Zilkens' News Blog

Zilkens' News Blog 24 2025

For Christians, Pentecost is the feast that marks the end of the Babylonian confusion of tongues because, according to the relevant sources, everyone suddenly spoke to each other in all languages and was able to spread the message of the Lord. In Germany, we still get two days off for this holiday, which is why we won't be posting anything until Tuesday. When messages are spread today, we use social channels that have a lot to do with media and not at all with social behaviour. But Germans of both sexes, who are never entirely confident in their native language, resort to foreign terms and adapt them, just as ‘you’ generally becomes ‘du,’ even though the refined Anglo-Saxon ear still recognises considerable differences that have been lost in the land of unlimited opportunity. But who wants America as a role model this morning, with so much departure from the rule of law? In California, the National Guard is moving against its own people. Putin couldn't have done it better. The latter is wanted by the International Criminal Court as a war criminal and shamelessly bombs civilians in violation of all conventions. It remains outrageous that in many eastern regions there are people who refuse to acknowledge crimes against humanity and only see their own advantage. And these are member states of the EU.

In New York, a lawsuit has just begun against art insurers, initiated by Ron Perelman's (84) lawyers to win USD 410 million for their client for completely overvalued works of art by important artists. The insurers were probably aware that the values were somewhat exaggerated (Lloyd's syndicates, Chubb and AIG are said to have been involved), because they accepted the premiums on the sums insured – on the other hand, according to common opinion, the policyholder is responsible for the correct assessment of the sum insured, otherwise there is a risk of underinsurance or overinsurance. Since art poses a particular challenge in terms of valuation, especially for risk carriers, it is possible to agree on insurance values. We do not know whether the works by Mr Perelman were agreed values, but the insurance terms are said to allow for a very generous interpretation of compensation according to the principle of partial damage equalling total loss. There is nothing wrong with the picture, but somehow it is no longer as beautiful. - The small scratch comes in handy - and triggers the total loss claim. If the insurers have indeed traded their craft for a betting shop, we can look forward to the judge's verdict. In any case, the lawyers will earn their fees... .

Doing good and talking about it: On 4 July 2025, it will be that time again: the friends and supporters of art karlsruhe e. V. invite you to the second charity art auction at the Konzerthaus Karlsruhe – an evening full of art, commitment and hammer prices! Fifty high-quality, selected works of art provided by the galleries of art karlsruhe will go under the hammer. The proceeds from the auction will go to two important causes: half will go to the SANNI Foundation, which will double the amount and in turn support the ‘Art up your Life’ project series of the ZKM | Centre for Art and Media Karlsruhe. The other half of the proceeds will go directly to the artists of the auctioned works – a clear sign of appreciation for their work. More information is available at Art Karlsruhe (and thank you for letting me borrow the text of this paragraph)

The team at Zilkens Fine Art Insurance Broker GmbH in Solothurn and Cologne wishes everyone a great week