ART COLOGNE 2023: Established art meets promising newcomers

The 56th ART COLOGNE draws a positive balance after four multifaceted days. With 170 exhibitors from 29 countries, it forges a link to its form and strength from prior to the pandemic. Also with regard to visitors, the world's first art fair demonstrated a great crowd over the whole period - also international. In total, around 45,000 visitors from 68 countries came to the exhibition halls between 16 and 19 November. High quality guests from the USA, Austria and Switzerland found their way to Cologne, as did visitors from the Benelux countries and Germany.

Daniel Hug, artistic head and Director of ART COLOGNE, expressed his satisfaction: "Despite the shortened duration of four days, more visitors came to the exhibition halls than in the previous year", according to Hug.

"We are surprised by the many collectors and museum people we had at the stand on the vernissage day", according to Rosemarie Schwarzwälder from Galerie nächst St. Stephan. "We welcome the shortening of the fair, as there are no longer any empty days“, Schwarzwälder adds.

"The public is very good, the mood is good, the market is healthy“, is the summary of Arne Ehmann from Galerie Ropac, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

"The Rhineland delivers what it promises", Christian Ehrentraut from Galerie Eigen + Art states. "ART COLOGNE is very well attended, and we are already welcoming the second generation of collectors at the stand." The Berlin gallery sold works by David Schnell, Martin Gross, Brett Seiler and a light sculpture by Stef Heidhues to collectors. Sales ranged in price from 1,000 to 50,000 Euro. They were especially pleased at the great interest in the New Position artist Natalie Paneng.

"It's fun to be in the Rhineland. Here there is a big interest in art and an informed public“, says Vladimir Miljevic from Galerie Peter Kilchmann, who showed works by Francis Alÿs, who was this year honoured with the Wolfgang Hahn Award, at his stand.

"ART COLOGNE is an extremely important trade fair and a meeting point for many collectors", Samandar Setareh ascertains – "the Rhineland has so much potential.” Setareh, who operates galleries in Düsseldorf and Berlin, sold numerous works, primarily in the five-figure price range.

The Viennese Galerie Konzett brokered a collage by Franz West to an American collector in Boston. "The quality of the art fair is high and there are good people here", was the assessment of Philipp Konzett, who also let go oil pastel drawings by Otto Muehl.

Also "very satisfied" with the well-attended vernissage was Galerie Utermann, which already sold works by Marc Chagall, Emil Nolde and Horst Antes at the vernissage.

"I am very happy", Thole Rotermund reported. "It's an interested public willing to buy and the quality is excellent", the Hamburg art dealer praised. "The fair is so important to our customers that they even came to Cologne by car due to the railway strike.“ Among other works, Rotermund let go of a Nolde watercolour in the six-figure price range.

"The shortening is good because buying decisions are made more quickly", confirms Amadeo Kraupa-Tuskany, who sold "right through the gallery programme“ and not only to German collectors. A large work of the artist collective Slavs and Tatars is being added to the collection of contemporary art of the German federal government.

"A wonderful fair, an interested public and a big positive response“, judged Lui Wienerroither, who was in complete agreement with the shortening of the art fair. "This helps set up a certain pressure situation“, finds the gallery owner, who operates locations in Vienna and New York.

The fair debutante Thomas Fuchs had "a great premiere" at ART COLOGNE. The Stuttgart gallery owner was successful with two paintings (86,000 and 80,000 Euro) and two sculptures by Rainer Fetting (60,000 and 40,000 Euro).

"ART COLOGNE is a solid German art fair, where customer care is practiced“, according to Sascha Welchering from Galerie Max Hetzler, which welcomed known collectors at its stand and was able to establish new contacts.

Christian Nagel from Galerie Nagel Draxler indicated having made "several good transactions". Among other works, Nagel sold drawings by Alex Wissel and works of the New Position artist Jonas Fahrenberger.

