The excitement is rising: art karlsruhe opens in one week with 187 galleries from 16 countries
art karlsruhe opens in around a week's time and, together with 187 national and international galleries, will present more than 120 years of art history at Messe Karlsruhe from 20 to 23 February 2025.
‘Last year, we succeeded in breaking new ground conceptually with new ideas and formats, making a lasting impression,’ says Kristian Jarmuschek, Chairman of the Advisory Board of art karlsruhe. ‘Thanks to the new impetus we have been able to provide, art karlsruhe is establishing itself more than ever as one of the most important fairs in Germany - equally relevant for gallery owners and visitors.’ The positive reception is confirmed by galleries such as Nanna Preußners, Cosar and Petra Rinck, who took part for the first time in 2024 and are convinced that they will exhibit at art karlsruhe again in 2025. Numerous high-calibre new exhibitors, many from the Rhineland, such as the galleries Thomas Rehbein, Martin Kudlek and Anke Schmidt, will also be presenting in Karlsruhe this year. ‘In addition, our galleries, supporters and sponsors demonstrate the strong roots of art karlsruhe in the region,’ says Olga Blaß, project manager of art karlsruhe. ‘Galleries such as Schlichtenmaier, Burster, Meyer Riegger, Scheffel, van der Koelen and Döbele were and are long-standing exhibitors at art karlsruhe.’
Exciting juxtapositions
In the four halls of the Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre, art lovers will discover the broad spectrum of artistic perspectives that is characteristic of art karlsruhe - from classical modernism, which is presented in a high-calibre setting, to concrete art and pop art, through to contemporary art. With 18 sculpture spaces, another traditionally important focus is on three-dimensional art. Since last year, the spacious sculpture spaces in the halls and the sculpture garden have been supplemented by sculpture:spots in the perimeters. Typical of art karlsruhe remains the forward-looking combination of different art eras, such as classical modernism and contemporary art in Hall 1, post-war modernism and contemporary art in Hall 2 and contemporary art in the dm-arena.
re:discover and re:frame meet the challenges of the art market
The fact that art karlsruhe received such a strong, positive response last year is due in large part to new formats that address current challenges and issues in the art industry. One example of this is re:discover, launched for the first time in 2024 and focussing on living artists who are not adequately recognised despite their high artistic quality and continuous artistic output. A total of 15 galleries are represented with a re:discover position at art karlsruhe this year.
re:discover is complemented by re:frame, which will be presented for the first time in 2025 and is intended to show the best possible handling of artworks by artists who have already passed away and thus present impressive examples of best practice. For example, Galerie Eric Mouchet from Paris has been committed to the estate of Ella Bergmann-Michel and her husband Robert Michel for years, while SIGHT Galerie from Offenbach represents the estate of the artist Johannes Geccelli, whose works are among the central positions of German colour field painting. The estate of the Finnish artist Pertti Kekarainen is being looked after by the Drees Gallery in Hanover.
Entry into art collecting: Formats offer low-threshold access
art karlsruhe offers holistic and concrete approaches for those interested in art who want to start their own art collection. The paper:square in Hall 3 is dedicated to artistic positions that deal with works with and through paper. ‘If you ask established collectors, a work on paper is often the first purchase they make to start their own art collection,’ says Olga Blaß. ‘In order to provide low-threshold and well-founded access to your own collection, we have supplemented the paper:square with the start:block, which is being created for the first time this year. We have explicitly asked our galleries to bring along works that they consider suitable for their first art purchase and have received an impressive selection that is sure to have something for everyone.’ Also in Hall 3, academy:square will host a curated presentation of promising graduates from the three art academies in Baden-Württemberg - the State Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart, the State Academy of Fine Arts Karlsruhe and the Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design. Curated by Elke Buhr, editor-in-chief of MONOPOL magazine for art and life, young talents are made visible and can be discovered by exhibitors and collectors.
Special exhibition on private collecting rethought
A real highlight of this year's art karlsruhe is the special exhibition on private collecting, in which a single item from the private collection of Frankfurt publisher Christoph Keller will be presented. Curated by Stefanie Patruno, Director of the Städtische Galerie Karlsruhe, 15 works and an architectural intervention by artist Tamina Amadyar will be shown in dialogue with works from the Städtische Galerie. ‘There will be a curated presentation in the ‘Private Collecting’ format at art karlsruhe for the first time in 2025,’ says Olga Blaß, project manager of art karlsruhe. ‘The project developed by Stefanie Patruno and Christoph Keller - a single contemporary position by Tamina Amadyar - comes from an extensive collection of contemporary and post-war art that has never been presented to the public before. We will therefore be experiencing a real premiere at art karlsruhe in every respect.’
