation in an art fair. Galerie Schlieder will be present at art KARLSRUHE for the first time and Hübner & Hübner will be returning to the fair. Other galleries, such as Greulich, Heike Strelow, Maurer, Raphael and Monica Ruppert, were present in 2023 and will be returning in 2024.

Hesse is not the only region that will be strongly represented. The fair will also welcome 28 galleries from Baden-Württemberg, for example, Ewald Karl Schrade (Karlsruhe / Mochental), Thomas Fuchs (Stuttgart), Michael Sturm (Stuttgart) and burster (Karlsruhe / Berlin). Nineteen galleries from Berlin, including Tammen, mianki.Gallery and Schmalfuss, will likewise number among the participating exhibitors.

Favourable response to new formats

Innovations were introduced among the participation opportunities for which applications could be submitted. Galleries that were founded in 2020 or later and have exhibited fewer than three times at art KARLSRUHE could apply for inclusion in the “Newcomers” format. The ten applicants chosen for this section include galleries specializing in Contemporary art such as PAW Galerie (Karlsruhe) and Tempesta gallery (Milan). LE Gallery (Keerbergen, Belgium), which specialises in Classic Modern art, has likewise opted for this debut appearance at the art fair.

Thirty-seven exhibitors were chosen to participate in Paper Square, which exclusively presents artworks on paper. Paper Square further develops the art fair’s longstanding special presentation of “Graphic Prints” and provides young collectors with an accessible starting point and introduction to art collecting. At the same time, Paper Square embodies a dedicated space for aficionados of this special artistic material.

Generously proportioned Sculpture Areas have always been an integral part of art KARLSRUHE. In addition to large-format statements of three-dimensional art inside the halls, there will also be the new category of Sculpture Spots, where visitors can discover individual 3D artworks displayed along the glassed-in perimeter of the atrium. There will be a total of 24 Sculpture Spots, including sculptures by Walter Moroder (Galerie Baumgarten), Ingrid Hartlieb (Imke Valentien), Thomas Röthel (Geissler-Bentler), Olga Golos (Heckenhauer) and Markus Lüpertz (ArtAffair).

Artistic positions from 120 years

A visit to art KARLSRUHE 2024 is like a journey through the past 120 years of artistic creation. The fair spans a broad spectrum from Classic Modern to Contemporary art. Kristian Jarmuschek reports with great satisfaction: “My first curatorial tasks together with the Advisory Board during the selection process for art KARLSRUHE have once again clearly shown me the outstanding artistic positions and promising young artists that the gallery owners will be bringing to the upcoming event. The reduction in the total number of participants will also exert a very positive effect on the quality of the fair”. A look at the list of artists reveals a veritable “Who’s Who” of renowned artists from the 20th and 21st centuries: from big names such as Marc Chagall, Pablo Picasso, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and Lyonel Feininger to Pop Art, ZERO and Art Informel artists, including Max Ackermann, Bernard Schultze and Rolf Cavael. Works by “old masters” of Contemporary art will likewise be on display. These artists include, for example, Gerhard Richter, Damien Hirst, Sigmar Polke and Neo Rauch. The spectrum ranges from sought-after painters and sculptors such as Alexander Calder, Michael Basquiat and Mimmo Paladino to the most recent artistic positions, such as those of Matthias Garff, Ambra Durante and Anne Carnein.

Olga Blass is delighted that the concept, which was developed on the basis of numerous discussions with exhibitors, has worked out well and that the new opportunities for participation have been actively utilised. It is not only the styles and price ranges on offer that are wide-ranging: “We want to appeal to established collectors, but also to a young audience, for whom we have consciously created a low-threshold offer, for example, with works on paper, for which we have specially designed the ‘Paper Square’ in Hall 3.”

To the media library

Positive mood and good sales at the stands: After a very good preview (3 May), art KARLSRUHE 2023 attracted more than 40,000 art collectors and art enthusiasts to the halls of Messe Karlsruhe on four days that were consistently well attended. From 4 to 7 May, 207 galleries from 15 countries transformed the exhibition grounds for the twentieth time into a show and market place for the international art industry.

Messe Karlsruhe is particularly pleased with the increased number of trade visitors, such as curators, curators of institutional collections or museum directors, who ensured increased demand at the gallery booths, especially at the beginning of the fair. Malte Uekermann from Galerie Uekermann (Berlin/Ludwigsburg), for example, was delighted on Thursday to be able to give away a work by his artist Alexander Deubl to the Hoppe-Ritter Collection: "I am very pleased that I was able to give this work by Alexander Deubl to such a renowned collection for a five-figure sum".

The trade fair company is equally pleased with the high proportion of young art lovers who were able to get excited about the art experience at art KARLSRUHE for the first time. According to a representative visitor survey, the proportion of new visitors under 30 years of age was a whopping 40 percent.

Britta Wirtz, Managing Director of Messe Karlsruhe, is positive about art KARLSRUHE 2023: "The popularity and appeal of art KARLSRUHE are higher than ever. With our anniversary edition, we have proven that there is no way around Karlsruhe, the UNESCO City of Media Arts, in the art fair business. Thanks in part to art KARLSRUHE, the art and culture city of Karlsruhe will be in the public eye for five days. Around one in five people have linked their visit to the fair with a visit to cultural institutions in Karlsruhe."

Appreciation for decades of commitment

Just as important as its own anniversary was for Messe Karlsruhe to duly honour and celebrate the grand finale of Ewald Karl Schrade, who is handing over the curatorial reins of art KARLSRUHE to new hands after two decades. Schrade draws a positive balance for his last fair: "I have been practising for 19 years. The 20th art KARLSRUHE is my masterpiece, which I can now proudly hand over."

From now on, the baton will be taken over by team leader Olga Blaß and advisory board chairman Kristian Jarmuschek. "We have the ambition to continuously develop the fair as a strong art marketplace while maintaining central elements of the twenty-year-old fair concept in dialogue with our customers," says the designated dual leadership.

Schrade intends to remain with the fair, both as an exhibitor and as honorary chairman of the "Friends and Supporters of art KARLSRUHE" association, which was founded especially for the fair's 20th anniversary.

Successful concept turns 20

For two decades now, the successful concept of art KARLSRUHE has proved to be reliable. Already at the premiere in 2004, there were sculpture spaces and one-artist shows to marvel at; programme items which visitors could also experience this year and which will continue to be among the unique selling points of art KARLSRUHE in the future.

Galerie Friese (Berlin) praises the continuity with which art KARLSRUHE is developing: "This year's fair went well for us. We used to have our gallery in Stuttgart and therefore have many contacts in the region. For that reason alone, it is always nice to be here, to experience the changes and the constancy. art KARLSRUHE is characterised by its constancy. We really enjoy being here," says Miriam Ewering.

Voices of the galleries

Other gallery booths are also positive about their participation in art KARLSRUHE 2023.

Marina von Morr from Galerie Anna Laudel (Istanbul) emphasises the service character of Messe Karlsruhe: "I can only say: keep it up! The work is solution-oriented and on a great communication level, which you don't experience at all fairs."

"We would like to stay in this place for the next 20 years. We feel really at home here," said Leander Rubrecht of Rubrecht Severens Fine Arts (Maastricht), who were now represented in Karlsruhe for the second time.

Daniel Wahrenberger of Galerie WOS (Pfäffikon) is pleased about the increased number of visitors: "There were consistently visitors with great interest and a high level of quality on site, and the sales are also right. We are happy to be back in 2024."

For The Route Gallery (Amsterdam), taking part in art KARLSRUHE for the first time was a wonderful experience: "We were finally allowed to be there! The organisation was perfect down to the last detail. We will definitely come again", says Basara Dilek.

art KARLSRUHE is also a profitable platform for the gallery scene in Baden-Württemberg to present themselves and their art.

Petra Kern (Kunstkompetenz Petra Kern / Heidelberg) is happy about a successful fair business: "I sold every day. It is my eleventh participation. The feeling is quite different from last year. This time I had the biggest stand in my own fair history at art KARLSRUHE - and a sculpture space to boot."

Success stories were also recorded by Galerie Schacher and Galerie Thomas Fuchs from Stuttgart. The gallery couple Katrin and Marko Schacher succeeded in selling not only other works but also their most expensive exhibit. The 180 by 180 centimetre work 'On my Terms' by the artist Josephiné Sagna has found a new home in the region.

Andreas Pucher of Galerie Thomas Fuchs, on the other hand, comments as follows: "We have brought a selection of gallery artists to the 20th edition of art KARLSRUHE. Among them are works by Rainer Fetting, from whom we have already sold three paintings in the high five-figure euro range as well as a sculpture, plus three works by Jochen Mühlenbrink. Even though the last few years were already good, art KARLSRUHE 2023 went particularly well."