Great joy prevailed at the stand of Anita Beckers. "We have never had such a successful fair", shared the Frankfurt gallery owner, who specialises in digital art. "We sold almost all works multiple times and are going home happy“, Beckers continues. Acquisitions for museums were also made from the gallery.

Like many of her colleagues, Petra Martinetz is also very much in favour of the shortening of the fair. "Rather short and intense", finds the Cologne gallery owner, who was successful with works by Mary Audrey Ramirez.

Brigitte Schenk was pleased with curatorial contacts. Thus, the "Spruce up Candelabra“ of dead wood by Klaus Fritze will be shown at an exhibition in St. Moritz The Cologne gallery owner let go of paintings by Maria Zerres. "Things are happening despite the strenuous overall situation“, the gallery owner was pleased to say.

"Many representatives of institutions" were also at the stand of Galerie Koshbakht. Several of the "corrugated plate images" of Kaoli Mashio were sold.

Galerie Anna Laudel, who presented two artists at her stand, celebrated a fantastic debut at ART COLOGNE. Sold were two of the semi-digital works of Cem Sonel (5,000 Euro each) and two works by Ramazan Can, who connects analogue and digital material (prices in the four and five-figures range). "ART COLOGNE is a very good fair. We had international collectors and institutions at the stand and were able to establish new contacts“, shared Marina von Morr, gallery manager of the Düsseldorf location.

The largest sale reported came from Thaddaeus Ropac, who sold a work by Anselm Kiefer from the gallery's offsite inventory for 1.2 million euros on Sunday.

Here now further notified sales.

List of reported sales in alphabetical order
(Status: Sunday, 19.11.2023, 11:00 a.m.)

Alexander Levy
New Positions sold out

Christine König Galerie
Several works by Maruša Sagadin, Kristof Santy, Johanna Kandl

Ebensperger
Almost sold out to private collections from Berlin and the Rhineland

Galerie Anna Laudel
Two works by Ramazan Can, prices in the four and five-figures range
Two semi-digital works by Cem Sonel, 5,000 Euro each

Galerie Bastian
Pierre Auguste Renoir "Landscape with two figures“, 340,000 Euro
Several editions of Emma Stibbon, between 1,500 and 5,000 Euro

Galerie Bärbel Grässlin
Large wall works by Meuser and Martin Kähler
Including paintings by Jana Schröder

Galerie Benden und Ackermann
Gerhard Richter "Schweizer Alpen (Swiss Alps)", silkscreen print, 42,000 Euro
Jim Dine "Sweatheart", monumental woodcut print, 2019
Alex Katz "Reflection", silkscreen print, 2021
Works by Tom Wesselmann

Galerie Buchholz
Isa Genzken "Nofretete", sculpture
Painting by Anne Imhoff
Photo work by Wolfgang Tilmanns

Galerie Henze & Ketterer
Woodcut print by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner
Painting by Francis Bott

Galerie Karsten Greve
Paintings by Kathleen Jacobs nearly sold out
Papercuts by Georgia Russell
Work by Luise Unger
Painting by Loic Le Groumellec

Galerie Koch
Works by Otto Piene and Herbert Zangs
Ceramics by Picasso

Galerie Konzett
Collage by Franz West
Oil pastel drawings by Otto Muehl

Galerie Ludorff
Painting by Karin Kneffel
Lyonel Feininger, watercolour, 60,000 Euro
Jawlensky drawing, 50,000 Euro
Kathe Kollwitz "Pietá" (Mother with dead son), bronze, reserved for a museum, 150,000 Euro

Galerie Luzán
Two paintings by Georg Karl Pfahler

Galerie Peter Kilchmann
Works by Francis Alÿs between 50,000 and 200,000 Euro to museums and private collections

Galerie Ron Mandos
Hans Op de Beeck "The Cliffs", in discussion with a large museum

Galerie Michael Werner
Jörg Immendorff "Deutsche Künstler Vostell (German Artist Vostell)", synthetic resin on canvas, 1975

