CNN International The Art Club

The International Art Fair In Cologne, Germany

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

KATY HASWELL, HOST: Hello. Welcome to THE ARTCLUB.

This week, we've come to the City of Spires, Cologne, which is the cultural capital of the Rhineland region of Western Germany. Now Cologne is home to some of Europe's most avant-garde artists. It's also a place where people flock to see one of the biggest art supermarkets in the world.

(voice-over): In this week's show, the International Art Fair, where old masters rub shoulders with their young pretenders. Join me in conversation with Thomas Grunfeld, the man with genetically modified pets. And a "Cultural Tour" along the riverside to find out how the Rhine has influenced the contemporary art scene.

(on camera): You know, nowadays it seems that every major city is incomplete without its own fine art fair. But the manna of all art fairs is Cologne.

Back in 1969, the world's first-ever art fair was held here. But this year sees a first as well because the fine art fair is joining forces with the world of contemporary art for a unique collaboration of old and new under one roof.

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(voice-over): Art fairs have become a thriving business. But this brand-new art fair in Cologne offers the art world a new alternative.

The organizers Kunst Messe Köln have taken the traditional art fair specializing in old masters, fine jewelry and antiques and blended it with the world of cutting-edge contemporary art. This is a show where funky watering cans complement the finest quality silverware and where Andy Warhol's soup cans are stacked next to ancient carving from a previous generation of Americans.

CORDULA BUSSE, KUNST MESSE 2000: We think that these two fairs are a very good complement to each other because groups of collectors, of art lovers, who normally would only go to see the traditional fair, they might get interested in seeing the modern, very new works of art as well, and the opposite as well.

HASWELL: The mood is upbeat. And those involved are comfortable with their new colleagues. After all, both sets are here to do one thing. And that is to sell art.

But there is one distinction. The old masters are, of course, much more expensive than the works from the contemporary half.

This painting by Picasso is on sale for a breath-taking $5 million. And this Manet is priced somewhere in the same region.

In a daring break with tradition, the Beck and Eggeling Gallery are showing the work of a living artist amongst its expensive and long- deceased old masters.

MICHAEL BECK, BECK AND EGGELING GALLERY: On my right side is a sculpture by Antonio Tapias (ph), which is a very special, unique piece, which actually should be shown downstairs because this is a contemporary master. The piece was done in the '80s of this century. So this is 100 years after the Manet done.

But it's very interesting and charming to combine these things together. You have Impressionist paintings. And you have a Picasso. And you have a Tapias. You have paintings from 100 years, and they go well together.

HASWELL: Back in the contemporary section, the hope is that more of the younger artists will one day find themselves for sale alongside the old Impressionists.

One living artist who's surpassed both Manet and Picasso at the art fair is Thomas Baylor (ph). He's the only artist with his very own stand. This is one of the rewards of winning the first-ever Kunst Messe Art Prize.

But the artist is no youngster. Now in his mid-60s, the prize is seen as a major breakthrough.

KLAUS FRIESE, KUNST MESSE 2000: Very often there is an art (INAUDIBLE) prize given in an art fair. And it's almost given to a collection or to a famous museum man or something like this.

And we decided to give it to an artist because the artists are the reason why we can make an art fair. And that's the reason why we wanted to give him this prize.

HASWELL: Where this art fair excels itself is with a collection of art brut. This is a title given to artworks made by the mentally ill. The leading producers of art brut are a group of patients who live in the Guging (ph) Hospital near Vienna.

FERDINAND ALTNODER, ART BRUT COLLECTOR: This is a photo about three or four years ago. This, for example, is Johann Hauser (ph). The most famous artist are Johann Hauser and August Dwella (ph).

I show you the room where August Dwella (ph) live. And he painted the room. It's five meters high. And he painted the room all over.

In the last 10 years, there were about 200 expositions from the artists in Guging all over the world from Tokyo to New York to Scandinavia, Germany. And they all have very high prices like Johann Hauser, who died three years ago. There are drawings that cost about 100,000 marks and more.

CLAUDIA DICHTER, ART CRITIC: If you buy such a piece, it would be let's say 45,000 deutsche mark. So these are artists which have their market, and which have their value, and which are really right now sort of top of the outsiders.

They think of themselves that they are artists. And of course, they like to be successful. Of course, they like to go to their exhibitions to see the catalogues, to earn money. I mean, it raises their standard of life even though they live in a hospital.

The term art brut has been transformed into outsider art by the British artist Torrin Rudder Cardinal (ph). I think it first was just because it was so difficult to say art brut for English people or for Americans.

But the way outsider art is used today, it depends where you use it. For example, in America, it's very wide range. It is everything self-taught, naďve, folk art, ethnological things. And that's a little bit of problem. So when you use outsider art in some of European way, it's more narrow minded than the Americans use it.

HASWELL: Next year, from the 24th of March to the 1st of April, Cologne will see the second Kunst Messe Art Fair. So start saving now.

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(on camera): Now if you think that was a successful fusion of parts, just wait until you see what the Cologne artist Thomas Grunfeld has done with a set of animals appropriately called "Misfits."