Looking ahead

At the industry's request, art KARLSRUHE will return to a spring date next year. The 21st edition of the fair will then be held again at its traditional venue and, under the direction of team leader Olga Blaß and advisory board chairman Kristian Jarmuschek, will open the German-language art fair year from 22 to 25 February 2024.

This year, Galerie Michael Sturm (Stuttgart) is dedicating a One-Artist-Show to the Iranian artist, a solo presentation on at least 25 square metres of exhibition space. A total of 180 One-Artist-Shows were up for selection this year.

Insights into the art of the individual

The one-artist shows enable visitors to the fair to take a closer look at the work of individual artists. Galerie Michael Sturm, for example, presents several series of Radziabari's works in Hall 2.

Some of Radziabari's works deal with political and social situations. These works include the series "Pointless Holes" and "Who Cares". In "Who Cares", for example, she uses newspapers from her home country and uses them as source material for her painting. In 2015, Radziabari moved to Vienna. This emigration had a profound influence on her new artworks. The artist started her new series of paintings "Less is enough" during the pandemic. Unable to visit Iran and her family, the artist began to search for those very places with the help of Google Maps and developed abstract paintings from them, the presentation of which has now been awarded the art KARLSRUHE prize.

An alliance of city and country

The art KARLSRUHE Prize, an alliance of the state and the city, endowed with a purchase budget of 15,000 euros, has been honouring the best one-artist show at the fair since 2008. In addition, the prize serves to continually expand the art KARLSRUHE Collection, which is housed in the Städtische Galerie in Karlsruhe.

A jury of experts selected the most convincing individual presentation from a total of 180 one-artist shows at the fair. The prize was awarded on Saturday (6 May) at 5 p.m. in the ARTIMA art Forum in Hall 4. "The artist convinced us with the quiet weapons of her conceptual art, but also with a coherent overall presentation of the one-artist show set up by Galerie Michael Sturm, which installed different groups of works consisting of paintings, painted-over newspaper collages, photographs and assemblages," said jury spokesperson Stefanie Patruno, explaining the verdict.

Members of the jury were Dorothee Baer-Bogenschütz (art historian and journalist), Nikolai B. Forstbauer (author and journalist), Christiane Lenhardt (journalist), Anja Casser (Director of the Badischer Kunstverein Karlsruhe.) and Stefanie Patruno (Director of the Städtische Galerie Karlsruhe).

art KARLSRUHE honours strong positions

For sixteen years now, award ceremonies have been an integral part of the art KARLSRUHE programme. The Hans Platschek Prize for Art and Writing was awarded last Thursday to the Berlin artist Cornelia Schleime. This was followed by the Loth Sculpture Prize endowed with 20,000 euros - donated by the L-Bank - for the Albert Baumgarten Gallery and the artist Klaus Münch. The trio of award ceremonies is rounded off by the art KARLSRUHE prize for the best one-artist show.

Karlsruhe, May 06, 2023 - Klaus Münch and his Freiburg gallery owner Albert Baumgarten can be pleased this year about the Loth Sculpture Prize endowed with 20,000 euros - donated by the L-Bank. The prize-winning objects will be on display at art KARLSRUHE until Sunday (May 7) at the gallery's Sculpture Square in Hall 2. In the differently colored Plexiglas objects, highly magnified preparations from cell research can be seen, which sometimes have a proximity to lunar landscapes. The semi-plastic objects have a surprising spatial depth due to built-in mirrors.

Award ceremony at the ARTIMA art Forum

The award ceremony took place on Friday afternoon at the ARTIMA art Forum. The prize, donated by L-Bank, was awarded by a jury of experts. Members of the jury include Alexander Heil (Wilhelm Loth estate, jury chair), Sebastian Baden (Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt), Pia Dornacher (Museum Lothar Fischer, Neumarkt) and Prof. Erwin Gross (Staatliche Akademie der Bildenden Künste, Karlsruhe).

"When objects occupy a sculpture space, their radiance captivating from afar, it arouses curiosity. Individual Plexiglas sculptures, independent of each other, combine in their formal diversity to form a variable work of art and appear anew again and again, depending on the quality of the light, the conditions of the room or the time of day. One suspects mysterious messages in the deliberately restrained silkscreen prints on the object surfaces. These are highly magnified cell preparations from research. In this way, the artist links nature with culture and opens up scope for the viewer to think and make his own associations," says jury chairman Alexander Heil, explaining the verdict.

At the twentieth anniversary of art KARLSRUHE, a total of 26 sculpture spaces were up for election. After Galerie Scheffel and its artist Stefan Rohrer were pleased to receive the award last year, Albert Baumgarten and Klaus Münch joined the list of winners this year. The Loth Sculpture Prize, donated by L-Bank, honors both the gallery and the artist.

art KARLSRUHE honors strong positions

For sixteen years now, award ceremonies have been a fixed part of the art KARLSRUHE program. "It has always been important to the fair, and to me in particular as curator, to promote the art world. One aspect of this commitment is our three award ceremonies, with which we want to honor strong artistic positions and make them visible," says Ewald Karl Schrade, who is overseeing the fair as curator for the last time this year.

In addition to the Hans Platschek Prize for Art and Writing, which was awarded last Thursday to Berlin artist Cornelia Schleime, and the Loth Sculpture Prize (donated by L-Bank), the art KARLSRUHE Prize for the best one-artist show will also be awarded on Saturday (May 6).

The preview, which as in the previous year took place one day before the official opening of the international art fair, offered the public an exclusive foretaste of what can be discovered in the four halls of Messe Karlsruhe until Sunday (May 7). Until then, 207 galleries from 15 countries will be showing the diversity of art from a period spanning 120 years on 35,000 square meters - starting with classical modernism and extending to brand-new works of contemporary art.

Successful concept turns 20

Not only 180 one-artist shows but also 26 sculpture spaces enrich this year's fair events in the four light-flooded halls. Both program items have been an integral part of art KARLSRUHE year after year since the premiere in 2004 and have been filled with new life on the occasion of the 20th edition. "Anyone who looks around the halls will notice: The galleries have really brought the best of the best to Karlsruhe to celebrate our fair anniversary," confessed founding curator Ewald Karl Schrade.

On the occasion of his last fair in his function as curator, Schrade was invited by Messe Karlsruhe to present the traditional special show in Hall 1 with works from his collection. On around 400 square meters, visitors can expect to see paintings by Cornelia Schleime, Karl Hubbuch, Erich Heckel, Walter Stöhrer and Eleonore Frey-Hanken, among others.

As a gallery owner, Schrade also attaches great importance to the three-dimensional, which is why it is also strongly represented in his collection. Thus, the sculpture "Wonne bi" by Dietrich Klinge is enthroned in the middle of the exhibition space, not far from it is a meter-long pine cone by Stefan Strumbel or the "Trash Man No. 129" by HA Schult, which was made from countless beverage cans. In the immediate vicinity of the special show is the Museum Mile and the Forum Karlsruhe, where Karlsruhe's cultural institutions present themselves.

From art market newcomers to long-time collectors

In four halls and a sculpture garden - sponsored by the Vollack Group - art KARLSRUHE 2023 offers a profitable platform for all friends of art. Different styles and epochs find each other as well as different price ranges. From works under 100 euros, the price range extends into the millions.

For example, at the booth of the Samuelis Baumgarte Gallery (Bielefeld), the nail painting "White Field" from 1987 is for sale for a price of 1.485 million euros. "We are back at art KARLSRUHE after ten years. We have important items from our gallery program with us, quite a few of which are at museum level. We are very excited about the fair and look forward to meeting collectors from the region," says Alexander Baumgarte.

Positive initial balance at the galleries

Among the exhibitors, the joy about the start of the 20th art KARLSRUHE is great. "This is our 13th time at art KARLSRUHE and we really like the fair. It is unique - from our point of view, one of the best art fairs in Germany," says Jakub Gildens of Gilden's Art London.

At Die Galerie from Frankfurt, the mood at the preview is also good. "We've been at art KARLSRUHE for ten years - one of the fairs we do every year, along with Cologne, Miami, London, Seoul and Paris," says gallery owner Peter Femfert.

"I feel anticipation for the next few days, to be able to give my young artists the space to present their work - and they are happy to be there. The hall situation brings a good mood, which is also reflected in the atmosphere: art KARLSRUHE is very nice," said Monica Ruppert of Galerie Ruppert.

