This year’s fair in Karlsruhe again remains true to its successful concept: as it did at its premiere in 2004 and throughout the two subsequent decades, art KARLSRUHE presents the entire spectrum of 120 years of art.

art KARLSRUHE as a marketplace of artistic diversity

Project manager Olga Blass explains: “We have always assured that art KARLSRUHE is a fair for everyone. That is particularly appropriate for an art fair because art excludes nothing and no one.” The art marketplace in south-western Germany will again offer an exciting experience for all aficionados in 2023, when 207 national and international galleries display the full spectrum of the art market – from first-rate Classic Modern paintings to outstanding Contemporary artworks. The list of artists includes numerous established masters such as Picasso and Miró, Nolde, Pechstein and Kirchner. Among many other creations, works by members of the ZERO group (Mack, Piene, Uecker) will be shown in the Post-War section. art KARLSRUHE’s visitors an also look forward to big names in the field of Contemporary art such as Imi Knoebel, Karin Kneffel and Georg Baselitz.

The diversity of artistic positions is reflected not only in the many different styles that are brought together at the fair, but also in the price ranges on offer. art KARLSRUHE thus not only provides established collectors with a favourable platform for adding new artworks to their existing collections. Exciting works of art in all price classes await discovery in each of the four exhibition halls.

An exciting stroll through four exhibition halls

art KARLSRUHE’s founding father and curator Ewald Karl Schrade retrospectively regards this twentieth edition of the fair as yet another confirmation: “Our basic concept of thoughtfully recognizing and taking into account the interests of both the exhibitors and the public has proved its worth.” Schrade has been a gallery owner for over fifty years and intends to retire from his post as art KARLSRUHE’s organizer after the upcoming twentieth fair. During the planning phase for each edition of the annual art event, Schrade has always prioritized the creation of optimal gallery neighbourhoods, while simultaneously ensuring that visitors can enjoy a stimulating parkour through the four exhibition halls. In 2023, the halls will again be divided according to their traditional focal points: Hall 1 contains graphic prints and objects in limited editions; Hall 2 highlights art after 1945 and Contemporary art; Hall 3 focuses on works of Classic Modern art in interplay with Contemporary artworks; and Hall 4, the dm-arena, hosts Contemporary Art21. Art can also be experienced outside the halls in the Sculpture Garden, sponsored by the Vollack Group, where three-dimensional artworks are displayed outdoors.

Sales fair, networking forum and stage for award ceremonies

Among the unmistakable trademarks of art KARLSRUHE are not only the numerous One-Artist-Shows staged by the participating galleries, but also the generously designed Sculpture Areas, which have been a regular feature of the fair’s programme since 2004. This year’s fair includes 26 of these large-scale installations, which are strategically interspersed among the galleries’ stands to create spaces for interaction between artworks and their viewers.

In addition to its focus on the art trade, art KARLSRUHE also serves as an important forum for sharing information and for networking. The art scene meets in Karlsruhe to discuss new projects, upcoming exhibitions and challenges currently facing the art market. “With art KARLSRUHE, we have successfully positioned the city as an important location for art in the German-speaking region of Europe. It is wonderful to see how the fair has evolved since its founding in 2004, steadily gaining in reputation and charisma, and repeatedly inviting the national and international art business to Karlsruhe, UNESCO’s City of Media Arts”, says the fair’s managing director Britta Wirtz. art KARLSRUHE’s twentieth anniversary is a good indication of the importance of the fair, Wirtz adds. Having begun with approximately 75 galleries in just one hall, two decades later art KARLSRUHE now provides a platform for more than 200 galleries to present themselves and their artists’ creations. “Of course, the fair’s reliability and consistency have much to do with the ingenious and time-tested concept of its founder and mastermind Ewald Karl Schrade, who has always been passionate about offering our exhibitors the best possible fair experience”, Wirtz declares.

Award ceremonies have been an integral part of the fair for several years already. The three prizes that will again be awarded at the twentieth art KARLSRUHE in 2023 are the art KARLSRUHE Prize, the Loth Sculpture Prize (donated by the L-Bank) and the Hans Platschek Prize for Art and Writing.

Many exhibitors have been with the fair from its beginning

It would be impossible to imagine Germany’s calendar of art fairs without art KARLSRUHE, says Berlin-based gallery owner Werner Tammen, who is not only a member of the current advisory board, but was already an exhibitor at the fair when it was first founded in 2004. Tammen is convinced by art KARLSRUHE, as are a great many of his colleagues, who likewise plan to participate for the twentieth time in Karlsruhe in 2023. The broad spectrum of offerings from Classic Modern to the latest Contemporary art, the spacious exhibition halls and, last but not least, the enthusiastic response from the public keep Tammen returning to south-western Germany every year. “It’s an obligation I gladly uphold”, the well-known gallerist says, “not least thanks to the fact that the density of collectors is so high at this fair – and handsome sales are accordingly generated.”

Galleries such as Schwarzer (Düsseldorf), GNG (Paris), Brennecke (Berlin), Obrist (Essen), Rothamel (Erfurt) and the Galerie an der Pinakothek der Moderne (Munich) also eagerly participate year after year and are among the galleries that have accompanied art KARLSRUHE since it was first founded in 2004.

The Mainz- and Venice-based gallery owner Dorothea van der Koelen, who has likewise been a participant since 2004 and is active on the fair’s advisory board, has regularly set up Sculpture Areas over the past two decades featuring works by her artists, who include Lore Bert, Francois Morellet, Fabrizio Plessi, Günther Uecker and Bernar Venet. “We have always received a strong and positive response”, she reports. “Of course, this popularity had to do with the art itself, but the wonderful light-flooded exhibition halls surely played a role too by creating optimal conditions in which to experience art.”

A total of 207 nationally and internationally renowned galleries will present their programmes in the four high-ceilinged and light-flooded exhibition halls. The participating galleries were chosen by the seven members of art KARLSRUHE’s advisory board at the end of December 2022.

