Sign of change

Art-Cologne get back in the race

Art Market | The post-war art scene, dominated by the USA, encouraged a newfound freedom and new attitudes, and as Paris gradually lost its leading position in the Modern Art market, New York became the world capital of contemporary art. The contemporary art fair idea originated in West Germany - heir to a consumer culture which began in the Middle Ages (Frankfort book fair), particularly in the rich and industrial Rhineland. The Kunstmarkt Köln 67 was created by traders Hein Stünke and Rudolf Zwirner who had no difficulties in bringing together a selection of galleries from other German states or structuring an organisation in order to inject life into the young generation of German artists confronted with the American market.
Up until the new millennium, Art-Cologne counted itself as one of the two unmissable major fairs, with Art Basel. Seen as « too German » , the fair did lose some momentum, but in 2009, new Director Daniel Hug began a strategy of influence and globalisation in line with challenges related to art market globalisation.

You have 75% of the article to read ...

Read also

• Bologne - Shanghai, a fertile network » 09/08/14