Good sales were achieved by Galerie Ludorff in Hall 3: "The first day of the fair was a complete success. In addition to many interesting conversations and new contacts, we were also able to record our first sales." Already at the preview, among others, the work "Heitere Bewegung auf Rosa" by Willi Baumeister could be sold for 95,000 euros. Works by Georg Meistermann, Erich Heckel and Christopher Lehmpfuhl - all in the five-figure price range - also found satisfied buyers right at the start. The most expensive work in the gallery's program this year, "Paraphrase," was by Lovis Corinth and sold for 1.25 million.

The Supper Gallery (Baden-Baden), which has been a loyal exhibitor at art KARLSRUHE for 20 years, also recorded good sales. "As an exhibitor from the very beginning, art KARLSRUHE offered me a good platform, especially at the beginning, to gain a foothold in the art business, to network and to present our art. This year, too, this impression is proving true: we were already able to sell several works of art at the preview, including one by Monika Thiele," says Dirk Supper.

Towering sculptures dwarf their viewers, creative minds delight in the sight of colourful watercolours and, not far away, filigree Classic Modern sketches cause jaws to drop. The twentieth edition of art KARLSRUHE, which will take place in the light-flooded halls of Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre from 4 to 7 May 2023, once again promises exciting discoveries for all art aficionados. On an area of 35,000 square metres, 207 galleries from fifteen countries will present the diversity of artistic creativity spanning a period of 120 years – from works of Classic Modern art to new creations fresh from the artists’ studios.

From A to Z: the entire spectrum of art

The 20th edition of art KARLSRUHE remains true to its successful concept. This year, too, the international art fair sees itself as a platform for artistic diversity. The heart of the fair experience is once again the programme of the exhibiting galleries, which bring the entire spectrum of art to Karlsruhe – from A for Ackermann to Z for Zangs. Different price ranges and diverse styles will be represented, as will timeless classics of the art world and up-and-coming newcomers in the industry. Sculptures, paintings, photographs, textiles and more: works by approximately 1,500 artists await discovery by visitors in May. Textile art is the principal focus of the “Social Fabric” presentation at the LBBW Collection’s stand in Hall 1, where works by Nevin Aladağ, Shannon Bool, Thomas Grünfeld and other artists will be on display. The central theme of the collection is the significance and use of textiles in Contemporary art.

Interested people can visit the artsy art platform, where they can get an initial overview of this year’s programme in the run-up to the fair. For the first time, and thanks to a cooperation, an online exhibition will be realised on the platform parallel to the fair. Starting on 28 April, artsy will offer a foretaste of what the 207 participating galleries will be showing in Karlsruhe in May. Alternatively, the fair’s directory of participating galleries offers first insights into the galleries and artists that are participating in the 20th edition of art KARLSRUHE.

Enjoy art in four halls

In keeping with the motto “A City to Enjoy”, which the city of Karlsruhe has proclaimed as this year’s Michelin Host City for 2023, art KARLSRUHE also promises unforgettable moments of enjoyment. Pleasure in Baden not only includes top-class gastronomy, but also the delight of interacting with art and culture. As at previous editions, art KARLSRUHE 2023 promises aesthetic enjoyment in four exhibition halls. To ensure that visitors always have a clear overview, the halls are again arranged according to specific. focal points:

• Hall 1: Prints and Graphic Prints

• Hall 2: Art after 1945 and Contemporary art

• Hall 3: Classic Modern and Contemporary art

• Hall 4: ContemporaryArt21

The fair experience is enhanced by the Sculpture Areas, which are interspersed among the galleries’ stands and rank among art KARLSRUHE’s unmistakable unique selling points.

art KARLSRUHE celebrates sculpture

In keeping with the outdoor sculpture garden, which is sponsored by the Vollack Group, the theme of sculpture is also of great importance inside the halls. “This year there will be no fewer than 26 Sculpture Areas”, says art KARLSRUHE’s curator and founding father Ewald Karl Schrade. On the occasion of the fair’s 20th anniversary, the free zones, each with an area of 100 square metres, can be experienced in all four halls for the first time this year.

The programme of the galleries is broad, and so too is the spectrum of three-dimensional art: it runs from figurative Contemporary positions to outstanding examples of Concrete art. For example, Villa de Arte Galleries (Barcelona) will present the austere yet imaginative sculptures of Arik Levi (Hall 1), while Herbert Mehler’s steel sculptures, which are characterised by their disciplined design, will be on display at the Sculpture Area of DIE GALERIE (Frankfurt) in Hall 3.

Another real eye-catcher is the installation by the Karlsruhe-based artist Fahar Al-Salih (Yvonne Hohner Contemporary). With a height of 5.5 metres, a width of five metres and a length of eight metres, his work “The Cage” combines some 600 bird cages to create one of the largest artworks at this year’s Sculpture Areas. As a bridge builder between cultures, this several-metre-tall structure reflects the issue of homeland as a question and a quest.

Another Sculpture Area presents “mirror mirror on the... throne” by the artist Nicole Doth (Galerie Hühsam). As its name suggests, the installation is a mirrored throne. The artist’s choice of mirror as a material transforms a functional object into an interpretive space that, like the mirror itself, invites reflection. Doth’s series of artworks questions power and claims to power in accord with this artist’s personal credo: “don’t be afraid of art”.

Political positions at art KARLSRUHE

“Is a stand at an art fair allowed to be socially critical?” This is the question posed by Galerie Schacher – Raum für Kunst. If the Stuttgart-based gallery’s owners Katrin and Marko Schacher have their way, this question can undoubtedly be answered in the affirmative. They believe that art should not only be colourful and aesthetic, but also thought-provoking, and that is why the gallery is dedicating a One-Artist-Show to the young artist Joséphine Sagna, whose large-format, concrete, colourful, expressive and lively paintings address her experiences and emotions as a Black woman in a predominantly white society.

In addition to sustainability, war is also an important theme in the galleries’ programme. For example, Galerie J. J. Heckenhauer, which is participating in art KARLSRUHE for the first time this year, is presenting works by the Ukrainian artist Sergii Chaika. “We procured paint and canvas for Sergii Chaika in December 2022. These art supplies, which are difficult to obtain due to the war in Ukraine, enabled him to keep painting in his studio, even under the most adverse circumstances, such as power outages and heating failures”, explains Roger Sonnewald, who belongs to the sixth generation of the family that runs Galerie J. J. Heckenhauer in Munich.

The Karlsruhe Centre for Art and Media (ZKM) is also showing political art at this year’s fair, including works by the Ukrainian media artists Alina Bukina and Anna Manankina. Both were artists-in-residence at the ZKM for several months last year after the outbreak of the war. The online platform “antiwarcoalition.art”, which collects, shares and distributes artists’ statements against the war worldwide, will also be presented.

From special show to talk format: the supporting programme

In addition to the SWR2 Messetalk and the LBBW Monopol Talk, the ARTIMA art meeting will once again take place. This year’s symposium, which is open to the public, includes six lectures that combine the fair’s anniversary with the aspect of sustainability. The speakers include the action artist HA Schult and the renowned sustainability experts Stefanie and Uwe Voigt (University of Augsburg) as well as art KARLSRUHE’s curator Ewald Karl Schrade. Elsewhere, too, the fair bears the signature of its founding father more than ever. As a token of appreciation for his many years of dedication, Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre is dedicating the traditional special show to the art collection of its originator and longstanding curator, Ewald Karl Schrade.

Award ceremonies are also part of art KARLSRUHE. In addition to the Hans Platschek Prize for Art and Writing and the art KARLSRUHE Prize of the City of Karlsruhe and the State of Baden-Württemberg for the best One-Artist Show, the Loth Sculpture Prize, which is sponsored by the L-Bank, will once again be awarded.

Art enjoyment in the city and region

It is not only inside the exhibition halls that art can be enjoyed from 4 to 7 May. Parallel to art KARLSRUHE, numerous other art events will likewise be taking place in and around Karlsruhe, the UNESCO City of Media Arts. For example, the Staatliche Kunsthalle Karlsruhe, whose main building has been closed for renovations for more than a year, will display paintings and sculptures from the late Middle Ages to the present at the ZKM. Also at the ZKM: the “Renaissance 3.0” exhibition, which deals with the increasing scientification of art.

With “P for Performance: All about us”, the Badischer Kunstverein offers exciting insights into the work of the artist Maja Bekan. This exhibition opens another chapter in the discourse on various performative practices at the Kunstverein and includes all of the works that Bekan has created to date.

On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of art KARLSRUHE, the “after art party” likewise returns. On Saturday, 6 May (starting at 8 p.m.) and Sunday, 7 May (starting at 1 p.m.), the party’s organiser Shahrokh Dini invites everyone to the Hirschhof in Karlsruhe to end the week of the fair in style and with live music.

