The auction marathon “From a Universal Collector - The Olbricht Collection” that started last year continues.

On June 23, at Van Ham in Cologne, around 350 works from the collection of the inspired and idiosyncratic collector Thomas Olbricht will be called up under the eloquent title "Size Matters", 180 of which deserve the title large format.

Rose-Maria Gropp

Editor in the features section, responsible for the “art market”.

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    Some of them really take up space: As far as the walls are concerned, Katharina Grosse dominates with a typical breathtaking riot of color “Untitled” from 2015, which measures a good four by four meters: with 300,000 to 400,000 euros, it is also the most highly endowed lot. Andrea Zittel's “Free Running Rhythms and Patterns, Version II” from the year 2000 consist of 28 wooden panels, each measuring 200 by 80 centimeters; around 28 meters of wall covering can be expected for this installation (estimate 80,000 / 100,000 euros). On the other hand, Kris Martin's mirror object with two by three meters, on which "The End" is written in black (mirror), looks almost modest; this visually enlarges each room, albeit with a final announcement (15,000 / 20,000).

    The silvery, unique “Chapel” by Belgian Wim Delvoye from 2007, laser-cut in the finest Gothic formations of steel, extends three-dimensionally to a height of more than three by three meters and is certainly not suitable as an outdoor sculpture (180,000 / 240,000). British artist Mark Quinn's life-size bronze sculpture "Mirage" from 2009 calls up the photo with a prisoner connected to power cables under a hood that shook the world after the terrible torture scandal in Abu Ghraib in Iraq; this memorial should again be part of a competent collection, whether private or public (80,000 / 120,000). How light, on the other hand, looks like Martin Honerts, an "English teacher" made of polyurethane from 2010, shrunk to a height of 1.5 meters, tautly parted and in the correct suit, who nevertheless,perhaps smiling sardonically, may have determined the fate of students (25,000 / 35,000).

    The themes of being human, of becoming and passing away, which run through Olbricht's entire collection, are also visible in this special section, touched by established and lesser known contemporary artists. And it will be interesting to know which, as far as we can find out, the collections that embark on this adventure. The “Size Matters” works can be viewed in the Van Ham art gallery in Wesseling, south of Cologne, until June 21st.

    Another 150 or so pieces from Olbricht's “Wunderkammer” will be called up in a separate auction on June 23; At the same time, an online-only auction with a good 200 lots of contemporary art and photography will run until June 24th. The offer includes a total of 750 works from the almost inexhaustible Olbricht universe. The total estimate for this is 2.5 million euros.