Originally founded in Cologne in 1990, Galerie Christian Nagel has consistently been highly attuned to the movements of the art world. Their premiere exhibition in their Cologne space was the first solo show of Cosima von Bonin, whose career has since developed significantly. With an investment in art with more social and political implications, the gallery has shown such renowned artists as Christian Philipp Müller, Andrea Fraser, Mark Dion, Kai Althoff, Martha Rosler and many others.

The gallery actively tries to challenge itself by inviting younger artists to exhibit and including works in diverse media. While still maintaining their Cologne space, Galerie Christian Nagel opened a second location in 2002 in the heart of Berlin, where they continue to explore themes of ethics and aesthetics, context and content, and the political and problematic.