After the twentieth edition of art KARLSRUHE – International Fair for Classic Modern and Contemporary Art (4-7 May 2023), its curator and founder Ewald Karl Schrade will hand over the management of the art fair to proven and new hands. After the handover, art KARLSRUHE will be jointly managed by the art historian Olga Blass and the advisory board’s chairman Kristian Jarmuschek.

New management concept for art KARLSRUHE

The starting shot for the transformation process was fired in July 2021, when Ewald Karl Schrade announced his intention to retire from his position as curator after art KARLSRUHE 2023. His decision was followed by a structured tender and selection process. Together with Schrade, Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre developed a new management concept. In the future, the fair will be headed in-house by Olga Blass, who has been part of the art KARLSRUHE team since 2011 and has guided the fair as its project manager since 2017. A strengthened external advisory board is planned as the second head, which will be active on the market with a leading chairperson. This position has now been filled by Kristian Jarmuschek, who has been the managing owner of the Berlin-based gallery Jarmuschek + Partner since 2004. Since 2013, he has also been a board member of the Federal Association of German Galleries and Art Dealers, where he recently started his third term of office.

The following individuals served on the selection committee for the new position: the director of the Städtische Galerie Stefanie Patruno, the director of the Zentrum für Kunst und Medien (ZKM) Dr. Helga Huskamp, the gallery owner and publisher Dr Dorothea van der Koelen, the journalist Dorothee Baer-Bogenschütz and the Berlin gallery owner Werner Tammen. Birgit Rolfes, head of the art collection of Mannheimer Versicherungen, was represented from the circle of long-standing partners. In the run-up to the selection, the internationally renowned agency Odgers Berndtson interviewed numerous personalities from the international art world who were aligned with the new management profile.

To ensure a smooth transition, Kristian Jarmuschek will participate as a guest in the meeting of the advisory board on the jurying of exhibitors for art KARLSRUHE 2023 in December 2022 and will assist Ewald Karl Schrade and the fair team in their planning.

For the subsequent 21st edition of art KARLSRUHE in 2024, Kristian Jarmuschek and Olga Blass will officially direct the fair together for the first time.

Comments on the new management of art KARLSRUHE

“The new management concept is an important step towards ensuring that art KARLSRUHE will continue to be successful in the future”, confidently says Britta Wirtz, Managing Director of Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre. “The unanimity of everyone involved in the selection process over the past months is a significant signal for art KARLSRUHE. The anticipation of being able to work with Mr Jarmuschek in the future is great. In addition to the perspective of a gallery owner, he also brings with him the knowledge of an experienced fair organiser who knows what it means to manage all aspects of a large project – from acquisition through stand construction to visitor management. He is very well networked in the scene, not only thanks to his association activities, and his recent re-election affirms the recognition of his work within the industry. This makes him an excellent choice for our new structures. But my special thanks at this point go to Ewald Karl Schrade, who has not only helped art KARLSRUHE attain its current radiance over the last twenty years, on which we can now continue to build, but has also accompanied the transformation process with advice and action.”

Ewald Karl Schrade is likewise pleased with the new orientation: “It was an all-round successful planning and finding process. I am sure that the duo of Blass and Jarmuschek will put the fair in a very good position in the future and that it will continue to develop without losing its DNA. Since taking my decision, it has been extremely important to me to know that the fair will be in trustworthy hands after my departure as curator. We have succeeded in this. Already since 2017, I have been able to hand over numerous tasks to the team at Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre, especially to Ms Blass. I view the interaction between the fair’s market team and a strengthened external advisory board as the right path for art KARLSRUHE. Now, however, I look forward to my last term as curator. Of course, I plan to remain with the fair as an exhibiting gallery owner afterwards.”

Looking ahead to his new role as external director, Kristian Jarmuschek is equally expectant: “The joy on my part is immense”, says Jarmuschek. “As a gallery owner, I know how a fair ‘has to feel’ from an exhibitor’s standpoint and I can optimally contribute this perspective to the conception of art KARLSRUHE. The concerns and wishes of the exhibitors are of particular importance to me. I will take on my new function as chairman of the advisory board with great respect. Since its founding in 2004, art KARLSRUHE has established itself as one of the most important art fairs in the German-speaking region. Especially in the southwestern part of Germany, a region with a diverse and lively art industry, this fair is appreciated as a prominent contact point for experienced art collectors and newcomers alike. This achievement deserves recognition. Above all, I admire the passion with which Ewald Karl Schrade has dedicated himself to art KARLSRUHE over the past two decades and the heartfelt dedication with which he has shaped the fair. In the coming years, I will use my experience to further evolve art KARLSRUHE, in awareness of its special character, as an important platform for all market participants regionally and internationally.”

As the voice of the advisory board, Werner Tammen, Chairman of the Berlin Galleries Association, is satisfied as well: “We have made a very good choice with Kristian Jarmuschek. Of course, the new management team has big shoes to fill, but I am sure that with him as the new chairman, the advisory board will fulfil an important function for the further development of art KARLSRUHE so that the fair’s planning will reflect and incorporate the concerns of the market.”

Finally, the new management concept is also a trend-setting signal for Gabriele Luczak-Schwarz, Lord Mayor of Karlsruhe and Chair of the Supervisory Board of Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre: “The appointment of Kristian Jarmuschek to head the external advisory board is good news for Karlsruhe’s city administration. I am sure that Kristian Jarmuschek will contribute to further strengthening Karlsruhe’s excellent reputation as a city of art. At the same time, thanks to his excellent network, he will no doubt succeed in leaving a lasting mark on art KARLSRUHE and in leading the fair into a continued successful future. Many thanks to Mr Schrade, who has succeeded in making art KARLSRUHE an internationally renowned art fair. Through art KARLSRUHE, our city – which has been a UNESCO City of Media Arts since 2019 – annually moves into the focus of the interested public and also places Karlsruhe in the media as an important location on the national and international art scene.”

Britta Wirtz, managing director of Messe Karlsruhe, looks back positively on the past few days: "The transfer of art KARLSRUHE from its traditional place in spring to summer, which became necessary this year, has been very successful. As the crowning finale of our trade fair restart, art KARLSRUHE was also able to demonstrate the diverse potential of Karlsruhe as a city of culture. The media attention of art KARLSRUHE not only advanced Karlsruhe's image as a city of art, but also provided a stage for its designation as a "UNESCO City of Media Arts". The close connection between the fair and the city was noticeable, for example, in the appearance of the Karlsruhe Cultural Office or the ZKM in the newly designed Hall 3."

For five days, 215 exhibitors from 12 countries, including Turkey, Greece and the USA, transformed the Karlsruhe Exhibition Centre into a multifaceted showcase and marketplace for art of all kinds, with the focus on painting, sculpture, photography and editions. The fact that the charisma of art KARLSRUHE remains unbroken even after the break due to the corona is shown not only by the participation of the exhibitors but also by the feedback from the gallery owners.

For fifteen years now, award ceremonies have been an integral part of the art KARLSRUHE fair experience (until 10 July). "It has always been an important concern of art KARLSRUHE to promote artists and galleries. One aspect of this commitment is the three award ceremonies, with which we would like to honour strong artistic positions and make them visible," says Ewald Karl Schrade, curator of art KARLSRUHE.

In addition to the Hans Platschek Prize for Art and Writing, the art KARLSRUHE Prize and the Loth Sculpture Prize were again awarded at this year's fair.

art KARLSRUHE Prize goes to Ambra Durante (Friese Gallery)

As experience has shown, the fourteenth art KARLSRUHE Prize remained exciting right to the end. Since 2008, the award, an alliance of the state and the city and endowed with a purchase budget of 15,000 euros, has honoured the best one-artist show on the one hand, and on the other, it serves to continually expand the art KARLSRUHE Collection.

This year, the young artist Ambra Durante (presented by Galerie Friese, Berlin) was able to join the list of prize winners. The draughtswoman, who was born in 2000 and has only been on the art market for a short time, is already attracting a lot of attention. At art KARLSRUHE, Durante convinced a jury of experts with her picture stories, which she immortalises on a wide variety of media. Thus, her works are created sometimes on paper, sometimes on glass and sometimes on train tickets.

A jury of experts chose the most convincing individual presentation from a total of 180 one-artist shows at the fair. The prize was awarded on Saturday (9 July) at 11 a.m. in the ARTIMA art Forum in the newly designed Hall 3. "Ambra Durante is perhaps the youngest artist at art KARLSRUHE. Her works assert themselves with humour and irony, igniting fireworks of figuration within which the figures repeatedly lose themselves," said laudator Dr. Stefanie Patruno, Director of the Städtische Galerie Karlsruhe, explaining the unanimous verdict.

