Carte blanche as a means of survival?
ARTinvestment.RU   20 июня 2008

Leipzig Museum Galerie für Zeitgenössische Kunst launched an unusual project: in 2008 and 2009 the majority of exhibitions will be in charge of the owners of private collections of art and art-dealers

British Newspaper The Art Newspaper recently published two articles about the> Carte Blanche <- the new Museum of Contemporary Art Leipzig (Galerie für Zeitgenössische Kunst Leipzig). The museum said that in 2008 and 2009 there will be exhibitions, organized by private collectors and art dealers. The novelty is that the museum gives the owners of collections and commercial organizations (in this case, galleries and companies, with corporate collections of contemporary art) complete freedom in selecting works for exhibitions and how they display. In other words, in this and next year it is a private person and the organization will decide what and how to exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art.

To participate in the museum invited a corporation active in the global market, the two medium-sized company and one small, a few collectors of contemporary art and two galleries - Dogenhaus and Eigen + Art. They will provide full financial support for exhibitions, but this museum will give them an opportunity to dispose of its facilities at its own discretion.

collections and gallery owners can not only be invited to participate in exhibitions of established Leipzig museum curators, but also apply to third-party experts. Concept of the exhibition is also for them. Thus, the publishing house decided to use the Leipziger Verlags «carte blanche», to acquaint visitors with its extensive collection, which includes many of the relevant German artists. A collector of Leon Yanusek going to hold solo exhibitions of artists, whom he supports (and, incidentally, this idea is close to many gallery owners). Through exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art collectors and dealers will be able to raise the prestige of their collections, as well as make good advertising to their proteges, works which certainly will increase in value.

museum director Barbara Steiner said that the> Carte Blanche artinvestment.ru wrote that at the last fair ArtBasel bought many works for the to enable them to exhibit their own museums. state museums raise the alarm: Barbara Steiner notes that in the future, the majority of the public will prefer them to private museums. Especially, it should be assumed, be afraid, for the lovers of contemporary art, which prefers to see in the works above all a provocation. Museums, functioning at the expense of taxpayers, all the same can not afford to exhibit very much scandalous works, as private museums «separate hands». Moreover, if the state institutions and collectors in this way «; that way», then the possibility of a dialogue about the fact that you can stand, but that can not come to naught.

Not all agree with the view expressed by Steiner. Chris Derkon, Director, Haus der Kunst in Munich, said that projects such as> Carte Blanche <- this is «something that should never be allowed to museums that exist in public money». He adds that the main danger of the project is that it represents another step toward «commercialization» Art. That is, non-profit museum covers the black wing of the market. According to Mr. Derkona, many collectors consider the works of art solely as a luxury, paying attention only to their market value and ignoring the artistic value.

Most of the German directors of the museums also disagrees with Barbara Steiner. Sean Reynberd, director Staatsgalerie in Stuttgart, calls the project «interesting», but does not want his museum was something like that. According to him, if museums are not carefully monitor what works and what purpose will stand collectors, then soon they will turn into a traditional area. Director of museums in Dresden, Martin Roth observes that if the museum has undertaken such a project, then he needs to ensure that the exhibition, organized by the owners of collections and art dealers, did not have as its main objective the commercial benefits.

What people think the representatives of «private» about this? The owner of the gallery Dogenhaus Jochen Hampel calls its participation in the> Carte Blanche <«charity», noting that the exhibition in GzFK «spent twice as much money and effort than to participate in the Fair of Contemporary Art», - he said. After receiving an invitation to become part of the project, Hampel, he said, was very surprised. «Strange that they decided to give up any control. It is a bit risky ».

Disputes disputes, and many have long been confident that the museums are already under the influence of private traders. As they say in the American press, often collectors, many of whom are members of the museum, has a decisive voice in the selection of works for a given exposure.

Julia Maksimova

Source: artnewspaper.com , artinvestment.ru