So what has been going on?

Berlin Art Week is getting ready for its second edition. It got bigger, better and if possible... Berlin_er! The 10 main institution partners, abc and Preview art fairs are now joined by ten temporary partners, chosen by the judicious qualities of Monica Bonvicini, Claudia Wahjudi (Zitty), and Kasper König. The results are, as often the case with juries, somehow right, somehow wrong, somehow odd. The temporary partners will be renewed every year offering a very welcome counter balance to the main program and of course some needed support to selected initiatives. Talking about money, there is also a Haben und Brauchen 2.0, organized, not by Ellen Blumenstein anymore, as she is the KW head curator now - daaah, but by the very politically-ambitioned-sounding "Berlin Freier Szene Koalition". An attempt to google translate the slogans reads: "Spirit is more elusive than capital keep it firmly" and "Fair share cake". You can support them by putting up a black screen on your website (KW is part of it) or take part in one of their rather symbolic actions in front of cultural institutions, the next of whichis  in around 24h. Still talking about money, the rest of the non existent Kunsthalle public budget will flow in a mega-über-institutional show about...no surprise no surprise: painting.

"Painting is forever!" sing along and/or murmur through their teeth curators and collaborators in Berlinische Galerie, Deutsche Bank KunstHalle, KunstWerke and Nationalgalerie. We are looking forward to the different approaches on this, but also, lets be honest, the juicy institutional gossip that comes with a show that size. Backstabbing is forever too.

On gallery news: Heide str galleries have either already closed or celebrating their last show- like Tanas. Curtain is falling for this rather misguided gallery area. Cruise and Callas re-opens in the new gallery nest on Alexadrinnen str, abc will welcome for the first time two loved figures in the Berlin scene- Martin Kwade with Kwadrat and Robbie Fitzpatrick with newly founded LA gallery Freedman Fitzpatrick. Hauser & Wirth will also be there, but not Contemporary Fine Arts, which is kind of a shame. Martin Klosterfelde closed, you must have heard. He does not have health issues or escaped in Hawaii with a Greek Lover. It is door number 3. On the bright side there is a lifetime-spot available in the Basel fairs.

Season starting events - Prize of the Neue National Galerie on Thursday and opening of Praxes @St Agnes on Saturday.