The members of the jury were Dorothee Baer-Bogenschütz (art historian and journalist), Nikolai B. Forstbauer (author and journalist), Prof. Dr. Pia Müller-Tamm (Director of the Staatliche Kunsthalle Karlsruhe) and Dr. Stefanie Patruno (Director of the Städtische Galerie Karlsruhe).

Loth Sculpture Prize - donated by L-Bank - goes to Stefan Rohrer (Scheffel Gallery)

The prize, donated by L-Bank and endowed with 20,000 euros, is awarded by a jury of experts for the best sculpture space at art KARLSRUHE. Galerie Scheffel (Bad Homburg) and the artist Stefan Rohrer can be pleased about this year's award. The Loth Sculpture Prize is awarded equally to the gallery and the artist.

The prize was awarded by a jury of experts who justified their judgement as follows: "Traffic vehicles such as cars are central objects, cult objects of the 20th century. Rohrer transforms these concrete objects into abstract sculptures, vectors of space. In doing so, he convinces through the precise alienation effects and the powerful work on the material. He takes everyday objects, mostly vehicles, out of shape and into new forms. These transformations create humorous, surprising and powerful objects."

The Sculpture Prize is named after the artist Wilhelm Loth (1920 - 1993). In 1958, he was appointed head of a sculpture class at the Art Academy in Karlsruhe, where he worked as a professor from 1960 until his retirement in 1986.

The expert jury consisted of Alexander Heil (Wilhelm Loth estate, jury chair), Dr. Sebastian Baden (Schirn Frankfurt), Dr. Pia Dornacher (Museum Lothar Fischer, Neumarkt), Prof. Werner Pokorny (sculptor), Prof. Dr. Peter Weibel (ZKM Karlsruhe).

Hans Platschek Prize for Osmar Osten

The Hans Platschek Prize for Art and Writing, which has been awarded at art KARLSRUHE since 2008, kicked off the award ceremonies. Following Monika Baer (2021) and Helga Schmidhuber (2020), the Chemnitz-based artist Osmar Osten was presented with the award at the opening of the fair on 7 July.

This year's individual juror Dr Ulrike Lorenz explained her choice for Osten as follows: "My choice fell on Osmar Osten because the Chemnitz artist, with his post-dadaist painting and in his ironic short texts, has remained unimpressed on the trail of the absurdities of human existence and interpretive power for many years and beyond an overall social upheaval - a quick-witted contemporary with a philanthropic delight in the grotesque according to the motto: 'What does winning mean here, survival is everything'?"

In addition to prize money of 5,000 euros, Osten was able to enjoy a further honour: for the duration of the fair, his works will be presented at the Foundation's stand in dialogue with selected positions by Hans Platschek.

One-Artist Shows are an inseparable part of the successful concept of art KARLSRUHE – International Fair for Classic Modern and Contemporary Art. Each participating gallery is welcome to show works by a single artist on at least 25 square metres of floor space. The goal of each staging is to offer in-depth insights into the artistic work of one individual. A total of 180 such installations will be shown at this year’s summer edition of the art fair in Karlsruhe from 7 to 10 July 2022.

A stroll through art history

Like the fair’s entire programme, the 180 One-Artist-Shows promise stimulating excursions through art history of the past 120 years – from classical works to the latest artistic positions fresh from the studios. Works by deceased masters of Art Informel such as Karl Otto Götz (Die Galerie, Frankfurt) will be shown, as will creations by contemporary artists such as Elvira Bach (Galerie Art Affair, Regensburg) and Marion Eichmann (Galerie Tammen, Berlin). International stars like Christo (Art Edition Fils, Düsseldorf) and Bob Dylan (Premium Modern Art, Heilbronn) will also be on display at One-Artist-Shows in Karlsruhe. art KARLSRUHE’s directory of galleries and artists offers initial insights into the diversity of artistic positions.

Prize for the best One-Artist-Show

Ewald Karl Schrade, curator of art KARLSRUHE, had made this form of presentation possible from the very beginning. “Our exhibitors continue to express strong interest in staging One-Artist-Shows”, Schrade explains. These presentations not only make it easier for visitors to grasp an artist’s oeuvre as a whole, but also enhance the overall impression made by the fair. “Each artist’s recognisable visual style brings serenity into the landscape of stands in the four exhibition halls, but without reducing the diversity of artistic positions”, Schrade adds. Each One-Artist-Show is automatically eligible to compete for the art KARLSRUHE prize. The State of Baden-Württemberg and the City of Karlsruhe honour both an artist and a gallery with this prize. Artworks from the award-winning solo presentation will be purchased up to a value of 15,000 euros for the art KARLSRUHE Collection, which is administered by the Städtische Galerie Karlsruhe. The prize will be awarded in the ARTIMA art Forum in Hall 3 at art KARLSRUHE at 11 a.m. on Saturday, 9 July 2022.

Young artists at art KARLSRUHE

The gallery owner Klaus Gerrit Friese from Berlin, who is one of the fair’s 215 exhibitors from twelve countries, explains why his programme at art KARLSRUHE also includes a One-Artist-Show focussing on the works of the young artist Ambra Durante: “We are very impressed by Ambra Durante, and we appreciate the fact that art KARLSRUHE promotes individual presentations by charging lower rents for the stands. This also makes our decision easier from an economic point of view.” Born in Genoa in 2000, Ambra Durante has only been on the art market for a short time, but her work is already attracting plenty of attention. The author Daniel Kehlmann, for example, is one of the admirers of Durante’s illustrated stories. Galerie Schacher will also stage a One-Artist-Show featuring the young artist Shalva Gelitashvili from Tbilisi. For art KARLSRUHE, Shalva Gelitashvili has created a series of paintings on an unusual substrate: glass salvaged from old window panes in demolished buildings. Gelitashvili’s creations blur the boundaries between sculpture and painting.

As part of the rescue and future programme Neustart Kultur, the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) has made funding available for the cultural sector. As an important fair, the 19th edition of art KARLSRUHE - Classical Modern and Contemporary Art (7-10 July 2022) can look forward to a positive funding decision. In Karlsruhe, the exhibiting galleries will benefit from this news in the form of discounted stand rents, as the funding sum will be passed on in full to the exhibitors.

"I am very pleased that we can offer our exhibitors improved conditions thanks to Neustart Kultur. The galleries and artists in particular have had to struggle with financial losses during the pandemic. We hope that the discounted stand rents will support the galleries in presenting themselves and their art in Karlsruhe. After all, this also enriches the art KARLSRUHE fair experience. As the finale of our summer trade fairs, this will not only provide a stage for the international art market, but also for Karlsruhe as the City of Media Arts", explains Britta Wirtz, Managing Director of Messe Karlsruhe. The exact amount of funding will be determined after the event.

Digital anticipation of real encounters with art

Those who would like to get in the mood for the programme of the 215 exhibiting galleries in advance will soon be able to gain a first digital insight on the "Galerieplattform_DE". As a special offer for art lovers and collectors, the online platform will provide a selection of works from classical modernism to recent art history from 23 June to 6 July.

The gallery platform_DE will be used for the first time as a supplement to the art KARLSRUHE fair. The principle is easy to explain: each of the participating galleries has the chance to present various works online in the run-up to the fair. One artwork can be uploaded in each of the categories "Classic Modern Art", "Art after 1945", "Contemporary Art", "Prints and Edition Objects" and "Sculpture". Sales can then be transacted in direct contact between the gallery and potential customers. "Of course, the platform cannot replace the real art experience on site, but it can complement it in a meaningful way," says curator Ewald Karl Schrade.

"The digital show of works is intended to heighten anticipation for our summer fair. Art collectors can get an idea of this year's diversity of positions in advance," Schrade continues. The gallery platform is to be understood as an invitation to all those interested in art to get in touch with the galleries. This vision also fits in with the goal of art KARLSRUHE: to bring the art market closer together again.

The current Covid Ordinance of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg, which came into force on 20th December 2021, prohibits the holding of trade fairs within the given circumstances, which apply for Baden-Württemberg since 4th December 2021 and whose measures, according to the current communication of the state, will probably be extended until further. In addition the new variant omicron is spreading fast, which is causing uncertainty.

Under these conditions, the planning security for a fair of this size is no longer given for all those involved in the fair - exhibitors, service providers, partners and the organiser itself. In close consultation with the galleries, advisory boards and partners, Messe Karlsruhe has therefore decided to postpone the art fair until summer.

