"A collection can grow and change with the times and, above all, always be the occasion and starting point for new interpretations."

Elisabeth Wittkowski (born 1998) wins Young Collectors' Prize 2022 for Elton John Collection: "Self-Representation and Reception 1970-72".

On 21 February 2022, during this year's Stuttgart Rare Book Fair, Ms Elisabeth Wittkowski will receive the first prize of the 2022 Young Collector's Award with an endowment of EUR1000 by the German Antiquarian Booksellers' Association.

The interest in developing and curating a collection, but also the enjoyment of the objects and collection areas, transcends generations. This year, the German Antiquarian Booksellers' Association has announced the prize for young collectors for a second time. The applicants, no older than 35, were asked to give an overview of their collection but also to describe their motives.

The jury chose Elisabeth Wittkowski's creative and convincing work on "Self-Representation and Reception" of Elton John in the early 1970s from among the diverse entries. On the one hand, the artist fascinates in his constant development, but the collection often shows another person behind the generally visible stage persona. Authentic representation versus media distortions of reality but also the multimedia nature of Elton John's reception reflect both the collecting theme and everyday cultural processes of the early 1970s.

"And they do collect! This, or similar, is how one might paraphrase a well-known quote. The applications for the 2022 Young Collector's Award, which is being offered for the second time, have shown that the hunt for books, as objects of desire, is unbroken and age-independent. Only the search, the possibilities of acquisition and the contents of the collectibles differ and often have a stronger connection to the present. It is always a pleasure to be able to experience and feel the enthusiasm of young people for printed matter in any form." Sibylle Wieduwilt, Chairwoman of the German Antiquarian Booksellers' Association and member of the jury.

About Elisabeth Wittkowski

Elisabeth Wittkowski (born 1998), who lives in Castrop-Rauxel and is a student of German and Catholic theology at the Ruhr University in Bochum, discovered an interest in collecting and the materiality of objects at the age of 15 and writes in her application:

"Elton John as a subject of contemporary history is still unexplored except for a few popular science monographs, unlike, for example, the Beatles or David Bowie. Developing a differentiated picture of his career and reception is therefore only possible through primary sources. The amount of material that popular culture has produced can hardly be captured in its entirety. Collectors can therefore explore and record many sub-areas and niches and in doing so preserve contemporary historical documents and make connections visible. ... A collection can grow and change with its time and, above all, always be the occasion and starting point for new interpretations."

All images below were supplied by E. Wittkowski.

The Stuttgart Rare Book Fair runs 18 - 22 February 2022
Link to virtual fair: VIRTUAL STUTTGART RARE BOOK FAIR 2022

As a result of the COVID pandemic, the German Antiquarian Booksellers' Association (Verband Deutscher Antiquare) developed a virtual fair platform in 2021, which in 2022 will once again give rare booksellers from Germany and abroad the opportunity to present their stock while in-person fairs and events are not yet allowed in Germany.

In 2022, the German Antiquarian Booksellers' Association welcomes 73 antiquarian bookshops and galleries from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the Netherlands, France, England and the US.

All exhibitors are listed here.

Stuttgart Fair Catalogue

The Stuttgart fair catalogue is now published and can be ordered by email from the Association's office.
An electronic version is available FOR DOWNLOAD HERE

Virtual Stuttgart Rare Book Fair 2022 opens 18 February at 12 noon German time

The virtual Stuttgart Rare Book Fair 2022 will go live on 18 February 2022 at 12 noon German time and closes on 22 February 2022 at midnight.
73 German and international antiquarian booksellers and galleries will exhibit up to 20 additional objects each. The virtual fair does not handle direct sales; sales are made directly through the dealer.
You can reach the virtual fair via ff. link: VIRTUAL STUTTGART RARE BOOK FAIR 2022