Art Cologne is the world’s oldest and longest running fair for 20th and 21st century fine art. More and more renowned galleries participate in the fair again. But the fair not only succeeded in bringing back the big name art dealers, but also strengthend its relevance for presenting and supporting emerging art with the integration of the NADA fair. Art Cologne is also deeply rooted in the art scene in the Rhineland, with its artists, collectors, and art dealers.
The launch of the Kunstmarkt Köln ’67 was to have a profound impact on the international art market. The founders of the new fair were Cologne-based gallerists – Hein Stünke and Rudolf Zwirner. Their project was sparked by the urgency of the need to put new life into the lacklustre art market in West Germany. Although the immediate post-war period saw a tremendous revival in art and radical changes to public attitudes to modern art, the art market in West Germany faltered.
Art Cologne brings together 200 leading international galleries from over 20 countries presenting a broad offering of modern and contemporary works in all price segments and movements by more than 2,000 artists. ART COLOGNE presents art lovers and collectors with the most varied offering segments, including the GALLERIES section with modern and postwar art and extending to the modern and contemporary art of established galleries.
Today’s Art Cologne as a fair for classical modernism, post-war art and contemporary art, one of the most important international addresses for exceptional and high quality art of the 20th and 21st centuries. Around 200 leading international galleries from more than 20 countries come together annually and present a broad offering of modern and contemporary works in all price segments and movements by more than 2,000 artists. A supporting programme of exhibition openings and events in museums and institutions throughout the Rhineland, as well as integrated services.
Art Cologne 2013
The 47th Edition ART COLOGNE once again deliver a reflection of the vibrant international art scene. More than 200 exhibitors from 25 countries bring together modern, post-war and contemporary works to Cologne. Established top galleries meet cutting edge galleries and offer a broad selection of art, including painting, sculpture, photography, installation, video and performance.
This time, this becomes visible in the supporting program of the fair and the activities of the museums, galleries and collectors on the occasion of Art Cologne 2013. At the fair, the Julia Stoschek Collection stages a special exhibition of video art. The record label Kompakt presents a sound installation at the fair. Museum Ludwig opens two solo shows with Phil Collins and Andrea Fraser, Ludwig Forum in Aachen a solo exhibition with Michael E. Smith. In addition to that, the galleries in Cologne and Düsseldorf have special openings on Art Cologne Friday.
Galerie Schwarzer bring along several masterpieces by Alexej von Jawlensky. German Expressionism specialists Henze & Kettererboast representative top works by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, including Street Scene with Hairdresser Salon from the year 1926.
Galerie Fahnemann assembles major names in post-war art at its stand, with Imi Knoebl, Raimund Girke and Hans Hartung. American artist James Turrel dedicates all of his creations to the diverse manifestations of natural and artificial light, like fellow countryman Keith Sonnier; their works can be seen at the Häusler Contemporary stand.
Contemporary art is also represented by top international galleries, such as Annely Juda and Thaddaeus Ropac, who is showcasing new sculptures from Georg Baselitz, works by eccentric artist duo Gilbert & George and by Antony Gormley for his trade fair appearance.
In the NEW CONTEMPORARIES sector, Bugada & Cargnel, who are taking part for the first time, present young multimedia artist Adrien Missika. Another new addition to NEW CONTEMPORARIES is Galeria Marta Cervera, which offers works by Sam Falls and Nuria Fuster. New, large-sized canvases by Joyce Pensanto, Molly Zuckermann-Hartung and Karl Wirsum be brought along by Corbett vs.
Art Cologne 2012
The 2012 edition of ART COLOGNE, for the first time there is a cooperation with the New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA), an american group of galleries supporting and focusing on young emerging artists. mark a new high point and break new ground with the first cooperation between two independent fairs. The 2012 edition is breaking new grounds by collaborating with the New Art Dealers Alliance, who already runs a fair in Miami.
Thus, Art Cologne 2012 sees the collaboration between two independent fairs, host 200 galleries, and NADA bring 30, taking up its own space in the fair’s home at the Koelnmesse exhibition center. The NADA section is presented in a separat area, like an art fair within an art fair. Art Cologne unique atmosphere is quieter and laid, and NADA bring “young, cutting-edge galleries” to Cologne.
Art Cologne 2011
The 45th ART COLOGNE, about 200 galleries from Germany and abroad once again be presenting works of classical modernism, post-1945 art, and modern and contemporary art. Visitors at Art Cologne find specialized sources of information about current trends and offbeat creations in the New Positions programme. Visitors can also make exciting discoveries in the area of New Contemporaries, where young international galleries display works by selected artists from their portfolios.
