5 Questions – Gilles Neiens

CH Art Düsseldorf has built a strong reputation, but strong can also mean safe. Where do you personally feel the urge to take a real risk?

GN That is a huge compliment for Art Düsseldorf, which has only been around for eight years. A fair typically needs its first ten years to establish a clear profile, and I believe we have achieved that very successfully. At the same time, stability does not mean stagnation for me. Organizationally, we already operate very dynamically, with short decision making processes, a small and highly dedicated team, and close coordination with the galleries. Exhibitors should feel secure and professionally supported throughout the entire process. We want to transfer this same agility more strongly to the content level in the future. Topics, curated formats, and new presentation methods should not only complement the existing offerings but also deliberately create new impulses. Our risk therefore lies less in the organizational or economic foundation and more in the programmatic development. We want to increasingly test new formats and thematic approaches in this area.

CH You are stepping into this role at a time of change and new expectations in the art world. What energizes you most about this moment, and where do you see the greatest opportunities?

GN I always see challenging times and crises as an opportunity to question and rethink existing structures. Art fairs should ask themselves after each edition what went well, what can and should be retained, and where new emphases can be introduced to provide even more targeted support for galleries and their artists. Especially in my new role as Artistic Director, this shift in perspective is crucial for me. From my previous operational work, I am very familiar with the economic and structural requirements. Now it is about building on that foundation and thinking more programmatically and setting new standards. I find this shift productive and it certainly comes with great responsibility. Recently, art fairs have been described in the press as too expensive and as platforms that no longer offer sufficient value to galleries and collectors. I see it differently. We clearly stand on the side of the gallerists and their artists. A fair still creates a relevant event that brings people together, for a city, for a region, and for a community. The greatest potential lies in the Rhineland, with its collectors and a new generation of emerging collectors who can connect with us in an open, approachable, almost familial atmosphere. I also see strong potential in the fact that different stakeholders can develop new ideas together and collaborate rather than compete during and around Art Düsseldorf. There is significant untapped potential in working more closely with other art events, gallery weekends, and other fairs. We are specifically addressing this this year and plan to expand it strategically.

CH If you could invite one unexpected voice from outside the traditional art ecosystem to reshape the fair, who or what would it be, and why?

GN I believe that inviting voices from other creative disciplines can open up entirely new ways of thinking about how a fair can be experienced. Few artists embody this kind of interdisciplinary approach more convincingly than Björk. Few artists deserve the title of artist more than she does. She also deserves a second chance after her exhibition at MoMA in 2015, which received little praise from critics. I would love to see her curate an exhibition within the fair that combines fashion, art, and music, a visionary tour de force for our visitors.

CH What does success actually look like for you in this position beyond sales numbers and visitor figures?

GN When close friends speak enthusiastically about their visit to the fair and share genuine excitement and concrete impressions, that is a strong sign for me. It shows that the atmosphere, the quality of the content, and the organization have truly come together. For me, success also means that galleries feel strengthened in their positioning and that artists are embedded in a context that goes beyond mere sales. When discussions arise, new contacts are made, and the momentum extends beyond the fair itself, then the fair has fulfilled its purpose. And last but not least, success is always a team effort. A positive external perception demonstrates that precise and dedicated work has been carried out internally.

CH Please describe the next chapter of the fair in three words and share your longterm vision in short.

GN Topics, Sculpture Spots, Curated Areas. In early summer, we will review new ideas and impulses for 2027 and select the most surprising and hopefully boldest ones to implement in the next edition. Themed areas and curated formats already play a central role, and we want to further refine and consistently expand this approach. However, even the best longterm vision is useless if one does not adapt each year to market conditions, the needs of galleries, and global political events.