abc: report from day #1
abc: report from day #1
The long-awaited art berlin contemporary kicked off yesterday morning at Station-Berlin revealing itself as one of the most exciting events of the season.
Featuring the newest positions in the contemporary art scene, this time under no subject and no curatorial supervision, this new fair format will definitely mark the course of the arts in Berlin and will also probably spread around the world.
So... how innovative is this brand new formula? While the project is intended to be a lukratives Verkaufsformat (that is, selling), the original idea was to gather young emerging galleries along with the established ones in a way that is affordable for each of them to exhibit their most current positions from the producer's point of view.
Showcasing 129 galleries, from which about the half are based in Berlin, the abc list of exhibitors spans 19 countries, with a visible presence of spaces based in Dubai or New York, whose Artist Space has organized two artist interventions and the bazaar for abc.
Right by the entrance: Ayman Yossari Dayban at Athr Gallery, from Saudi Arabia
I guess I might be a bit under the influence of what it does to my city, but strangely enough, the industrial nature of the space feels amazingly cozy.
Over no less than 6000 square meters we find quite varying media: painting, sculpture, sound, installation, photography... all works displayed in an organic way, without the usual clastrophobic feeling of the booths, thanks to the exhibition design conceived by Manuel Reader.
Ignacio Uriarte presented by Figge von Rosen Galerie
Isabelle Le Minh's Listing prints non-stop an endless inventory of artists names at Galerie Christophe Gaillard
Museumlike, Galerie Max Hetzler presenting Mona Hatoum. In the background: Adrien Missika at Galerie Crone
Claire Fontaine @ Galerie Neu
Among all that classy Berlin minimal we all know well, there is also room for patterns and bright colours at Galleri Bo Bjerggard, Meyer Riegger Berlin / Maureen Paley and, of course, at VeneKlasen Werner with Aaron Curry (coming soon in a further report)
Interior of Christoph Keller's van at Esther Schipper
All in all, the first abc impressions have turned to be surprisingly good. There is something incredibly positive in the atmosphere of the exhibition space which I hope still remains after the press view.
Looking forward to check Miss Read tonight and to be continued...