Art lovers and collectors find a broad range of modern and contemporary art in all price brackets and covering all movements. The most exciting highlights this year include works from artists who also be shown in some of the nearby museums of the region, such as Joel Shapiro, Thomas Struth, Arnulf Rainer, Heinz Mack, Lucie Stahl, Otto Dix, Tony Cragg. The New Contemporaries sector is the place for young emerging galleries and its studio-fresh art and experimental work by young artists.
The scope and quality of exhibits in the section for Classical Modern are remarkable. Swiss dealers Henze & Ketterer are offering museum-quality masterpieces by Brücke artists. Among the highlights are oils by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. The Berlin Galerie Berinson present a wide range of early 20th century avant-garde including works by Max Ernst and Kurt Schwitters.
Art Cologne 2010
The 44th edition of ART COLOGNE was more concentrated and clearly defined, with a slimmed-down exhibitor list and compacter architecture and layout. Greater emphasis was placed on its traditional core strengths. An innovative programme of cooperative arrangements with a large number of important Rhineland museums has strengthened local cultural links. This fresh new focus and format has triggered a very positive response and provides a promising springboard for 2010.
As in the last years, the unique art environment Open Space is back again, with 44 international galleris with latest projects and solo shows of contemporary art. As special projects, Open Space features Circus Hein, Silberkuppe, and Supportico Lopez.
The 44th Internationaler Kunstmarkt build on this model. Located again in Levels 1 and 2 of Hall 11 of the Koelnmesse grounds in Cologne-Deutz, the 44th ART COLOGNE showcase 180 modern, post-war and contemporary galleries. Modern and post-war occupy level 1. Level 2 present contemporary galleries, as well as Open Space and New Contemporaries, ART COLOGNE’s proven platforms for the presentation of young and cutting-edge international art.
Art Cologne
The Art Cologne is one of the oldest art fairs in the world for contemporary art. It takes place every spring on the Koelnmesse site in Cologne-Deutz. It was launched in 1967 on the initiative of the gallery owners Hein Stünke and Rudolf Zwirner as the “Cologne Art Market” in Gürzenich, Cologne.
Eighteen galleries took part in the first Cologne Art Market in September 1967. With 15,000 visitors and a turnover of one million German marks, the event in Gürzenich in Cologne was a great success. The organizer was the association of progressive German art dealers founded by the founding fathers Hein Stünke (Der Spiegel gallery), Rudolf Zwirner and five other colleagues.
In 1968 the fair moved to the more spacious Josef Haubrich Kunsthalle, which existed until 2001. Additional galleries were admitted, including from abroad, in order to prevent a competitive event with international participation in neighboring Düsseldorf. In 1974 the fair, called Cologne Art Market from 1970, moved to the Rheinhallen in Cologne-Deutz. The organization was transferred to the Cologne fair company. In 1975 the name of the fair was changed to “International Art Market” (IKM). For the first time, the Art Cologne Prize was awarded in cooperation with the Federal Association of German Galleries (BVDG)awarded. The fair took place alternately in Cologne and Düsseldorf. In 1984 the fair was given a new name for the last time: the IKM became Art Cologne, which has only taken place in Cologne since then.
In 2007 Art Cologne was postponed from the traditional autumn date to spring. Cologne Fine Art, also launched by today’s organizer Koelnmesse, now take place in autumn. The director of Art Cologne has been the US art dealer Daniel Hug since 2008. He succeeded Gérard Goodrow, who had been in office since 2003.
The “Art Market Cologne” has had competition in its own environment since the beginning of 1967. As all galleries that applied were never allowed to take part, there were always alternative offers in the context of Art Cologne: 1967 “Demonstrative” Cologne, 1968 “Prospect 68” Düsseldorf, 1969 “Neumarkt der Künste” Cologne, 1971/72 “Internationale Art and information fair “Düsseldorf.
In 1992 the Cologne gallery owner Christian Nagel launched the counter-fair “Unfair”; In 1995, Nagel was one of the co-founders of the Art Forum Berlin, an expressly competing event. ART.FAIR has been establishing itself as a counter-fair since 2003. In 2007, three more new art fairs started at the same time: the “List Cologne”, the “Tease Art Fair” and the “dc duesseldorf contemporary”.
In 1994 the Society for Modern Art at the Museum Ludwig awarded the Wolfgang Hahn Prize, named after the collector and chief restorer of the Museum Ludwig, for the first time during the fair. In 2006 Rudolf Zwirner, co-founder of Art Cologne, received this award.