Gallery owners in Germany
The German gallery scene presents itself at Germany’s largest air fair, Art Cologne.
Galleries are not only places where art is bought and sold; they also influence the economic value and appreciation of art on the international market – factors gallery owners have a not inconsiderable influence on. Germany has a diverse art dealer scene; in Berlin in particular there is a lot of experimentation. The Association of German Galleries and Fine Art Dealers lists around 1,000 galleries. Around 60 of them generate sales of over one million euros. One of Germany’s most successful galleries belongs to Gerd Harry “Judy” Lybke. A native of Leipzig, he is considered a post-Wall pioneer, who has marketed the painters of the Leipzig School worldwide. His gallery Eigen + Art is one of the most important addresses for new German contemporary art in Berlin. It represents stars like Neo Rauch, Martin Eder, Tim Eitel or Concept artist Carsten Nicolai with his complex room and sound installations. Bruno Brunnet and Nicole Hackert from Contemporary Fine Arts (CFA) play in a similar league, having Jonathan Meese, Daniel Richter, Peter Doig, Tal R and Dana Schutz under contract.
Hans Mayer brought Beuys and Warhol together
Another renowned gallery owner is Hans Mayer, prize winner at Art Cologne 2015. He is deemed one of the most important dealers of American contemporary art in Germany and according to the jury is a “solitaire of the German gallery scene”. Art history has been written in his gallery, for example when Joseph Beuys and Andy Warhol met there over supper. Mayer, who started out in 1965 with a gallery in Esslingen, Baden-Württemberg, opened his gallery on Grabbeplatz, Düsseldorf just six years later. Alongside the pioneers of media, video and performance art Nam June Paik, Jürgen Klauke and Tony Oursler, his key artists in the field of photography include Bill Beckley, Helmut Newton and Peter Lindbergh. German painting is largely represented by Ben Willikens and Markus Oehlen.
Art fair Art Cologne from 16 to 19 April 2015 in Cologne
