Hauser & Wirth and Société are collaborating on a large-scale group exhibition titled "States of Being" during Berlin Art Week 2025. The show, running from September 11 to November 1, will feature over 30 artists across two floors of Hauser & Wirth's Berlin space, including Alina Szapocznikow, Rashid Johnson, Lee Lozano, Louise Bourgeois, Lu Yang, Mika Rottenberg, Tina Braegger, Darren Bader, Phyllida Barlow, and Petra Cortright. The initiative stems from a friendship between Hauser & Wirth president Marc Payot and Société CEO Daniel Wichelhaus, and marks Hauser & Wirth's first project in Berlin, though the gallery has no plans to open a permanent outpost there.
The exhibition matters because it signals a growing trend of gallery collaborations and underscores Berlin's resurgence as an art market hub in Europe. Despite being a strong cultural production center, Berlin has struggled to sustain an art fair, but recent developments—such as Pace Gallery opening an office and gallery space in 2023, and Germany's reduction of sales tax on art from 19% to 7%—are revitalizing the local market. The show also highlights a transgenerational dialogue between modern estates and contemporary artists, reflecting broader shifts in collector demographics, with increased activity from local collectors aged 30 to 50.