Raiko Schwalbe

Resurrection of an event believed to be dead

Raiko Schwalbe and his team are hoping for numerous visitors to the new art fair.

(Bild: Isabella Kilian)

Two years ago, "art Bodensee" was laid to rest, but for observers of the local scene, the art fair never lived anyway. Raiko Schwalbe is now bringing something new.

"Krone": Art Bodensee, Dornbirn's art fair, never really took off, after all it was buried. But now there is to be an art fair in Dornbirn again. How did this come about?
Raiko Schwalbe: I've been organizing fairs in German cities since 2008, I lived in Balderschwang for a few years and also visited Art Bodensee time and again. The problem was probably that the fair took place in summer, with increasingly high temperatures - and declining visitor numbers. But I believe in a format in the four-country corner. Together with the trade fair management, I tried to find a new approach. I think we succeeded, and Art Bodensee really is history.

Raiko Schwalbe, the man behind INC art Bodensee in the trade fair city of Dornbirn

(Bild: by ARTMUC)

What can the new format do, what is on offer?
It was important to me not to put on just another random gallery fair. The big fairs are held in other locations, in Vienna or Basel. Things are changing, the galleries are dwindling. Many artists today simply have to market themselves and can only hope for a gallery - there is no guarantee. Many also have a bread-and-butter job. That's why I consciously opt for a hybrid concept. It's not about bringing the best galleries to Dornbirn, but about all the players together: individual artists, associations and galleries. In this way, we cover a wider spectrum and can also offer visitors more.

Is it also about low-threshold access?
I've been organizing fairs for 15 years. People keep asking: What is art allowed to do? I don't want to differentiate between an autodidact and an academic, I don't want to evaluate art or answer whether a work meets a certain artistic standard or not. I want to promote diversity and offer a platform after the difficult coronavirus years. ArtMuc is in its tenth year this year, but this fair also had difficulties at the beginning. The established scene was skeptical. Today we have 200 exhibitors, that's the future.

Will there be special shows, special topics, talks or other dialogical formats?
We will be focusing on digital art, for example, and asking how hardware and software can help artists to increase value creation. There will be a special show curated by me. I experienced the dotcom boom, then the NFT boom, I'm interested in presenting the use of digital media. We also want to show that much of what surrounds us in everyday life has been designed by creatives - be it the crockery we eat from, fashion or architecture. In Munich, for example, we will be showing a fashion school's path to its graduation collection, which is super exciting. Many people don't even know how the things around them are created.

There has never been too much going on at Dornbirn Art Bodensee - Raiko Schwalbe and his team hope to change this. They still have time to prepare for the event, as it won't be until November this year.

(Bild: Messe Dornbirn)

So now there will be two art fairs in Vorarlberg at the same time; Stage Bregenz was launched for the first time in February. Isn't that too much for the small region?
I have no reservations about that, Stage Bregenz has a super-professional organizer. And as I said, I'm not aiming for a gallery fair, I don't want to activate the hardline art enthusiasts, but to reach a younger audience. People who grow along with the art to a certain extent. I want to lower inhibitions.

The fair will now take place in November. A deliberately chosen time?
Yes, the summer is not suitable, we don't want to repeat that mistake. The Christmas markets are not yet open in November, but people may already be thinking about a gift or two. The application deadline for all those who want to take part runs until the end of June.

Facts & Figures

• INC art Bodensee is the name of the new art fair format in Dornbirn
• The fair will be held for the first time from Friday, November 15 to Sunday, November 17
• The location is the Mohrenbräu Hall 13 of the Dornbirn Exhibition Center
• The hybrid concept is intended to involve not only gallery owners but also artists and platforms

Aren't you worried that the crisis will put people off buying art a little?
That was already an issue last year. But at my fairs, prices start at a few hundred euros. These are things that you can really afford. What's more, we all don't know what will happen between now and November. In any case, it's important to show the flag.

How would the trade fair have to develop for you to call it a successful first edition?
I'm not expecting a profit this year. It took me seven years to break even in Munich. It's about passion and the long term.