Swizz Art Biz

Jacqueline Uhlmann is the spirit shaping Löwenbräukunst today. Though being responsible for such a formative community within Zürich’s cultural life is no easy task, this kind of a responsibility is nothing new to her, as she has been used to bringing people together in numerous ways within the art world through her career. Jackie has been the fair manager at Liste Basel for a few formative years after 2009, helping to establish the fair’s central philosophy of inclusion, and the support of emerging galleries. She has also been closely involved with representing her nation internationally, through her role in the Swiss Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2019. In her current role managing the Löwenbräukunst, Jackie is balancing not only the commercial and the public programs within the community, but also ensures that the art district, representative of the city’s art scene, stays true to its mission. She is currently working to expand the district with newcomers such as Haus Konstruktiv, which is moving in next year. In this episode of Swizz Art Biz, our host, Tanya König talks to Jackie about the mission of Löwenbräukunst, as well as its future development. Through this, we learn how the ethos of the art district and Jackie’s philosophy of community building are weaved together, shining a light on a truly inspiring career in the art world. Recorded at Tablecast in Zurich. Co-Produced by Marcell Márthon.

Peter Kilchmann is the man behind his eponymous gallery, operating three spaces collectively between Zurich and Paris. While Kilchmann can be counted amongst the most successful art dealers of his generation, his beginnings were by no means easy. Despite his current success at fairs like Art Basel, ARCO Madrid and MIART Milan, as well as his close involvement in the beginnings of LISTE, Kilchmann’s account of what it meant to be an early innovator in the European art market seems less than glamorous. Yet, even while operating from an empty office space on Hardturmstrasse, Galerie Peter Kilchmann’s inaugural show already displayed an appetite for innovation,  featuring the Northern Irish artist Willie Doherty with large-scale color photography and video works. While photography and video art were certainly seen as a bit unorthodox at the time, these mediums put the gallery on the map within the Zurich cultural sphere. Although by today the gallery incorporates many different mediums into its programme, its mission to represent artists from diverse backgrounds and nationalities remains, as well as its commitment to maintain personal ties with collectors and artists alike. This serves as one of the central philosophies of the gallery today. Furthermore, with a strong involvement in cultural projects such as the Backstage Engelberg, as well as plans for international expansion, the gallery remains to be one of the most dynamic and innovative ones in operation today. Listen to the latest Swizz Art Biz conversation between our host Tanya König and art dealer Peter Kilchmann.

In this live podcast recorded at the Suisse Podcast Festival, we are joined by the art world’s rule-breaking insider: Kenny Schachter! Renowned for his unfiltered opinions, relentless energy, and wit that has disrupted galleries and auction houses alike, Kenny has carved out a unique space where art, critique, and cultural commentary collide. Consistently challenging the status quo, he has become one of the most captivating—and controversial—voices in contemporary art. A multifaceted talent, Kenny is a writer, columnist, artist, art dealer, lawyer, and teacher, notably lecturing on art market studies at Zurich University. In this engaging episode, Kenny shares with host Tanya König and the audience how he discovered art, why he never takes no for an answer, and why, as long as you act ethically, you can do whatever you want. The conversation is candid and insightful, followed by a dynamic Q&A session featuring questions from the audience. Watch the Video of this conversation on YouTube! More on Swizz Art Biz!

In his career, David Khalat merges his dedication to preserve Switzerland’s tradition of printmaking with the disruption of the traditional hierarchies within the art market.  He currently serves as the managing director of Edition VFO located at Löwenbräukunst, an organization tracing its roots back to 1948, yet embodying a truly innovative approach to art in its accessibility. Here, Khalat and his team help world renowned artists produce museum quality work, often time by the means of historical techniques, which are then offered to the public through a transparent and affordable sale. But Khalat’s love for printmaking doesn’t stop there, as he is also the founder of ZPI, or Zurich Print Institute, a much younger organization intended to be a younger and more playful space for artists to collaborate and enrich each other with ideas.  In this episode of Swizz Art Biz, our host, Tanya König asks Khalat about his fascination with printmaking as a medium, diving into how the organizations headed by him serve to disrupt the art market we know today. This they do, often by relying on the philosophies of the past, as he cites examples from “the early prints by Rembrandt and Dürer” and their importance in disseminating ideas among the greater public.  Finally, in the interview, we also learn how mega-collections such as that of UBS acquire works from the same series that any of their employees would be able to afford as well, and Khalat even sheds some light on the artwork of his choice, which proves to be the most accessible of them all!  Photo credit: Vic & Chris Photography Recorded at Tablecast Studio and co-produced by Marcell Márthon.

Valeria Diaz Granada represents a new generation of art entrepreneurs, curating museum-quality exhibition programs without the need for a physical gallery space or even a fixed country of operation. Instead, rossogranada, the "art catalyzer" she founded, focuses on the artists themselves, organizing seemingly spontaneous pop-up exhibitions around the world. For instance, audiences from Basel to London have had the chance to encounter Leonora Carrington's over two-meter-tall statue, The Dancer. However, such operations are not only costly but also require a global audience. One might wonder how a new voice like Granada's carves out a place in the art world, and by what means she manages to succeed. In the latest episode of Swizz Art Biz, host Tanya König interviews Granada about the role of institutional and private sponsorship in the art world, as well as her perspective on the future of art patronage. Granada also shares her views on philanthropy within the art sector and the importance of giving back to the community through artist-led initiatives. While the episode features Granada, it explores more than just the story of rossogranada. It highlights the significance of adaptability in the modern approach of curators and art dealers, underscoring the value of a global and flexible exhibition program. Swizz Art Biz on Instagram This episode was produced at TableCast Studio. The video podcast can be watched on YouTube. Co-Producer: Marcell Márthon