Nationally and internationally renowned galleries

Art lovers can look forward to galleries from a total of fifteen different countries at the fair in May 2023. With 47 participating galleries, the European region is particularly well represented. Internationally renowned galleries such as Cortina (Barcelona), Gilden’s Art (London), gimpel & müller (Paris), Kovacek (Vienna), Laudel (Istanbul), Brita Prinz (Madrid), Rubrecht Severens (Maastricht), Várfok (Budapest) and Galleri MDA (Helsingborg) will make guest appearances at Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre. Gallery Tableau (Seoul), a renowned gallery from South Korea, will also be taking part.

Of course, big names from the German art scene will likewise be represented. They include Galerie Friese (Berlin), Ludorff (Düsseldorf), Osper (Cologne), Thole Rotermund (Hamburg), Schwarzer (Düsseldorf), Galerie Française (Munich), Samuelis Baumgarte (Bielefeld) and van der Koelen (Mainz). art KARLSRUHE will once again be a prominent meeting place for the regional and national art industry this year. Among the participants are 36 exhibitors from Baden-Württemberg, including Schlichtenmaier (Grafenau) and Yvonne Hohner Contemporary (Karlsruhe). Exhibitors from Berlin’s gallery scene will also be strongly represented: a total of 31 galleries from Germany’s capital city will show their programmes in Karlsruhe in May.

“We are very pleased that renowned galleries from Germany and abroad will again come together in our halls to jointly celebrate art, thus reaffirming Karlsruhe’s attractiveness as a location for art and creativity and, not least, as a UNESCO City of Media Arts”, says the fair’s director Britta Wirtz.

Art for all

A visit to art KARLSRUHE 2023 is like an excursion through the past 120 years of artistic creation. The fair spans a wide spectrum from classical modernism to the latest examples of contemporary art. “Based on the submitted applications, we can see that all the exhibitors who have been admitted to the upcoming art KARLSRUHE will again bring the best of the best to Karlsruhe”, reports founding curator Ewald Karl Schrade with satisfaction. The list of artists whose work will be shown at the upcoming edition of art KARLSRUHE is a veritable “Who’s Who” of the 20th and 21st centuries – from classic names such as Pablo Picasso and Joan Miró to the “Max Trio” (i.e., Beckmann, Ernst and Liebermann), as well as great pop artists such as Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg and Andy Warhol. The leading German old masters of contemporary art will also be represented: e.g., Georg Baselitz, Gerhard Richter and Günther Uecker. The spectrum ranges from sought-after painters and sculptors such as Stephan Balkenhol, Tony Cragg and Neo Rauch to members of the youngest generation such as the draughtswoman Ambra Durante, who won the art KARLSRUHE prize last year.

Not only the styles, but also the price ranges on offer at art KARLSRUHE are wide-ranging. The spectrum begins with artworks in the low-threshold price segment and ascends into the seven-figure range. “Rather than appealing only to established collectors, our fair also deliberately targets a younger audience, to whom we offer an affordable introduction to the passion of art collecting. This is precisely what underscores our reputation as the most democratic art fair in the German-speaking world”, explains the fair’s project manager Olga Blass, who is one half of the dual leadership that will run the fair after the Schrade era comes to its close.

Special show by gallery owner Ewald Karl Schrade

On the occasion of his final curatorship of the annual art fair, this year’s special show bears the signature of its founding father, the gallery owner Ewald Karl Schrade. In recognition of his many years of dedication to art KARLSRUHE, Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre invited him to present artworks from his collection in the traditional special exhibition in Hall 1. Following in the footsteps of other renowned private collections, including most recently the Frieder Burda Collection (2018), Peter C. Ruppert (2019), Hans-Peter Haas Foundation (2020) and Maria Lucia and Ingo Klöcker (2022), who have exhibited at art KARLSRUHE in previous years, a representative selection from Schrade’s collection will be displayed on approximately 400 square metres of floor space.

The presentation reflects more than 50 years of Schrade’s work as a gallery owner, during which time his collection evolved as vitally as art history itself. In addition to classic positions with well-known names such as Georg Meistermann, Walter Stöhrer, Erich Heckel, Karl Hubbuch, Shmuel Shapiro, Bernd Zimmer, Lore Bert, Cornelia Schleime, Marion Eichmann, Antonio Marra and HA Schult, Ewald Karl Schrade also focussed on young artists from the very beginning and accompanied their development over many years. Christopher Lehmpfuhl, Stefan Strumbel, e. g. Christopher Lehmpfuhl and Willi Siber.

From 7 to 10 July, the art KARLSRUHE - Classical Modern and Contemporary Art celebrated the return to real encounters with art. The 19th edition of the art fair attracted a total of 30,000 visitors to Karlsruhe, the UNESCO City of Media Arts. Not only summer enjoyment of art, but also the acquisition of art was in the interest of the Karlsruhe public. Thus, according to the visitor survey, the Karlsruhe Art Fair was able to record an increase not only in purchase intentions but also in the actual number of sales.

A stroll through art history

With 47 galleries from abroad and about the same number from Baden-Württemberg, this year's art KARLSRUHE presents itself as a prominent meeting place for the industry, both for the international art business and for the regionally based galleries. "A visit to art KARLSRUHE is thus always also like a walk through art history," says curator Ewald Karl Schrade.

With 180 one-artist shows, 24 sculpture spaces and two special shows, art KARLSRUHE 2022 offered art lovers not only the tried and tested in a new light, but also innovations that creatively showcased the real encounter with art.

Innovations for a more relaxed enjoyment of art

A changed hall structure invited art lovers to exciting discoveries. In the front halls, visitors could expect art of the classical modern period and art after 1945. ContemporaryArt 21 was represented in Hall 2. The tour was completed by the newly designed Hall 3, which, in addition to the special shows, was also home to the ARTIMA art Forum.

"We are registering great popularity for the new hall concept. Despite the consistently high number of exhibitors, the halls appear larger thanks to spacious cross corridors, the wider aisles not only offer space for artful strolling but also contribute to a more relaxed atmosphere in the halls", Schrade further emphasised.

