Catching up with Neo Rauch

Last night I played the flâneur and made my way through the balmy streets of Leipzig, under a waxing moon, to the Galerie für Zeitgenössische Kunst (pictured bottom) for an opening that lived up to its promises and more. The occasion was a preview of ANALOG, a new work by Vienna-based artist Dorit Margreiter, curated by Julia Schäfer. Also opening was the exhibition LAST MINUTE, curated by Ilina Koralova (GFZK link below). I can't honestly say I saw enough of either show amidst the throngs to give them a fair appraisal, so I may have to report back once I've seen them in a more reasonable light. I must mention as well that the ever popular Hotel Everland (middle), created by the Swiss duo Sabina Lang and Daniel Bauman, remains part and parcel of GFZK, literally. The one-room groover's hotel has been perched atop the museum villa since June, where it will remain until next summer, before moving on to Paris.
For a relative newcomer to Leipzig, the party was a dream-state of the city's artists and intelligensia. The New Leipzig School was well represented, with Tilo Baumgärtel, Christoph Ruckhärberle, Martin Kobe, Matthias Weischer and David Schnell all in good form. But where are the women in this new school, I ask? Neo Rauch (top) was kind enough to introduce me to several of the city's leading collectors and dealers, including his own gallerist, Gerd Harry Lybke. Coincidentally, Neo has a show opening later this week at Eigen + Art Leipzig that he's titled 'Der Zeitraum'. He denies any connection, but we're flattered just the same. Nose to the grindstone, he reports that when he's not fending off American collectors or hanging shows on three continents, he's locked away in the studio or spending time with his lovely partner, the artist Rosa Loy, and their teenage son. I'm about to catch the ICE to my native Paris for a few days, but I'll be back posting mid-week.