Blau Bulletin #1

 
Many galleries are defined by the world around them, the circumstances they find themselves surrounded by. An environment rich in artistic creation might be the essential factor – consider London in the ‘80s and ‘90s, for instance. Lucio Amelio – already at this point deathly ill – put it to me this way: “A gallery is one head.” Well then, the gallery reflects my interests, and my interests are manifold.
 
Until January 2020, the rhythms of trade fair and exhibition dictated how decisions were made in our field – what commercial themes needed foregrounding, when publishing literature on those topics made the most sense. Many subjects close to my own heart have been put on hold for decades due to simple lack of time; it took a dozen years to do justice to Poitevin. The project I envisioned seemed too complex and commercially unviable.
 
When my dealings with 19th century photography first began intensifying, what astonished me perhaps more than anything was – in comparison to contemporary art – how low the monetary value assigned to it was. Only few photographs commanded a genuinely high price, and the stock was treated accordingly – some were even priced by weight! When the selection is as large as it is, it can be difficult for an avid collector to concentrate. And when one already has all the possibilities of collection in general in mind, the field of possibilities and interest areas becomes truly immeasurable. And everywhere is something to discover.
 
Once the government-imposed restrictions of 2020 interrupted the cycle of fair and exhibition, and it became clear that there would be no opportunity of live, public presentation and interaction for any of us, we began searching for the necessary alternatives. I myself felt a desire to better understand and more clearly delineate our program – that is to say, the direction of the gallery at large. The result was our emailed bulletin of the last year. Each issue has begun with a single topic, which it expands upon and explores.
 
Here, our intention is above all to spark and develop interest among the ‘younger’ generations. Ours is a moment of rampant superficiality and weak concentration; we hope to raise the curtain a little, to expose the endless possibilities of the artistic gaze. If only one or two young people find a fire awoken in them through our little pandemic-year project, that alone will have made this a success.
 
Photographs and drawings are obvious partners for the digital medium of the computer and internet. My own personal interests have always been widely strewn, and not always easily translated into the context and requirements of a gallery space, even if only from a purely commercial perspective. Nevertheless I have always sought to infect others with these passions. Our bulletin has proven remarkably well-suited, as a format, for this purpose.
 
We invite you to to take a little stroll with us now, through our gallery’s program and far beyond, to find inspiration and new perspectives in things great and small. It is a vast field of artistry before us, and we look forward to exploring it with you.

 
Editor:
Daniel Blau
Maximilianstr. 26
80539 Munich
 

ISBN: 978-3-7774-3747-7
Limited Edition of 3000
Published 2021
 
Copyright: this publication © Daniel Blau, Munich
 
Text: Katharina Rohmeder, Carrie Foulkes

Layout: Christiane Wunsch

Editing/Translation: Robert Isaf
 

Order your copy exclusivly here: contact@danielblau.com