There were also innovations in terms of scheduling, with the Preview (6 July) and the Vernissage (7 July) each having their own day for the first time. This gave a large number of institutional buyers, art dealers and collectors the opportunity, especially on the first day, to take a close look at the programme on offer.

"If this keeps up, I'll have to go back for more artworks. The first day went great, the gallery sold some large format works of mine. I think the equalisation of preview and vernissage is good. You simply have more time to engage more intensively with people who are used to buying art," said artist Stefan Gross, for example, describing his impressions.

"We are well networked internationally. art KARLSRUHE is a great building block in terms of our presence in Germany. We have seven artists from seven countries on four continents as a selection from our gallery portfolio. In autumn, we will open a new branch in Palm Beach. We are happy to be in Karlsruhe for the first time and are enjoying the summer appointment," says Eva Maria Ostendorf, Director of Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery (Berlin/London), for example.

Galerie Anja Knoess (Cologne) and Galerie Geiger (Constance) also liked the restructuring. "I think the equalisation is great. It allowed me to concentrate on important collectors," said Dr Stephan Geiger of the gallery of the same name.

Galleries and artists pleased with good sales

Not only was the return to a real encounter with art duly celebrated at the summer edition of art KARLSRUHE, but many galleries were also very pleased with the sales.

Galerie Schacher - Raum für Kunst (Stuttgart) drew a positive conclusion from the fair in Karlsruhe. "We were able to sell the largest exhibit by our artist Shalva Gelitashvili. The work "Purple Rain" shows an oil painting on demolition windows and caused great astonishment at our stand. Claudia Thorban's acrylic glass panels printed with nature motifs have also found many new fans," says Marko Schacher, owner of Galerie Schacher and one of the advisory board members of art KARLSRUHE.

Galerie Eric Bausmann (Halle) also recorded satisfactory success after a short time: "We are very pleased. On the second day, we had already re-hung about half."

A special sale was achieved by the salon gallery "Die Möwe" (Berlin). After the work "Madeleine in the Mirror" by Lotte Laserstein, long thought lost, was presented to the public for the first time at art KARLSRUHE, it did not take long to sell the work. "There is a lot of interest among the visitors. In any case, Lotte Laserstein and overall the interest regarding women is greater than towards their male colleagues," says Claudia Wall of "Die Möwe".

art KARLSRUHE as the most democratic art trade venue

The diversity of this year's art KARLSRUHE programme was the main feature. "A programmatic focus away from the temporal structure can hardly be found this year," explained curator Ewald Karl Schrade. "That is precisely the beauty of our fair: the inconceivably great diversity of positions that are in dialogue with each other," Schrade continued. Around 1,500 artists could be seen through the programme of galleries at the fair. Both up-and-coming young artists such as the winner of the art KARLSRUHE prize Ambra Durante (Friese Gallery), who was born in 2000, and big names of art history such as Lovis Corinth or Heinz Mack were presented.

This range was also reflected in the price segments on offer. Thus, art KARLSRUHE saw business transactions for works with prices in the six- to seven-figure range; but there were also numerous titles for newcomers that could awaken the desire to collect art. "This year, too, we wanted to underline our reputation as probably the most democratic art fair in the country. That's why we felt the need to offer young collectors an inspirational platform, for example through the special show on prints", says Britta Wirtz.

The next art KARLSRUHE will also take place at a warmer time of year and invites art lovers to the Karlsruhe exhibition halls from 4 to 7 May 2023.

This year’s art KARLSRUHE – International Trade Fair for Classic Modern and Contemporary Art promises to offer summery art experiences. A total of 215 renowned galleries from twelve countries are expected in the four high-ceilinged, light-flooded halls when Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre hosts the international art market for the 19th time from 7 to 10 July 2022. Thanks to their many one-artist-shows and the traditional sculpture areas, the participating galleries will provide ample inspirations for purchasing artworks. art KARLSRUHE traditionally kicks off the art fair year each February, but this year the event will take place in July because of the coronavirus. In the sunny and warm season, visitors will be able to enjoy the entire spectrum of 120 years of art history, flanked by artworks fresh from their creators’ studios.

Art in a new light

With summery flair, art KARLSRUHE 2022 promises to present time-tested formats in a literally new light. “I am eagerly looking forward to the summer edition of art KARLSRUHE. The artworks will be bathed in warm sunbeams shining through the wide skylights in the ceilings. The greenery in the atrium will lure visitors outdoors. And long hours of daylight will tempt guests to linger in the evenings. Our concept takes the advantages of summer into account and creates an exciting trade fair experience that invites people to enjoy Karlsruhe, the UNESCO City of Media Arts”, assures Britta Wirtz, Managing Director of Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre.

The sculpture garden – sponsored by the Vollack Group – is likely to attract special attention. Outdoor catering will be available here on the approximately 6,800 square metres of green space between the four exhibition halls: this will harmonize with the three-dimensional artworks and contribute to the summery ambience. The opening hours will also be changed to suit the new date of the art fair. Art lovers will have the opportunity to visit art KARLSRUHE until well into the evening. The fair will open its doors from Friday (8 July) to Sunday (10 July) from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Holders of the appropriate tickets can also attend the vernissage on Thursday, 7 July 2022 until 8 p.m.

Face-to-face sharing resumes

The coronavirus-induced postponement of the fair from its usual date in February to this year’s date in July also means a return to the direct encounters with art that art lovers have been yearning for. art KARLSRUHE 2020 was the last art fair that could still take place without restrictions, so everyone hopes that this year’s rescheduling will contribute to a more relaxed way of enjoying art. “Together with the warming temperatures, our anticipation for the July edition of art KARLSRUHE is also heating up. We want to bring the art market together again”, explains curator Ewald Karl Schrade, who adds that face-to-face sharing in particular has been neglected during the pandemic. His opinion is shared by the exhibiting galleries which, Schrade explains, are working together with the fair’s team to assure that the art summer in Karlsruhe will be a complete success.

