Art Cologne Director Daniel Hug Previews Upcoming Fair and Collaboration With NADA (VIDEO)

After many years in which the tradition-rich Art Cologne was losing more and more of its importance, the world's oldest art fair not only seems to be back on the right track but is actually gaining momentum. Since Daniel Hug took over the director position at Art Cologne, the criticism has been muted and the press is talking about the miracle of the Rhine. For this year's edition that runs from April 18-22 2012, Daniel Hug is breaking new grounds by collaborating with the New Art Dealers Alliance; the organization already runs a fair in Miami. Thus, Art Cologne 2012 will see the collaboration between two independent fairs, Art Cologne and NADA Cologne.

VernissageTV met with Daniel Hug in Zürich to talk about the collaboration with NADA. We wanted to know how this collaboration came about, the hopes he puts in it, and how NADA Cologne is integrated in the overall concept of Art Cologne, both from a strategic point of view as well as regarding the fair layout on site. But one-and-a-half years after our first interview with Daniel Hug as Director of Art Cologne, we also wanted to know how the fair has developed since then regarding attendance and sales, and his goals for the next years. He explains why he discontinued the Open Space section, which played an important role for the fair during the last years. He talks about why he stopped Art Cologne Palma de Mallorca when he took over Art Cologne in 2008, and where he sees the future of art fairs in general and Art Cologne in particular. Finally, Daniel Hug let's us know what to expect from the 2012-edition of Art Cologne - 46. Internationaler Kunstmarkt in Cologne, Germany, and hints at some of the highlights of the upcoming fair, the participating galleries and the supporting program.

Interview with Art Cologne Director Daniel Hug at Caféteria Kunsthaus Zürich, Zürich / Switzerland, Jan. 20, 2012.

PS: See also: NADA Director Heather Hubbs on NADA and the Collaboration with Art Cologne.

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