KW Friends is a non-profit association in support of KW Institute for Contemporary Art and the Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art, the two organs of KUNST-WERKE BERLIN e. V. Founded in 1996, the members club has been promoting both financially and conceptually the KW and the Berlin Biennale, while profiting from their manifold program ever since. Moreover, the Friends organise their own events and help secure both institutions’ place in society through their personal and voluntary commitment. All donations, originating from the program and the membership fees, benefit in their entirety to the work of both institutions, their exhibition programme and the represented artists.
Head of Management
Philipp Lange
pl@kw-freunde.de
T +49 30 24 34 59 26
M +49 1772851137
Board
Dr. Martin Heller, Chair
Dr. Katharina Garbers-von Boehm, Vice Chair
Dr. Stefan Lorenz, Treasurer
Natalija Martinovic, Member of the Board
Philipp Grefer, Member of the Board
Emma Enderby, Director KW Institute for Contemporary Art
Axel Wieder, Director Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art
vorstand@kw-freunde.de
Address
KW Friends e. V.
Auguststraße 69
10117 Berlin
Bank account
Holder: KW Freunde e. V.
Bank: Commerzbank Berlin
IBAN: DE73100800000944668001
BIC: DRESDEFF10
Dr. Martin Heller has been associated with KW and the Berlin Biennale since the mid-1990s, formerly as a (board) member of the supporting association KUNST-WERKE BERLIN e.V., and now as an advisor to its board and the directors. His aim is to support and strengthen both institutions in their programmatic freedom and to secure their connections to the world as well as the independence of artists and curators. The KW Friends are an important element of private engagement in an open society that must be strengthened and defended—and he has been its chairman since 2019. As a lawyer with many years of experience, Martin Heller advises artists, galleries, and institutions worldwide on almost all questions relating to their artistic existence and professional and personal development—he is a consigliere to the artists.
Dr. Katharina Garbers-von Boehm sees KW and the Berlin Biennale as synonymous with a cosmopolitan, international, critical and cool Berlin. When she moved here in 1999, KW was a fascinating and mysterious place in her neighbourhood, which she gradually discovered over the years. These experiences were crucial for her interest in contemporary art. She is convinced that KW is one of the most important art venues in Berlin and appreciates that the exhibitions of KW and the Berlin Biennale always give her completely new perspectives. Katharina Garbers-von Boehm is a lawyer specialising in art law, intellectual property law and IT law. As a partner in a medium-sized law firm, she advises collectors, museums, galleries, artists, medium-sized companies, family businesses and entrepreneurial families. She is on the board of KW Friends since 2019 and, since 2024, a member of the supporting association KUNST-WERKE BERIN e.V.
Dr. Stefan Lorenz has many years of experience in the field of tax, foundation, social security and corporate law. His work focuses on providing legal and natural persons with comprehensive advice on tax and foundation law. He is also a competent contact person for questions relating to subsidies—for clients, management and the tax department. He has been a member of the KW Friends board since 2019.
Natalija Martinovic has lived and worked in Berlin for more than 20 years and has been closely following the programme of KW and the Berlin Biennale ever since. After studying art and economics in Kassel, she worked in art education, cultural administration and art dealing. Most recently, she managed the studio of artist Katharina Grosse, accompanied the founding of her Wunderblock Foundation and served as its vice chairwoman. Today, she is self-employed and works with artists and institutions on conceptual, curatorial, and strategic projects. She has been a member of the KW Friends board since 2025.
Philipp Grefer is a cultural entrepreneur, consultant, festival organiser and artist manager. He has been working at the intersection of art, music, and technology for many years. In 2018, he founded WISE – The Future Festival & Think Tank at the UCCA Centre for Contemporary Art in Beijing, which is also present in Berlin, Shanghai and at international partner events, facilitating dialogue between artists, scientists, institutions and industry. His curatorial initiatives are characterised by an open understanding of the social and technological transformations of our time. He studied Latin American Regional Studies with a focus on political science and economics in Cologne and San Diego. From 2009 to 2020, he lived in China, where he ran a music agency and continues to spend much of his time on related projects. Since 2025, he has been a member of the KW Friends board.
Axel Wieder has been Director of the Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art since 1 August 2024. From 2018 to 2024, he was Director of Bergen Kunsthall, where he was responsible for a widely acclaimed interdisciplinary programme with an international focus and local roots. Previously, Wieder was director of Index – The Swedish Contemporary Art Foundation in Stockholm and programme director at Arnolfini in Bristol. He was also responsible for the programme at Ludlow 38, Goethe-Institut in New York, and served as Artistic Director of Künstlerhaus Stuttgart. In 1999, he founded the bookshop and discourse platform Pro qm in Berlin together with Katja Reichard and Jesko Fezer. Axel Wieder studied art history and cultural studies at Humboldt University in Berlin and the University of Cologne. He has held teaching positions at the Bauhaus University in Weimar and the Zurich University of the Arts, among others, and publishes in magazines and anthologies.
Philipp Lange has been managing the KW Friends office since 2024. In addition to this role, he works as a freelance curator and writes texts for exhibitions, catalogues and art magazines. Previously, he was assistant curator at the Brücke-Museum and Schinkel Pavillon, as well as curatorial fellow of the Goethe-Institut and curator-in-residence at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris. Previously, he gained experiences in art education, communication and curation at Städel Museum, Hamburger Bahnhof, Kunstverein Hannover, Frankfurter Kunstverein and Kunsthalle Portikus. He studied art history and communication design in Berlin, Paris and Halle/Saale and completed a master’s programme in curatorial studies at the Städelschule and Goethe University Frankfurt with a thesis on the 10th Berlin Biennale.
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