For her debut on Coeur et art, Maria Nitulescu picked the brains of 9 art aficionados and asked them about the most memorable shows they saw during the 2019 Gallery Weekend. After 15 years of existence, Gallery Weekend still remains one of the most important art events in Berlin, attended by an international audience. Besides the openings of the 45 galleries included in the official program, you have museums, private collections and project spaces opening their doors, highlighting newly discovered alongside with established artists. During Gallery Weekend Berlin feels frenetic, filled with crowds of people, all with the ambitious plan to see as many exhibitions as possible. While this year Maria was impressed with the solo exhibition Haus (House) presenting a work first developed for Skulptur Projekte Münster in 1987 by the artist duo, Fischli and Weiss at Sprüth Magers Gallery, she also decided to ask 9 art aficionados about the most memorable shows they saw during the Gallery Weekend Berlin. What did these art lovers answer? Read on!
Yulia Belousova – Art Curator & Founder of Ephemeral Dinner, Berlin – Moscow Richard Long at Konrad Fischer Gallery “It was definitely the show at the new Konrad Fischer Gallery in Mitte/Xberg by Richard Long. Not only the show itself by the British artist who is always very poetic and deep at the same time: and the artworks made of in-situ found materials, stones, wood and mud during his long walks in nature, but it is the space itself which leaves an impression. Richard Long had his first show in a small gallery in Düsseldorf: Konrad Fischer, at the age of 23. A massive work by the artist in the new impressive space in the new Berlin… metaphoric in a way and definitely a must to see if in Berlin.”
Aleksandr Blanar – Art Curator and Communications Director of Phillips Auction House, Moscow Indeterminacy by Bernar Venet at Blain Southern Gallery “I heard a lot about him but had never seen his works in real life. And to see it in big and beautiful space of Blain Southern is making Venet’s Curve even more impressive.”
Matthieu Poirier – Art Historian, Professor at ENSAPC and Curator, Paris The Palace of Perfect by James Lee Byars at Kewenig Gallery “Like everyone who had the chance to visit the recent James Lee Byars’ amazing retrospective at the Muhka in Antwerp, I had high expectations. This exhibition at Kewenig is definitely worth it as it displays large sculptures, installations, and environments, carefully presented in the impressive “palazzo style” spaces of the gallery.”
Tobias Gombert – Art Collector, Basel majerus wool warhol…“cold beer” the “smudge tool” and other short stories, curated by Peter Pakesch at Michel Majerus Estate “At the end, this outstanding event is Berlin’s main asset – the metropolis with the most galleries in Germany and one of the most influential cities in art. What were my expectations of Berlin? I would have liked to see and discover something new, something I’m could not find at an art fair. Exhibitions with an outstanding character, young artists and galleries which are working on great shows for such an event. What did I find? Old white male European artists, which I find at every art fair. But there’s some light on the horizon: Michel Majerus Estate. majerus wool warhol…“cold beer” the “smudge tool” and other short stories, it’s the best show I saw in Berlin.”
António Moutinho Cardoso – Art Collector, Porto Archivos Olvidados by Sol Calero at ChertLüdde Gallery “Three days in Berlin for Art Weekend was not enough to see all the art galleries from the program and other museums, art centers, and spaces. Among many interesting exhibitions, Sol Calero at the ChertLüdde Gallery was my favorite. The fantastic installation which resembles a Venezuelan house and courtyard, and the paintings taking inspiration from the archive of her Grandmother, filled my eyes. The fresh works, full of color, with fruits, landscapes, snakes and other animals, communicate energy and happiness. Calero’s works don’t present political content, but they do recall a country, Venezuela that must be supported by the international community in these difficult times…”
Alise Careva – Founder of Careva Contemporary Gallery, Riga Recent Paintings by Jonathan Lasker exhibition at Thomas Schulte Gallery “My favorite show was the Jonathan Lasker exhibition at Galerie Thomas Schulte. I absolutely fell in love with his paintings, shame on me that I did not know his art before walking into the gallery. It took my breath away!”
Alex Radu – Founder of SAC, Bucharest Tuesday by Camille Henrot at König Gallery “I liked the twenty-minute-long Camille Henrot’s video for the way she builds a kind of contemporary allegory by interlacing the poetry of the “dance” she found in the two different forms of competition: sequences from a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) combat alternated with parts of film with horses being groomed prior to a race, then the post-combat internalization of the human characters together with the powerful animals shown at rest, bind together in a fluent motion.”
Valentina Galossi – Independent Curator and Author, Berlin – Rome Open studios: Jorinde Voigt, Alicja Kwade and Anselm Reyle at the Reinbeckhallen in Berlin – Schöneweide “During Gallery Weekend, I visited the three artists’ studios. I looked at the wonderful exhibitions set up and experienced such an exclusive artistic environment. It gave me the feeling of a private studio visit. I was immersed in a charming atmosphere at Jorinde Voigt´s workspace, filled with bright blue and gold large scale drawings, and accompanied by chill out tunes. Alicja Kwade has showcased her “mirrors”, and other masterpieces among the works and tools in the atelier. At the end, it was the perfect time for a champagne flûte, before “Misha” – the boat arrived to take us on a little river cruise over the Spree, which ended up at Anselm Reyle studio.”
Karim Crippa – Digital Content Editor for Art Basel, Basel Great White Fear by Jana Euler at Galerie Neu “I think that Jana Euler’s shark paintings at Galerie Neu definitely stood out. I think that Euler did something quite difficult: she overcame the tediousness of “painting about painting” through in-your-face humor.”
Header Photo: Sol Calero Archivos olvidados (El cuarto de Abuli), 2019 Pastel on wall Dimensions variable // Courtesy the artist and ChertLüdde, Berlin Author: Maria Nitulescu