Stephan
Zilkens
,
Zilkens' News Blog 25 2026
Some exhibitions are worth a second look. That certainly applies to this year’s Venice Biennale. A month ago, I had questioned it because video art seemed to dominate. Now, on closer inspection of the main exhibition – which featured a fair amount of derivative yet little-known work – one feels as though one is witnessing a confrontation between the Global South and the absent North. The terminology is vague, and it will be interesting to see whether many of the works make it from the Biennale to Art Basel, which begins tomorrow, as is usually the case.
Speaking of Venice and imperial megalomania: Napoleon is said to have remarked during a visit to Venice, whilst being rowed across the Grand Canal, that next time he would drive under the Rialto Bridge in a carriage. Two hundred years ago, that was an audacious idea, reminiscent of certain notions held by a man who will soon be celebrating his 80th birthday and who comes across as similarly grandiose. Will he suffer a similar fate to that of Napoleon of old?
Important figures in contemporary art are passing away in quick succession. First Baselitz, whose final works are on display in Venice at San Giorgio Maggiore – including an explanatory video featuring the master. And now David Hockney, whose unmistakable style will produce no further works. Whether the market will now see a surge remains to be seen. Things are rather mixed at the moment: alongside good auction results, galleries are scaling back their premises or even closing down altogether, as can be seen from Kobel’s Art Week.
Apparently, ships are sailing through the Strait of Hormuz again. If you look at the relevant shipping apps, there isn’t much movement there. The situation is more significant for Sri Lanka or Australia, as around 70–80% of these countries’ primary energy is channelled through this strait.
Oh, and at the World Cup, Germany won their opening match for the first time since 2014… 7–1 –
Stephan Zilkens wishes everyone a good start to the week, also on behalf of the team at Zilkens Fine Art Insurance Broker GmbH
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