Untitled - lorch + seidel contemporary

30.05.2012
www.artinfo.com
PRESSESPIEGEL 2012
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ARTINFO Germany / Alexander Forbes DE
online
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inaugural Berlin Art Week
BERLIN — Programming for the inaugural Berlin Art Week — the latest moniker for
the September weekend that includes the Art Berlin Contemporary (abc) and Preview
Berlin art fairs, but not Art Forum Berlin, which has been canceled — was announced
by representatives from the participating fairs and institutions during a gathering in
city hall today. Pointing to Berlin’s Fashion and Music weeks, as well as the upcoming
DMY design week, Sybille von Obernitz, Berlin’s senator for economy, technology, and
research, said that there was an obvious gap to be filled. However, reflecting the furrowed
brows across the room, Silke Neumann, speaking on behalf of abc later clarified,
“This is not the first time we have all stood together.”
For years now, abc and Preview have coincided with openings at galleries and
museums represented on the Berlin Art Week committee: the Nationalgalerie, the KW
Institute for Contemporary Art, the Berlinische Galerie, the Neue Berliner Kunstverein
(n.b.k.), and the Neue Gesellschaft für Bildende Kunst (NGBK). However, Nationalgalerie
director Udo Kittelmann said, “We had to start something new,” and that, “It was
only possible here in Berlin and at this very time.”
After the collapse of Art Forum last year, there had been the distinct feeling that
Berlin’s future as a commercially viable art capital was at the very least uncertain. Abc,
though full of high quality works, has thus far been unable to bring in high-profile
international collectors, even on the scale of Berlin Gallery Weekend. However, it remains
to be seen whether this grouping of events under one name will have the desired
effect — after all, the weekend has always had the loose title of “Kunstherbst” (fall
art season). If anything, by not including Berliner Liste — the largest fair in terms of
the number of participating galleries — on the official roster, the organizers actually
narrowed the week’s focus.
Two things do set Berlin Art Week apart: its 500,000 EUR ($621,000) advertising and
development budget courtesy of the state; and its open format. Actually, the two go
hand in hand, the former ostensibly alleviating political tensions surrounding the latter.
Some of the most interesting effects of the week may very well be how Berlin’s other
institutions, art spaces, and studio complexes respond to the incentive and encouragement
to join in the event. Berlin cultural secretary Anrdé Schmitz said, “With over 400
galleries and 6,000 actively practicing artists, we are not only Europe’s biggest gallery
city but also the most innovative,” pointing to the number of Berlin-based artists in
Documenta and last year’s Venice Biennale.
On the other hand, the result may be over-stimulation and saturation, as happened
when this year’s Gallery Weekend and Berlin Biennale overlapped. Though that combination
seemed to bring in a critical mass of people, it also drew criticism from both
organizers and viewers for being too much in too little time — time will tell whether
September‘s first Berlin Art Week will suffer from the same art overdose.
Berlin Art Week takes place from September 11-16, kicking off with the Hamburger
Bahnhof and Verein der Freunde der Nationalgalerie’s presentation of the shortlist for
the Young Art Prize. The full program can be seen here.