In this first Episode of 2021 I speak with Oliver Koerner von Gustorf, writer, curator and former co-owner of gallery September in Berlin. Oliver regularly contributes to Art Magazines like Monopol and the Feuilletons of the German Newspaper landscape. Recent articles include „30 Jahre deutsche Einheit (30 years German unification) – Pop life“ about the art and music scene of the 80s and 90s in Berlin, of which he was a part of and „Commons retten die Kunst – Plädoyer für eine gewöhnliche Kultur (Commons save the arts – plea for a commons culture)“, both published in Monopol Magazine. We talk his early years in the Berlin subculture of Punks, squatting, clubs and dilettante art making. He reveals his personal struggle, taking care of his boyfriend who suffered of HIV/AIDS and ultimately died of it and how he became a writer in the course of an exhibition of the band „Die tödliche Doris (deadly Doris)“ of which his late boyfriend was a member. We get a deep insight into the attitudes of the art scene of these years in Berlin. From there on Oliver was invited to write for the TAZ and even started writing for the art department of Deutsche Bank. We talk art, identity, capitalism, poverty, money, art fairs, galleries – the full gamut. As a writer Oliver reflects and verbalize his experiences deeply and gives them to us in an extraordinary way. Enjoy.

In Episode 24 we talk about art and life – which is indistinguishably intertwined in the person of acclaimed painter Joanne Greenbaum. Painting since decades and knowing she is an artist since the age of 5, Greenbaum gives us an insight into painting, drawing and working with clay – through which she reveals to us who she is, how she thinks and how she expresses her brain activity to the world. To use the words of philosopher Ludger Schwarte, Greenbaum in her paintings is „thinking in color“, creating a world which is full of vibrant visual energy and non verbal meaning and content.

This a special episode in collaboration with Kunstpalast Düsseldorf. A conversation with acclaimed Artist, Professor and Winner of the Golden Lion at the Biennale di Venezia in 1999 –  Monica Bonvicini. It is released on the occasion of her participation in the exhibition „Empört euch! / Time for Outrage, co-curated by Linda Peitz and Florian Peters-Messer. We talk Monica’s upbringing in a conservative Italy, her studies at Cal Arts and in Berlin, how meeting Isa Genzken at the University let painting slip away from her work, the creative power of feminine anger and the inclusion of all people working in a museum or institution in the planning of exhibitions. Monica gives personal insights into how she develops her work and how  the isolation in times of Corona created a space for her to return to essential drawing. The Episode was recorded August 3, 2020.

In Episode 22 I speak with Alvin Hall, who is – amongst many other things – an avid collector of contemporary art by living artists, an internationally acclaimed financial educator, author and broadcaster. We talk his early years in poverty in the Panhandle of Florida, his first encounters with art, how looking at photography sharpened his visual skills, his love for art and artists and how they can shape the world, why finance is full of creativity, his advice to new collectors and the current political situation. It’s a personal and in depth talk about Alvin’s insights, inspirations and intuitions.

A conversation with David Nolan, founder of the eponymous gallery, passionate advocate for the arts and art collector himself. David covers the years from his upbringing in Ireland, his first jobs in art galleries in Cologne in the 80s and his move to New York. We talk art, art fairs, politics, the pandemic, Black Lives Matter, climate change and the current situation in the US. David mentions many artists and companions he worked with over the years and expresses the hope for a learning process that leads to more respect, transparency and cooperation. Recorded on November 7, 2020 in the hours before Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were declared President elect and Vice President elect of the USA.

NEW🌟VOICES ON ART Special for Kunstpalast.
It’s an enlightening talk about her personal development and her use of various media to communicate colionalism, racism and sexism. We learn how storytelling shapes thought and action – and how it can be reshaped. We talk art, science, education, feminism, racism, colionalism, patriarchy, capitalism, Black Lives Matter, Corona and the epidemic from 1918, anger, emotional intelligence and empowerment. She shares profound knowledge from the perspective of an Afro-German woman and researcher. She explains her works „Giftschrank/Poison Cabinet“, which is exhibited in „Empört Euch!/Time for Outrage!“ at Kunstpalast, sadly now closed for lockdown, and her film „Millie‘s Awakening“. She talks about Afrofuturism and her new book „The Comet – Afrofuturism 2.0“.

NEW🌟VOICES ON ART Special for Kunstpalast.
It’s an enlightening talk about her personal development and her use of various media to communicate colionalism, racism and sexism. We learn how storytelling shapes thought and action – and how it can be reshaped. We talk art, science, education, feminism, racism, colionalism, patriarchy, capitalism, Black Lives Matter, Corona and the epidemic from 1918, anger, emotional intelligence and empowerment. She shares profound knowledge from the perspective of an Afro-German woman and researcher. She explains her works „Giftschrank/Poison Cabinet“, which is exhibited in „Empört Euch!/Time for Outrage!“ at Kunstpalast, sadly now closed for lockdown, and her film „Millie‘s Awakening“. She talks about Afrofuturism and her new book „The Comet – Afrofuturism 2.0“.

NEW🌟VOICES ON ART Special for Kunstpalast. For a couple of weeks I will  be talking with different people that are, each in their own way,  connected to the Museum of the City of Düsseldorf – the Kunstpalast. My second guest for these special Episodes is Linda Peitz, writer, curator and founder of the collective CCCCCOMA. Together with Florian Peters-Messer, Linda is the curator of the exhibition „Empört Euch!/Time for Outrage!“ at Kunstpalast, on view from October 2020 on. Linda tells her personal story of how she developed from writer to curator, what role photography played in her development, how collaboration and dialogue are essential to her practice and how she approaches the curating of the extensive exhibition „Empört Euch!“, which deals with outrage and anger expressed through the arts. We speak in depth about this special exhibition and Linda explains some of the artists and artworks which are included. The conversation was recorded on October 10 and 11, 2020.