The art business in times of crisis

Thanks to the art insurance company Mannheimer Versicherungen, which will also be represented with an information stand in 2022, the series of talks that comprise the annual ARTIMA art meeting will take place at the eponymous forum in newly designed Hall 3. A total of six presenters will speak on the main topic of “The art business with, against and after the coronavirus” on 7 and 8 July (daily at 2 p.m.). From the perspective of their profession, prominent art mediators such as Werner Tammen (regional chairman of the Berlin galleries) and curator Kasper König will report on the challenges facing the art industry in times of the pandemic. “It was practically in the air to dedicate this year’s edition of the traditional ARTIMA art meeting to the pandemic and its consequences for the industry”, explains Gabriele Lindinger, Büro für Kunst und Öffentlichkeit of the publishing house Lindinger + Schmid, which has always conceived the two-day event series

The traditional special show at the upcoming art KARLSRUHE – International Fair for Classic Modern and Contemporary Art is all about femininity. Under the title “Women: Klöcker Collection”, the collector couple Maria Lucia and Ingo Klöcker will display a representative selection from their private collection of artistic portrayals of women. Initially scheduled for presentation in 2021 but delayed due to the pandemic, the Klöcker Collection will soon receive the appreciation it deserves at the 19th edition of art KARLSRUHE. The artworks will be displayed on approximately 300 square metres of floor space in the redesigned “Art & Communication” hall from 17 to 20 February 2021.

Note [as of January 11, 2022] - Due to Corona, art KARLSRUHE will take place in a summer edition this year. The new fair date is July 07-10, 2022.

The collection spans a broad spectrum of artistic positions

Maria Lucia and Ingo Klöcker from Bad Homburg, both of whom hold doctorates in law, began acquiring art in the late 1980s. From the very beginning, they focused their acquisitions on portrayals of women in post-war and contemporary art. Whether painted or sculpted by female or male artists, the feminine in art accordingly runs through the entire collection like a connective thread. This collector couple has never regarded art primarily as a financial investment. “First and foremost, the artworks must touch us personally, convince us, inspire us in our private lives and spark discussions”, says Maria Lucia Klöcker. Compiled over the past four decades, the Klöcker Collection includes works by lesser-known artists as well as by renowned painters and sculptors. The spectrum of artistic positions is both international and diverse, with artists ranging from Stephan Balkenhol, Erich Fischl, Franz Gertsch, Alex Katz and Thomas Schütte to Erich Kissing, Wolfgang Mattheuer, Sigmar Polke, Gerhard Richter and Arno Rink. The roster naturally also includes numerous female painters, photographers and sculptors, for example, Aleah Chapin, Leiko Ikemura, Cornelia Schleime, Kiki Smith and Nancy Spero.

Jointly cultivating their love of art

In choosing artworks for their collection, the Klöckers are primarily interested in works that reveal artistic expertise. High-quality craftsmanship is therefore clearly evident throughout this diverse and stylistically broad range of paintings and sculptures. “Virtuosic mastery of artistic techniques is an important criterion for inclusion in our collection”, Ingo Klöcker explains. The two collectors from Bad Homburg also place great importance on the quest for artistic positions that transcend time. “Beyond the constantly changing tastes in the world of art collecting, the supratemporal aspect was among our criteria right from the start.”

The Klöckers’ shared love of art is equally important. Both collectors had eagerly drawn and painted as teenagers before they began discovering the art world as a duo during their student years. The special show at art KARLSRUHE 2022 should therefore also be understood as a biographical reflection of this collector couple. The Klöcker Collection accordingly offers in-depth insights into the passion and commitment of private collecting. It thus fits perfectly with previous renowned special exhibitions at art KARLSRUHE such as Frieder Burda (2018), Peter C. Ruppert (2019) and Hans-Peter Haas (2020).

At long last, face-to-face sharing is now possible again. The return to physical encounters with art is welcomed by exhibitors, collectors, artists and the general public alike. With a view to the upcoming art KARLSRUHE – International Fair for Classic Modern and Contemporary Art (17 to 20 February 2022), the seven-member advisory board headed by curator Ewald Karl Schrade and fair director Britta Wirtz has now chosen the participating galleries. A total of 213 nationally and internationally renowned galleries from twelve countries will present their programmes at the fair.

Note [as of January 11, 2022] - Due to Corona, this year's art KARLSRUHE will take place in a summer edition. The new fair date is July 07-10, 2022. 215 galleries from twelve countries will present their program in summer.

Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre is celebrating the re-launch of its portfolio of trade fairs. As the enthusiasm for the start of the fair season grows, so too does the anticipation for the next edition of art KARLSRUHE – International Fair for Classic Modern and Contemporary Art, which will take place at Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre from 17 to 20 February 2022. Despite the cancellation of the face-to-face event in 2021, the planned exhibitors have not been carried over for the upcoming fair. Instead, the jury chose a new selection of exhibitors for 2022. This gives all galleries that applied by 27 September a chance to participate in art KARLSRUHE 2022.

Note [as of January 11, 2022] - Due to Corona, this year's art KARLSRUHE will take place in a summer edition. The new fair date is July 07-10, 2022.

The date for the next art KARLSRUHE has now been set. From 17 to 20 February 2022, the 18th edition of the International Fair for Classic Modern and Contemporary Art will again span 120 years of art history, thus remaining true to its customary date at the beginning of the each year of art fairs. The 2021 edition of art KARLSRUHE had to be cancelled because of uncertainties about the timing for the resumption of the trade fair and event business, so art KARLSRUHE selections will take place in May 2021 and thus close to the date that had been planned for trade fair. Together with exhibitors and partners, Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre has developed a free digital programme. In addition, the participating galleries will present special exhibitions featuring artists and projects originally intended for art KARLSRUHE.

In February 2020, art KARLSRUHE – International Fair for Classic Modern and Contemporary Art – was the only art fair that could be held successfully and without restrictions before all fairs worldwide had to be cancelled. This was still possible last year, but it is now no longer possible in 2021.

The 17th edition of art KARLSRUHE attracted approximately 50,000 art collectors and art lovers to the exhibition halls in Karlsruhe. From 13 to 16 February, the Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre was transformed into a showcase and marketplace for art from a time span of over 120 years. A total of 210 nationally and internationally renowned galleries from fifteen countries presented their programmes, which ran the gamut from Classic Modern to Contemporary art. The fair’s steadily growing importance was particularly evident in the increased participation by international galleries and the longer travel distances, especially for first-time visitors. Many exhibitors enthusiastically reported brisk business with new collectors.

