art KARLSRUHE 2022 - Classical Modern and Contemporary Art (7-10 July 2022)
On this site you will find highlights of the upcoming summer edition of art KARLSRUHE 2022
The nineteenth edition of art KARLSRUHE – International Fair for Classic Modern and Contemporary Art will celebrate an “art-full” comeback at Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre from 7 to 10 July. After last year’s digital edition under the title “art KARLSRUHE selections”, the traditional physical encounter with art is again possible in Karlsruhe. For four days, a total of 215 galleries from twelve countries will transform the trade fair’s four high-ceilinged and light-flooded exhibition halls into a showcase and marketplace for art spanning more than 120 years. Art lovers are welcome to linger at the summer edition of art KARLSRUHE until well into the evening: the new opening hours are from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Foreign and domestic galleries
The heart of the fair is the programme of exhibiting galleries. This year’s list of exhibitors once again brings together galleries specialising in all genres from Classic Modern art to the latest Contemporary creations. Renowned galleries such as Ludorff (Düsseldorf), Friese (Berlin), Maulberger (Munich), Osper (Cologne), Rotermund (Hamburg), Schwarzer (Düsseldorf), Scheffel (Bad Homburg) and van der Koelen (Mainz) are among the German exhibitors. In addition, 47 foreign galleries further enrich this year’s programme with their multifaceted artistic positions. Among them are longstanding exhibitors such as Várfok (Budapest) and Gilden’s Art (London). Naturally, new exhibitors are also represented: for example, the Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery from London, which will be a guest in Karlsruhe for the first time. With eight galleries from Karlsruhe and over 43 others from Baden-Württemberg, the fair is also an important venue for galleries from the local region.
The diverse programmes of the selected galleries will be showing works by a large number of well-known artists at art KARLSRUHE. To name only a few, the artists range from Josef Albers and Salvador Dalí, through Otto Dix and Max Liebermann, to Pablo Picasso, Markus Lüpertz and Alex Katz. Works by young, up-and-coming artists will likewise be on display. Among these are the pictorial stories of Ambra Durante: born in 2000, Durante is a doubly talented artist who works in two genres. Visitors can also look forward to viewing animal sculptures by the Swiss artist Matthias Garff.
Insights into the oeuvres of individual artists
The fair’s programme promises plenty of excitement, and so too do the 180 One-Artist-Shows, which together comprise an exciting stroll through art history. Established masters of Art Informel such as Karl Otto Götz (Die Galerie, Frankfurt) will be part of this programme, as will contemporary artists, such as Elvira Bach (Galerie Art Affair, Regensburg). Works by international stars will likewise be shown at One-Artist-Shows in Karlsruhe: the exhibiting celebrities include Christo (Art Edition Fils, Düsseldorf), Bob Dylan (Premium Modern Art, Heilbronn) and Neo Rauch (Galerie Erik Bausmann, Halle). Enjoy art outdoors As always, art KARLSRUHE is again also dedicated to three-dimensional art. The two dozen Sculpture Areas in the exhibition halls are a unique feature of art KARLSRUHE. They alternate with the galleries’ stands, provide space for creativity, and offer sculptural surprises. Particular attention will also be paid this year to the sculpture garden, which is sponsored by the Vollack Group. In harmony with a catering offer, three-dimensional works of art can be experienced and enjoyed here in a summery atmosphere under the open sky. The new season is also artistically reflected inside the exhibition halls, where visitors can expect to discover summery artistic positions in the programmes of the exhibiting galleries. Among the artworks on display are “Eis III” (“Ice III”) by the artist Peintre X (Hegemann Gallery) and “Kaffeegarten im Sommer” (“Coffee Garden in Summer”) by Christopher Lehmpfuhl (Ludorff Gallery).
Special show highlighting femininity
Not far from the special show of graphic prints in Hall 3, visitors will find another special show featuring artworks from the Klöcker Collection. Since the early 1980s, the eponymous couple has dedicated themselves to amassing a private collection of portrayals of women in Post-war and Contemporary art. The feminine accordingly runs like Ariadne’s thread through the entire collection. The artworks include pieces by Gerhard Richter, Sigmar Polke and Eric Fischl. Of course, works by numerous women painters, photographers and sculptors are likewise part of the collection: these artists include, for example, Sibylle Bergemann, Barbara Klemm and Cornelia Schleime. A representative selection will be on display on 300 square metres at art KARLSRUHE. The feminine will also shown beyond the confines of the special show. For example, the important artist Lotte Laserstein’s painting “Madeleine mit Spiegel” (“Madeleine with Mirror”), which was thought to have been lost, will be exhibited at the fair, where this large-format work from a private Swedish collection will be presented to the public for the first time in Germany. The Berlin-based salon gallery “Die Möwe” will exhibit this painting in Hall 4.
Media art at art KARLSRUHE
Like the special shows, media art too will be on display in newly designed Hall 3, which will henceforth have the motto “Art and Communication”. Karlsruhe’s distinction as thus-far the only German “UNESCO City of Media Arts” is also reflected here. More than ever before at the art fair in Karlsruhe, media art will also be successfully presented, whether in the form of light art, video installations or augmented-reality applications. Not only the City of Karlsruhe, but also the ZKM are each represented with their own stand. One highlight is an artwork which the media artist Jonas Denzel created especially for the fair on the initiative of the Karlsruhe Cultural Office. Denzel will present an interactive video installation on a large LED wall. With his “footprint” project, which was supported by Bechtle AG, Denzel wants to draw attention to the question of how we can shrink our ecological footprint and thus help to ensure a sustainable future. Digital mirror images of the feet of each individual person will be abstracted, mirrored and distorted. In the process, a simple image becomes a complex replication.
The supporting programme
Also in Hall 3, the two-day ARTIMA art meeting will take place on 7 and 8 July (starting at 2 p.m.). This year’s symposium, which is open to the public, will include six lectures focussing on the theme of “The art business with, against and after the coronavirus”. Award ceremonies are also a part of art KARLSRUHE. In addition to the Hans Platschek Prize for Art and Writing and the art KARLSRUHE Prize for the best One-Artist-Show, the Loth Sculpture Prize will once again be awarded. This last-mentioned prize is sponsored by the L-Bank, which will again provide 20,000 euros in prize money to be shared by the prizewinning artist and gallerist.
