"Weil das Ego sich plötzlich auflöst"
The art world is facing significant structural and political shifts, highlighted by the merger of Artnet and Artsy which has resulted in mass layoffs, particularly within the Artnet News editorial team and its Berlin operations. Simultaneously, tensions are rising in German cultural policy as gallery owner Rupert Pfab raises concerns over government interference in the Stiftung Kunstfonds jury selection, reflecting a broader climate of unease that includes recent controversies at the Berlinale.
These developments underscore a period of instability and transformation across the sector. While market leaders attempt to consolidate power through digital platforms, artists like Mike D and Marc Brandenburg are publicly advocating for the preservation of communal, non-algorithmic creative spaces. The friction between institutional oversight, market consolidation, and artistic freedom suggests a critical turning point for how art is funded, reported, and experienced in the digital age.