Berlin and Germany has for the past few decades known as a center for the European art scene. The city itself is a historical site and one that is very much known for its architecture, history and culture. Berlin for the majority of the second half of the twentieth century was not the most attractive place in Europe for artist, art dealers, gallery owners, and brokers to do business. This was largely due to the effect of the Cold War, the construction of the Berlin Wall and the sensitive political landscape in which Berlin was located. With the end of the Cold War and the reunification of Germany Berlin’s place in the international art market completely changed. Berlin after reunification was a very attractive place for artists and the art industry to migrate towards. This was largely because of one simple fact cheap, real estate. The availability of cheap real estate as well as the reputation which the city of Berlin gained internationally with its thriving art community has indeed made it a very important part of the global art community. Berlin has attracted many young artists and it has created one of the most thriving art scenes in the whole world.
One of the main reasons why Berlin in particular became such an important place in the international and European art community is because of its reputation as one of the most culturally vibrant cities in Europe. As a matter of fact, Berlin has long been attractive simply because of it offers to young artists, cheap rent. Berlin’s place as an international art center is mainly because the artists themselves made it one. Young artist came to Berlin “with the promise of cheap studio rent and to be part of one of the hippest art hubs in the world.” This has been largely the case mostly because of the advantages created by German reunification and the fact that it is a city which is recognized for having cheap real estate. Berlin has always been “a city of high unemployment and low rents, and there is a widely held theory that because it has long been a relatively cheap place to live, it may be better able to weather the storm than others.” Berlin even after the 2008 international financial crisis which hurt the art market in its wake just like it did so many other sectors of the world economy remained an important part of the global art community. Berlin in fact, was never much of a hub for the selling or trading of art. It had always had been seen as a center of European art production. In the years leading up to the 2008 financial crisis, the Berlin art market was completely skewed and the crisis actually proved to be an opportunity for a much needed readjustment. This was the environment in which the Berlin art market worked before the 2008 financial crisis and it had a fairly heavy impact on international art markets
Berlin’s reputation and history as a very cosmopolitan, Bohemian and culturally vibrant city was very much responsible to it becoming one of the premier international art centers in the world. Berlin as both a city and as an art community has developed greatly and it has not done so in any structured or homogenous way. The government of the city of Belin has a had role to play in trying to create and structure a way to display the works of such a diverse and flourishing art community. Although there is tension between the city and the artists who rejected a plan by Berlin mayor to create an exhibition space called “based in Berlin.” This space aimed to create a permanent space for young artists to show their works and to give them support. Local artists responded with skepticism to the plan and they announced a “boycott of the open call for artwork, which they felt was restrictive, and challenging the city for pursuing its own agenda while existing contemporary arts institutions remain underfinanced.” The conflict between artists and the city in Berlin is not necessarily surprising. Berlin’s is well known for its thriving art scene and it is not surprising that someone would attempt to find a way to institunoalize and profit of it. Coupled with the fact that artists as a group are not a known to be most trusting of authority they have more than a right to feel skeptical about their work being coopted in order to forward an agenda which is not theirs. This view held by local artists is logical but supporters of the plan see it as a way of assuring that the works of young promising artists can be viewed collectively instead of in the fragmented way in which it is presented now.
Berlin’s place in the global art community is an interesting one. It has over the years because of economic and structural factors become a very attractive place for young artists to set up and start a new career. This availability of real estate is one of the most factors and it has been largely responsible for creating the Berlin art scene which we recognize today. As always, reputation is important and Berlin’s reputation as a center for young, daring contemporary artists to start their career has only caused more of them to move. Berlin is central to the international art community because it seems to be an incubator of innovation and place which many people naturally gravitate towards. The city government should do the best it could to maintain this reputation and keep its reputation as one of the most important centers in the international art world.
Works Cited
"Berlin Debates Future of Its Contemporary Art |." DW.COM. April 28, 2011. Accessed June 22, 2016. http://www.dw.com/en/berlin-debates-future-of-its-contemporary-art/a-15030964.
Connolly, Kate. "Kate Connolly Uncovers a Silver Lining to Falling Art Sales in Berlin." The Guardian. 2009. Accessed June 22, 2016. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2009/mar/26/berlin-art-scene-market.
Fairley, Gina. "Is Berlin a Bubble about to Burst?" ArtsHub. Accessed June 22, 2016. http://www.artshub.co.uk/news-article/features/visual-arts/gina-fairley/is-berlin-a-bubble-about-to-burst-251376.