Galerie Nagel Draxler
Drawings by Alex Wissel
Works by Jonas Fahrenberger from the New Positions

Galerie Schenk
Two paintings by Maria Zerres

Galerie Schlichtenmaier
Georg Karl Pfahler, "Formativ (Formative)", oil on canvas, 38,000 Euro

Galerie Thomas Fuchs
Two paintings by Rainer Fetting, 86,000 Euro and 80,000 Euro
Two sculptures by Rainer Fetting, 60,000 Euro and 40,000 Euro
Seven works by Maria Ardeleanu, between 9,100 Euro and 23,700 Euro

Galerie Utermann
Marc Chagall, gouache, 1962, six-figure price
Emil Nolde "Marschlandschaft (Marsh Landscape)“, 1920/25
Horst Antes "Haus Schiefer (Slate House)", 1991

Josey
Three works by Elke Denda

Kadel Willborn
All works from New Positions sold out

Knust Kunz Gallery Editions
Sculpture by Thomas Kiesewetter

König Galerie
Several works by Andreas Schmitten, Clédia Fourniau, Robert Janitz, Tue Greenfort, Alexander Wertheim

Kraupa-Tuskany Zeidler
A large work of the artist collective Slavs and Tatars to the collection of contemporary art of the German federal government.

Kunsthandel Hagemeier
Colour lithography by Joan Miró

Levy Galerie
Oil painting by Man Ray

Pearl Lam Galleries
"Da celebrant" by Samson Akinnire
Sculpture "Masked Emotions" by Almi Adewale

Robert Grunenberg
Works by Brandon Lipchik, 40,000 Euro
Seven scissor cuts by Sonja Yakovleva, as of 1,500 Euro
Three drawings by Rainer Fetting, 10,000 to 15,000 Euro

Rodolphe Janssen
A large work by Louisa Gagliardi
Several works by Cornelia Baltes and works from the New Positions

Roslyn Oxley9 Galley
Several works by Dale Frank, Bill Henson, Daniel Boyd and Kaylene Whiskey

Ruttkoswki;68
Paintings by Conny Maier, Éva Beresin
Sculpture by Prosper Legault

Schönewald
Among others, works by Katharina Fritsch, Wilhelm Mundt, Karin Kneffel

Setareh
Gregor Gleiwitz, monumental canvas painting, 52,000 Euro
Janice Grey, photography, 20,000 Euro
Sassan Behnam-Bakhtar, painting, 30,000 Euro
Hede Bühl "Kopf (Head)", 40,000 Euro
Large-format work by Miron Schmückle, who will have a solo exhibition in Städel Frankfurt as of 1 December, 28,000 Euro

Sprüth Magers
Walter Dahn "Die Tiroler sind lustig (The Tyroleans are funny)“, 1987, 130,000 Euro
Astrid Klein "CUT XI“, 95,000 Euro
Nora Turato “who’s a good boy??”, 2023, 40,000 Euro
Several works by Robert Elfgen, between 7,500 and 30,000 Euro
Thomas Ruff "untitled#11“, 30,000 Euro

Thaddaeus Ropac
Anselm Kiefer for 1.2 million Euro from the gallery's inventory
Works by Mark Brandenburg in the five-figures range
Sculpture by Tony Cragg, 325,000 Euro
Imi Knoebl, acrylic on aluminium, 220,000 Euro

Thole Rotermund Kunsthandel
Franz Marc "Zwei rote Jünglingsakte auf Schwarz (Two red nude youths on black)“, 1912
Emil Nolde "Mädchenkopf (Girl's head)“, ca. 1925-1930

Van Horn
Works by Jan Albers, Anys Reimann, Elisabeth Vary, Ulrike Schultz
As well as many reservations

Zahorian & Van Espen
Stone sculpture by Zhanna Kadyrowa
Sculpture by Stefan Papco
Large painting by Juraj Kollár

Zander Galerie
Two works by Edward Ruscha, among others