Peter Kilchmann: A visionary gallerist shaping the European art scene

Peter Kilchmann is the man behind his eponymous gallery, operating three spaces collectively between Zurich and Paris. While Kilchmann can be counted amongst the most successful art dealers of his generation, his beginnings were by no means easy. Despite his current success at fairs like Art Basel, ARCO Madrid and MIART Milan, as well as his close involvement in the beginnings of LISTE, Kilchmann’s account of what it meant to be an early innovator in the European art market seems less than glamorous.

Yet, even while operating from an empty office space on Hardturmstrasse, Galerie Peter Kilchmann’s inaugural show already displayed an appetite for innovation,  featuring the Northern Irish artist Willie Doherty with large-scale color photography and video works. While photography and video art were certainly seen as a bit unorthodox at the time, these mediums put the gallery on the map within the Zurich cultural sphere.

Although by today the gallery incorporates many different mediums into its programme, its mission to represent artists from diverse backgrounds and nationalities remains, as well as its commitment to maintain personal ties with collectors and artists alike. This serves as one of the central philosophies of the gallery today. Furthermore, with a strong involvement in cultural projects such as the Backstage Engelberg, as well as plans for international expansion, the gallery remains to be one of the most dynamic and innovative ones in operation today.

Listen or watch the conversation between our host Tanya König and art dealer Peter Kilchmann.