The presentation at art karlsruhe serves as a prelude and foundation stone for a continuing dialogue as part of a newly conceived project at the Städtische Galerie, which aims to create a sustainable basis for the exchange between private collecting and public museum work. ‘As one of the most important art fairs in the German-speaking world, art karlsruhe offers an ideal platform for making the synergies between public museums and private collectors‘ involvement accessible to a wide audience,’ explains Stefanie Patruno. ‘Here, art is not only presented, but actively negotiated, discussed and experienced. As a dynamic marketplace and cultural meeting place, the fair creates a unique space in which artistic positions, collections and municipal institutions can enter into dialogue.’
Exciting supporting program
The One-Artist-Shows - artists and their works selected by the galleries - provide an in-depth insight into the artistic work of individuals. Every One-Artist-Show at the fair is automatically nominated for the art karlsruhe Prize, which will be awarded on Thursday, 20 February 2025, at 2:30 pm during the art:opening by Britta Wirtz, Managing Director of Messe Karlsruhe, Arne Braun, State Secretary in the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts Baden-Württemberg, Dr Frank Mentrup, Lord Mayor of the City of Karlsruhe, Stefanie Patruno, Olga Blaß and Kristian Jarmuschek. Other award ceremonies that take place as part of art karlsruhe also honour the commitment of individual artists and galleries. This year's Hans Platschek Prize for Art and Writing, for example, goes to the German-Swiss artist Ingeborg Lüscher and will be awarded on Thursday, 20 February, at 5 pm in Hall 3. The Loth Sculpture Prize - sponsored by L-Bank - will be awarded to the most outstanding presentation at sculpture:square. A jury of experts will determine which sculptor will receive the prize, which is worth 20,000 euros, on Friday, 21 February at 7 pm.
There is also a diverse supporting program at art karlsruhe. For example, the annual ARTIMA art meeting series in Hall 2 offers in-depth insights with exciting lectures and talks on art production and reception, cultural policy or market developments and much more: background information on estates and bequests and rediscoveries on the art market or on the historical responsibility of art associations.
Close ties and cooperation with the city
In Hall 3, art karlsruhe's close partnership and interaction with the city is once again evident. Successively endeavouring to expand this connection, this is achieved with new formats and ideas.
There is also great interest on the part of the institutions to be visible with projects at art karlsruhe: around 15 municipal players are represented in Hall 3. In the ‘Forum Karlsruhe’, for example, the ZKM is presenting the work ‘Kibong Rhee, Bachelor - The Dual Body (2003)’ - a freshly restored poetic staging that draws attention to the collection and the topic of restoring media art. The project is set up as a closed, walk-in box measuring approximately 3x3 metres, in which the work - an aquarium in which a book moves - is staged. Another highlight is the presentation of the UNESCO City of Media Arts: as part of the open call ‘The Future is Today’, which focuses on media art and in which artists or groups of artists can apply with a multimedia presentation, the project ‘Shape Shifter’ by Alexandra Besta and Felix Seelos was selected, which was developed especially for art karlsruhe and will be presented to the public for the first time in the ‘Forum Karlsruhe’. At the centre of the work is a portal - a threshold between the material and digital dimensions. The Staatliche Akademie der Bildenden Künste Karlsruhe is showing a performative work by Sophie von Hellermann's class.
At the same time, art karlsruhe can also be experienced in city life. This will take shape, for example, on Friday, 21 February, in project spaces and off spaces with a sophisticated program entitled ‘Kunstrauschen’, where studios and project spaces will open their doors to art enthusiasts. On Saturday, 22 February, the Karlsruhe galleries invite you to the gallery:night from 7 to 10 pm. A free shuttle service provided by Hirsch Reisen will take guests directly from the exhibition centre to the art venues on both days, enabling a comfortable transfer between the stations. On Thursday, 20 February, from 9 p.m., the big opening party of the fair will take place in the ZKM Hallenbau, and on Saturday evening the ‘After Art Party’ will be held in the Nachtwerk.
Further information can be found at: art-karlsruhe.en, facebook.com/artkarlsruhe, instagram.com/art_karlsruhe, art-karlsruhe.de/linkedin.
