Zilkens' News Blog

Zilkens‘ News Blog 16 2022

Dear reader of our newsblog and of Kobel's Art Week,

Easter, the feast of resurrection and overcoming the fear of death, was not peaceful in Europe's East - the bombardment of the Ukrainian population continued. The Russian popes will probably remain silent about the deeds of their patron, because without his renunciation of communist maxims in matters of religion, they would have to work underground, which would bring them closer to the Christian mission. So they will have to ask themselves why they have so thoroughly forgotten their teaching that murder is a mortal sin. The Orthodox Easter is still to come - they would have the chance to purify themselves ... .

For many, the Biennale del Arte in Venice begins today - the official start is next Saturday. Either way, the art world is on the move and will make a pilgrimage to Berlin for Gallery Weekend around the first of May. In addition to the many national pavilions in Venice, there are others. One in particular must be highlighted because it is a monument to the struggle for freedom in Ukraine. In the Scuola Grande della Misericordia, the team from the Pinchuk Art Center, with the support of President Selensky and the Viktor Pinchuk Foundation, is showing: This is Ukraine: defending freedom. The originally planned exhibition for the jury-selected participants in the final round of the Future Generation Art Prize has to be postponed.

Europe's insurers have a hard time with Europe - this is true for every line of business, but also for liability insurance. Take an English client, a temporary risk in Italy and a German insurance broker. The Italians don't want it because the risk is in Italy, but because of Brexit, short-term risks from island institutions are not desired; the Germans don't want it because, apart from the broker, they can't establish any connection with their own country - but the English want it - well, so-so - and are paid handsomely for their involvement. Seen in this light, it remains a constitutional monarchy.

Those travelling to England now need a passport and no mask, those travelling to Italy may bring their identity card and must also fill out the Passenger Locator Form. The form asks so many questions that one wonders why the former opponents of the census did not go to the barricades because they were being interrogated and their privacy was being violated. - Travelling in freedom is just nicer after all ...

In this spirit, we wish our readers an artful week and the art critics a sharp pen - it's about time again after so many NFTs are still considered art even though the hype seems to be over.

Yours sincerely, Stephan Zilkens and the team of Zilkens Fine Art Insurance Broker GmbH in Solothurn and Cologne.