Zilkens' News Blog

Zilkens' News Blog 26 2024

Hopp Schwyz, you should have said, if it hadn't ended 1-1 and if there hadn't been this extra time. Bayern have won many a championship with this, because they always managed to score a goal after regular time. And where was Nagelsmann before? It's different in ice hockey - the clock is stopped for as long as the game is interrupted and tactical tip-kicking is not tolerated. But this European Championship also has an influence on the cultural sector, because it distracts from many other topics.

The insurance industry is also affected by this - not because of cancellation insurance or special coverage for footballers' legs, but because of the influence of major sporting events on customers' willingness to switch, which is extremely low during this period. In Europe, there are at least two this year - football and the Olympics.

The Sankt Gallen Festival has moved to Flumserberg, 1400 metres above sea level, to stage Henry Purcell's "The Fairy Queen" in the open air, thanks to the generous support of Helvetia, the largest Swiss art insurer. However, even Helvetia cannot control the weather, and with lightning and thunder, the singers should not be exposed to unnecessary danger, even if the audience were dry. A few hundred people were able to experience the power of artistic passion in a restaurant, where great acting and singing performances were offered on 10m², which would otherwise unfold on more than 150m² and with a lot of technical support. It was perfection in the imperfect, and we would like to take this opportunity to thank all those involved. And to those travelling in the coming weeks, we recommend: go up the mountain and believe in better weather.

Which brings us to the art trade, which was able to present itself to 91,000 people in Basel the week before last. It seems that high-priced items sell well, but that there is less willingness to buy for the actual gallery work. Politically uncertain times affect all areas. It will be interesting to see how the French voters react to the challenge of new elections. Whether this will strengthen the European idea is doubtful. Much of what we take for granted today would be inconceivable without the European Union. There is a danger that we will regress to the 19th century here - and then the arch enemy was France, among others (fortunately no one today knows why we could think in such categories).

Enjoy Kobel's annotated press review of the art market

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