Berlin Art Week 2018

When the seventh Berlin Art Week kicks off in just a week, the German capital will once again become a meeting point for collectors, gallerists, and all those interested in art and culture from around the globe. For five days, from September 26-30, 2018, Berlin Art Week will focus on current trends in contemporary art and invite visitors to explore new themes and developments. With the art fairs art berlin and Positions Berlin Art Fair, the city’s main institutions of contemporary art, and the participation of private collections and project spaces, Berlin Art Week brings together key players from Berlin’s art world to jointly present an extensive programme, with exhibition and gallery openings, performances, award ceremonies, artistic interventions in public space, and many special events, with each day offering new emphases and highlights.

Wednesday, September 26
To kick things off, across the entire city numerous solo shows are opening on Wednesday, including Agnieszka Polska (Hamburger Bahnhof), Julian Charrière (Berlinische Galerie), Lawrence Abu Hamdan (daadgalerie) und Evelyn Taocheng Wang (KW Institute for Contemporary Art). In addition, the thematic exhibitions The Most Dangerous Game (Haus der Kulturen der Welt) on the history of the Situationist International, A 37 90 89—The Invention of the Neo-Avant-Garde (Neuer Berliner Kunstverein) on the genesis of project spaces as alternative spaces to present art, and the long-term project The New Infinity as part of the Immersion series at Berliner Festspiele with an accessible, interactive dome in Kreuzberg’s urban space will be opening as well. The exhibition The Moment is Eternity (me Collectors Room) presents photography from the Olbricht Collection in dialogue with other artworks from the collection and artefacts from the cabinet of curiosities (Wunderkammer). And at the heart of Berlin, the new forum for arts and culture PalaisPopulaire will hold its much awaited opening with the exhibition The World on Paper. HAU Hebbel am Ufer kicks off its season opening with the performance Projecting [Space[ by Meg Stuart and her company Damaged Goods. 

Thursday, September 27
On Thursday, the art fairs art berlin and Positions Berlin Art Fair will be the focus of attention. Both art fairs are being held this year for the first time at the former Airport Tempelhof. art berlin—founded in 2017 as a collaboration between abc art berlin contemporary and Art Cologne—will be held for the second time. In Hangars 5 and 6, around 120 galleries from over 20 countries will present their artists. While in the “Galleries Section more” that 90 galleries will be showing highlights of their programmes, the realm “Special Projects” is dedicated to 28 individaul presentations and curated projects. An innovation this year is “Salon,” for which curator Tenzing Barshee is bringing together several galleries. The fourth Positions Berlin Art Fair will be held in Hangar 4. Beside the presentations of 74 international galleries from Lithuanian, Latvia, Italy, Switzerland, the U.S., Canada, China, and Germany, under the title “Selected Positions” there will be a curated special exhibition that shows works by young artists. In addition, in the framework of “Academy Positions” selected works from graduates of German art academies will be on view. During the evening, Berlin’s Hannah-Höch-Preis will be awarded at an award ceremony. In addition, neue Gesellschaft für bildende Kunst (nGbK) will open an exhibition on political poster art. 

Friday, September 28
The individual shows of Nicholas Nixon (C/O Berlin), Lee Bul (Gropius Bau) und Cecilia Jonsson (Schering Stiftung) now join the programme, along with the exhibition Touch (nGbK) on touch as a paradigmatic gesture of the present. One of the highlights of Berlin Art Week’s programme this year will be the EMOP Opening Days of the European Month of Photography Berlin with the photography exhibition Back to the Future (also at C/O Berlin). Numerous Berlin galleries participating in the art fairs art berlin und Positions Berlin Art Fair will be holding Gallery Openings this evening. And in addition, on Friday various art award ceremonies will be held; for the second time, Landesverband Berliner Galerien (lvbg) in cooperation with Verband Berliner Kaufleute und Industrieller (VBKI) and the Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises will be awarding a Gallery Prize as part of Berlin Art Week. During the evening, 20 Berlin alternative spaces will be honoured with the Project Space Art Award. And at midnight, for the fifth time the Berlin Art Prize will be awarded.

Saturday and Sunday, September 29–30
On Saturday, KINDL—Centre for Contemporary Art opens the group photography show Routinised Absurdity and thus completes the series of openings. Another highlight will be the first public opening of the restored Picture Cellar of Berlin’s  Akademie der Künste at Pariser Platz with large murals by artists such as Manfred Böttcher and Harald Metzkes. There is an especially wide variety of offers available on the weekend. To provide a better overview, Berlin Art Week is thus offering Guided Tours in cooperation with niche Berlin. The weekend is also a perfect time to visit some of Berlin’s Private Collections, many of which are opening their spaces exclusively for Berlin Art Week.

Immerse yourself in Berlin’s art world and enjoy an inspiring Berlin Art Week 2018!

Berlin Art Week is made possible by the support of the Senate Department for Culture and Europe as well as the Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises, and realized with the support of GASAG AG. Kulturprojekte Berlin is responsible for coordination and communication.

For more information and the full programme, please visit berlinartweek.de or have a look at our Berlin Art Week Trailer.

Press contact:
Timo Weißberg
Kulturprojekte Berlin GmbH
T +49 30 247 49 849 / t.weissberg [​at​] kulturprojekte.berlin