Faces illuminated by the glow of electronics, dance styles splashed on a canvas and a video exploration of the soul - all are on display at the inaugural edition of Luxembourg Art Week which opened yesterday evening.
The contemporary art fair has been organised under the Cercle Artistique de Luxembourg (CAL), created in 1893 to bring together a variety of artists to support creative work and education in the Grand Duchy.
CAL has joined forces with partners in the Agence luxembourgeoise d'action culturelle asbl (ALAC) and the Ville de Luxembourg to established the first edition of Luxembourg Art Week, to unite more than 100 artists represented by 19 galleries at the Salle Victor Hugo in Luxembourg-Limpertsberg.
As Alex Reding, the main developer of this new project, explained, art fairs often do not have the impact to attract an international audience and it is for this reason that Luxembourg Art Week consists of galleries from Germany, Belgium, France and Luxembourg which showcase a variety of artistic styles.
"The project is primarily the result of several findings, which all go in the same direction," commented Alex Reding. "The first is global, it concerns the European and world scene which is moving more and more towards event projects, in general these are fairs. The second concerns the public, who are less likely to find galleries - or let's say, for the wider public galleries on-site are less obvious to spot. The third observation concerns new galleries, or those who have moved, and who need to communicate their wanderlust".
Luxembourg Art Week has been developed as a non-commercial project, aiming to attract art enthusiasts, collectors and professionals alike with "something for everyone", continued Reding.
Indeed, the pieces on display hint at a wide variety of styles, media and inspirations. Among them, Reiny Rizzi-Gruhlke's stark paintings of an unblinking insight into a traumatic childhood filled with recurrent symbols of violence, whilst Ellen van der Woude's shelled creations contrast interior beauty with public identity.
"By creating a platform for exchanges and meetings, Luxembourg Art Week puts artists in the foreground," commented Mayor of Luxembourg City, Lydie Polfer. "By bringing together artists, gallery owners and the general public in one place, this event will help to think outside the box and expand the usual art gallery public".
Luxembourg Art Week will be open from 12:00 to 20:00 Wednesday to Friday, 10:30 to 20:00 on Saturdays and 10:30 to 18:00 on Sundays. Two guided tours have also been organised for the public, at 12:30 on Friday 6 November 2015 and 12:00 on Sunday 8 November 2015, the final day of the exhibition.
Photos by Sarah Graham