Britta Wirtz, Managing Director of Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre, explains the conceptual approach of the art fair: “In Karlsruhe, passion prompts people to buy art. Our consistently high numbers of visitors and the strong satisfaction expressed by visitors and exhibitors alike confirm our concept. We see ourselves as perhaps the most democratic of all art fairs: art KARLSRUHE adeptly builds a bridge between works by established artists on the one hand and less costly yet nonetheless artistically valuable positions that pave the way for new aficionados to begin collecting art.” In accord with the latter objective, the trade fair also highlights graphic prints. This year’s presentation featured the collection of Hans-Peter Haas, Germany’s most important screen printer, whose compilation of graphic artworks was warmly received by visitors.

In keeping with the fair’s tradition, art KARLSRUHE also gives high priority to sculpture and its interplay with the other genres of fine art on display. art KARLSRUHE’s Curator Ewald Karl Schrade comments on the design of this year’s fair: “I am pleased that our concept is so successful. This year we sorted and arranged the artworks even better in accord with the focal points of our halls, while simultaneously creating a harmonious image for the trade fair, especially through the interplay between two-dimensional art and sculpture.” The traditional twenty Sculpture Areas were augmented in the atrium by a sculpture garden, which was supported by the Vollack Group. art KARLSRUHE also awarded the Loth Sculpture Prize for the third time: sponsored by the L-Bank, this year’s prize was awarded to the artist Gary Schlingheider and to the Galerie Burster (Berlin, Karlsruhe).

Numerous sales and a knowledgeable audience

art KARLSRUHE 2020 was very successful for Galerie Ludorff (Düsseldorf). Manuel Ludorff says: “We sold two very large objects and we are very happy about those sales. A large painting by Karin Kneffel was purchased for 180,000 euros and a watercolour by August Macke for 550,000 euros. Of course, these are big highlights that you don’t sell every day, but here in Karlsruhe you meet collectors who buy objects in this price range.” Kunsthandel Osper (Cologne) is similarly pleased with good sales throughout the fair. Knut Osper says: “We were fortunate to sell our most costly painting within the first two hours – a Gerhard Richter that was sold 850,000 euros. There was plenty of activity afterwards too and we again sold briskly on the final days.” Thole Rotermund Kunsthandel (Hamburg) likewise recorded six-figure sales in the Classic Modern genre.

Kirsten Floss from Galerie Floss und Schulz (Cologne) especially praises the audience: “Our concern is that our clientele of collectors is ageing. That’s why it’s nice to see so many 30- to 40-year-olds walking through the halls this year. Many of these younger collectors are on a strict budget, but they are nonetheless ready and willing to spend within their means. We held many in-depth discussions. There’s a great deal of interest and we were pleased to welcome numerous new customers. We consciously focused on initiating new contacts and our expectations were met. Galerie Feldbusch, Wiesner and Rudolph (Berlin) is likewise quite satisfied with its first participation at art KARLSRUHE. Andreas Wiesner says: “We only sold to new customers. That’s very important for us. We had a very good response to our presentation. And we will surely come back again.”

Kirsten Eggers from Galerie König agrees: “We are incredibly pleased that we won the art KARLSRUHE prize for the best One-Artist Show with Annette Kelm’s solo presentation. We are all the more delighted that this prize is associated with a museum’s purchase. We met many of our collectors here and we also sold two works by Annette Kelm and Peter Dreher.”

A newcomer at art KARLSRUHE, Gad Edery from Galerie Gadcollection in Paris: “This is my first fair in Germany. I see plenty of terrific art here. We are in good surroundings. And, I must say, the German public is keenly interested in high-class photography. We were able to sell several photos to new customers and we reached a new audience. People from all over Germany, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland and even Argentina visited our stand.”

Strong presence for women artists in the halls and on the podium

Many galleries brought works by well-known women artists to Karlsruhe this year. Kunsthandel Dr. Nöth showed artworks by Lotte Laserstein, Galerie Friese from Berlin hung works by Franziska Holstein, Galerie Cyprian Brenner exhibited needle-felted sculptures by Stefanie Ehrenfried, and Helga Schmidhuber’s works were honoured with the Hans Platschek Prize for Art and Writing, which was awarded for the thirteenth time at this year’s fair.

The talks at art KARLSRUHE also brought women in the art market into sharper focus. In the SWR 2 Talk, Karin Kneffel described her path to art: “I do believe that it is more difficult to assert oneself as a woman. I had a belief in painting and then I came into Richter’s class, where everything was called into question. I wanted to look at the world with an open mind, so I consciously chose not to internalize the prohibitions that I saw coming towards me from outside.” In the ARTIMA art meeting, the sculptor Vera Röhm talked about art’s role, especially in the context of today’s societal discourse: “Female and male artists undoubtedly have a special responsibility. Our responsibility is to make artworks that offer an interpretation of this world and give people a chance to see the world from a different point of view.”

Agile contacts exist in Karlsruhe between the trade fair and the city. This cultural dialogue reaches its annual peak during art KARLSRUHE. The award of the title “UNESCO City of Media Arts” to the city of Karlsruhe at the end of 2019 confirms the commitment to art by both the trade fair and the city. Christiane Riedel, managing director of the ZKM (Centre for Art and Media), spoke about the award and the significance of media art in the Monopol Talks: “The ZKM wants to become the Prado of media art so that people can continue to benefit from our expertise, also 500 years from today. The ZKM is founded for the future: we convey the past into the future.”

The next art KARLSRUHE will take place from 25 to 28 February 2021 at Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre.

The seventeenth edition of art KARLSRUHE – International Fair for Classic Modern and Contemporary Art (13 to 16 February 2020) brings together 210 nationally and internationally renowned galleries from fifteen countries in the exhibition halls at Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre. Early in the new year, these halls will once again become a showcase and marketplace for artworks from a time span of over 120 years.

