BERNHARD KNAUS FINE ART was founded in 1996 by Bernhard Knaus and initially focused on publishing
photo, video and graphic editions of contemporary international artists.

The first gallery spaces were opened in October 2001 in Mannheim. Six years later witnessed the opening of
our new gallery on Niddastrasse 84 in Frankfurt, just a stonethrow away from the central train station. The gallery
currently represents 12 artists domestically and abroad and curates six exhibitions annually in the 310 sqm space.

Since the beginning we have placed special emphasis on the continuous and long-term support and promotion
of the artists we represent. We regularly publish our own books as well as working together with external publishing
houses. Additionally, we cooperate with museums and other non-commercial institutions across the world, as we 
lend works from our collection to various exhibitions projects. A close collaboration with a network of international
galleries allows us to offer works from a wide range of modern and contemporary artists.  

Initially our concept centred on exploring photography as an artistic medium. In the last couple of years we have
expanded our focal point to include varying painterly stances, spanning from abstract to representational.
Thematically we aim to shed light on fundamental questions regarding human perception. We are particularly
interested in artists who reflect within their works issues concerning experiences and perceptions of our time.

From February 2010 on, Luigi Kurmann is partner and artistic director at Bernhard Knaus Fine Art.

Luigi Kurmann was assistant of Jean-Christophe Amman at Kunstmuseum Luzern and Kunsthalle Basel.

In 1978 he founded the "Raum für Aktuelle Schweizer Kunst" in Luzern, which he directed until 1986. Between 1988
and 2008 he was artistic director at Mai 36 Galerie, Zurich. Very early on, Kurmann concentrated on artists that worked
with new media and founded the Video Festival VIPER, where he was president until 2007. Since 2000 Kurmann is
the President of the Swiss Gallery Association.