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(voice-over): The pets of Thomas Grunfeld are like no other. They are misfits in every sense.

What was once just a faithful, normal, everyday dog is now a faithful but abnormal half-dog-half-goat. And what has the legs of a donkey appears to have the body and head of an ostrich.

THOMAS GRUNFELD, ARTIST: It's always about attraction and repulsion, always. Sometimes the other way around, first repulsion, then attraction. Sometimes, first attraction, then repulsion.

Sometimes it works two needs. It is two designs (ph). Then when I design five animals which look really possible and really nicer than the original pets or nicer than the normal animals, then to come back to the principle of this body of work and make an obviously fright (ph) animal. So it's not about only very neat design, but the principle of putting together different things.

HASWELL: For his latest work, Thomas has moved on to another subject, humans, and another format, photography.

These two are a combination of different parts. Each color has been layered and treated separately using specialist dyes.

GRUNFELD: I adore painting. And I can't paint. So this is a clever way. You have with a camera, you have a composition, and you have let's say the ground colors. And then you can act like a painter without having this afraidness (ph), a fear of the white canvas.

HASWELL (on camera): You say that with your photography, this is the first time you've actually worked with the human body?

GRUNFELD: Yes.

HASWELL: Have you ever been tempted to wonder what an animal would look like if you were to use a human body and add on other animal heads? Has that been a thought that's crossed your mind?

GRUNFELD: Yes. It's not - I can't go near men or human then using pets, for instance, which are very near humans and which still function as metaphor or allegory for humans. And I would think it would be too simple to mix humans.

HASWELL (voice-over): Thomas Grunfeld's latest body of work can be seen in Cologne's Michael Jensen (ph) Gallery.

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(on camera): We're going to take a short break now. But when we come back, we'll be getting more tales of art and anatomy. We'll also be going for a "Cultural Tour" along the banks of the river Rhine. So stick around.

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HASWELL: Hello again. Welcome back to THE ARTCLUB.

We're in Cologne in western Germany, a city which is loaded with artists and ideas. In fact, this sculpture park is a good example of the city's attitude towards the contemporary arts.

It was opened in 1997 and shows off the work of some of today's best known artists. In three years, there have been over a quarter of a million visitors.

In a moment, we'll be going on a tour of Cologne's cultural highlights. But first of all, here are some highlights from the rest of the world in this week's "Art News."

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(voice-over): The work of one of China's most important avant- garde artists has gone on show for the first time in the West. London's Chinese Contemporary Gallery is currently exhibiting paintings and sculptures by Yue Minjun, which are characterized by portrayals of the artist's laughing face.

YUE MINJUN, ARTIST (through translator): The laugher is genuine. It comes from deep within me. Laughter reflects how I look at society, with humor, but also with criticism.

HASWELL: Based in Beijing, Yue is a key member of an art movement turned cynical realism which developed after the government crackdown on demonstrators in Tiananmen Square in 1989. His work is on display at the Chinese Contemporary Gallery until the 10th of June.

These relics looted from China by British and French soldiers 140 years ago have been put on display in a Hong Kong museum. The three bronze heads - a monkey, an ox, and a tiger - caused controversy earlier this month when they were auctioned off by Christie's and Sotheby's. Many Chinese people felt that these historical treasures should not have been sold, but returned to China.

The new owners, though, are Chinese. And even though they were unhappy at having to buy back the treasures, they are glad that they're back in Chinese possession and will display in Hong Kong as part of an exhibition of 600 items of art and craft.

Just opened in London this week at the Imperial War Museum is a new exhibition looking at the human cost of the Kosovo war. In 1999, the museum commissioned the artist Graham Fagan (ph) to travel to Kosovo and illustrate what he witnessed.

A year later, he's written a play about the breakdown in communication between the ethnic groups there. The play is shown on TV screens around the gallery space. And on the walls are still photographs of the towns and villages of Kosovo and other everyday objects that he found.

It's a disturbing exhibition, but well worth a visit. It's on until the end of August.

Zimbabweans tried to put their troubles behind them this week as they attended their country's arts festival. Huddled around a bonfire, art lovers turned out in force to witness the headline performance, which was African cinctures, a combination of music, dance, opera, and drama.

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HASWELL: Those who took part were glad to be getting something positive to this ravaged country.

SOUKAINA MAFUNDIKWA, PARTICIPANT IN ZIMBABWEAN ART FESTIVAL: People feel a bit tight. And they need this kind of event in order to think of other things, think of the beauty of life, of the beauty of art. Art is supposed to bring people back together.

HASWELL: It's hoped that as many Zimbabweans as possible will attend the festival and have an opportunity to enjoy something positive in their country.

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(on camera): It's the longest river in Germany, the Rhine, running straight through the center of Cologne. It dominates life here, industry, economy, scenery. But it's also been a tremendous source of inspiration for artists over the years.

So join me now for a water "Cultural Tour" as we take a stroll down the banks of the river Rhine.

