The art world is a dynamic environment that fosters the co-existence of the wide variety of ways that art can be displayed. An example is Galerie SOON, founded in 2010 by Fabian Schmid and Andrej Malogajski in Bern. More recently, former banker Daniel Siebert has come in as a supporting partner.

The founders' objective was to discover up-and-coming artists and make them available to a broader public while bringing them into contact with young collectors internationally.  

6 1/2 «Intermezzo spaziale». (Image: Peter Baracchi)

Galerie and Off-Space

As with many others, Galerie SOON finances its activities by selling art and getting a commission equal to about half of the purchase price. In contrast, so-called off-spaces such as 6 1/2 are often run by the artists themselves and financed by public money or trusts.

Selling is not as much of a priority and the institutes involved limit commission levels to 20 percent.

New Art Hot Spot 

To make its new premises more lively, the gallery invited the 6 1/2 art collective to come up with an exhibition.

About 15 years ago, several renowned galleries were located at Ankerstrasse 24 and it was once an important location in the Swiss art scene, and the new branch's opening has again made it a meeting place for art lovers.

Forgotten Memories

The neighborhood has been a melting pot for decades, offering fertile ground for creativity and artistic exchanges. There are still a large number of studios and ateliers there but in recent years the area has fallen by the wayside in the art world while becoming harder for the artistically inclined to access. 

«It is now time to take it back and again make it a meeting place for cultural devotees,» maintains Peter Baracchi, a member of the 6 1/2 collective and an artist in Galerie SOON's roster.

A view of the exhibition by Maja Huerst, Galerie SOON Bern, 2019. (Image: Galerie SOON)

Successful Soft Opening
According to co-founder Schmid, the soft opening on 3 July with 6 1/2 was a complete success. People from the neighborhood came, as did artists and established collectors. After some reconstruction work over the summer, the gallery will officially open with a diverse program of events. The inaugural exhibition will be an installation and facade by Zurich artist Maja Huerst on 12 September.

Supporting Young Artists

Galerie SOON is seen as a place to discover new artists and it guides collectors for the long-term. Schmid emphasizes: «We still want to take risks and discover new talent as we get older.» He adds: «For a long time, we were the young wild ones in the gallery scene and we would like to keep that image even as we continue to develop.»

The upcoming exhibitions will include works by Flora Mottini, Pietro Terezzini, and Lola Dupre. The gallery will also be participating «Art Salon Zurich» fair.

More information on the gallery is available at the following link and for Off-Space 6 1/2 please go here.