Who's Who in Visual Art Page 14.

Editorial This is the first edition of ArtCompass, which is intended to be an authoritative text and a comprehensive reference book of contemporary protagonists of the classical arts of painting, graphics and sculpture. ArtCompass is designed as a handbook for all art collectors without which the contemporary art market in its current form with an annual volume that far exceeds 20 billion euro could not be imagined, as well as a helpful and competent compendium for all art-oriented audiences including curators and gallery owners. ArtCompass attempts to take stock, but not like the (almost hermetic) circle of the World Top 100 of Bongard's list, the so-called "Kunstkompass", the "rankings of the world's most sought-after contemporary artists", which is published every year as a guide through the thicket of the sprawling market with regard to the investment potential of an artist. ArtCompass is the response to the widespread criticism of the above-mentioned and similar art rankings, and assumes that art per se can be neither measured nor compared. "Rankings" such as the above- mentioned have therefore always triggered incomprehension and even intense indignation, even from those who, according to the rankings, have achieved fame, such as the Swiss sculptor Jean Tinguely. Pierre Restany, founder of the French group of artists "Nouveaux Réalistes", called it "a fine scandal" already 35 years ago. A number of German gallery owners once also made a passionate appeal against the continuation of the list, even demanding that it be burnt in public. In this sense, ArtCompass lists all important information about an artist in a clear, easy-to-understand way up to the signature and price range, and puts the individual artist profiles side by side in alphabetical order. Each profile is completed by a statement by the artist themselves and a meaningful selection of works. As the editor of ArtCompass, I've been able to refer to a five-figure number of artists from all parts of the world, which has steadily increased in the past fifteen years and with which the publisher is in contact today. I now wish the ambitious user of this new guide through the current art scene much pleasure, enjoyment and joy of discovery by using this ground-breaking format and I hope that the book will find a quickly growing community of friends and faithful users. Ulrich Goette Himmelblau Product details Hardcover: 230 pages . Dimensions: 21.8 x 19.8 x 2 cm Language: English ISBN-13: 978-3981347494 Presentation at Frankfurt and Leipzig Book Fair HIMMELBLAU ArtCompass . 2016