"We would have liked to continue our successful restart and offer the art market a platform with art KARLSRUHE on the usual spring date," emphasises Britta Wirtz, Managing Director of Messe Karlsruhe. "With the rescheduling, we want to give our gallery owners, visitors and partners reliable planning and return a bit of normality to the trade fair business, in what we hope will be an endemic situation by then. We see the move to the summer date as an opportunity to experience the fair in a new and - proverbially - different light at a bright and warm time of the year and to enjoy the art and the exchange more light-heartedly."

Ewald Karl Schrade, curator of art KARLSRUHE, also emphasises the necessity of the postponement: "Most of the preparations for art KARLSRUHE had been made and the anticipation among gallery owners for the personal exchange with collectors and art lovers was enormous. But we also noticed that many people are currently reluctant to visit a fair. It is difficult to enjoy art under such conditions." For this reason, he sees the new date as an opportunity to rethink personal encounters with art: "We hope the postponement will not only make it easier to plan, but also creates a summer art experience that re-stages tried-and-tested formats such as the sculpture garden sponsored by the Vollack Group, thus inviting visitors to stay outdoors for longer."

Tickets purchased to date for art KARLSRUHE remain valid.

Another highlight: special show of graphic prints

The Klöcker Collection is not the only highlight in redesigned Hall 3. In addition to the Museum Mile and the ARTIMA art meeting, the hall also houses the annual special show of graphic prints, which displays graphic artworks from the programmes of the exhibiting galleries. The graphic print, which is also appreciated as an entry medium for newer collectors, has served many established collectors as a medium for approaching art. The special show of graphic prints at art KARLSRUHE offers opportunities to gain entry into the passion of collecting or to augment an existing art collection with high-calibre original prints. The programme is rounded out by the award ceremony and the accompanying special exhibition of the Hans Platschek Foundation, which displays artworks by the annual award winner as well as works by Hans Platschek curated by the year’s winner.

About the fair

art KARLSRUHE – International Fair for Classic Modern and Contemporary Art spans 120 years of art history. Galleries from Germany and abroad present the full bandwidth of the art market – from the complete spectrum of 20th-century art to new works fresh from the artists’ studios. A special and unique selling point in the airy, light-flooded exhibition halls is the unique arrangement of galleries in interplay with generously proportioned Sculpture Areas and One-Artist-Shows focusing on the work of individual artists. The national and international appeal of art KARLSRUHE attracts both established collectors and art-market newcomers. Art KARLSRUHE is firmly anchored in the cultural city of Karlsruhe: in conjunction with renowned museums and cultural institutions in the city of Karlsruhe and its surrounding region, art KARLSRUHE creates a very special art experience.

Nationally and internationally renowned galleries

The roster of exhibitors for 2022 once again brings together galleries specializing in all genres – from Classic Modernism to the latest creations in Contemporary art. Renowned galleries such as Baumgarte (Bielefeld), Ludorff (Düsseldorf), Friese (Berlin), Maulberger (Munich), Osper (Cologne), Rotermund (Hamburg), Schwarzer (Düsseldorf) and van der Koelen (Mainz) are among the participants. art KARLSRUHE 2022 is also well positioned internationally, e.g., with Cortina (Barcelona), Fontana (Amsterdam), Gilden’s Art (London), Gimpel & Müller (Paris), Anna Laudel (Istanbul), Morone (Milan), Prinz (Madrid) and Várfok (Budapest).

The diverse programmes of the galleries selected for participation in art KARLSRUHE 2022 represent a large number of well-known artists. They range from Josef Albers and Salvador Dalí, through Otto Dix and Max Liebermann, to Pablo Picasso and Kurt Schwitters. Georg Baselitz and Franz Gertsch, Heinz Mack and Neo Rauch, Gerhard Richter and Günther Uecker will be represented among the artists in the segment of established contemporary art. A conspicuously large number of female artists will present their works: the spectrum ranges from Miriam Cahn and Katharina Grosse, through Xenia Hausner and Candida Höfer, to Karin Kneffel and Cornelia Schleime.

The entire stylistic spectrum of 120 years of art history will be on display – from Expressionism to Art Informel, through ZERO and Pop, to the latest art, some of which is politically committed.

New hall structure for art KARLSRUHE 2022

The one-of-a-kind layout of galleries in interplay with generously proportioned Sculpture Areas is a unique feature of the fair. A total of 24 Sculpture Areas will be set up at art KARLSRUHE in 2022. A new feature of the upcoming event is the changed arrangement of the familiar four exhibition halls. In addition to the three main halls (Classic Modernism, Art after 1945, and Prints and Contemporary Art), visitors will also find a separate hall for special exhibitions, museum presentations and talks, including a spacious restaurant area. Under the motto “Art and Communication”, this newly designed hall will invite visitors to linger and will offer ample space for new discoveries and new social habits at art KARLSRUHE 2022.

Women: Klöcker Collection

Hall 3 is also home to art KARLSRUHE’s annually changing special show. At the upcoming fair, it will be entitled “Women: Klöcker Collection”. Maria Lucia and Ingo Klöcker, both of whom hold doctorates in law from Bad Homburg, began acquiring art in the late 1980s. From the beginning of their collecting activity, they focussed on portrayals of women in post-war and contemporary art. Whether painted or sculpted by female artists, the feminine in art runs like Ariadne’s thread through the entire collection of this collector couple. A representative selection from their collection will be on display in the traditional special exhibition, which occupies approximately 300 square metres. This special show was postponed from its original scheduling in 2021, so the Klöcker Collection will soon receive the appreciation it deserves at art KARLSRUHE in February 2022.

Project manager Olga Blaß explains: “We have already received a very large number of applications this year and we are delighted that so many galleries would like to exhibit at art KARLSRUHE, either as returning participants or for the first time. As always, new applicants are very welcome to apply.” Curator Ewald Karl Schrade adds: “The popularity of our art fair remains as strong as ever. After such a long time during which direct encounters with art were either not possible at all or possible only to a very limited extent, everyone is looking forward to personal sharing and to being able to experience art up close again.” Under the leadership of curator Ewald Karl Schrade and fair director Britta Wirtz, the seven-member advisory board met in mid-October to choose the exhibiting galleries.

Galleries can benefit from support programme

The cultural and creative industries have been hit particularly hard by the coronavirus pandemic. Gallery owners have had to cope with enormous losses in turnover over the past year and a half. The federal government’s rescue package supports galleries with the “Neustart Kultur” funding programme. Within the framework of this programme, participation in fairs is also eligible for funding, so galleries can benefit from low-cost participation in art KARLSRUHE. Exhibitors can look forward to discounts in the cost of stand rental which were made possible by the Neustart Kultur funding programme. This eases the burden on galleries participating in the fair gives them an opportunity to boost their business again – without having to take a possible financial risk.

Transformation process art KARLSRUHE

art KARLSRUHE is not only blazing new trails in the area of cultural promotion. The management of the art fair is also undergoing a transformation process. Ewald Karl Schrade, the fair’s longstanding curator and founder, will pass the baton of managing the fair into new and proven hands after the twentieth edition of art KARLSRUHE in 2023. Until then, Ewald Karl Schrade and Britta Wirtz, the managing director of Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre, will jointly shape the transformation process that has now been initiated and will redefine the management of the art fair in the future.

Ewald Karl Schrade has directed art KARLSRUHE as its curator and project manager since 2004. Under his leadership, the event has achieved widespread recognition and acceptance in the art market. Already in 2017, Olga Blaß took on the role of project manager for the fair in close coordination with its curator. The future concept, which has now been collaboratively defined, gradually transfers Ewald Karl Schrade’s responsibilities into the hands of a team of external artistic directors and a director from Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre, who works as a peer with the extramural directors.

The search for an external artistic director will begin after art KARLSRUHE 2022. This person’s experience and overview of the external market will augment the know-how of the team from Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre after the 2023 event.

Hans Platschek Prize to be awarded in Karlsruhe again in 2022

The renowned Hans Platschek Prize for Art and Writing has been awarded annually at art KARLSRUHE since 2008. The fair could not take place as usual in February 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, so the award ceremony was held at the Kunstverein in Hamburg, where the painter Monika Baer was honoured as this year’s winner of the Hans Platschek Prize. An annually changing independent juror determines who will receive the award for the current year. Christina Végh, director of the Kunsthalle Bielefeld, was the sole juror and thus also the laudator in 2021. Previous winners of the Platschek Prize include Jonathan Meese, Monica Bonvicini, Michael Kunze and Helga Schmidhuber (2020). The Hans Platschek Foundation Prize will again be awarded at art KARLSRUHE in 2022.

Until that time, Ewald Karl Schrade and Britta Wirtz, the managing director of Messe Karlsruhe, will jointly shape the transformation process that has now been initiated and will redefine the future management of the art fair.

