Dorothea Hertel is a freelance artist, founder of KUNST/MITTE in Magdeburg, and a jury member of the New & Abstract KUNST/MITTE Open Call. In her artistic practice, she transforms everyday observations and personal moments into colourful staged scenes, while her work with KUNST/MITTE focuses on quality, supporting artists, and creating meaningful connections between the art market, galleries, and audiences.
You are an active artist yourself. Tell us more about your artistic practice and what inspires you.
I work with the things that surround me—small observations and everyday scenes that I transform and stage on my colourful visual platforms. Most of my works are inspired by moments from daily life, situations that bring me joy or leave me with a sense of curiosity and wonder.
How important are art fairs for artists today – and what opportunities do they offer from your perspective?
Art fairs are a direct format connecting artists and buyers. Unlike exhibitions or museum presentations, their primary focus is on selling art and building relationships with galleries, collectors, and fellow artists. I consider them one of the most straightforward ways to sell and acquire art. Concentrated over just a few days, they offer visitors a broad spectrum of different works, styles, and genres.
What makes KUNST/MITTE special for you, and how does it distinguish itself from other art fairs?
From the very beginning, KUNST/MITTE has been built around the idea that quality is the key factor in convincing artists and galleries to come to Magdeburg and present their work. It is important to us that exhibitors receive an appropriate and professional space for presenting their art.
Alongside the main fair, we develop additional formats every year, including our Young Artist Space, guided tours for school classes, awards for outstanding artistic positions at the fair, and performances taking place during the event.
How do you perceive the current situation in the art market? What developments are you observing?
From my personal perspective, the local gallery landscape is currently facing the challenge of generational change. This transition could also lead to a new direction in the traditional artist-gallery relationship.
At the same time, it has never been easier for artists to present themselves and promote their work digitally. I believe this will become increasingly important in the future. Galleries are also paying attention to follower numbers and hope to benefit from the audience engagement and visibility that artists can generate online.
As a jury member of the KUNST/MITTE Open Call in cooperation with New & Abstract, you review many applications. What do you pay particular attention to when evaluating submissions?
First and foremost, I focus on artistic quality. It is always a challenge to make a judgement based on only a few submitted works. There have been many occasions where I have researched an artist further after reviewing their application to gain a deeper understanding of their practice.
Secondly, I look for a diverse and varied selection of works that demonstrates the breadth of an artist’s creative approach.