ART COLOGNE 2021 and COLOGNE FINE ART & DESIGN: Good run, good sales, good atmosphere

Around 34,000 art fair guests didn't miss the chance to visit the art fair and kept to the "3G" (vaccinated, recovered or tested) and mask obligations in a disciplined fashion. In the process, it was evident that one can rely on the loyal collectors of the Rhine region, as well as of the metropolitan areas between the Rhine, the Ruhr and neighbouring Benelux communities. The exhibitors of both art fairs thus not only praised the quite knowledgeable and curious public, but were also able in many cases to report good sales.

Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac (Salzburg/Paris/London) brokered sculptures by Tony Cragg 2/5 to a French and a Rhineland collection; Arnulf Rainer's "Fußmalve" from 1977 was snapped up by a Munich collector. Vintage photographs by Valie Export from the series of body configurations are joining the collection of the Museum Ludwig. "Given the pandemic and the absence of an international public, this was quite a success", gallery director Arne Ehmann concluded.

Business was ideal for the Galerie Johann König (Berlin/London/Seoul). "We ,were constantly in the booth", Sonja Schacht confessed. König completely sold out the booth with paintings of the "New Position" Conny Maier, and a "Data Painting" by Refik Anadol, a spray work by Katharina Grosse and a work on canvas by Norbert Bisky were also sold on the first days of the fair. Annette Kelms book covers of authors that were ostracised during the Nazi era will enter the The Federal Collection of Contemporary Art.

Read more voices on ART COLOGNE 2021 here (.pdf)