Zilkens' News Blog Archive

Ladder to money flusher - seen in London: Photo Stephan Zilkens

Zilkens' News Blog 11 2025

It's clever to organise an art fair at the seat of government, then a king will come by. Madrid, Arco and the king - bad luck for Maastricht, it's just not The Hague - but the taxes on art are lower in Holland. This shows once again that in a constitutional monarchy, kings have no influence on the lack of cultural interest of the governments ... read more

Medicine against Headache Foto: Stephan Zilkens

Zilkens News Blog 10 2025

While carnival is being celebrated in Cologne and other places in Europe, there was an unspeakable, undignified and presumably staged appearance on Friday by the American president and his vice president in the style of the worst blackmailers, who were elected to office by the majority of the American population. In Europe, Orban has joined the Putinists. Europe must now at the latest manage on ... read more

Should we blame the breakfast egg? Photo: Stephan Zilkens

Zilkens' News Blog 9 2025

The current American president is characterised by his thirst for revenge – Zelensky refused to deliver Biden to the knife because there was nothing to deliver; and suddenly he is a dictator who lacks legitimacy. Unfortunately, the Ukrainian constitution prohibits an election in times of war – but what does a person of the calibre of the chosen one care about that? The world as ... read more

Symptomatic - Photo: Stephan Zilkens

Zilkens' News Blog 8 2025

After last week and the Munich Security Conference, the art trade is also feeling insecure – at least those who do business with customers in the United States. It is possible that the days of tax-free imports via Delaware are over if the tariff war extends to goods other than steel and aluminium. Preparations are underway, and with a possible 25% import sales tax, no ... read more

Examination Cell, Temple of Literature, Hanoi, Photo: Stephan Zilkens

Zilkens' News Blog 7 2025

In two weeks we will know more about the political mood in Germany. Last night two women interviewed two men. One of them, with a lot of ‘me me me’ and not always very appropriate interjections, was surprisingly keen to boast and the other, with more objective ‘we’, promised more economic development. The latter is more beneficial for the art trade and the cultural sector.The ... read more

Vietnam Year of the snake - Photo: Stephan Zilkens

Zilkens' News Blog 6 2025

Our company was founded 15 years ago – initially without a portfolio and with a focus on serving customers in the renewable energy and logistics sectors. In the field of art insurance, the market seemed divided and, compared to other areas, had low margins with low premium rates. Price is one thing, expertise is another, and the latter opened up the opportunity for us to ... read more