Kasper König has his collection auctioned at Van Ham

The Cologne auction house Van Ham has a special highlight in store this fall: It is auctioning off the collection of Professor Kaspar König, former director of the Museum Ludwig in Cologne. The spring auctions are barely over before the next auction event is announced and the fall season begins. On October 1 and 2, 2024, over 400 works from Kasper König’s private collection will be auctioned off.

Over many decades, Kaspar König used his art expertise to amass a considerable collection of modern and contemporary art. His collection comprises around 400 works, which he has carefully built up over the decades. From 2002 to 2012, he was director of the Museum Ludwig in Cologne and shaped the art discourse of the last five decades. He made a name for himself as a renowned and internationally influential exhibition organizer for contemporary art. Before Cologne, his professional stations included Düsseldorf, the Städelschule in Frankfurt and Münster. He was also passionate about collecting art in his private life, collecting works by artists such as Richard Artschwanger, Thomas Bayrle, William Copley, Hanne Darboven, Maria Eichhorn, Ayse Erkmen, Maria Lassnig and Sigmar Polke. A work by Sigmar Polke entitled “Meisterwerk als Ramsch versteigert” will also be auctioned. Kaspar König did not and does not see himself as a classic collector who pursues a stringent program for his collection; instead, one of his main approaches was the early promotion of diverse artistic positions. This allowed the collection to grow and develop steadily over the decades. His numerous friendships with artists, as well as the many encounters with them during his professional career, have resulted in a unique collection. With his unique collection, the art professor and curator König has made a clear commitment to art.

Kaspar König, who now lives in Berlin, had already donated part of his collection to his former place of work, the Museum Ludwig in Cologne, on the occasion of his 80th birthday last year. The donation comprises 50 works and includes paintings, sculptures, works on paper, multiples and objects by well-known and unknown artists. These include names such as Günter Brus, Isa Genzken, Jenny Holzer and Donald Judd. The Japanese artist On Kawara has a special place in the Königs collection. A friendship developed between the artist and König during their time together in New York – they were neighbors in the American metropolis. Works by the Japanese artist were not only donated to the Museum Ludwig, but are now also being auctioned at Van Ham. Kasper König encouraged Kawara to send two postcards with the same motif from his place of residence to friends, family and acquaintances every day. From 1968 onwards, the artist followed this suggestion, which Kasper König also supported financially. He was also one of the first to enjoy the cards made by Kawara. Kasper König himself is also known for his iconic postcards. The auction highlight, which will be auctioned in the Evenig Sale on October 1, also comes from On Kawara. It is a work in acrylic on canvas entitled “MAY 7, 1967”, which is estimated at 500,000 to 700,000 euros. It reads “MAY 7, 1976” in capital letters on a red background, with an issue of “The New York Times” from Sunday, May 7, 1967 attached on the reverse.

The Cologne-based auction house Van Ham has already successfully conducted several single owner sales. The house was delighted to have been entrusted with the auction of König’s collection. Markus Eisenbeis, owner of Van Ham, commented as follows: “It is a great honor for us to be able to offer this extraordinary collection by Professor Kasper König. It represents the curator’s unerring eye with a clear focus on quality.” The Cologne-based auction house, which was founded in 1959, was once again able to maintain its second place among German auction houses this year and achieved a total turnover of 26 million euros in the first half of 2024. According to its own figures, it is even the market leader in online-only auctions with a turnover of 4.7 million euros. The auction, entitled “The Kasper König Collection – His Private Choice”, will kick off with an exclusive Evening Sale on October 1. Around 60 major works from the collection of the art professor and curator will be on offer. The following day, the Day Sale will take place with around 200 works. In addition to the auctions, in which bidders can bid live in the room, there will also be an online auction in which further works from the collection will be offered. The online auction will begin on September 26 and run until October 10. The works from the live auction can be viewed in a preview from September 27 to 30 at Van Ham’s headquarters in Cologne. The preview presentation will be curated by Professor Kasper König and Dr. Renate Goldmann, Director of the Van Ham Art Estate.