Berlin Masters Foundation

BERLIN MASTERS is a promotion platform and a curated exhibition for artists under the age of 30, living and working in Berlin. Initiated by the art expert, Matthias Arndt in 2013, the BERLIN MASTERS exhibition is held annually in various prominent locations throughout Berlin and is open to the public for approximately 2 weeks. The exhibition is curated by, Philipp Bollmann.

Months prior to the exhibition date, artists are invited to apply for the OPEN CALL to present their work to the curator and advisory board members. Thereafter, 10-12 artists are selected to show their work (possibly a number of works each) in the curated exhibition. The exhibition provides a focus for curators, galleries, collectors and other professionals who are looking to discover new talent.

There are two awards attached to BERLIN MASTERS which are presented to two artists in the exhibition:

The TOY BERLIN MASTERS AWARD was introduced in 2017. This is a cash prize worth 10,000 Euros.

The BERLIN MASTERS SCHLIEMANN RESIDENCY was presented for the first time in 2019.

The organiser of BERLIN MASTERS and its various events is the non-profit BERLIN MASTERS FOUNDATION, founded in 2017. The BERLIN MASTERS FOUNDATION's aim is to support the next generation of Berlin based artists following the completion of their education and before their entry into the professional art industry.

BERLIN MASTERS FOUNDATION ADVISORY BOARD

MAX & MONIQUE BURGER

Benefactors

Max and Monique Burger are the owners of the Burger Collection Hong Kong, a private collection of contemporary art with over 1,500 works representing a wide range from Euro-American and Indian to Asian art.

JOANA SCHLIEMANN

Benefactor

Joana Schliemann is interested in contemporary culture, in particular the intersection of different artistic disciplines. A collector with a background in film and TV, Joana has co-produced cultural documentaries, worked with think tanks on cultural issues and supports new plays. She sits on the strategic advisory board of the Delfina Foundation, London.

HEINER WEMHÖNER

Benefactor

Heiner Wemhöner is a German businessman, collector and owner of the Wemhöner Collection. Heiner Wemhöner started collecting contemporary art in the late1990s - his multilayered, international collection is often shown through curated exhibitions throughout Germany.

FLORIAN PETERS-MESSER

Benefactor

Florian Peters-Messer is a German businessman and art collector. The Peters-Messer Collection provides an insight into a spectrum of diverse artistic attitudes.

SIGURDUR ARNGRIMSSON

Benefactor

Sigurdur Arngrimsson is an Icelandic Businessman , Investor and Art Collector, living in Switzerland.

MANFRED P. HERRMANN

Benefactor

Manfred P. Herrmann is a German businessman and art collector. He supports numerous cultural initiatives and institutions. In addition, Manfred P. Herrmann serves as consultant to the art market providing expert advice on tax and law.

GREGOR HILDEBRANDT

Gregor Hildebrandt is an established German contemporary artist who lives and works in Berlin with international representation in London, Paris, Brussels, New York, Hong Kong, Seoul and TelAviv.

UTA GROSENICK

Before Uta Grosenick started working in publishing, she was an exhibition organizer and later curator at the Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg. She then worked as an editor for Taschen Verlag, as a program director for DuMont Verlag and was publisher for Distanz Verlag. Since September 2019 she has been in charge of edition cantz. She is also an enthusiastic collector of contemporary art.

JOHANN KÖNIG

Johann König is the owner of König gallery, one of the most prominent contemporary galleries in Europe with a spectacular gallery in Berlin and London showing celebrated artists such as Katharina Grosse, Elmgreen & Dragset, Camille Henrot, Alicja Kwade.

LISA ZEITZ

Lisa Zeitz is a German art historian, journalist and editor-in-chief of the magazine Weltkunst and the specialist publication Kunst und Auktionen

BERLIN MASTERS FOUNDATION CHAIRMAN

MATTHIAS ARNDT

Matthias Arndt is a contemporary art expert and advisor who ran his successful gallery business in Berlin, with branches in Zurich, New York and Singapore. Arndt is the founder and Managing Director of Arndt Art Agency and the Chair of the BERLIN MASTERS Foundation.

CURATOR

PHILIPP BOLLMANN

Curator, Philipp Bollmann studied Art History and History at the Freie Universität, Berlin. Since 2008 he has held the position of curator at the Wemhöner collection. In 2016 Bollmann was appointed curator of the BERLIN MASTERS exhibition.