SALZBURG, AUSTRIA.- The first Salzburg World Fine art Fair (SWFAF), will be held in Salzburg during the Salzburg Festival from the 27th of July until the 4th of August, 2007.The world leading Antique Traders, Jewellers and Art Galleries are invited to display their treasures in the typically baroque palace of the Residenz zu Salzburg.

For the first time, the Salzburg World Fine Art Fair (SWFAF) will be held in the baroque rooms including the famous Carabinieri Saal of the “Residenz”. The SWFAF will certainly reach an outstanding and international resonance, due to the conjunction of both the exclusive exhibition venue and the perfect timing with the Salzburg Festival. The festival was launched in 1920 by Richard Strauss, Max Reinhardt and Hugo von Hoffmanstahl drawing opera and music lovers from all over the world each Summer.

The exhibitors participating in this first edition of the Salzburg World Fine Art Fair, taking place in the magnificent rooms of the Residenz zu Salzburg, will display top quality pieces of fine art and antiques, jewellery and contemporary installations. The “Residenz”, a noble town residence built under the Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau and finished under Archbishops Paris Lodron and Guidobald Graf Thun from 1595 to 1619 in the heart of the historical city of Salzburg, birthplace of Amadeus Mozart, is without doubt the perfect venue for such displays. Yves Bouvier, President of the well known art shipping company, Natural Le Coultre, founded the more recent ArtCultureStudio to launch and manage art exhibitions such as the Moscow World Fine Art Fair taking place for the fourth consecutive year in 2007. Due to the pressing demand of the finest art and antique dealers and the heart warming support of the Salzburg authorities, Yves Bouvier together with Bruce Lamarche, decided to create a second no less prestigious event i.e. the Salzburg World Fine Art Fair, during the opening week of the festival. Hence, ArtCultureStudio also benefits from the valuable support of the Friends of the Festival Association for this exciting project. Approximately fifty of the most renowned Jewellers, Art Galleries and Antique Dealers will exhibit their most exclusive treasures at the Salzburg World Fine Art Fair.

The range of works will reach from the classical antiques to the most modern expressions of contemporary art. Collectors and visitors will be given the opportunity to discover unique pieces of ancient, tribal, modern and contemporary art as well as the world’s finest jewellery creations. A committee of leading art experts will be available during the whole fair to assist buyers and curious visitors. In order to produce a top ranking fair, ArtCultureStudio not only carefully picked the best possible venue, but also the timing. The Salzburg World Fine Art Fair’s objective is to offer a perfect match between art and music. In harmonious synergy with the quality of the art and music, both events will attract international art and music lovers alike. Exhibitors will be given the opportunity to set up their stand in a specially devised concept, in total synergy with the surrounding space, signed by Patrick Hourcade whose work can be enjoyed in Moscow as well as many locations in Paris. The historically important “Residenz” offers within its walls the ideal venue for the fair. Each hall, in its own right, deserves a full description. The two following examples best demonstrate the importance and beauty of the “Residenz”. § The Audienzsaal is the hall in which Mozart, at the age of 6, gave a concert in front of the assembled court of the Archbishop Schrattenbach. A few years later, on the 12th of December 1775, Mozart played in the same hall the famous KV 219 violin concerto under the breathtaking ceilings painted by Martino Altomonte.The painting show the battle of Granykos fought by Alexander the Great.

The Carabinieri Hall was built under the guidance of Archbishop Wolf Dietrich. The splendid ceilings painted by J. M. Rottmayr represent nature’s four elements. Neptune standing in a shell shaped boat represents water; a hunting scene of the mythological boar Calydon pursued by Atalante and Meleas depicts the Earth; Hephaïstos and Venus crossing the air in a chariot represent Fire and wind blowing from the four cardinal points symbolises the Air.What could be more appropriate than to show art works in an exceptional architectural environment such as this building a bridge between the past and the present? ACS is happy and proud to present the first Salzburg World Fine Art Fair. Please do not hesitate to contact us for additional information and last but not least do not forget to enter this historical date in your “must do” calendar!