Zilkens' News Blog

Zilkens' News Blog 16 2024

There are days when you don't know whether it's even worth commenting on what's happening. That was the case after 24 February 2022, when Russia tried to take over Ukraine by military means against all international law; it was the case on 7 October last year, when Hamas attacked, raped, slaughtered or took hostages of peacefully celebrating people in Israel; and it has been the case again since last night, after Iran and its allies Yemen and Hezbollah launched over 300 missiles carrying weapons towards Israel. Surprisingly, despite the quantity, not much has happened. Creating peace without weapons is unfortunately proving to be a utopia. The attacks and the justified defence lead to camps that can only be separated by deterrence. This has long since affected art and the people who create it. Art is always an expression of the current social, political and economic situation in which it is created. Artists often react to their experience with great sensitivity and vulnerability. However, these are subjective truths, the actual core of which is becoming increasingly difficult to sort out as an individual as digitalisation and artificial intelligence progress. Our perception is increasingly one of images created on Tik Tok or Instagram. Analysing sources is almost impossible, as is recognising fakes and corresponding messages. We believe our network, which unfortunately may also have been faked. The last Dokumenta was a rather unsuccessful attempt to prioritise artistic freedom. This is no problem at all for Islamic or totalitarian states. They still have the good old censorship that only allows what is acceptable. This also affects the market, as Art Basel in Hong Kong has now shown.

It's going to be very exciting in Venice at the Biennale, which will slowly open to visitors from next Wednesday. - Stranieri ovunque/Strangers everywhere is the title of the central exhibition. It will be interesting to see how some nations, which are looking for a connection to a camp in the current climate, can be represented artistically! What will then be considered worthy of courting and trading at Art Basel two months later is another question entirely. Perhaps we are witnessing the artists' retreat?

Next Friday, Gothaer will be holding a press conference on its annual results and will also be reporting on the merger with Barmenia, which is due to take place this year. It is to be hoped, but not really expected, that there will be any information on the future orientation of the various business segments. At least the portfolios in the property and casualty area are very differently orientated, both in terms of target customers and sales channels.

Stefan Kobel has once again compiled a great deal of information - we hope you find it enlightening reading

Stephan Zilkens and the team at Zilkens Fine Art Insurance Broker GmbH in Solothurn and Cologne