art karlsruhe 2026: Highlights at a glance
125 years of art: perspectives, quality, dialogue
From February 5 to 8, 2026, art karlsruhe will open its doors with around 180 galleries from 18 countries, a strong curatorial focus, and clear impulses for today's art market. The dialogue between history and the present plays a particularly important role. From Ernst Ludwig Kirchner to Mary-Audrey Ramirez, from Joan Miró to interactive AI installations: art karlsruhe presents 125 years of art history in an open forum. "Our gallery field is clearly focused on quality. The high-quality core of galleries that have been participating for many years is increasingly being supplemented by newcomers and returning participants. In addition, interest from foreign galleries is growing strongly,“ says Kristian Jarmuschek, chairman of the advisory board of art karlsruhe. ”For me, that's the best sign: the fair is working, for galleries, for visitors, and for the market."
The official opening of art karlsruhe will take place at 2:30 p.m. on February 5 in Hall 3 with State Secretary in the Ministry of Science, Research, and the Arts Arne Braun, Mayor Dr. Frank Mentrup, Trade Fair Director Britta Wirtz, and the art karlsruhe management duo Olga Blaß and Kristian Jarmuschek. The focus will be on the presentation of the art karlsruhe Prize, awarded by the state of Baden-Württemberg and the city of Karlsruhe. The prize, worth €15,000, honors the most compelling one:artist show and recognizes the artistic work of individuals as well as the commitment of the presenting gallery. Every one:artist show at the fair is automatically nominated for the art karlsruhe Prize. The selected work will be purchased by the Kunstmuseum Karlsruhe for the art karlsruhe collection.
Sculptures shape the exhibition
Sculpture has been a defining element of art karlsruhe from the very beginning, and it will remain the signature medium of the fair in 2026. In Halls 1, 2, and 4, 18 spacious sculpture areas invite visitors to discover works made of a wide variety of materials and forms of expression. The mianki gallery presents Katharina Schnitzler's project STOFF: IM WIND (STOF: IN THE WIND) at its sculpture site (Hall 1 / H1/C15). The artist works with historical fabrics such as Honan silk, velvet, and linen and exposes them to nature. Sun, wind, and earth leave their mark on the textiles, which thus acquire patina, scars, and new beauty. Seven to nine large-format fabric works hang in the sculpture square and move in the breeze. An almost contrasting impression is created in the sculpture square by Elisa Manig (Galerie Jarmuschek + Partner, Berlin; Hall 2 / H2/F04): Shakles consists of two approximately five-meter-long strands of curved and folded black steel elements with a burnished surface. The elements are threaded onto heavy-duty straps, hang down parallel from the ceiling, weigh around 40 kilograms each, and end on a mound of gravel and rubble.
The sculpture spaces are complemented by selected sculpture spots in the exhibition hall corridors, presented by KORNFELD (Berlin), ASPN (Leipzig), and Claeys (Freiburg). With the Loth Sculpture Prize, worth 20,000 euros and donated by L Bank, art karlsruhe 2026 once again honors an outstanding sculptural presentation, underlining its claim to give three-dimensional art not only space, but also publicity and relevance.
Collecting art – formats for new approaches
Access to art collecting remains a key concern. “We want to appeal to new collectors with clear, well-curated introductory formats,” says Olga Blaß, project manager at art karlsruhe. "Collecting art begins with curiosity. And it often ends with a special feeling: the joy of having found something lasting." With start:block, which presents focused work suggestions for beginners, paper:square, which is dedicated to the diversity of the medium of paper, and academy:square, which showcases graduates of Baden-Württemberg art colleges, the fair is creating concrete incentives for a new generation of collectors. The highlight of this commitment is the LBBW academy:square award, presented for the first time, which honors the most compelling academy:square position and purchases one of the works on display for the renowned LBBW collection.
re:discover and re:frame: Making art visible
With the formats re:discover and re:frame, art karlsruhe aims to specifically close blind spots in the art market. They provide a stage for interrupted artist biographies and artistic estates. Vera Mercer, Kevin Clarke, Detel Aurand, and Oliver Braig are just a few of the positions that will be in focus in 2026 and are worth rediscovering. re:frame shows examples of how estate work can be actively and visibly designed: for example, through the Schaulager Adlmannstein or the estate of Karlsruhe artist Andreas Lau, who died in 2024.
Curated special exhibitions with depth
The special exhibitions at art karlsruhe will also be a central element in 2026:
Under the title “Digital Traces,” LBBW will show positions on the digital present, from Isa Genzken to Avery Gia Sophie Schramm. Stefanie Patruno, director of the Kunstmuseum Karlsruhe, pays tribute to the work of the internationally renowned Karlsruhe artist Rolf Behm with an exhibition she has curated. The Dietmar Kohlrusch Collection is bringing key works of Pop Art, including Warhol, Haring, and Lichtenstein, to Karlsruhe for the first time.
Supporting program: Orientation, exchange, and many good questions
In 2026, art karlsruhe will once again offer an extensive supporting program. Guided tours with trained art historians will take place daily, including tours on current trends, curated special exhibitions, selected highlights, and a “guide to getting started” in art collecting. The fair also offers space for expert discussions on several stages: The ARTIMA art meeting is dedicated to current issues surrounding collecting in the present day. Guests such as Christiane Lange (Staatsgalerie Stuttgart) and Frédéric Bußmann (Staatliche Kunsthalle Karlsruhe) provide insights into how museums collect today and the challenges they face in doing so. In his panel discussion, Thomas Rusche describes how collecting art can make you rich and happy. Other talks will focus on artist marketing, artificial intelligence, and young artists' access to the market. SWR Kultur will also host daily fair talks, and in the Monopol format, experts will discuss positions, perspectives, and personal experiences.
Events in the city during the fair
art karlsruhe also extends beyond the exhibition halls. “art karlsruhe is more than a marketplace for art, even though that is exactly what it is in the best sense of the word: a place where supply and demand come together in a special way,” says Britta Wirtz, managing director of Messe Karlsruhe. "It combines a sales platform, a space for dialogue, and a place of inspiration, making the joy of buying art as tangible as the lively connection to the city. I am looking forward to welcoming thousands of visitors from all over Germany and abroad to Karlsruhe again this year, who will experience art not only at our fair, but also at great events throughout the city."
The opening party in the Hallenbau in the foyer of the ZKM on February 5 brings together galleries, institutions, and art lovers. This is followed on February 6 by Kunstrauschen, the Long Night of Project Spaces, which, with over 20 participating off-spaces, shows how diverse the Karlsruhe art scene is. In the evening, the After art Party will take place at Nachtwerk with an international DJ line-up featuring Move D, André Galluzzi, and Shahrokh Dini. On Saturday, February 7, gallery:night invites visitors to an evening tour of Karlsruhe's galleries, with Afterglow at Hirschof. A free shuttle will take visitors from the fair directly to the city.
Complete gallery list: www.art-karlsruhe.de/en/galleries/
Further information: www.art-karlsruhe.de/en/, facebook.com/artkarlsruhe, instagram.com/art_karlsruhe, art-karlsruhe.de/linkedin
