COLOGNE.-This year new Asian markets are at the centre of the sixth Art.Fair 21: From 2 to 5 October four galleries from Taiwan and six galleries from Korea will be presented among 59 other exhibitors. This fair for current art has become a must for friends and lovers of contemporary art visiting the “Kunstherbst” in the Rhineland. 30,000 visitors attended the Art.Fair 21 last year. The public’s constantly growing interest and last year’s record sales underline the fair’s successful concept: a lively and exciting combination of well-known and young galleries, and renowned artists and newcomers.

This year the advisory board and the fair’s management encouraged exhibitors to stage solo presentations. Consequently one man shows have developed as an individual presentation format. In some cases, works will be shown in very large exhibiting areas thus breaking up the customary rhythm of serial booths in favour of an open and dynamic picture. On the whole, the reserved booths’ sizes show the gallerists` great satisfaction with the fair’s concept – over fifty percent measure between 150m² and 70m².

After a thorough selection by the admissions committee, Art.Fair 21 will present 59 galleries from 9 countries and 3 continents out of over 280 applicants. A top-rate interdisciplinary event programme consisting of music/video, performance and dance/theatre will add to the already vibrant spirit which makes Art.Fair 21 a lucrative and up-to-date market place for 21st century art.

Names such as Tony Cragg and Gerhard Richter, whose most recent works from 2008 will be on display at the Terminus booth (Munich), belong to the greats of contemporary art. Current works of the last three years by John Chamberlain will make this gallery’s booth a magnet once again. As always, the mixture of renowned and young artists presented by Terminus fits in with the concept of Art.Fair 21.

Fergus Greer is a well-known portrait photographer who works both in London and Los Angeles. He portrays important celebrities, artists, actors, and politicians, such as Damien Hirst, Hugh Grant, Julie Chiristie and Margaret Thatcher. His photographs are collected among others by the National Portrait Gallery in London. Susanne Albrecht (Munich) will be presenting Fergus Greer’s work together with current works by Jus Juchtmans.

The Flemish artist Jan Fabre is responsible for even giving dead flies and run over dogs appropriate places in museums. Whether in the field of performance or sculpture, or as a director or choreographer, Jan Fabre is one of the trend-setters in contemporary art. The Italian gallery Berengo Studio 1989 from Venice will be showing “Schitjtende vredesduiven en ratten van de lucht (model for the Louvre) at the Art.Fair 21. This work from 2008 consists of stone, Murano glass and ink.

The de Lee Gallery from Korea will add contemporary art highlights to the fair by presenting old masters of Pop Art such as Tom Wesselmann, Damien Hirst and Sigmar Polke. Geuer & Breckner from Düsseldorf will be showing aquarelles by Norbert Bisky and current works by Günther Förg and A.R. Penck. Max’Projects-SixfriedrichliaUngar from Munich will present Peter Zimmermann and others.

Dirk Brömmel, the artist introduced by Albert Baumgarten (Freiburg), turns the digitally clipped motifs in his works into essential protagonists. The series shows an entire compendium of ships on the Rhine as seen from above. The perspective explains his method: Dirk Brömmel’s photographs are shot from bridges.

Once again the Kurdish artist Erdogan Bulut, pupil of Per Kirkeby and Thomas Bayrle, will dominate the booth of galerie k9 (Hanover) with his large paintings. Lovers and collectors of his paintings will be amazed by his brand new photographic works.

What defines man? These kinds of existential questions concern the young artist from Düsseldorf, Yvonne van Acht. In 2006 she took part in the ART.FAIR’s special exhibition as a finalist of the Gesellschafter ART.AWARD. It was her first opportunity to test her wings in the art market. This year Yvonne van Acht will be presented by Geuer & Breckner (Munich).

Unusual examples of digital art, for instance by Gero Gries, will be on display at the booth of the Berlin based gallery for digital art, [DAM]. This artist sees computer-assisted image production as a continuation of painting with other methods. His pictures seem photorealistic. However, it would impossible to create them photographically. Margret Eicher offers a contrast to this approach. The artist is best known for her large tapestries. She produces works which combine contemporary themes and traditional media thus creating a dialogue.

The works by the Spanish artist Salustiano Garcia stand out because of his colourful and unusual portraits. His risky format of choice, the round, classic tondo shape, his idiosyncratic approach to colouring and the elegance of the models contribute to create a dramatic atmosphere which draws the observer to his pictures. The Munich based Galerie von Braunbehrens will supply the perfect venue. As always their booth will be one of the main attractions at the fair.