Since 2004, Ewald Karl Schrade has led art KARLSRUHE as curator and project manager and helped the fair to achieve high recognition and acceptance in the art market. Already in 2017, Olga Blaß took on the role of project manager for the event in close coordination with the curator. The future concept, which has now been worked out together, is to successively place Ewald Karl Schrade's previous activities in the hands of a team consisting of external artistic management and a management from Messe Karlsruhe positioned at eye level.

After art KARLSRUHE 2022, the search for an external artistic director will begin. After the 2023 event, this person will complement the Messe Karlsruhe team with an experienced view of what is happening on the external market.

Britta Wirtz: "Messe Karlsruhe and curator Ewald Karl Schrade see this new distribution of roles as a guarantee that the high level of competence built up by the Messe Karlsruhe team over the past twenty years will be used profitably. At the same time, the explicit orientation towards the needs of all our customers as a decisive criterion for the success of trade fairs will be continued."

Ewald Karl Schrade, who has always been a gallery owner and trade fair organiser, will devote more of his passion for art and its advancement to his two galleries in Schloß Mochental and Karlsruhe after the 2023 fair, and will remain an exhibiting gallery owner at art KARLSRUHE.

Ewald Karl Schrade: "I am looking forward to getting the process that has now been initiated off to a good start together with Managing Director Britta Wirtz, Project Manager Olga Blaß and the team at Messe Karlsruhe. After my last fair as curator, I will experience art KARLSRUHE from a different perspective and will certainly also enjoy only looking after my own stand without the responsibility for the organisational processes."

“We are strongly committed to supporting our exhibitors and to offering our fair’s visitors and everyone involved with the event a digital platform for information and discussion. As a distillation of what is happening at the fair, art KARLSRUHE selections will set exciting accents online and in the participating galleries. Especially because we must currently make do without art fairs, we want to create an even stronger sense of community in the art landscape”, explain managing director Britta Wirtz and art KARLSRUHE’s curator Ewald Karl Schrade.

art KARLSRUHE selections digital

From 20 to 23 May, art KARLSRUHE selections will feature a mix of formats for information, art education and discussion. Gallery owners, collectors and artists will all have ample opportunities to voice their opinions. In addition to viewing ARTIMA Talks on various art market topics, the website’s visitors can also take part in digital guided tours led by knowledgeable art historians. The tours highlight the diverse programmes of the participating galleries. Among other things themes, the topics of the talks and guided tours cover the special challenges currently facing the art business, analogue collecting in a digital era, and thematic focal points such as women in art. Other digital highlights include a podcast as well as opportunities for meetings and discussions on Clubhouse. Participation in the digital programme, which was created in cooperation with ZEIT Weltkunst Verlag and takes place on art KARLSRUHE’s website, is free of charge and requires no previous registration.

art KARLSRUHE selections in the galleries on site

The art fair can also be experienced offline: many of the galleries approved for art KARLSRUHE are organizing special exhibitions and smaller events in their spaces before or during the dates originally planned for the fair in May. Focussing on artists and projects that were to be presented at art KARLSRUHE 2021, these shows and events present artworks originally intended for the art fair. Numerous galleries have already announced their first exhibitions under the aegis of art KARLSRUHE selections. All participating galleries will soon be presented on art KARLSRUHE’s website.

About the fair

As a fair for Classic Modern and Contemporary art, art KARLSRUHE spans 120 years of art history. National as well as international galleries show the breadth of the art market – from the complete spectrum of 20th-century art to new artworks fresh from the artists’ ateliers. A special and unique selling point in the airy, light-flooded exhibition halls is the unique layout of galleries in interplay with generously proportioned Sculpture Areas and One-Artist-Shows focussing on the creations of individual artists. The national and international appeal of art KARLSRUHE attracts both established collectors and newcomers to the art market and is firmly anchored in the cultural city of Karlsruhe. In conjunction with renowned museums and cultural institutions in the city of Karlsruhe and the surrounding region, it creates a special art experience.

No opening perspective for restart of the trade-fair business

Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre’s Managing Director Britta Wirtz explains the decision: “A fair requires several months of preparation by everyone involved. Despite continually further developed concepts adapted to the current situation to provide protection against the coronavirus, there are currently no viable perspectives for reopening that can offer our clients, partners and colleagues the planning security they need for May 2021. The cancellation of this year’s art KARLSRUHE is therefore unfortunately unavoidable.”

Curator Ewald Karl Schrade is grateful for the loyalty of the gallery owners in the current situation: “We had continue to hope until the very last moment that art KARLSRUHE would be able to take place and we revised our plans accordingly. Our gallery owners remained steadfastly loyal to us and made all preparations necessary for their presence at the fair. We regret the cancellation and we look forward to seeing them all in person next year.” Project manager Olga Blaß adds: “With our early announcement that the next art KARLSRUHE will take place in February 2022, we want to be a reliable partner to everyone involved in the fair and to offer the best possible planning security.”

Online highlight in May

Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre would nonetheless like to offer visitors and exhibitors a platform with new digital solutions for the planned date in May. Project manager Olga Blaß explains: “Art needs direct encounters. We remain convinced of this. We are currently developing appropriate hybrid and digital formats that complement the fair on site and will last beyond the pandemic.” With individual formats, art KARLSRUHE also wants to bring the pleasure of art into people’s homes.

About the fair

As a fair for Classic Modern and Contemporary art, art KARLSRUHE spans 120 years of art history. National as well as international galleries show the breadth of the art market – from the complete spectrum of 20th-century art to new artworks fresh from the artists’ ateliers. A special and unique selling point in the airy, light-flooded exhibition halls is the unique layout of galleries in interplay with generously proportioned Sculpture Areas and One-Artist-Shows focussing on the creations of individual artists. The national and international appeal of art KARLSRUHE attracts both established collectors and newcomers to the art market and is firmly anchored in the cultural city of Karlsruhe. In conjunction with renowned museums and cultural institutions in the city of Karlsruhe and the surrounding region, it creates a special art experience.

The current course of the corona pandemic and the far-reaching measures for public life which the Federal Government and the Minister Presidents put into force at the beginning of this week are the reason why Messe Karlsruhe is rescheduling its portfolio of events in January and February 2021 with foresight.

"In consultation with exhibitors, sponsors, the advisory board and of course our curator Ewald Karl Schrade, we have looked for dates in our calendar that are suitable for art KARLSRUHE in the competitive environment and are accepted by the industry", explains Britta Wirtz, Managing Director of Messe Karlsruhe. "The new scheduling should lead to improved planning security for all those involved. It is important to us that the confidence of exhibitors, visitors and partners in the planning of trade fair participations is maintained. Our early decision to reschedule art KARLSRUHE is in the interest of all. By rescheduling, we have placed the interests of our exhibitors at the centre of our decision". The art KARLSRUHE was originally scheduled to take place from 25th to 28th of February 2021 at the Karlsruhe Exhibition Centre.

About the fair

The art KARLSRUHE (May 21st to 24th in 2021) is a fair for Classic Modern and Contemporary Art spanning 120 years of art history. National as well as international galleries show the spectrum of the art market - from the complete spectrum of 20th century art to works fresh from the studios. A special unique selling point in the airy, light-flooded exhibition halls is the unique layout of galleries in interplay with spacious sculpture spaces and one-artist shows that focus on the artistic work of individuals. The national and international appeal of art KARLSRUHE appeals to both established collectors and newcomers to the art market and is firmly anchored in the cultural city of Karlsruhe. Together with renowned museums and cultural institutions in Karlsruhe and the surrounding region, it creates a special art experience.

Special exhibition of the Hans-Peter Haas Foundation – Serigraphs by Great Masters from Ackermann to Vasarely

Max Ackermann, Josef Albers, Christo, Lucio Fontana, HAP Grieshaber, Robert Indiana, Roy Lichtenstein, Günter Fruhtrunk, Niki de Saint Phalle, Otto Piene, Tom Wesselmann: the list of artists for whom the screen printer Hans-Peter Haas (HPH) has collaborated since the end of the 1950s is indeed lengthy. The painter and sculptor Heinz Mack aptly remarked: “HPH is the printer for the artists – and the artist among the printers.” With an unerring eye, Haas – who was honoured with the Federal Cross of Merit in 2008 – amassed an impressive collection of graphic artworks, approximately 150 of which will be shown at art KARLSRUHE. Works from Haas’s collection will be displayed in the immediate vicinity of the special show devoted to graphic prints. This year marks the fourth edition of this special show, which features artworks selected and offered for sale from among the graphic prints submitted by the exhibiting gallery owners.

Insights into the Programmes of the Exhibitors

In addition to offering a broad spectrum of outstanding works of art from the past 120 years, the 210 exhibitors from fifteen countries will also create special focal points in the four exhibition halls.

