re:discover and re:frame – rediscovering art, creating visibility, taking responsibility
Thinking about art sustainably at art karlsruhe 2026
With the two curated formats re:discover and re:frame, art karlsruhe will once again focus on key topics in the art market in 2026. Both formats represent a conscious examination of how art is viewed, remembered and passed on.
What happens to art when careers are interrupted? Who takes care of the work when artists are no longer around? And what contribution can art fairs, galleries and the public make to close gaps in perception and presence? This is exactly where re:discover and re:frame come in. The formats not only offer exhibition space, they also provide impetus for new ways of dealing with art, artists and artistic heritage. "With re:discover and re:frame, art karlsruhe is broadening its view of biographies that have fallen out of step – whether in the middle of life or after death. We show how gallery work today can also take social responsibility into account," says Olga Blaß, project manager at art karlsruhe.
re:discover – When artistic careers need a new start
Artistic paths do not always run in a straight line. There are breaks, pauses, detours, often caused by personal or social circumstances. re:discover, introduced in 2024 and on display in its third edition at art karlsruhe in 2026, provides space for precisely such positions. Galleries were invited to showcase an artistic voice that deserved more attention or should be continued. Twenty presentations were selected in collaboration with a jury of experts.
Particularly outstanding this year: Vera Mercer, represented by Galerie Schlichtenmaier (Stuttgart). Born in Berlin in 1936, the photographer is considered a master of composed, visually stunning still lifes. Her works combine opulent depictions of fruit, animals and objects with memories of Baroque painting and a biography spanning Berlin, Paris and the USA, during which she photographed her husband Daniel Spoerri and the most important representatives of the avant-garde of the time. As a supporter of artists in Omaha, Mercer has taken an unusual path, but as an artist she has consistently pursued her theme over the last two decades: the beauty of abundance, the play with food and symbolism, the transience of adornment. 89-year-old Vera Mercer will travel from Omaha to visit art karlsruhe in person. On Thursday, 5 February, she will be available for a book signing at 4 p.m. at the Schlichtenmaier Gallery stand (Hall 1 / H1/B11).
With great independence, sensitivity and depth, Detel Aurand (Galerie Claeys, Freiburg) presents works that lie between abstraction and figuration. Her poetic, spiritually influenced works arise from inner images – inspired by nature, personal experiences or dreams. Aurand's career has been global, with stops in Reykjavik, Berlin and India.
Oliver Braig, presented by augsburg contemporary, impresses with intelligent, often humorous conceptual art that relates language, material and space. His ‘sculptures made of words’, for example wall works made of cardboard or wood with titles such as ‘OHNE SINN’ (WITHOUT MEANING) or dismantled terms such as ‘Hopeless Message’, invite viewers to pause and reflect. Braig combines clear form with questioning, reducing his work to the essentials while striking his own unique tone.
Other positions presented in the re:discover 2026 format that are worth rediscovering are:
- Frank Badur, Galerie Michael Sturm, Stuttgart / Galerie Sturm & Schober, Wien
- Horst Becking, Galerie Bengelsträter, Düsseldorf
- Yvonne Behnke, Sight Galerie und Kunstberatung, Offenbach
- Helmut Brade, Galerie Erik Bausmann, Halle (Saale)
- Johannes Brus, Galerie Judith Andreae, Bonn
- Kevin Clarke, Galerie Leander Rubrecht, Wiesbaden
- Knopp Ferro, Galerie Mario Mauroner Contemporary Art, Salzburg
- Eri Hahn, ARP Galerie, Hanau
- Illa Hammerbacher-Klaukien, Schacher – Raum für Kunst, Stuttgart
- Mariusz Kruk, Galerie Molski, Posen
- Tomomi Miura, Ginza Gallery G2, Tokio
- albertrichard Pfrieger, Galerie Heike Schumacher, Überlingen
- Marina Schreiber, Galerie Sandau, Berlin
- Zuzanna Skiba, Galerie Anna25, Berlin
- Heinz Thielen, Galerie Reinhold Maas, Reutlingen
- Wainer Vaccari, Alessandro Casciaro Art Gallery, Bozen
- Bettina von Arnim, Galerie Poll, Berlin
The artistic positions in re:discover show that art karlsruhe deliberately creates space for a second look and perhaps even a new beginning.
re:discover is being created with funding from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) and in cooperation with the Federal Association of German Galleries and Art Dealers (BVDG).
re:frame – How to actively think about the future with artists' estates
What happens to a work of art when the person behind it is no longer alive? Who manages it, who decides, who exhibits it? With the re:frame format, art karlsruhe is providing impetus for the meaningful, sustainable handling of artists' estates. Launched in 2025, the 2026 edition once again presents six examples from galleries of how estates can be managed responsibly, visibly and dynamically.
One outstanding example is the Schaulager Adlmannstein by Wilma Rapf-Karikari and Ingo Kübler, the ‘art partners’. In a former inn near Regensburg, they have created a combined depot, exhibition and meeting centre that now looks after three artists' estates: Susanne Böhm, Max Bresele and Margot Luf. What began as a favour for friends has now become a showcase project for estate management, with exhibitions, discussions and precise mediation. Here, art is not archived, but regularly brought into conversation.
Also noteworthy is the contribution by Galerie Alfred Knecht (Karlsruhe), which is showing the estate of Karlsruhe artist Andreas Lau, who died in 2024, for the first time. Lau was known for his large-scale portraits, which appeared almost digital due to their grid structure, yet remained deeply personal. The presentation at art karlsruhe is also a moment of remembrance for an influential artist from the region.
Other galleries demonstrate how versatile estate management can be:
Galerie Schwind (Leipzig) is bringing works by Rolf Händler, a painter with strong ties to Berlin's visual language, to the fair. Galerie Horst Dietrich (Berlin) is presenting the estate of Alfred Genin, known for his illustrative travel diaries, Bible overpaintings and experimental picture collages. Brennecke Fine Art (Berlin) is showing works from the estate of Norbert Tadeusz. Eric Mouchet (Paris) is dedicating itself to the estates of Ella Bergmann-Michel and Robert Michel. All these positions show that estates are more than just archival work; they are cultural memory that needs to be reactivated.
The impetus provided by re:frame has triggered new collaborations, including the KPM Karl Peter Muller Prize for Art Estates, which will be awarded for the first time in 2026. The prize honours concepts that make artistic heritage visible and accessible, for example through catalogues raisonnés, online presentations, exhibitions or collaborations with museums, foundations and associations. The most convincing estate or bequest will be presented at art karlsruhe 2027. Initiated by Akademische Werkstätten e.V. in cooperation with the City of Karlsruhe, the prize is endowed with 5,000 euros and honours the responsible handling of artistic heritage in the administrative district of Karlsruhe. The call for entries will be accompanied by daily expert discussions and the interactive format ‘Shred or save?’ in Hall 3 (H3/S23).
With re:discover and re:frame, art karlsruhe makes it clear that there are no easy answers to many questions about the art market – but there are good examples. ‘With these formats, the art fair is moving away from the fast-paced market and becoming a platform for development, longevity and value retention,’ says Kristian Jarmuschek, chairman of the advisory board of art karlsruhe. The fair sees itself not only as a place for exchange and sales, but also as a platform that takes responsibility: for visibility, for dialogue, for thinking beyond biographical breaks or life boundaries in artistic work.
Complete gallery list: art-karlsruhe.de/galerienliste
Further information: art-karlsruhe.de, facebook.com/artkarlsruhe, instagram.com/art_karlsruhe, art-karlsruhe.de/linkedin
