art karlsruhe unfolds noticeable dynamism and power
After five days of the fair, art karlsruhe can look back on a high level of interest and satisfied gallery owners with good sales.
“art karlsruhe is on a good course”, “the development of art karlsruhe is very promising”, “art karlsruhe has done a lot of things right” - this is how galleries such as Schlichtenmaier, Poll, Ludorff, Geiger and Kornfeld summarize what their colleagues are also saying these days. After five days of the fair, art karlsruhe can look back on a high level of interest and satisfied gallery owners with good sales.
“The conceptual developments of the past year are now meshing together and developing noticeable dynamism and strength”, say Olga Blaß and Kristian Jarmuschek, who have been managing the trade fair as dual leadership since 2024. “We were already overwhelmed by the increased interest in the run-up to the event.” On this year's preview day alone, art karlsruhe welcomed more institutional representatives of the art industry than ever before. This result is also reflected in the galleries' sales, as confirmed by the visitor survey, which shows a higher proportion of art buyers. While Galerie Ludorff was able to sell six large-format paintings by Christopher Lehmpfuhl, several works by Marion Eichmann, including large formats, found new owners at Galerie Tammen. Dr. Bert Schlichtenmaier sums up: “We were able to sell the work by Almut Heise, which was discussed in the FAZ in the run-up to art karlsruhe, as well as a Horst Antes work with an exciting provenance and several sculptures by Michael Croissant. I have the impression that people are looking for - and finding - support in art in these difficult times.”
Great media response: „In the land of the hidden champions”
The positive response this year is also noticeable in the international media interest in both traditional and social media. “Not only art lovers from all over the world come to art karlsruhe, it is also a social event and a hub for institutions”, says Dr Frank Mentrup, Lord Mayor of the City of Karlsruhe. In addition to French media, such as Beaux Arts & Cie, art karlsruhe was featured in numerous high-coverage media, such as ARD, which reported live. The Handelsblatt, for example, ran the headline “In the land of hidden champions” and praised how strengths were made more visible and new formats were added. The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung also recognizes: “art karlsruhe is constantly developing as an art fair in south-west Germany”, and explains: “With extras such as the start:block, then a square reserved for works on paper and one with exciting debut works by graduates of Baden-Württemberg's art academies, art karlsruhe succeeds in filling four halls and their 35,000 square meters with art without producing tiring uniformity.” The start:block, which is conceptually unique, was realized for the first time this year and presented works that, from the galleries' point of view, are particularly well suited for entry-level art collecting. Numerous works sold provided impetus for private art collecting.
Collectors Dinner: Celebrating art together
An ideal platform for intensive discussions and a highlight for exhibitors and their guests alike: the art karlsruhe Collectors Dinner. With a light installation in the center of the dm-arena, around 700 people - gallery owners, art collectors, friends and supporters of art karlsruhe - were able to enjoy a dinner in an inspiring atmosphere. “The Collectors Dinner is our way of saying thank you to the galleries who work with us to realize this fantastic art fair”, explains Kristian Jarmuschek, Chairman of the Advisory Board of art karlsruhe. “On the other hand, this evening is also an ideal opportunity to meet colleagues, network and exchange ideas.” Gallery owner Thomas Riegger from Galerie Meyer Riegger confirms: “The Collectors Dinner was a very nice and pleasant evening in a beautiful, very festive setting. It was fun to have lively conversations in good company.”
Art as a form of dialogue - art karlsruhe makes an important contribution
The close ties between the trade fair and the city of Karlsruhe and the social and political impact of art were more evident than ever this year: in Hall 3, where the trade fair was officially opened in the midst of the city's most important players, Arne Braun, State Secretary for Science, Research and the Arts in Baden-Württemberg, emphasized: “I have the feeling that we have lost our social language. Art gives it back to us in part through a change of perspective and helps us to get back into dialogue.” Britta Wirtz, Managing Director of Messe Karlsruhe, adds: “We take our responsibility very seriously. Art is currently perhaps the best form of communication to get back into dialogue with other people. As art karlsruhe makes an important contribution to social dialogue, it is particularly important to me personally to continue to develop this trade fair based on its strengths.”
In addition to individual presentations by important cultural institutions such as the ZKM or the UNESCO City of Media Arts, which focuses on media art and whose open call “The Future is Today” is already in the starting blocks for 2026, art karlsruhe's interaction with the city was also visible and tangible through a wide variety of events in the center of city life. Whether it was the Kunstrauschen, the After art Party or the gallery night - the large number of enthusiastic guests once again confirmed that art karlsruhe shows the fan-shaped city to be the city of art and culture that it is.
Further information can be found at: art-karlsruhe.en, facebook.com/artkarlsruhe, instagram.com/art_karlsruhe, art-karlsruhe.de/linkedin.
