BERLIN.- From October 6 to 10, 2010, art forum berlin is taking place for the 15th time. Like in the previous year, the International Art Show in Berlin opens the autumn season of the European art shows. Out of more than 300 applications, the international Selection Committee, consisting of Bärbel Grässlin (Galerie Bärbel Grässlin, Frankfurt am Main), Mehdi Chouakri (Galerie Mehdi Chouakri, Berlin), José Freire (team gallery, New York), Georg Kargl (Georg Kargl Fine Arts, Vienna), Nicky Verber (Herald St, London), Paolo Zani (ZERO, Milan) chose approximately 110 leading galleries from 18 countries which are showing art since 1960. For the sector focus, where galleries are exhibiting which are no older than six years, the two experts Robert Meijer (Lüttgenmeijer, Berlin) and Jocelyn Wolff (Galerie Jocelyn Wolff, Paris) have advised the Selection Committee in the choice of the young galleries.

This year, the list of participants in the sector galleries has been enriched by numerous new galleries. Next to important international and Berlin galleries, which have participated in art forum berlin last year, the following exhibitors present themselves for the first time in Berlin: Andréhn-Schiptjenko (Stockholm), Andersen’s Contemporary (Copenhagen), Galerie Iragui Gallery from Moscow, Yvon Lambert (Paris, New York) Kunsthandel Jörg Maaß (Berlin), the David Nolan Gallery from New York and Berlin, the Galerie Parisa Kind from Frankfurt am Main, Skopia from Geneva, the Galerija Škuc from Ljubljana, die Galerie Wima Tolksdorf (Frankfurt am Main and Berlin), the Galerie Jacky Strenz from Frankfurt am Main, the Vintage Galéria from Budapest and the Galerie Susanne Zander from Cologne. The magnificent architecture of the light-flooded exhibition halls, which have been built by the architect Richard Ermisch in the thirties of the last century, offer the participating galleries an ideal platform for presenting their artists.

For the first time, the galleries have been invited to present curated solo exhibitions of their artists. The projects not only provide a deep insight into the respective work of the artists but promise stimulating, unexpected and sometimes provocative discussions. Presented are works by artists of different cultural origins, different generations and different artistic approaches.

Projects or groups of works by the following artists are shown: Markus Amm, Keren Cytter, Andrea Geyer, Douglas Gordon, Joao Maria Gusmao + Pedro Paiva Calò, Imi Knoebel, Annika Larsson, Isa Melsheimer, Efthis Patsouraki, Mathilde Rosier, Rotar, Vincent Tavenne, Jorinde Voigt, Peter Weibel, Martin Walde and Ralf Ziervogel.

New: Sector focus integrated into the Ermisch Halls
Upon the request of the participating galleries and to further increase the quality of art forum berlin, the Selection Committee and the Show Management have decided to integrate the sector focus for young galleries into the Ermisch Halls 18 and 20 into the sector galleries. This re-direction of the concept of the International Art Show has the consequence that the number of participants is concentrated from 130 to approximately 110. This change not only decisively strengthens the quality of the list of participants but also further defines the profile of art forum berlin – concentration on the latest artistic creations.

New concept for the sector focus
The sector focus for galleries no older than six years offers an absolute novelty: Each gallery admitted by the Selection Committee has been authorized to suggest one additional gallery for participation. The new concept allows the young galleries to decisively co-determine the orientation of the sector.

berlin talks
Twice every afternoon, in the berlin talks leading personalities from the international art world discuss topics concerning collecting and exhibiting art. The interested public has the chance to discuss with the speakers and thus receive first-hand information. 40,000 collectors, artists, museum directors, curators and art lovers from all over the world visit art forum berlin every year and 1,700 journalists from 36 countries report on the latest offers. At art forum berlin, all the forms of artistic expression are to be seen and purchased: painting, sculpture, drawing, photography, installations, editions, multiples, performances and video art. Prices start at a few hundred euros for works by young artists and go up to several thousand euros for significant works by internationally renowned artists. Presentations by cultural institutions and international art journals complement the exhibition programme.