"Revolutionized" the art fair business and made Art Basel, with a new strategy and concept, the world event of the international art market by, for the first time in the art market / art fair history,

• transforming the fair from a neutral space-renting platform to an active, self-reliant and competitive actor - and brand! - of the art market,
  • including active acquisition of the best and most interesting galleries worldwide;
• developing the fair from a traditional trade show to a top art event, introducing new platforms and formats like
  • "Art Statements" with one-man-shows by emerging artists (the stage of the potential stars of tomorrow … first edition 1995 with William Kentridge, Ernesto Neto, Ugo Rondinone, Kara Walker, Jorge Pardo, etc.);
  • "Art Unlimited" with big special projects (the stage of museum-like installations … first edition 1999 with Richard Serra, Pipilotti Rist, Franz West, Chen Zhen, Kiki Smith, Wang Du, Angela Bullock, Karin Sander, etc.);
• making the fair a quality label with a consequent yearly selection of all exhibitors;
• making the fair a top social event, giving special attention to the collectors and creating for them exclusive treatments and programs,
  • including VIP invitations / cards, VIP lounge, VIP events, VIP concierge services, etc.;
• making the fair a successful commercial and cross-border business, creating and introducing strategic partnerships with other industries,
  • including UBS (convinced bank to change its traditional sponsoring and to develop together a new format of a strategic partnership);
• making the fair a global player: global strategy / expansion with the creation and launch of Art Basel Miami Beach.

Called to the world event of the global publishing industry - it was at the time probably the worldwide biggest cultural event with over 7’000 exhibitors from more than 120 countries and over 11’000 accredited journalists -, he

• organized (German) book events and presentations all over the world;
• realized big and spectacular guest presentations - in cooperation with the governments of the countries - with Poland, Greece, Lithuania and Russia;
• initiated a unique dialogue with China - direct discussions with China’s minister of culture at the time - regarding a historical special presentation of China, incl. the literature from Taiwan as well as from the Chinese diaspora;
• initiated the development from a traditional book fair to a forward-looking communication event.

Created and realized the first top contemporary art fair of worldwide recognition in Asia, which

• had a clear Asian identity
  • with the best and most interesting galleries (and artists) from the whole of Asia,
  • with museum-like special projects by Fang Lijun, Gu Dexin, Zhan Wang, Huang Yong Ping, Chen Zhen, Ai Weiwei, Rikrit Tirawanija, Chatchai Puipia, Agus Suwage, Subodh Gupta, Jitish Kallat, NS Harsha, etc. … and Wim Delvoye (tattooed pigs farm);
• was the important bridge between the Chinese / Asian and the Western art world, bringing together (leading) artists, galleries, collectors and curators from both sides, creating the necessary juxtaposition, cross-over and exchange between the two hemispheres;
• was a crucial catalyst and booster for the Chinese and the Asian art market.

Created and realized Southeast Asia’s first internationally competitive and recognized art fair and

• gave special importance to the region’s self-contained national art scenes, connected them, boosted the exchange between them,
  • consequence: emergence of a new Southeast Asian awareness / understanding;
• made it the main catalyst of Southeast Asia’s art scene(s),
  • consequence: new professional galleries, museums, private / corporate collections, art fairs, etc. emerged all over the region;
• made it Southeast Asia’s flagship, opening for its artists, galleries, collectors and curators the door to the international art world / art market;
  • consequence: important international museums as well as collectors started to collect Southeast Asian art;
• made it an international brand attracting collectors, galleries, artists, curators and media from all parts of the world;
• created and curated "Collectors’ Stage", a never seen before blockbuster exhibition, presenting iconic masterpieces of Asian contemporary art (2011, Singapore Art Museum),

  (▷ video)

  • background: all works provided by leading (Asian) private collectors (due to the lack of public museums in Asia all important pieces are in private hands);
• created and realized together with the leading Indonesian artists the "Indonesian Pavilion", a much-debated curated sales exhibition which became, for many artists, the catapult for an international career (2013, with the participation of 36 artists);
  • background: artists asked for support because their local galleries had not the structure, experience (or interest) to show and promote them internationally;

    (▷ video)

• created and realized the "Southeast Asia Forum", a new trendsetting platform emphasizing the balance between art, content and commerce, positioning contemporary art in a broader context showcasing its significant place in the development of modern society and introducing the artist as an important seismograph of our time;
  • format: combination / juxtaposition of a curated exhibition with significant art projects from Southeast Asia and a public discussion forum with leading international experts and opinion leaders of different backgrounds (culture, science, politics, etc.), both referring to one and the same globally relevant topic:
  • 2016: "Urbanization: Sensing the City – Art in the Urban Age"

    (▷ video: Introduction / Lorenzo Rudolf)

    (▷ video: Creative Cities / Lorenzo Rudolf with Andy C.Pratt & Tim Renner)

    (▷ video: Rem Koolhaas)

  • 2017: "Net Present Value: Art, Capital, Futures"

    (▷ video: Art & Money - A Dangerous Liaison? / Lorenzo Rudolf with Alain Servais & Franz Schultheis)

    (▷ video: The Future of Art & Money / Max Haiven & Suhail Malik)

  • 2018: "Art Meets Design: Cultural Trend or Fashionable Lifestyle"
• launched with ART STAGE JAKARTA a vibrant branch in Indonesia (2016) and
  • connected one of Asia’s biggest but also most self-contained art scenes and markets to the international art world / art market;
  • curated and realized, inter alia, "Affandi – The Human Face", an art historically important exhibition paying tribute to Indonesia’s big Modern Master (with masterpieces from private collections).

    (▷ video)

Internationally active as sought after expert and opinion leader

(▷ video: Lorenzo Rudolf about the Southeast Asian and the global art world / art market)

(▷ Interview: Lorenzo Rudolf about the Southeast Asian art world / art market in the Asian context)

(▷ video: Art World - Quo Vadis? / Lorenzo Rudolf & Simon de Pury)

(▷ video: Collectors Talk / Lorenzo Rudolf with Micky & Serge Tiroche)