NEW🌟VOICES ON ART Special for Kunstpalast. For the next 4 weeks I will be talking with different people that are, each in their own way, connected to Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf. Starting with a conversation with Dr. Felix Krämer, general director of Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf. Felix Krämer speaks about is upringing as son of a photographer and a ballet dancer, his learning to interpret images with the help of Stern Magazine, his activities at different museums in Germany,  the acquisition of the controversially discussed inventory collection of the Galerie Kicken, the difference between beeing a curator and the general director of a Museum and his plans for the future of Kunstpalast. Before taking on his responsibilities in Düsseldorf Felox Krämer was the head of the collection of modern art at the Städel Museum, Frankfurt a.M.. He is also recipient of the Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.

English voice over of a conversation with Prof. Dr. Susanne Gaensheimer, since 2017 Director of the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, K20/K21 in Düsseldorf. Susanne also curated the German pavilion of the Biennale di Venezia 2011, which was originally planned to be designed by Christoph Schlingensief. The pavilion received the „Golden Lion“, the highest award of the Biennale. In 2013 she also curated the German contribution to the 55th Venice Biennial. Susanne gives personal insights and speaks about the moment in which she understood how deeply art is connected with life, when encountering works by Mike Kelley or Bruce Nauman during her studies in the early 1990ies. She relates in depth what art means for her personally and reveals that she is driven by the wish to move things. She also explains what it takes to lead an institution with a world class collection into the future – on the human, as well as political and structural level and leaves us with a very positive outlook into whats coming next.

A conversation with Prof. Dr. Susanne Gaensheimer, since 2017 Director of the  Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, K20/K21 in Düsseldorf.
Susanne also curated the German pavilion of the Biennale di Venezia 2011, which was originally planned to be designed by Christoph Schlingensief. The pavilion received the „Golden Lion“, the highest award of the Biennale. In 2013 she also curated the German contribution to the 55th Venice Biennial. Susanne gives personal insights and speaks about the moment in which she understood how deeply art is connected with life, when encountering works by Mike Kelley or Bruce Nauman during her studies in the early 1990ies. She relates in depth what art means for her personally and reveals that she is driven by the wish to move things. She also explains what it takes to lead an institution with a world class collection into the future – on the human, as well as political and structural level and leaves us with a very positive outlook into whats coming next.

A conversation with Matthew Burrows, UK based artist, founder and director of Artist Support Pledge. Matthew speaks about community, generosity, trust, sharing and the values he established when founding Artist Support Projects and, in times of Corona, Artist Support Pledge. He speaks about the eternal value of culture, how he developed the knowledge and skills to support others and realize his platform, which went viral in the past couple of months. It’s an enlightening and in depth talk about the opportunities for artists, culture and the market to create an economy which is more open and generous and enables more creators to participate in.

A conversation with Henning Boecker, Professor for Clinical Functional Neuro Imaging at the University of Bonn and at the German Center for Neuro Degenerative Disease in Bonn, Collector of contemporary art and co-Founder of the space Sauvage in Düsseldorf.

Henning speaks about his scientific research, about the effects art and music can have on the brain, how he was initiated into art by his german teacher and Dadaism. He speaks about the older artists that inspired him,  why he wanted to relate to his own generation of artists, the individuality of the artistic experience and the reason to open up an art space. He shares how Corona highlights and accelerates certain developments and how collaboration is key in these special times.

A conversation with artist and activist Katie Holten. Katie lives between New York City and Ireland and right now is quarantined in California. She speaks about nature connected to her practice of drawing, how drawing helps her understanding her relationship with the world and how it is her way of telling stories. She speaks about exhibitions and projects like the „Tree Museum“ for the Bronx Museum or her recent exhibition „Irish Tree Alphabet“ at Visual in Carlow. She also speaks in debth about the climate emergency, the „wood wide web“, the street trees of New York City, how we’re all connected on the planet and how we need to create a new way of story telling.

A conversation with Matt Packer, Director of EVA, Ireland’s Biennial. Matt lives and works in Limerick, Ireland. Matt tells us about his studies of documentary photography as a young man, his becoming a curator and how being a parent changed his view of the world. He tells us about the plans for EVA in difficult times and shares a lot of thoughts on how art organisations and institutions must change for the better, be more open and inclusive and support artists and all people involved. Listen to an interesting insight into the irish art scene.

Rita speaks about her early interest in public art, the importance of openness and collaboration in her artistic practice, the influence the teachings of the 60s and 70s had on her, the freedom they provided and her own challenges as a teacher. She shares personal insights and the emotions arising from her everyday life in Los Angeles and gives her honest assessment about the current political situation in the US.

Andrew speaks passionately about his obsession with art, his strong belief in the discipline of curating, his involvement in the building of the GCCA, his admiration of the artists support pledge by Matthew Burrows, the opportunities he sees in a reset, the generosity and help that was provided in the artworld in the last couple of months, the electrifying bodily encounter when standing physically and intensively in front of a great work of art and why he never loses his optimism.

Nicole speaks about the current situation in New York City, new ideas and projects of The Armory Show and how the fair supports it’s galleries. The art community, the desire to see real art and the digital shift, the impact of art in public space, the new date and location of the fair, the need for collaboration, cooperation and the spirit of empathy and compassion. She gives her personal and professional view on how to shape an art fair in an ever changing world.

Dr. Saimeh speaks about her research on radicalisation from the point of view of a forensic psychiatrist, her passion for art, the spiritual roots of religion – and art – and about the invaluable meaning art and artists have for a civilized society.