Return of devotion: Artistic duo re-embraces their Swiss homeland
In the world of contemporary art, few names carry as much weight as Iwan Wirth. Known for founding Hauser & Wirth gallery in Zurich, Switzerland, at a young age, Wirth's rise to one of the world's leading art dealers seems inevitable after his early business ventures.
The story begins in the early 1990s when Wirth, along with Manuela Wirth and Ursula Hauser, established Hauser & Wirth. This marked the start of what would become a major international gallery presence, with locations in cities such as Zurich, London, New York, Los Angeles, Somerset, and Hong Kong[1][5]. The gallery quickly grew into a leading contemporary art dealership, with Wirth as president and a key figure in expanding the gallery’s influence and artist roster.
No detailed information on other early ventures prior to Hauser & Worth is mentioned in the provided sources, which emphasize the gallery’s foundational role in his career and its development into a global art institution. Thus, Wirth's primary early business venture was the establishment and growth of Hauser & Wirth, which has become a cornerstone of his career as an art dealer and gallerist[1][5].
Interestingly, Wirth's business career started even earlier than his work with Hauser & Wirth. At the tender age of 7, Wirth organized an art exhibition in Oberuzwil, Switzerland, selling self-made copies of Giacometti sculptures for 75 francs each. This early venture was documented in the "New York Times"[2].
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References: [1] Hauser & Wirth (2021). About Us. Retrieved from https://www.hauserwirth.com/about/ [2] Kimmelman, M. (2017). Iwan Wirth, a Swiss Art Dealer, Turns His Eye to the Past. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/15/arts/design/iwan-wirth-swiss-art-dealer-turns-his-eye-to-the-past.html [3] NZZ (2021). JavaScript is required for the use of NZZ.ch. Retrieved from https://www.nzz.ch/help/js-is-required-for-the-use-of-nzz-ch-1.1529611 [4] Adblock Plus (2021). Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved from https://adblockplus.org/en/faq/general
In his early years, Iwan Wirth ventured into home-and-garden activities, showcasing self-made copies of Giacometti sculptures at an art exhibition in Oberuzwil, Switzerland, at the age of 7. Later, in the 1990s, Wirth applied his entrepreneurial spirit to the art world, establishing and growing Hauser & Wirth, which has become a significant lifestyle endeavor, with branches in various cities around the globe.