“For five consecutive days at the start of each year, Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre creates a hot spot for art in the midst of the art collectors’ state of Baden-Württemberg”, explains the fair’s director Britta Wirtz. “Last year’s conferral of the title ‘UNESCO City of Media Arts’ on the city of Karlsruhe reaffirms our ongoing commitment to art”, adds Britta Wirtz.

Sculpture Areas are a traditional feature of art KARLSRUHE. Thanks to sponsorship by the Vollack Group, the twenty spacious Sculpture Areas will be joined for the first time this year by a sculpture garden in the atrium. To bring the subject of sculpture even more sharply into focus at the fifteenth ARTIMA art meeting, moderator Carl Friedrich Schröer will ask sculptors Olaf Metzel and Vera Röhm about the challenges of their artistic work and will talk with gallery owner Christian K. Scheffel about his passion for three-dimensional art. Karl Ewald Schrade, the fair’s curator ever since its first year, comments: “I have always been strongly committed to three-dimensional art and am therefore extremely pleased that we can crown this year’s focus on sculpture with the third annual conferral of the Loth Sculpture Prize, which is sponsored by the L-Bank. The award ceremony will be even more memorable this year because the 100th anniversary of Wilhelm Loth’s birth occurs in 2020.”

Loth Sculpture Prize – sponsored by L-Bank – to be awarded for the third time

The Loth Sculpture Prize – sponsored by L-Bank, Staatsbank für Baden-Württemberg – was established in 2018 in recognition of the dedication of the gallery owners and sculptors who annually bring their sculptures to art KARLSRUHE. The prize is named after Wilhelm Loth (1920-1993), who was a professor at the Academy in Karlsruhe. An expert jury, which will again include museum directors in 2020, will judge all installations – and has already made convincing choices with Joana Vasconcelos (Galerie Scheffel, Bad Homburg) in 2018 and Jörg Bach (Galerie Wohlhüter, Leibertingen-Thalheim) in 2019.

That the Loth Sculpture Prize always attracts a great deal of attention undoubtedly also has to do with the fact that it is endowed with an impressively large sum of money. The L-Bank is again providing 20,000 euros in prize money, which will benefit both the winning sculptor and the gallery owner.

The official award ceremony will take place on Friday, 14 February 2020 at 5 p.m. in the ARTIMA art Forum in the dm-arena.

Sculpture Garden – sponsored by the Vollack Group – in the Atrium

In addition to the Sculpture Areas integrated into the halls, the Sculpture Garden – sponsored by the Vollack Group – will be created in the atrium of Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre, where it will comprise a further building block for the festival of three-dimensional artworks. Dedicated exclusively to outdoor sculptures, the Sculpture Garden in the inner courtyard adds another attraction to a tour of the exhibition grounds. The Sculpture Garden displays sculptures from galleries that are also staging Sculpture Areas inside the halls at art KARLSRUHE.

The Sculpture Garden is sponsored by Karlsruhe’s Vollack Group, which operates at several locations throughout Germany and specializes in the methodical planning, construction and revitalization of sustainable energy-efficient buildings. This sponsorship gives a further boost to the Vollack Group’s commitment to art and culture.

ARTIMA art meeting on the subject of sculpture

The annual ARTIMA art meeting series will take place in the homonymous forum in the dm-arena of Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre thanks to the generosity of the art insurance of Mannheimer Versicherungen, which will also be represented with an information stand in Hall 3 at art KARLSRUHE in 2020. Whether the theme is the production or reception of art, cultural policy or market developments, a wide variety of topics relevant to the art industry have been explored in panel discussions and one-on-one conversations during the past fifteen years. Conceived by Lindinger + Schmid, this series of events provides profound insights into the art world. Striking statements by prominent experts always enliven the subject under discussion.

Presenter Carl Friedrich Schröer, an art critic from Düsseldorf, will talk about sculpture with his guests on 13 and 14 February 2020, at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. The panel will once again feature high-caliber personalities. For instance the sculptor Olaf Metzel, who will dialogue with Schröer about his experiences with art in public space, will be among the guests. Three-dimensional art will be discussed on the fair’s second day, 14 February, by the artist Vera Röhm, the fair’s curator Ewald Karl Schrade and advisory board member Christian K. Scheffel, who initiates the “Blickachsen” sculpture biennial.

Special exhibition of the collection of the HPH Foundation

Special exhibitions such as those of the Würth Collection (2016), Frieder Burda (2017) and Peter C. Ruppert (2018) will be followed in 2020 by a presentation devoted especially to the medium of printmaking: the collection of the HPH Foundation – serigraphs by great masters from Ackermann to Vasarely. The show comprises 100 exhibits featuring works by internationally successful artists.

HPH – The Artist among Printers

Born in Stuttgart in 1935, Hans-Peter Haas (HPH) learned screen printing from Luitpold Domberger, the pioneer of artistic screen printing. HPH caught the art virus early in life. For more than six decades, he collaborated with internationally renowned painters and sculptors, bringing to life the ideas of a spectrum of artists from Salvador Dalí, Lucio Fontana, Max Ernst and Günther Fruhtrunk to Heinz Mack and Victor Vasarely. Haas’s prints bear witness to his outstanding craftsmanship, which earned him a unique global reputation. Awarded the Federal Cross of Merit in 2008, this meticulously precise master printer is still actively at work in his hometown of Leinfelden-Echterdingen in Baden-Württemberg.

The upcoming art KARLSRUHE will focus special attention on the HPH Foundation’s collection. HPH is the artist among the collectors: over the decades and with an unerring eye for quality, this renowned screen printer has collected artworks spanning a broad section of art history. Approximately 150 artworks from his collection will be on display at the fair. As the painter and sculptor Heinz Mack aptly remarked, “HPH is the printer for the artists – and the artist among the printers.”