A number of gallery owners have decided to bring artworks by important female artists of the 20th century to Karlsruhe. Although these women artists helped to write new chapters in art history, they were neglected for decades by museums and, in some cases, by the art trade. This applies, for example, to the painter Lotte Laserstein, whose works will be among those shown by the gallerist Dr. Michel Nöth (Ansbach), who is exhibiting at art KARLSRUHE for the first time, as well as to the sculptor Renée Sintenis, who is represented by Galerie Ludorff (Düsseldorf). Nöth and Ludorff, as well as Kunstkontor Dr. Doris Möllers (Münster), are among the exhibitors who will bring artworks by Gabriele Münter to this year’s fair. Galerie St. Gertrude (Hamburg) will present works by Hannah Höch. Varfok (Budapest) plans to show artworks by Francois Gillot. Creations by other female artists of the 20th century such as Tamara de Lempicka and Käthe Kollwitz will be shown at the stands of Eggerbauer (Cologne) and Koch-Westenhoff (Lübeck).

Many gallery owners are again emphasizing Classic Modern artworks, so this art-historical epoch will be strongly represented at the fair. None of the genre’s well-known artists will be missing. The Classic Modern roster begins with Lovis Corinth and Max Ernst. It continues with Pablo Picasso, whose works can be seen at the stands of no fewer than thirteen galleries and in a One-Artist-Show staged by Galerie Klaus Benden (Cologne). And the list of illustrious names culminates with Otto Dix, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and Joan Miró. Internationally renowned galleries that specialize in Classic Modern art – for example, Cortina (Barcelona), Gilden’s Art Gallery (London) and Schwarzer (Düsseldorf) – will likewise bring superlative artworks to Karlsruhe.

Another spotlight will shine on artworks by members of the Zero movement. Heinz Mack, Otto Piene and Günther Uecker will each be in the focal point for eight to ten exhibitors. Galerie Dorothea van der Koelen will dedicate a One-Artist-Show to Günther Uecker, who celebrates his ninetieth birthday this year.

Contemporary art of the highest quality will likewise be on display. This year’s fair features numerous contemporary American artists such as Christo, Alex Katz, Jeff Koons, Julian Schnabel, Cindy Sherman and Richard Serra.

Aficionados can also view creations by well-known Pop artists such as Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg, James Rosenquist and Tom Wesselmann. Seven galleries will show works by Andy Warhol.

Gerhard Richter’s paintings are again certain to attract collectors’ keenest interest. Works by this world-renowned German painter will be shown by half a dozen gallery owners, the majority of whom will come to Karlsruhe from the Rhineland, e.g. Bernd Bentler (Bonn) and Kunsthandlung Osper (Cologne). Galerie Hegau from Lake Constance is also bringing one of Richter’s artworks to Karlsruhe.

In addition to Gerhard Richter, many other well-known contemporary artists will likewise be represented. Their ranks include, for example, Georg Baselitz, Miriam Cahn, Katharina Grosse, Jürgen Klauke, Karin Kneffel, Imi Knoebel, Markus Lüpertz, Julian Opie, Neo Rauch, Anselm Reyle, Sean Scully and Daniel Spoerri.

The upcoming art KARLSRUHE will present an unprecedentedly large number of photographs, drawings, paintings and objects created by artists from other disciplines, e.g. musicians, actors and writers. Works by the musician and poet Bob Dylan, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016, will be on sale at Premium Modern Art (Heilbronn). Photographs by the comedian and cabaret artist Dieter Nuhr will be offered at Galerie Obrist (Essen). And photographic work by the world-famous jazz trombonist Till Brönner will be shown at the stand of Galerie Alexander Ochs Private (Berlin).

Sculpture in the focus of art KARLSRUHE 2020

At that time, there were nine Sculpture Areas on which selected galleries presented three-dimensional artworks. From 13 to 16 February next year, twenty Sculpture Areas will create unique spatial situations inside the high-ceilinged, light-flooded halls and thus provide spaces for contemplation among the exhibition stands. From the outset, considerable logistical effort was required to stage these voluminous three-dimensional artworks, which always seek dialogue with the surrounding architecture.

Graphic prints & original editions

In many instances, a collector’s career begins with the purchase of a graphic print which, thanks to its serial character, is also attractive for a neophyte collector. The majority of artists have tried their hand at aquatint, lithography, silkscreen printing or woodcuts. Special attention is given to the medium of the graphic print in Hall 1 where, for example, Galerie Mirko Meyer from Cologne debuts at the fair with a One-Artist-Show. Among the other newcomers are Overhead Gallery (Münster, D) and Gallery40NL (Doetinchem, NL), which present themselves alongside galleries that are returning to art KARLSRUHE such as Art Edition Fils (Düsseldorf, D), Jeanne (Munich) and Premium Modern Art (Heilbronn, D). In addition to their joint stand in Hall 2, Behning Gallery (Sylt, D) and Eikelmann Gallery (Düsseldorf, D) will collaboratively present their high-quality graphic programme in Hall 1.

Hall 1 will also host the special exhibition “The Hans-Peter Haas Collection – Serigraphs by Great Masters from Ackermann to Vasarely” and the special show of graphic prints.

For 15 years now, the Hans Platschek Foundation has been awarding its eponymous art prize at art KARLSRUHE - Classical Modern and Contemporary Art, which will take place this year from 7 to 10 July 2022 in the Karlsruhe exhibition halls. The award will be presented to the prize-winner Osmar Osten on the opening day of the international art fair: the award ceremony is scheduled for Thursday (7 July) at 5 p.m. at the ARTIMA art Forum of the newly designed Hall 3.

Just like the foundation, the award commemorates the life and work of its namesake, the painter and writer Hans Platschek, who died over 20 years ago. The artist, who was born in Berlin in 1923 and died in Hamburg in 2000, was regarded throughout his life as a critical forerunner and rethinker of artistic positions after the Second World War. The foundation in his honour was founded in 2005 by the lawyer Kurt Groenewold. Alongside him, the current board of the foundation consists of Bettina Steinbrügge (Musée d'Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean) and Sebastian Giesen (Hermann Reemtsma Foundation).

It is no coincidence that the Hans Platschek Prize for Art and Writing has always been presented to painters and sculptors who themselves work with the word. From Helga Schmidhuber (2020), Monica Bonvicini (2019) to Jonathan Meese (2017) and Werner Büttner (2011) - a total of 14 artists were each nominated by a juror and, on the occasion of the award ceremony at art KARLSRUHE, were able to place their work in dialogue with works by Platschek in a special show. Most recently, the prize was awarded to the painter Monika Baer (2021).

On 7 July 2022, the Chemnitz artist Osmar Osten will join the ranks of the prize winners. Beginning with an apprenticeship as a landscape gardener, Osten studied painting and graphic arts at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts from 1980 to 1985. In addition to a long-standing collaboration with the "Salvatore e Caroline Ala" gallery in Milan, he has exhibited in numerous German and international galleries and museums. The President of the Klassik Stiftung Weimar, Ulrike Lorenz, has been observing Osmar Osten's artistic development for decades. The fact that she as the Platschek Prize juror chose him is documented by her with significance: "With his post-dadaist painting and in ironic short texts, he remains unimpressed on the trail of the absurdities of human existence. A witty contemporary with a philanthropic delight in the grotesque."

Loth Sculpture Prize - donated by L-Bank - awarded for the fourth time

In addition to the Hans Platschek Prize, the Loth Sculpture Prize sponsored by L-Bank is also part of the supporting programme of this year's summer edition of art KARLSRUHE. The prize was last awarded in 2020. At that time, artist Gary Schlingheider, represented by Galerie Burster (Berlin), was delighted to receive the award. The prize of 20,000 euros is awarded by a jury of experts to one of a total of 24 sculptures. These are among the distinctive features of the art fair. The prize is awarded to both the gallery and the artist. The award ceremony will take place on Friday (8 July 2022, 5 pm) at the ARTIMA art Forum in Hall 3.

Prize for the best one-artist show

The award ceremonies will be completed by the art KARLSRUHE prize for the best one-artist show at the fair. With this award, the State of Baden-Württemberg and the City of Karlsruhe honour both an artist and a gallery owner. Works from the award-winning one-artist show will be promoted for the art KARLSRUHE Collection, which is administered by the Städtische Galerie Karlsruhe, to the value of 15,000 euros. The last winner was artist Annette Kelm and Galerie König (Berlin) . At art KARLSRUHE 2022, the prize will be awarded on Saturday (9 July 2022, 11 am) at the ARTIMA art Forum in Hall 3.