Zilkens' News Blog Archive

Looking at Boris Becker, Big art Exhibition Düsseldorf, Photo: Stephan Zilkens

Zilkens' News Blog 31 2026

In the business world, you can recognise professionals by the fact that, even in moments that are personally difficult for them, they are able to keep their mouths shut and not involve even their closest colleagues – however hard that may be and however lonely it makes them feel. If one applies this standard to our outgoing Minister of Transportion, one has to conclude: he ... read more

Berlin, Fasanenstraße

Zilkens' News Blog 30 2026

The summer holidays are gradually making their presence felt everywhere. Surprisingly, MPs have more than six weeks’ break from legislative business. One of them has now decided to relinquish his borrowed power for a while by devoting himself to the joys of fatherhood. He is now 46 years old, having spent 24 of those years in the German Bundestag. There are likely to be quite ... read more

Searching for topics during the summer lull

Zilkens‘ News Blog 29 2026

For decades, Allianz has built up its exclusive agency network using life insurance commission models – in fact, this is the business model for all companies that work with tied agencies bound by instructions. Now Oliver Bäte, the company’s CEO, has indicated in a press briefing that he considers the product to be a thing of the past. It will be interesting to see what ... read more

Wangechi Mutu, SimbiSiren, 2026, bronze – currently on display at the Arsenale, Venice; photo by Stephan Zilkens

Zilkens' News Blog 28 2026

It’s actually pretty much a normal week: the US is celebrating 250 years of independence with a president who wants to make the country heavily dependent on him, whilst in Tehran the state terrorist Khamenei is being laid to rest with great pomp, Russia continues to attack civilian targets in Ukraine and, in defiance of every principle of international law, is attempting to destroy the ... read more

Beautiful and heat resistant; Photo Stephan Zilkens

Zilkens' News Blog 27 2026

More than half the year has already passed – and with temperatures in Europe currently racing from one record high to the next, there’s only one thing on everyone’s mind: a break from the heat! Stefan Kobel begins his half-yearly review of art market reports with the market itself – next week he’ll look at the art fairs, and finally at the auction scene.Very few ... read more

Abbey Garden Tholey, Photo: Stephan Zilkens

Zilkens' News Blog 26 2026

I’ve never taken so few photographs at Art Basel and its satellite events as I did this time. A mere five pictures made it onto the roll. Is it because I’ve already seen quite a lot in my life? Or is it because pictures costing 35 million USD fail to hold any general appeal? Or is it because the selection offered few surprises and hardly ... read more