莫妮卡．斯普魯斯（Monika Sprüth） 與菲羅門尼． 瑪格斯（Philomene Magers）。（© Robbie Lawrence）
二人分別於1983與1993年創建自己的畫廊，1998年兩家畫廊合併，遂誕生馬格斯畫廊。2003年，馬格斯畫廊於倫敦成立新空間，並在藝術世界的重心逐漸轉往柏林之際，在2008年將畫廊經營重心遷至柏林。
馬格斯畫廊空間一景。（台北當代藝博提供）
提起經營理念，斯普魯斯表示自1983 年創辦畫廊起，馬格斯畫廊便致力於支持與發掘年輕藝術家，尤其是年輕的女性藝術家。此舉並非基於女性主義（Feminism）的立場，而是希望提供女性藝術家一個發展相對均衡的平台。因此，在許多女性藝術家不若她們的男性同行，尚未有真正市場的時候，馬格斯畫廊便與她們建立長期的合作關係，例如辛蒂．雪曼（Cindy Sherman）、巴巴拉．克魯格（Barbara Kruger）、珍妮． 豪澤（Jenny Holzer） 以及路易絲．拉勒（Louise Lawler）等。而與喬治．康多（George Condo）的合作可回溯到1984 年藝術家於畫廊的首展，與安德烈斯．古爾斯基（Andreas Gursky）的合作也超過20 年。斯普魯斯指出：「經營一間畫廊意味著遵循經營者自身的願景、相信你的藝術家，並指引其達到目標。」
即便經營女性藝術家的藝術市場為馬格斯畫廊極為重視的部分，但亦並非僅限於女性創作者。而第一次來到台灣參加「台北當代藝博」，瑪格斯表示此次將完整呈現出畫廊的基礎理念，以及具有代表性的展覽。亮點作品包括法蘭克．斯特拉（Frank Stella）2017 年所創作直徑達250公分的鋼雕作品《堅固的星星》（Stick Star）；工業攝影先驅貝恩德和希拉．貝歇爾（Bernd & Hilla Becher）記錄德國工業時代的經典攝影代表作「水塔系列」（Water Tower），以及康多2018年的繪畫作品。古爾斯基1999年的攝影作品則記錄了建於1970 年代末、昔日的天井大廳。此外，包括湯馬斯．戴曼（Thomas Demand）、豪澤、托馬斯．魯夫（Thomas Ruff）、斯特林．魯比（Sterling Ruby）等八位／組藝術家的作品。
Sprüth Magers: The Pacemaker of Artists
By Chu Yi-An
Founded in Cologne, Germany, Sprüth Magers is now established in Berlin with two outstanding matriarchs at the very center – Monika Sprüth and Philomene Magers. After each opening their own gallery in 1983 and 1993, the two merged to give birth to Sprüth Magers. In 2003, Sprüth Magers opened a new space in London and relocated its flagship space to Berlin in 2008 as the art scene gradually shifted location.
Sprüth speaks about Sprüth Magers' continuous commitment to supporting young artists, especially young female artists, since its inception in 1983. Their firm stance is not necessarily grounded in feminism but rather a desire to provide an equal platform for female artists to grow. This is why Sprüth Magers have long established relationships with female artists like Cindy Sherman, Barbara Kruger, Jenny Holzer, Louise Lawler and others who had yet to have a thriving market like their male counterparts. Their partnership with George Condo can be traced back to his first exhibition at the gallery in 1984, they have also partnered with Andreas Gursky for over 20 years. Sprüth says, "to run a gallery means to carry out the director's vision, to believe in your artists and help guide them to achieve."
Supporting female artists and the cultivation of their market have been a great emphasis of Sprüth Magers but not the extent of their reach. Magers says their first Taipei Dangdai will be a representative exhibition that fully translates the gallery's fundamental beliefs, featuring Frank Stella's 2017 steel sculpture titled Stick Star that stretches 250 centimeters in diameter; Bernd and Hilla Becher's – pioneers of industrial photography – signature work Water Tower is a classic documentation of Germany's industrial age, and Condo's 2018 paintings. Gursky's photography work from 1999 documents courtyard halls built in the late 1970s. The exhibition will also include works by 8 artists/artist groups including Thomas Demand, Jenny Holzer, Thomas Ruff, and Sterling Ruby.
郭怡孜( 6篇 )