Special show of graphic prints: artworks for new collectors and experts

The special show of graphic prints, which has been an integral part of Hall 1 since 2017, brings together printed artworks submitted from the programmes of the exhibiting galleries. Occupying approximately 200 square metres of floor space, the special exhibition of prints thematically extends the collection shown by the HPH Foundation and displays high-calibre prints available for purchase at prices ranging from lower three-digit to medium five-digit sums. The spectrum covers diverse styles, printing techniques and editions. The exhibiting galleries submit etchings, lithographs, woodcuts and silkscreen prints, which a committee of experts then curates for potential inclusion in the exhibition. The graphic print is a popular medium for new collectors and has also served many established collectors as a medium for approaching art. art KARLSRUHE’s special show of graphic prints accordingly offers opportunities to begin cultivating the passion of art collecting or to augment an existing collection with first-rate original prints.

Nationally and internationally renowned galleries are expected

A total of 210 nationally and internationally renowned galleries from 15 countries will present their programmes at the fair. The artworks on display span 120 years of artistic development – from the Classic Modern period to the present day.

From Classic Modern through Post-war to Contemporary art

Ever since art KARLSRUHE’s inception, Classic Modern art has been one focus of the fair’s programme, followed by Post-war art and Contemporary art. Artworks under these three headings are on display in Halls 2 and 3. Among the galleries with a strong focus on Classic Modern art are Cortina (Barcelona, E), Eggerbauer (Cologne, D), Gilden’s Art (London, GB), Luzán (Berlin, D), Dr. Michael Nöth (Ansbach, D), Thole Rotermund (Hamburg, D) and Malte Uekermann (Berlin, D). Galleries with portfolios that also continue into Contemporary art include Die Galerie (Frankfurt, D), Ludorff (Düsseldorf, D), Schwarzer (Düsseldorf, D) and the newly founded WOS Gallery (Pfäffikon, CH). Likewise premiering at art KARLSRUHE are the Braun-Falco (Munich, D), GADCollection (Paris, F), Hegau-Bodensee-Galerie (Singen, D), Proarta (Zurich, CH) and Galeria Roy (Felanitx, E) galleries. Especially in the field of Post-war art, which includes styles ranging from Art Informel to Zero, the Behning & Niehues Gallery (Sylt, D) appears for the first time alongside the well-established Georg Nothelfer Gallery (Berlin, D). Following their impressive appearances in 2019, the Berlin galleries König Gallery and Alexander Ochs Gallery return to art KARLSRUHE in 2020.

ContemporaryArt 21

Hall 4/dm-arena at art KARLSRUHE is especially dedicated to the very newest artworks that have only just emerged from their creators’ studios. Among the galleries represented here are several which are already well known to the fair’s visitors, e.g. heissingart (Berlin/Lübeck, D), Klinger (Karlsruhe/Radeberg, D), Marek Kralewski (Freiburg im Breisgau, D), Christian Marx (Düsseldorf, D) and Meno Parkas (Kaunas, LT). New arrivals include Etienne Gallery (Oisterwijk, NL) and The View – Contemporary Art Space (Salenstein, CH). Tobias Schrade Gallery provides the three-dimensional artworks on display in the hall’s Sculpture Area.

Newcomers and returning exhibitors

The Advisory Board selected approximately 40 galleries that will take part in the fair for the first time, as well as others which were not at fair for one or more years and are now returning. The new exhibitors, which are distributed among all four halls, come from six countries: Germany, France, Italy, Holland, Switzerland and Spain.

A complete list of exhibiting galleries can be downloaded from the Press Service section of our website.

The sixteenth edition of art KARLSRUHE – Classic Modern and Contemporary Art attracted circa 50,000 visitors to the halls of Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre, where a total of 208 galleries from sixteen countries showed artworks from a 120-year time span. The fair has sharpened its profile: “We promote art mediation by the gallery owners and thus do not primarily serve the institutional art market. Our fair focuses on the passion for art – and that is appreciated by all participants”, says the fair’s director Britta Wirtz, who adds: “This is precisely the reason why we annually honour private collecting with a special exhibition and encourage people to begin collecting through our special show of graphic prints.

Another important pillar of art KARLSRUHE is the Sculpture Areas, which were honoured this year for the second time by the Loth Sculpture Prize, which is sponsored by the L-Bank. Curator Ewald Karl Schrade comments: “The dialogue between so-called ‘flatware’ and three-dimensional objects is unique and has been anchored in our art fair’s concept right from the start. Each Sculpture Area gives us the freedom to create an optimal staging for its sculptures. And I am happy that we could further accentuate it this year with the ‘Sculpture Park’ in the fair’s atrium, which is enlivened by greenery.”

The fair was equally convincing for gallery owners and visitors

A particularly enthusiastic response greeted a special showing of the Peter C. Ruppert Collection – Concrete Art in Europe after 1945, which is ordinarily housed at the Museum im Kulturspeicher in Würzburg. Museum Director Dr. Marlene Lauter summarizes: “Our exhibition was already warmly received at the preview. Colleagues were very impressed by the museum-worthy quality of the Ruppert Collection. The showing could very possibly lead to a serendipitous acquisition because a collector offered me his collection of small-format concrete art. He and I agreed to discuss the details in the near future.” Peter C. Ruppert unfortunately passed away shortly before the fair in February 2019. In addition to the special exhibit, other big names such as Galerie Jeanne (Munich), Galerie Klüser (Munich), Peter Sillem (Frankfurt) and Monika Wertheimer (Oberwil, Switzerland) presented ambitious photographic artworks and editions.

Petra Kaffeesieder from Gilden’s Art Gallery (London) expresses a positive summary for her portfolio of Classic Modern art in Hall 3: “art KARLSRUHE is quite profitable for us. Our sales are brisk because our buyers are international. They come to Karlsruhe from Holland, France, Belgium and Switzerland.” The portfolio that she shows at the fair is specially tailored for art KARLSRUHE because “we know that we can find the right buyers here. Sometimes we also try to break new ground by bringing artists with us for the first time and seeing how the public responds to them. art KARLSRUHE is one of our most successful fairs. The interactions among colleagues and the contacts between the individual galleries are very pleasant too. I believe that the vast majority of exhibitors here are just as happy with this fair as I am.” Classic Modern art was strongly represented by galleries such as Döbele Kunst (Mannheim), Ludorff (Düsseldorf), Galerie Luzán (Berlin), Thole Rotermund (Hamburg) and Galerie Schwarzer (Düsseldorf).

