02/11/2001
by Frauke Finsterwalder

From the 31st of October to the 4th of November 2001, some 270 galleries from 20 countries will take part in Art Cologne. One of the first fairs for contemporary art in the world, it will again cover the entire spectrum of the art scene, from modernist to emerging art forms. The tried-and-tested sponsorship programme will be continued, this time featuring 25 young international artists — 15 newcomers from Germany and 10 from abroad. For the first time, they will have the opportunity to present themselves and their work to a wider audience.

Art Cologne’s "Junge Galerien" (‘New Galleries’) invitation programme has been attracting new blood for the last four years. The programme’s jury of three — gallery owners Michael Janssen, Daniel Buchholz and Luis Campaña — invited other dealers to participate in this year’s international fair. The stands, which are subsidised by the Stadtsparkasse, Cologne’s cultural foundation, will be situated on the ground floor of Art Cologne. Visitors will be able to see artwork that is not represented in other areas of the fair — including contemporary art, high-quality photography and drawings, most of which will be on sale for under $ 2,000 (€ 2,300). "Given the current tense economic and political situation, this is a good opportunity for people to leave the stock market and invest their money in art," jury member Michael Janssen explains. "Buyers can’t really go wrong with $ 2,000 (€ 2,300). Firstly, the artwork gives them pleasure, and secondly, they are bound to recoup their investment — or even a significantly higher amount — after ten years. Everything sold for between $ 2,000 (€ 2,300) and $ 40,000 (€ 46,000) at a good trade fair is certain to be of lasting value." In short, new art is presented as a safe investment. Michael Janssen has no doubt whatsoever that this year’s Art Cologne will be a success. He believes that one advantage this year is that the fair has been scheduled a relatively long time before the contemporary sales in New York, which in preceding years have lured a number of potential customers away from Cologne.

There will be a number of galleries selling modernist classics at high values. Beck & Eggeling International Fine Art, Düsseldorf/New York will have the oil on canvas, Knieende, by Edvard Munch, painted in 1922 and priced at around $ 1,700,000 (€ 1,878,491). Annely Juda Fine Art, London will show the oil on mahogany entitled Sketch from 1940 by W. Kandinsky for around $ 1,295,679 (€ 1,431,618). Salis & Vertes, Salzburg will offer Pablo Picasso’s 1965 oil on canvas Buste d’homme for $ 1,156,856 (€ 1,278,230). The 1910 oil on canvas Still leben by August Macke, which was once owned by Franz Marc, will be offered by Galerie Thomas, Munich for $ 670,976 (€ 741,373). Achim Moeller Fine Art, New York will offer Paul Klee’s 1924 oil on canvas Sommerlandschaft for around $ 1,250,000 (€ 1,381,252). As for recent graphics, mono-prints, sketches and collages, Lenin by Andy Warhol will range from $ 16,000-40,000 (€ 17,691-44,230) at Galerie Bernd Klüser, Münich. Contemporary pieces will be shown by Galerie Nächst St. Stephan, Vienna, including a wooden sculpture entitled Container by Manfred Pernice for $ 11,567 (€ 12,781) and a 1992 work by Imi Knoebel for $ 55,525 (€ 61,360). Galerie Hans Mayer (Düsseldorf) will be offering the installation High Fidelity by Markus Oehlen from 2000/2001 for $ 69,400 (€ 76,693).

Art critics and the international trade are eagerly awaiting the "Köln Skulptur" fair section, which will once again be located in Halls 1 to 3 as part of Art Cologne. This segment, the only one of its kind in the world, is a sales exhibition specifically for floor and wall sculptures, as well as free-standing works, spatially related exhibits and contemporary installations. This year, 21 galleries will take part in "Köln Skulptur", seven of whom are new to the fair.

Three of the galleries have made imaginative use of their exhibit space: Galleria Continua (San Gimignano, Italy) is showing an installation entitled In Flanders' Fields which consists of five life-sized polyester and leather horses by Berlinde de Bruyckere; Vayhinger gallery, Radolfzell in collaboration with Knaus, Mannheim, are showing a sound and video installation by Marie-Jo Lafontaine, while Peter Zimmermann, also based in Mannheim is showing large-scale works in iron, glass and coloured materials by Camill Leberer. The other eighteen exhibitors will be exhibiting in smaller stands but this has not prevented them from favouring large-scale works. Their exhibits range from single sculptural items, installations and figurative pieces.

Apart from the artfair, the city’s 200 galleries will put on special exhibitions and openings on the "premiere days". Cologne’s museums will also stage special activities during the art fair. The Museum Ludwig, for example, will reopen for Art Cologne, featuring Kaspar König’s "Museum der Wünsche" exhibition.