Marie Livie is the woman behind her namesake LIVIE gallery, situated in Zürich’s Claridenstrasse. First opening its doors to the public in 2019, the gallery represents the emergence of a new generation of art dealers within the city, with all that they might bring. Admittedly, being an emerging gallery comes with its challenges, especially if one opens right before the pandemic, like Livie did. Yet, such challenges never deterred her, unsurprisingly perhaps, as she is no stranger to navigating the art world. Having worked within Art Basel’s Cities initiative as a project manager in Buenos Aires, she is well aware of the global trends that drive the market forward.  It is her view on these trends, that our host, Tanya König asks Marie Livie about, as well as her personal experience in being at the vertex of a generation shift within the art world. How does the new generation of gallerists build and maintain a loyal collector base? What new can they offer in a well saturated market to maintain a competitive edge? How do they view art fairs? Having worked at an art fair, yet now being a frequent gallerist attendee herself, Livie is certainly the best person to answer these questions, and more, as many do come up over the conversation between König and Livie, giving the listener an insight into the future of the art world, and the workings of an excellent new gallery in the city of Zürich.  Livie Gallery on Instagram Swizz Art Biz on Instagram This episode was produced at TableCast Studio.

If you’ve been a regular VIP at Art Basel in the past few years, you know her name: Michèle Sandoz. She was the Global Head of VIP Relations at Art Basel for almost a decade and is now the Managing Director of Grisebach Switzerland, a German auction house. Michèle Sandoz has an intercultural background, having been born in Zimbabwe to Swiss parents and growing up in various African countries. She studied Sinology and East Asian art at the University of Zurich after a trip to China before she entered the art market working for the auction house Koller Auktionen. In the first episode of season 2 of Swizz Art Biz, the art world habituée tells our host Tanya König how her background influenced her career choice, what she liked about the current Venice Biennale curated by Brazilian Adriano Pedrosa—the first Latin American and openly queer curator in the history of the Biennale—about her current trip to Art Basel Hong Kong, and what she is planning with Grisebach Switzerland. Follow Swizz Art Biz on Instagram Michèle Sandoz on Instagram Host/Producer: Tanya König Intern/Co-Producer: Marcell Márthon Recorded at Tablecast Studio by Christoph Soltmannowski Photo credit: © Noé Cotter

From Los Angeles to Hong Kong, London to Monaco, New York’s East Side to New York’s West Side, Hauser & Wirth operates in 16 locations around the world. The gallery, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, just announced that it will open its first space in Paris in 2023. In this latest episode of Swizz Art Biz x Löwenbräukunst, Tanya König sits down with Barbara Corti, who is a partner at Hauser & Wirth. Corti started working at the gallery in 2005 when its only space was at Löwenbräukunst in Zurich. Shortly after, in 2006 she moved to New York, where she spent seven years working for 303 Gallery. In 2013, she went back to Hauser & Wirth to help it  open its first space in Manhattan’s Chelsea, which had become the spot to be for contemporary art galleries. When the Covid pandemic spread throughout  the world in 2020, she decided to pack up and return to Switzerland. It was a decision that wasn’t easy but now makes perfect sense to her. She is now responsible for Hauser & Wirth’s galleries at Löwenbräukunst in Zurich and in St. Moritz. Corti tells Tanya about what she learned in the U.S., how Hauser & Wirth selects its new locations, and why everyone should drop into a gallery and just have a look around. Make sure to subscribe to Swizz Art Biz on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Google Podcasts. And rating the podcast also helps it to be seen by others. You can also watch this conversation on YouTube. Follow Löwenbräukunst and Swizz Art Biz on Instagram. This episode was recorded at Tablecast by Christoph Soltmannowski.

AIA stands for awareness in art and We Are AIA is the name of a new nonprofit association founded by Martina Huber last year with its own space at Löwenbräukunst in Zurich. The current show, The Mouth Is for Speaking, deals with the topic of human rights and ponders the question: What is needed to be able to speak or stand up? It includes pieces by Saudi artist Abdulnasser Gharem, which remembers Jamal Khashoggi—the journalist killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018—and Luke Willis Thompson, which was produced with the Black Lives Matter movement in mind. Martina Huber is the first guest of the special series of Swizz Art Biz x Löwenbräukunst, where Tanya König, the founder of Swizz Art Biz, will speak with artists and insiders connected to the contemporary art center Löwenbräukunst in Zurich. Follow Löwenbräukunst and Swizz Art Biz on Instagram.  This episode was filmed at Tablecast by Christoph Soltmannowski and can also be watched as video podcast on YouTube. 

In 2006, Lucerne-based Galerie Urs Meile became one of the first Western galleries to establish itself in China. Their first space in Beijing was created by none other than Ai Weiwei, who was also one of the first Chinese artists the gallery represented. René Meile, the son of the gallery’s founder, is co-director and mainly responsible for the operations in Beijing.  He spent the past 15 months in China and observed how the clientele shifted during the pandemic. In this episode of Swizz Art Biz, he tells Tanya König why he tries to understand China through its art and culture rather than just geopolitics, why not every show is shut down immediately when showing sensitive content, and why it’s not always easy to work with Ai Weiwei. His next project? An exhibition by painter Wang Xingwei in Shanghai, set to open in April, when Meile hopes to return. You can watch this episode as video podcast on YouTube. Follow Swizz Art Biz on Instagram and on Twitter.  This episode was recorded at Tablecast by Christoph Soltmannowski.