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Galerie & Edition Marlene Frei
Zwinglistrasse 36 (Hof)
CH-8004 Zürich

Phone: +41 (0)44 291 20 43
Fax: +41 (0)44 291 20 62

E-mail: marlenefrei [ ait ] bluewin.ch
www.marlenefrei.com

Gallery hours: Wed. - Fri. 2 - 6 p.m., Sat. 1 - 4 p.m.
Location and travel links
Map: www.mapsearch.ch

SBB (Swiss Railway): www.sbb.ch

ZVV (Public transport Zurich): www.zvv.ch
Gallery Program
Since the foundation of Gallery Marlene Frei in 1985, the core of its activity has been close and long-term cooperation with Swiss and international contemporary artists. They may be seeking an independent outlet in various fields: fine art or music or literature. Our main aim is to further their careers by dealing in and placing their work. The Gallery is constantly hosting solo exhibitions, releasing publications and staging events. Another activity is arranging exhibitions in museums. Through all this we try to promote our artists' works and position them in the art trade.

Dieter Roth and his entourage (many of our artists were longstanding friends of his), fluxus and happening, and also drawing as the most direct means of expression, have played a central role in our Gallery's program since its inception.

At exhibitions on themes such as «Art & Music», held with the Geneva-based Gallery Anton Meier, we introduce our artists' works to the dialogue with the older generation of artists, who hold positions of similar content.

Our artists carry out research in various fields. They are critically engaged with perception, with the minor and major issues of our age, and also with art-related questions and with their own position in society. Each, in his or her work, seeks to probe frontiers, to move them forward and make new discoveries.

We are sole agents for the artists on our program, at least in Switzerland. For some artists we hold international exclusivity.

As Chair of the association «Die Zürcher Galerien», I try to enhance the public image of galleries and to convey what makes their work unique and special.

Marlene Frei
A Brief History of Marlene Frei Gallery and Publishing House
1985 – 1991
Founded in 1985 with the name Artist Books, Galerie + Edition Marlene Frei, Schaffhauserstrasse, Zurich.
Solo exhibitions featuring Tom Wasmuth, Dieter Roth, Ugo Rondinone, Emmett Williams and many others.
Exhibitions on themes such as «On board: Karl Valentin and sharers of his genre» and «Armin Hundertmark, publishers, of Cologne» with editions of the works of fluxus artists and actionists.
For around three years from 1986: sole agent for Dieter Roth, plus staging of external exhibitions of his work at the Holderbank (1987, with catalogue) and at the Centre Regional d'Art Contemporain in Toulouse (1987, with catalogue).
1990: move to Dienerstrasse 21, Zurich. Gallery program continues.
14 publications released: books, catalogues, multiples and graphic charts.
1991 – 1996
Marlene Frei managed the Gallery Raymond Bollag 1 + 2 in Zurich.
Gallery 1, Scheuchzerstrasse: exhibitions with Maria Lassnig, Felix Droese, Eugène Leroy, Norbert Prangenberg, Klaus Kumrow, Ilse Weber and others.
Gallery 2, Dienerstrasse: continuation of Gallery Marlene Frei program plus exhibitions e.g. Richard Hamilton.
Galleries 1 + 2: «Drawings set benchmarks: 44 Documenta IX artists» (works on paper).
1996 –
1996 Refoundation of Galerie & Edition Marlene Frei at Zwinglistrasse 36, Zurich.
Staging of over 100 exhibitions and release of over 100 publications.
Sole agency for artists, and cooperation with museums and other institutions.
Advice to collectors, especially on the oeuvre of Dieter Roth.
Handling of a major inheritance from a private collection with works by André Thomkins.
1998 Opening of Galerie Marlene Frei 2 on the same premises at Zwinglistrasse 36.
Member of the Swiss Galleries Association (VSG).
With Luigi Kurmann, of Galerie Mai 36 in Zurich, Marlene Frei has co-chaired the association DZG «Die Zürcher Galerien» (the Galleries of Zurich) since its foundation in 2001.
Trade Fairs
1989 Art Frankfurt: Suzanne Baumann, solo exhibition.
1990 Art Frankfurt: gallery program.
1997 art forum berlin: publishing program.
1998 art forum berlin: Emmett Williams, solo exhibition and new publication (14 videos).
1999 art forum berlin: Nanne Meyer, solo exhibition and a new book «Stadt Land Luft» (City Country Air).
2000 Kunst 2000 Zurich: Emmett Williams, solo exhibition.
2001 art forum berlin: Suse Wiegand and Andreas Züst.