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(voice-over): The Rhine meanders through Cologne carrying with it all the evidence of industrial Europe and one or two reminders of creative Europe.

The north part of the river is dominated by the city's French- influenced gothic cathedral. It stands out by its sheer size, but is made even more distinguishable by the incongruous design of the surrounding buildings. Most of them are museums.

For those interested in the city's Roman part, there's the Romish Dermanissur (ph) Museum. Those who live in the city of Cologne say that the river has the right side and the wrong side.

The bridges offer the city dweller more than just a crossing point. They dominate the skyline. This makes them a perfect target for artists.

The sculpture on the Doitser (ph) bridge wasn't part of any city plan or officially sponsored arts project. It was put there by a local artist in a daring and unlawful swoop using a helicopter.

Despite the protests of the city's authorities, the artist, H.A. Schult, is adamant that the sculpture stays put.

H.A. SCHULT, ARTIST: Everywhere in the world, you can find bridges. But on no other bridge you can find a bridge with art on the top. That was the idea, the show the earth only with one person, this person, on the top of this earth is a part of us all. That's the idea of this sculpture.

If people love it, then they will go with me on the streets. People say, "We wish this sculpture. We love this sculpture." But the political people hate the sculpture because it's art. And political people have a big problem with art.

HASWELL: The Schult household is a shrine to his many artistic interventions. This could in fact be better known as the Schult Museum.

SCHULT: We are now not in the stone time, we are in the garbage time. And so I think we have to speak about more and more about environmental problems. The political people turn labor (ph). But first, the artists like Hundag Vassar (ph), like Josef Boles (ph), like me, have spoken about the violent pockets of our time because from there spreads out all political thinking (INAUDIBLE).

HASWELL: On the Zubricke (ph) bridge, the American artist Serge Spitzer has taken a more official route to his art project. Deep inside the structure of the bridge, he's employed hundreds of locals to carefully place thousands of beer glasses onto the steel stanchions (ph).

The intention is for the vibrations caused by crossing traffic to force the glasses to fall and break. This is conceptual art at its heights.

SERGE SPITZER, ARTIST: This space inside was never used for anything except maintenance work. I thought it should be in a way discussed, rediscovered, and in a way reviewed. I thought it would be interesting to drive every day above the bridge thinking about something fragile happening inside.

And I'm very much interested in reality. I just try to look at certain things which are already there and to rearrange them in a different way. It's like an intimate relationship with something we see every day from the outside and never pay attention to.

HASWELL: Further down river and a short stroll inland is this disused water tower. It's now a hotel with a slicker-than-slick art collection to match its slicker-than-slick rooms.

CARMEN HAMMER, HOTEL IM WASSERTUM: It was built in 1868 until 1872. It took four years. And it was the biggest water tower in Europe.

The structure was made by Mr. John Muar (ph) who came from England. It is a designed hotel because Ms. Andre Kutmani (ph), she's a famous designer from France. She does the things at Morgan's Hotel (ph) in New York for Yves St. Laurent, and was a special project for her because she designed everything you see here in the hotel, from the seats, from the door buzzers to the bathrooms and all the little things she does and was specially done for this hotel.

HASWELL: The Rhine provides Cologne with a great source of wealth, industry, and creative ideas, as well as one of the most spectacular panoramas in Europe. It's no surprise that they name it Eau de Cologne.

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(on camera): The differences in opinion between art and science go right back to the times of the ancient Greeks. But here right now in Cologne, the two disciplines have collided head-on in a unique exhibition.

But a word of warning. This is not for the faint hearted. Here's this week's "Art-rageous."

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(voice-over): The pale faces and slightly puzzled expressions are the reactions of the visitors to Korperwelten, the Body World. These are real people looking at, well, real people.

The bodies are delicately preserved human beings. It's an eye- popping, and somewhat stomach churning, body of work.

STEPHAN RATHGEB, KORPERWELTEN: We're seeing fascinating corpses which actually (INAUDIBLE) point aren't corpses anymore. Otherwise, we would have to bury them.

The body fluids are exchanged by polymers. It is a technique that my boss, Professor Gunther Frunghauden (ph), has found out 1977. And since 1994, it is possible to show whole human bodies like you can see them now in the exhibition.

We had one article in a big newspaper in Germany. And two days later, we had over 500 donations. And it's really something that touches people because the possibility to do with your body when you are died, there are not so many. But we are presenting a new possibility what you can do with your body if you've died.

We don't want to make people sad. We want you to have a look and wonder, to look really what is reality.

Actually, it is strange. People are really eager to see what we are showing. We almost have five million people worldwide who have seen this exhibition.

And I personally don't know about any other exhibition who has been visited so intensely as ours. And actually, I don't know any other exhibition around the world who is or who was or who will be discussed as intensively as our exhibition.

HASWELL: Over the next few years, the Body World exhibition expects to tour the world. So for a venue near you, keep your eyes peeled.

"Art-rageous."

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(on camera): Well, that's it. We've come to the end of the program. So it's good-bye from the creative city of Cologne in Germany.

But we're back again next week at the same time on CNN. So until then, bye-bye.

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