Stellungnahme Pierre Huber

Informationsdienst KUNST, Nr. 395, 2008-02-07

Kurz nach Erscheinen des Artikels Im Jahr der Ratte erreichte die Redaktion eine Stellungnahme von Pierre Huber:

„TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

Pierre HUBER is the founder of SH CONTEMPORARY 2007.

Both the professionals and the public greeted this artistic event as one of the most important - if not the most important – in Asia ; the Fair was a tremendous success.

Pierre HUBER decided to devote himself and put all his energy into this project. When it became clear to him that his Italian partner, BOLOGNA FIERE (BF), were delaying the negotiations that would have led to the organisation of the event, Pierre HUBER agreed to postpone the finalisation of their agreements until after the event, in order not to prejudice the SH CONTEMPORARY 2007 or even worse, put the whole project at risk. Pierre HUBER therefore formally accepted from his partners and organisers, the BOLOGNA FIERE Company, then BF CHINA FAIRS Srl (of the BOLOGNA FIERE GROUP) the decision that the agreements which had been reached between them would be finalized after the first edition of September 2007.

These agreements were not only based on trust: they were also clearly established and accepted.

However, for reasons they declined to explain even though they had been invited to do so, BF withdrew their agreement and, whilst secretly negotiating with M. Lorenzo RUDOLF, decided not to cooperate further with Pierre HUBER and to suspend him from his duties as Curator and Artistic Director.

Chronologically, this suspension occurred just after a defamatory campaign was launched by one of Pierre HUBER’s competitors, Enrico NAVARRA.

Through his lawyers, Pierre HUBER informed BF that they could no longer use the SH CONTEMPORARY concept ; they were summoned to allow neither the professional world of contemporary art, nor indeed the public, to believe that Pierre HUBER would still participate in any event with BF.

By its attitude, BF has exposed itself to an arbitration procedure which will be launched soon. Under these circumstances nobody can predict whether or not, depending on what the arbitrators or judges will decide, BF will be in a position to organize – or not – this event for 2008.

In either case, any statement or information from BF, or their affiliates, according to which Pierre HUBER would remain associated with the project and/or would continue to cooperate with BF would therefore not only be contrary to the truth but would also be contrary to the specific summons duly made to BF.

Pierre HUBER will shortly prepare a communication concerning his future professional projects.

Pierre HUBER
5th February 2008
St-Luc, Switzerland“