30/01/2002
by Paulina Kolczynska

Early last year, the world famous car manufacturer DaimlerChrysler hired an art historian to oversee their collection in Berlin. Dr. Renate Wiehager illustrates the process of creating a place for the DaimlerChrysler collection in the art world, enhancing its importance within the community as a known intellectual resource and sketching the new aesthetic direction that it will follow.

Paulina Kolczynska: Why did DaimlerChrysler decide to start an art collection?
Dr. Renate Wiehager: It was founded in 1977, as DaimlerBenz wanted to start an art collection that would concentrate on South German abstract modern art, and also embrace art from certain parts of Switzerland. The driving concept was to create the idea among employees that cultural engagement is an important part of the social gearing of the company.

P.K.: This company is so broadly international - it embraces Europe, North America and Japan (Mitsubishi has about 20% of the shares of DaimlerChrysler). How does this international perspective influence the core collection?
R.W.: The collection consists of around 1000 pieces. It started with the South German artists Oscar Schlemmer and Willy Baumeister, though we extended it to include the Swiss Group of concrete art. The next step was to build up the main character by concentrating on abstract, minimalist geometrical art. In the 80s, we made European additions like François Morellet. Then, an important step taken when Andy Warhol was invited to come up with paintings based on the most important cars built by MercedesBenz from 1887 to 1987. This commission was given to Warhol in 1986 - he made about 40 pieces. This was a first step toward extending the collection to include US artists. Throughout the 1990s, we added Peter Halley, Jeff Koons and Greg Bogin. Half of the acquisitions for 2001/2002 concern young American artists like Sarah Morris, Andrea Zittel and Kirsten Mosher and we have many examples of photography and new media. This is again, a totally new step.

P.K.: What role does this collection aspire to play in the community in Germany and in the world?
R.W.: It definitely helps the DaimlerChrysler image. The aim is, however, to create a larger context - to find links with museums, galleries and map the DaimlerChrysler collection within the international art world. I am sure that a well-run corporate collection can be an important part of the contemporary art world and can be seen on the same level as any Museum or Kunstverein in Germany.

P.K.: Do you sell works from the collection?
R.W.: In general, we do not sell works of art. However, there has been a number of cases where some works of art - maybe 5 all together - were resold for one reason or another. In order to sustain the efforts of my predecessor, Hans J. Baumgart, and the original aims of the chairman of the company who initiated the idea, the early part of the collection should not be altered and resold as it is part of our company identity and history.

P.K.: How many pieces by a particular artist do you usually buy?
R.W.: We usually acquire around 30 works of art a year and in the case of young artists the aim is to buy a body of work. I research lesser-known artists whose works strongly relate to the tradition of the international Zero movement and the minimalist movement. To show continuity and to show the impact of this art, I look for the strongest examples of such influences in works by young artists.

P.K.: What's the budget?
R.W.: We have two types of budgets. The first one takes care of acquisitions for the in-house collection, and here we spend between € 5,100-153,300 ($ 4,400-132,100) for a work of art. We buy important pieces once or twice a year; for example, I have just purchased a painting from 1969 by Robert Ryman. The second budget is the money allocated specially for important sculptural pieces, as demonstrated by works in a variety of locations in Germany - among which Potsdamer Platz is the most famous. We have about 40 important sculptures displayed in public spaces, these being works by Robert Rauschenberg, Mark di Suvero, Jeff Koons, Frank Stella and François Morellet. Our budget every year is the same, and luckily for us does not depend on the economic climate.

P.K.: Is the collection seen as an investment by the governing body of the company?
R.W.: This issue has always been part of our discussion. Over the years, we have realized that our collection has appreciated in value, such as the works commissioned in 1986 to Andy Warhol. In the case of works by young artists, I must say we have also chosen well. However, the idea of an investment in art is not our main focus.