The North German Realists ( Norddeutsche Realisten )  at the Robbe & Berking Sterling Cup

Artworks of the „North German Realists” (www.norddeutscherealisten.de ) are highly sought after. Since 1989 this group of artists has met once a year at much-noticed common plein air painting symposia in different locations. While New Zealand and the USA are still in the final competition for the 2017 America’s Cup in Bermuda, the artists are setting out to the Flensburg Fjord which has become a mecca of the big 12 mR yachts over the last 20 years through the silver and yacht manufacturer Robbe & Berking. These elegant yachts were sailed from 1959 to 1987 around this oldest sports trophy in the world. From June 29 to July 2, 2017 they compete for the „Robbe & Berking 12mR European Championship” on the Flensburg Fjord.

Eleven yachts will follow the invitation of Robbe & Berking and thus a fleet that has rarely existed in one place in the over 100-year history of the class. The number of arriving yacht photographers speaks volumes. It will be a challenge with paintbrush and canvas for Nikolaus Störtenbecker, the initiator of the group, and his colleagues Andre Krigar, Margreet Boonstra, Frank Suplie, Tobias Duwe, Erhard Göttlicher, Frauke Gloyer, Meike Lipp and Corinna Weiner. „No motif repeats itself at a regatta, everything is permanently in motion, they paint from different boats and in every weather,” says Oliver Berking. „A spectacle that we all look forward to for a long time.”

The resulting pictures will be shown in a large sales exhibition from July 21 in the newly opened „Robbe & Berking Yachting Heritage Center”. Only a week later Berking will open the 18th International Silver Triennial there. 68 selected works of this world’s largest design contest among silversmiths will then give an additional glow to the images of the North German Realists.

Robbe & Berking Yachting Heritage Center, Am Industriehafen 5, 24937 Flensburg