International art fair for the presentation and trade of contemporary art. Chosen by an international jury, the galleries present a focus on contemporary and emerging production as well as individual excursions into positions established since the 1960’s and 1980’s and still relevant until today.
The eighth ART FORUM BERLIN, The International Fair for Contemporary Art, sets standards within a continuously expanding art fair landscape.
ART FORUM BERLIN has successfully been consolidated and this year presents its cus-tomary program in a compact new guise. For the first time since its founding in 1996, ART FORUM BERLIN is able to present itself in its long-desired location; the most courageous and innovative fair for contemporary art on the European continent is now moving into halls 18 - 20 of the Berlin Fairgrounds. With their generous windows and adjoining winter garden, the Palais am Furkturm, the historically protected, Richard Ermisch designed halls offer the ideal location for the display of contemporary art from around the world. As proposed by the Galleries Advisory Committee in February of this year, the fair will comprise "an exclusive presentation". This consolidation, further supported by the Messe Berlin, allows a more com-pact and precise overall presentation.
Successful Consolidation
Galleries from 24 countries will be showing the most exciting representatives of contemporary art, setting forth the newest production of their already-established younger stars as well as that of their most recently discovered newcomers. 99 Exhibitors (last year 157 exhibitors in the larger halls) offer a concentrated overview of international contemporary art production.
Admissions Committee
The annually changing international Admission's Committee this year consisted of: Patricia Asbaek (Galerie Asbaek, Copenhagen), Georg Kargl (Galerie Georg Kargl, Vienna), Frank Lehmann (Galerie Gebr. Lehmann, Dresden) and Thomas Schulte (Galerie Thomas Schulte, Berlin) as well as curators Marcella Beccaria (Castello di Rivoli, Turin) and Ulrike Groos (Di-rector of the Kunsthalle Düsseldorf). As representative of the International Galleries Advisory Board of ART FORUM BERLIN, Christian Nagel (Galerie Christian Nagel, Cologne/Berlin) served as Chairman of the meeting.
The Selection and a Few Trends
99 galleries from 24 countries will show work spanning the entire range of artistic mediums. Video, along with photography, painting, sculpture and installation will be represented. The trend towards painting which was already apparent last year will continue to grow stronger. In addition to that, room-spanning installations also promise to attract much attention.
The proportion of exhibitors from countries other than Germany remains at 55 percent as in previous years, substantiating the unbroken interest in Berlin as a significant location for contemporary art. As in previous years, the balance of return exhibitors remains constant. (In 2003: 75% returning exhibitors to 25% new exhibitors - in comparison to 2002: 73% returning exhibitors to 27% new participants; 2001: 71% returning exhibitors to 29% new participants.) Also remaining continuous is the proportion of Berlin galleries: 25 of the total 43 German exhibitors in 2003 come from Berlin. Central Europe is represented with 4 galleries, the Nordic nations with 12 and the rest of Europe (including Germany) with 63 participants. Particularly pleasing is the return participation of the prominent gallery Thaddaeus Ropac, Paris/Salzburg, who will show works by Tom Sachs parallel to the artist's exhibition at the Deutsche Guggenheim Berlin, among others. With great pleasure we also anticipate the first time participation of galleries Georg Kargl, Vienna, Neon, Bologna, Frank of Paris and Stella Lohaus of Antwerp.
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