Round Anniversaries - 2

Greve, with an early start in art, also pursued studies in art history and law concurrently. In 1969, he began trading in editions. He then ran a gallery with Rolf Möllenhof for two years. In 1972, he founded his own gallery in Cologne, which opened in 1973.

Despite living in Engadin with his wife, Karsten Greve has remained devoted to the Rhineland. Since 2000, his gallery has been situated in a historic building on the quaint Drususgasse, just behind the Museum of Applied ART COLOGNE. This is the realm where artists like Louise Bourgeois, John Chamberlain, and Cy Twombly come to life. Their decades-long presence in the Rhineland is a testament to Karsten Greve, who has steadfastly exhibited their work since the inception of his gallery.

All of them are now renowned worldwide, which is also due to the gallery owner.

Right from the start, Greve focused on the right names of the post-war avantgarde and quickly achieved international success. Beyond Yves Klein's “Anthro-pometries,” which marked the gallery's inauguration, Greve handled significant works by Giorgio Morandi, Lucio Fontana, Pierre Soulages, and others. However, in retrospect, it wasn't as straightforward as it may seem. Karsten Greve mentioned in a recent interview that it took ten years to sell the first piece by Louise Bourgeois, even though the artists he represented were already well-established at the time.

Louise Bourgeois was just one of the many triumphs that elevated him to the status of an industry envy and one of Europe's most prominent art dealers. Alongside Cy Twombly, Piero Manzoni, Jannis Kounellis, and later Joseph Cornell and Willem de Kooning, she was among the core group of artists consistently championed by Galerie Karsten Greve, often at the museum level.

In 1989, Greve expanded his European perspective with the opening of a gallery in the Marais, the historic Jewish quarter of Paris. Here, in contrast to Cologne, he was frequently asked about his limited representation of German artists, apart from abstract painter Gotthard Graubner. Greve commented, “I have always considered myself European and lamented our infrequent exhibitions of German artists. But, for specific reasons of content, German art has rarely piqued my interest. It seems German art always has to convey a particular narrative.”

Despite expanding to a third location in St. Moritz in 1999, he remained loyal to Cologne.

In parallel with this year’s ART COLOGNE, he is presenting an exhibition that promises high-caliber art.

“A POETICS” celebrates the enduring collaboration with Texas-born U.S. sculptor Catherine Lee, whose work was last exhibited in Cologne nine years ago. On display is a new collection of serial ceramic wall sculptures, which, for the first time, incorporate poems by the artist, together with early sculptures, paintings, and works on paper. The retrospective significance of this exhibition will be accentuated by an Artist Talk at ART COLOGNE on 17 November at 7:00 p.m., where Catherine Lee will talk with Daniela Antonin, Director of the Hetjens Museum Düsseldorf, and Professor Anne-Marie Bonnet from the University of Bonn.

The Produzentengalerie drew lots for the anniversary. While they secured an exceptional curator, Mario Kramer, the former head of collections at the MMK in Frankfurt, for its fiftieth-anniversary exhibition chance determined the placement of the some ninety artworks on display in the Hamburg gallery until January. The focus lies on the “obstinacy,” to quote Kramer, of art and, naturally, on the equal value attributed to all the artists featured in the exhibition, each of whom has a connection to the gallerys history.

The Produzentengalerie was established by a group of five individuals, including the painter Gustav Kluge, the artist Clivia Vorrath (who passed away in 1989), and Rainer Noeres, who currently runs the Otto Modersohn Museum. Their shared vision in 1973 was to introduce more significant contemporary art to Hamburg, as well as to showcase their own creations. There were numerous candidates, and the Produzentengalerie consistently demonstrated its visionary qualities, hosting exhibitions for artists like Andreas Slominski, Astrid Klein, Thomas Schütte, and Franz Erhard Walther long before their illustrious careers took off.

In its second generation, the gallery witnessed a significant rejuvenation as Gideon Modersohn, Noere's son, joined in 2012, followed by Luise Nagel three years later. The gallery once again turned its focus to artists of its own generation, including notable names like Ulla von Brandenburg and Annika Kahrs. Nagel emphasizes that the gallery still has the courage to support recent art school graduates, helping them establish their presence in the art market.

ART COLOGNE plays a vital role in this endeavor.

Luise Nagel, who previously managed a branch of the Produzentengalerie in Berlin, describes it as her “regular fair.” She believes that Hamburg doesn’t merely follow the trends but actively contributes to the international art scene. The Produzentengalerie’s success in making a name for itself on the international stage is due to strong partnerships. The gallery has collaborated with renowned galleries from the outset and has consistently found success at the art fair in Cologne, which has proven to be a pivotal platform for the Hamburg gallery.