Art & Design

Zurich Special Report: Gallery Boltelang – Two girls and a Gallery

Presentation: Irini Miga

Anna Bolte and Chaja Lang are the owners of one of the most promising young galleries of Zurich. Both with long interest in art, studies at Sotheby’s Institute and experience in curating and gallery management in renowned galleries and institutes of London and New York they merged their passion for art and created their gallery ‘Boltelang’ in 2008. They organize lectures series, printing projects, co-organized the weekend gallery invitation ‘Rendez View’ beginning of the season with other four Zurich based young galleries; at the moment they are running their project space ‘The Corridor’. They talk to OZON about Zurich’s new art scene.

‘What is happening at the moment is a generational change. Zurich has a great number of well known established galleries that have existed for many years. Löwenbräuareal, the Kunsthalle Zurich and Migros Museum have been the focus of Zurich’s contemporary art scene for more than a decade. Slowly this focus is broadening to other parts of the city, new galleries and more alternative spaces are opening up and new young curators at institutions are keen to show the art of their generation. Zurich has attracted a great number of foreigners over the last years. There is also an increasing number of foreign artists moving to Zurich to study here or for residencies and eventually they stay. Having said that, high living costs are still a problem and there need to be more low cost studio spaces for local and international artists. Most of the artists we represent we have known for quite a while. We like to take our time before we decide to work with someone long term. We usually do a show first to give the artist and us the opportunity to understand how we work and whether we work well together. We are careful not to follow trends and hope to build a well-balanced and considered program of national and international artists with whom we hope to grow together.’

Link: boltelang