Lost in an Oasis of Art

Last summer, I was walking down a street in Munich’s Schwabing district, following an itinerary of the city’s Art Nouveau buildings when my eye was caught by a hanging sign on Hohenzollernstrasse. Since the sign bore a strong affinity to my subject, I crossed the street to make a picture.

Under the sign, I found a passageway to the building’s rear courtyard, lined with mirrors and pictures, and signs indicating that there were more within, including in a 300 square meter basement. No choice but to follow on, right?

Yes, that’s me in the picture above. Continuing on into the courtyard, even more. And then even more. And more.

All of this, I learned, except for a fussball table that I didn’t see, is for sale or trade or free to admire. I didn’t venture into the basement; the ground-level experience was overwhelming enough.

It didn’t, it turns out, start out to be what it has become. In 1984, an artist, Manfred Wambsganss, opened a gallery to exhibit his own artwork and that of friends; to make the space a bit more pleasant, he added some antiques, some carpets, some this and that.

Eventually, it became clear that there was a serious market, or at least a market, for the odds and ends, antiques and objects, this and that, that clearly outweighed the market for the artist’s own work; today, after 40 years, it is what you see. Other than Kunst Oase, an Art Oasis, I can’t think what to call it.