BERLIN

Joint Foreword
by Harald Wolf,
Mayor and Senator for Economy,
Technology and Women’s Issues
Berlin is a city of art and culture, a mecca
for followers of all the arts. The city is in
permanent flux and never ceases to amaze
tourists from around the world. Researchers
and scientists find inspiration here for
new developments and inventions. More
than two hundred museums and exhibition
halls, around four hundred galleries
and innumerable artists and cultural
workers exemplify the city’s incredible
variety and cultural wealth.
Political reunification and the process of
osmosis between East and West made
exciting new developments possible
in Berlin as a city for art. Its productive
power also derives from the differences
within the city. The splendid grandeur of
the “Museumsinsel” contrasts with the
vibrant challenge of innovative modernism
at Potsdamer Platz. The graphic artist
working on a laptop stands out, as does
the banker at the opening of a new street
exhibition.
It was this backdrop that enabled Berlin
to become a centre of global renown for
contemporary art. The artists discovered
the city and its energy first. Then came
curators and gallery owners, art dealers,
collectors, journalists and more artists.
Together they contribute to the density
and dynamism of the art scene in Berlin
today and give the city its international
flair, charisma and global ranking.