ART FAIRS:Art Cologne 2016
The origins of today’s ART COLOGNE go back to Kunstmarkt Köln ’67 which was launched on 15/9/67 in the Gürzenich a historic Cologne building, in medieval times it served as an arena for festivities, banquets and dances. Later, it served as a merchants’ hall. The launch of the Kunstmarkt Köln was to have a profound impact on the international art market. The founders of the new fair were the Cologne based gallerists: Hein Stünke and Rudolf Zwirner.
By Dimitris Lempesis
Photo: Art Cologne 2016 Archive
In the 50th edition of Art Cologne participate 219 galleries from 25 countries. Numerous international top galleries in hall 11.2 are once again represented in 2016 in the largest section for Contemporary Art. The section Modern & Postwar Art in Hall 11.1, is dedicated to the “historically progressive art” of the Modern and Postwar periods. Renowned galleries and art dealers offer a high quality overview of these pioneering eras. Young galleries and emerging artists are found in hall 11.3: 29 young galleries that are no more than ten years old present their programmes in the New Contemporaries section. The New Positions offers exhibitors in the sector GALLERIES to present additional one-artist presentations of young emerging artists in separate rooms attached to their booths. The experimental COLLABORATIONS section (established in 2014), which is organised in cooperation with the New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA), a wide range of galleries present singular and jointly planned projects around the theme of collaboration. For the 50th anniversary of the Fair, Deutsche Bank and Sal. Oppenheim present 50 works from its collection from the founding year of the Fair under the title “1967 – Ein Jahr in 50 Kunstwerken!” in the Hall11.3. The exhibition thus presents pioneering artistic currents and impulses of this important period of change with works by important artists like Georg Baselitz, Rolf Cavael, Sigmar Polke und Wolf Vostell. In 2016 the Munich-based Galerie Thomas has been awarded the prize of ART COLOGNE, Galerie Thomas has been an exhibitor from the start. The Prize is awarded jointly each year by the German association of galleries and art dealers (BVDG) and Koelnmesse for exceptional performance in the communication of art. The prize will be awarded in the presence of invited guests on 14/4/16. Also the art scholar and independent critic Jörg Scheller will be honored with the Prize for Art Criticism 2016.
Info: Info: Art Cologne 201, Messeplatz 1, Cologne, Duration: 13-17/4/16, Days & Hours: Wed (13/4) 16:00-20:00, The-Sat (14-16/4) 11:00-19:00, Sun (17/4) 11:00-18:00, Entrance fee: Vernissage 55.00 €, 1 Day ticket: 25€, 2-day ticket: 35€, Evening ticket 20€ (Valid 14-16 April: 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.), Reduced day ticket: 20€, www.artcologne.com
