The Success Story Goes On: VIENNAFAIR The New Contemporary Meets All Expectations

Following the festive international art celebration during the vernissage, the tenth edition of VIENNAFAIR The New Contemporary once again broke the record with 25,274 visitors.

“More visitors, more international art collectors and satisfied galleries – this is more than we could have expected,“ says Christina Steinbrecher-Pfandt, artistic director of VIENNAFAIR The NewContemporary, delighted by the successful completion of the tenth edition of Austria’s biggest international art fair. “The consolidation process we commenced this year was positively received by the art collectors in particular. We have now irrevocably positioned VIENNAFAIR The NewContemporary in the international fair calendar and will continue to pursue our goal of establishing Vienna as a hub for art exchanges at the interface between East and West. We are pleased to have made a sustainable contribution to Vienna as a marketplace.”

“We found new clients here in Vienna and will definitely participate again,” comments gallerist Volker Diehl (Berlin/Moscow) on his gallery’s first participation in the fair since 2010. “Given its unique position among international art fairs, we use VIENNAFAIR foremost for the presentation of our coming projects, but we could also sell a whole range of works from our artists,” revels Timothy Persons (Gallery Taik Persons, Berlin/Helsinki) about the high level of interest from the audience.

“In my discussions with gallerists I received many positive responses, also regarding sales. I find it especially important that many art experts and collectors confirm that VIENNAFAIR The NewContemporary has made a decisive leap forward,”notes Ursula Krinzinger (Galerie Krinzinger, Vienna), member of the advisory board and admission committee, underlining the success of the art fair.

“We sold all three sculptures by Carolein Smit already on the opening evening. Also numerous photographic works were acquired by an Austrian private collector. We are very happy that we participated here in Vienna,” says Martin Rogge of Flatland Gallery (Amsterdam), who participated atVIENNAFAIR The New Contemporary for the first time this year, summarizing his positive balance.

Evidence that the exchange between East and West works, can be seen in the sales by galleries from Eastern and Southeastern Europe. :Baril (Cluj) passed two works by Maxim Liulca to US collections; Dawid Radziszewski (Warsaw) moved works by Marcin Zarzeka to Austria; on its second visit to the fair Anca Poterasu Gallery (Bucharest) sold works by Zoltan Bela (8000 EUR), Daniel Djamo (4000 EUR), and Nicu Ilfoveanu (1000 EUR) to private collectors as did Jezca Gallery (Timisoara) with works by Genti Korini and Liviu Stoicoviciu (from 2000 to 5000 EUR); whereas Andreas Binder (Munich) sold a work by Yigal Ozeri to MOCAK Museum of Contemporary Art in Krakow. Ernst Hilger (Vienna) also handed over a sculpture by Deborah Sengl (60,000 EUR) to Poland and sold a work by Ángel Marcos (16,000 EUR) to an Austrian collection. Furthermore, Mario Mauroner Contemporary Art Vienna/Salzburg could arrange a solo exhibition for Markus Hofer at MAMM Multimedia Art Museum Moscow.

“This is our fourth time participating here in Vienna. Besides the commercial success, for me also the many positive contacts are important. The fair demonstrates that art can bring people together even in crisis times. The organization of VIENNAFAIR was also brilliant, and I am proud that my fellow countryman Dmitry Aksenov has moved this fair forward,” says Marina Gisich (St. Petersburg), recounting her impressions of VIENNAFAIR The New Contemporary.

Galerie Nächst St. Stephan Rosemarie Schwarzwälder (Vienna) sold, among others, a work by Katharina Grosse (55,000 EUR) and three editions by Imi Knoebel (3200 EUR a piece); Galerie Crone (Berlin) sold two works by Monika Grzymala (between 10,000 and 20,000 EUR); Andreas Huber (Vienna) one work by Travess Smalley (13,200 EUR). There were also good sales in ZONE1: for example, Emanuel Layr (Vienna) with works by Benjamin Hirte (1200 to 8000 EUR), Galerie Hubert Winter (Vienna) with photography by Tina Lechner, of which some subjects (1600 to 2400 EUR) are even sold out, and Viktor Bucher (Vienna) with four works by Alfredo Barsuglia (1000 to 6500 EUR). Galerie Elisabeth & Klaus Thoman (Innsbruck/Vienna) sold a picture by Herbert Brandl (50,000 EUR) and a work by Thomas Feuerstein (9000 EUR), among others. Always good for a Gerhard Richter sale was Galerie Michael Schultz (Berlin), which surrendered an “Abstract Painting” for 950,000 EUR.

“On the jubilee edition of VIENNAFAIR The New Contemporary we succeeded together with curated by_, the museums, and our VIP partners in transforming Vienna for a long weekend into an international art metropolis for Austrian art enthusiasts and, above all, for our international guests. Thanks also to the support of ERSTE BANK and OMV, VIENNAFAIR The New Contemporary and the art marketplace Vienna are back on the map of important art events for good,” proclaims Renger van den Heuvel, managing director of VF Betriebsgesellschaft mbh, very pleased with the results of the art fair. 

Sponsors and partners of VIENNAFAIR The New Contemporary 2014

Main sponsor: ERSTE BANK

Sponsor special project DIALOG: New Energies: OMV

Funding: Austrian Federal Chancellery

Partners: Vienna Chamber of Commerce, YARAT Contemporary Art Organisation,
Romanian Cultural Institute Vienna, hs art service austria, LET’s CEE Film Festival,
Vienna Tourist Board, Zantho, Umathum, Ottakringer, Red Bull, Illy, Vöslauer, Bombay Sapphire, Fever-Tree, Hotel Sacher Wien.

Partners VIP Art Lounge: JP Immobiliën, Steininger Designers, Le Méridien Vienna.

Partners VIP Program: 21er Haus, Albertina, Belvedere, Kunsthalle Wien, ESSL Museum, departure, the creative unit of the Vienna Business Agency, HELMUTS’ Private Art club, mumok, SAMMLUNG LENIKUS, Secession, TBA21 – Augarten, The Guesthouse, Grelle Forelle.

Hotel partner: Le Méridien Vienna, Motel One, Park Hyatt Wien.

Media partners: Falter, Ö1.

Advisory board and admissions committee:
Miryam Charim, Charim Gallery, Vienna; Andreas Huber, Andreas Huber Gallery, Vienna; Ursula Krinzinger, Galerie Krinzinger, Vienna; Vladimir Ovcharenko, Regina Gallery, Moscow/London; Asia Zak, ŻAK | BRANICKA, Berlin/Krakow.

VIENNAFAIR The New Contemporary 
Vienna International Art Fair
October 2–5, 2014
Messe Wien, Austria, Hall A, Messeplatz 1, 1020 Vienna.

INFORMATION
www.viennafair.at
www.thenewcontemporary.com
www.facebook.com/viennafair