This year’s art KARLSRUHE Prize was awarded to Galerie Bernhard Knaus Fine Art in Frankfurt and to its artist Myriam Holme. Gallery owner Bernhard Knaus is delighted: “The fair offers a very attractive atmosphere and is a terrific forum. We can report on great interest. We are well positioned, we have a large stand and our sales are quite good. I am meeting new people and the number of customer contacts is high. I am very satisfied. Of course, winning the prize contributes to my satisfaction. And I also sold many artworks by Ralf Peters, with whom our gallery has collaborated for the past twenty years.”

The dm-arena/Hall 4, which is dedicated to Contemporary art, is also well received. Gallery owner Marko Schacher (Schacher – Raum für Kunst, Stuttgart) attracted admiring attention with his unconventional sales concept for Jim Avignon’s One-Artist-Show. AV17 Galerie from Vilnius (Lithuania), a new addition to the hall, also expresses a positive summary: “The organizers are great, the stands are wonderfully spacious and there are plenty of interested visitors. We have already made some sales. art KARLSRUHE is an important fair and we hope to return here in the future.”

A city in cultural dialogue

Agility distinguishes the contacts between the art fair and the city of Karlsruhe. This ongoing cultural dialogue annually attains its high point during art KARLSRUHE. Not only does the fair host the conferral of the art KARLSRUHE Prize, which is endowed with 15,000 euros and jointly awarded by the state of Baden-Württemberg and the city of Karlsruhe, but cultural institutions in the city and beyond its gates all participate in the Museum Mile and in discussion groups such as the ARTIMA art meeting at the trade fair. Numerous events also took place outside the exhibition halls and the fairground during the week of art KARLSRUHE. These ranged from special offers in the Städtische Galerie, the Kunsthalle, the ZKM – Zentrum für Kunst und Medien and the restaurant and café scene to the annual Handel Festival in the Badisches Staatstheater.

The next art KARLSRUHE will return to Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre from 13 to 16 February 2020.

In addition to this special exhibit in Hall 1, the programmes of the exhibiting galleries will also include numerous works of Concrete Art.

The Peter C. Ruppert Collection – Concrete Art in Europe after 1945

Right from the start, Peter C. Ruppert’s enthusiasm was sparked by reduction to the essentials, a salient characteristic of Constructive-Concrete Art, which is distinguished by rational composition of the picture and, at the same time, by surprising perceptual effects. Much patience and great specialized expertise throughout more than thirty years led to the compilation of “The Peter C. Ruppert Collection – Concrete Art in Europe after 1945”. Works by artists ranging from Josef Albers and Max and Jakob Bill, through Leo Erb, to Richard Paul Lohse, David Nash and others will be shown at art KARLSRUHE 2019. The Peter C. Ruppert Collection comprises a total of 420 artworks, including paintings, sculptures, objects and works on paper by circa 240 artists from twenty-three European countries. Initially on his own and afterwards in collaboration with his wife Rosemarie, this collector, who was born in 1934 and lives in Berlin, compiled a collection of Concrete Art which is among the most diverse of its kind and is unique in Europe. Its specialties include Concrete photography and works by artists from Great Britain. Nearly the entire collection is on permanent loan to the Museum im Kulturspeicher in Würzburg, where it can be viewed by the public.

Awarded the Bavarian Museum Prize in 2005, this museum unites two collections under its roof: Würzburg’s Municipal Collection and the privately owned “Peter C. Ruppert Collection – Concrete Art in Europe after 1945”. In the years since its opening in 2002, the Museum im Kulturspeicher has successfully established itself as a venue for Modern art in the historic Baroque city of Würzburg.

Concrete Art in the Galleries’ Programmes – A Preview

Artists from the milieu of the ZERO Movement, including Bernard Aubertin, Piero Dorazio, Gotthard Graubner, Heinz Mack, Christian Megert, Otto Piene, Günther Uecker and others, will be strongly represented at art KARLSRUHE in 2019 and thus more than sixty years after Mack and Piene founded the ZERO Movement. A number of pictures by Constructivists such as Günter Fruhtrunk, who died in 1982, and Georg Karl Pfahler, who passed away in 2002, will likewise be shown at the upcoming art KARLSRUHE. This sixteenth edition of the International Fair for Classic Modern and Contemporary Art promises to offer a strong presence by “painters and sculptors of silence” ranging Josef Albers through Antonio Calderara to Victor Vasarely and Ludwig Wilding.

art KARLSRUHE – Classic Modern and Contemporary Art

A total of 208 galleries from sixteen countries will be represented at the upcoming art KARLSRUHE from 21 to 24 February 2019 at Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre. The Centre will be a showplace for art from a time span of more than 120 years. Moreover, twenty Sculpture Areas will create spatial situations that invite visitors to linger and 120 One-Artist-Shows will offer in-depth insights into the oeuvres of individual artists. The advisory board of art KARLSRUHE assigns the fair’s limited contingent of stands to nationally and internationally renowned galleries.

Specially trained art historians offer guided tours of the fair, providing a general overview of art KARLSRUHE or elucidating the exhibiting galleries and the presented artists in greater depth. In 2019, there will also be a guided tour focusing on the special theme of “100 Years of the Bauhaus”. This tour presents works by various Bauhaus artists and sheds light on the trailblazing educational institution, which promulgated ideas and articulated a formal vocabulary that remain influential today.

The nineteenth edition of art KARLSRUHE – International Fair for Classic Modern and Contemporary Art will celebrate an “art-full” comeback at Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre from 7 to 10 July. After last year’s digital edition under the title “art KARLSRUHE selections”, the traditional physical encounter with art is again possible in Karlsruhe. For four days, a total of 215 galleries from twelve countries will transform the trade fair’s four high-ceilinged and light-flooded exhibition halls into a showcase and marketplace for art spanning more than 120 years. Art lovers are welcome to linger at the summer edition of art KARLSRUHE until well into the evening: the new opening hours are from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.