Artists need scandals to become famous, galerists trust and courage. In 1909 the Moderne Galerie Thannhauser on Theatinerstraße 7 exhibited works of  the„Neue Künstlervereinigung München“. Members were such names as Gabriele Münter, Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, August Macke und Franz Marc. The press said: "Either the majority of the members of this association are curelessly insane or we are dealing with a group of unscrupulous con men, knowing about our contemporaries' feebleness for sensations..." Heinrich Thannhauser, not impressed at all, offered them his space already one year later, together with Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque.

Today you find these artists man diese Künstler in museums, at auctions and sporadically in exclusive galleries. After World War II those were mostly on Maximilianstraße. Raimund Thomas opened his gallery of the same name in 1964 next to the Hotel „Vier Jahreszeiten“ with works of German Expressionists – also those who were called "insane" back then. Fred Jahn represents German artists of the 1960s like Gerhard Richter und American artists of Post-Minimalism. The Gallery Pfefferle with focus on conceptional painting moved from Maximilianstraße into the remodeled space of a former printing plant at Gärtnerplatz-Viertel. And thus followed a trend of the gallery owners' scene to  concentrate on one neighborhood.

Art lovers have the chance to go for an interesting walk in just one neighborhood and see Munich galleries for contemporary art. From Pfefferle on Rumfordstraße you wander via the galleries Kampl, K4, Walser and Heitsch to Wittenbrink into Jahnstraße. The latter has picked today's trend of fast pace and has opened a branch in "Fünf Höfe" with weekly changing exhibits.

Just like at Kandinsky's time the art scene concentrates again on the former Schwabing. Between Odeonsplatz, Pinakotheken and Akademie 28 galleries have settled. Together with Lisa Ungar gallery owner Six Friedrich has focused on local artists like Stephan Huber. Bernd Klüser, one of the first promoters of Joseph Beuys, and in Schwabing for fourty years, settled next to the Pinakothek der Moderne with his Vanguard without leaving his space on Georgenstraße.

In Lehel two women dominate with an elaborate program: Barbara Gross added much to the women's presence in public and Christine Mayer represents young shootingstars like Andreas Hofer. Art is what pleases and part of this are unique copies of Galerie Spektrum. The team of f5,6 has concentrated on photography. Here the name says it all.

After a long summer break 65 galleries start into the winter season with the Open Art then on the second weekend of September. The joy of art and a chance to discover some artist for oneself.

by Karin Nagl