|
|
SHORT BACKGROUND INFORMATION
"Usually you start with art criticism somewhen somehow."
("Mit Kunstkritik fängt man meist irgendwann irgendwie an." Blase, Christoph: Einleitung zur Suche nach einer neuen Kunstkritik. In: Schafhausen, Nicolaus: Neue Kunstkritik. New York: Lukas & Steinberg 2001 S.22)
THE KUNSTWERFT
The Kunstwerft was founded 2004 as an operating base and studio for artists of different media. Especially the “Werftgalerie” became well-known with the installation of the first art-flap (“Kunstklappe”) in the public space of Cologne and Vienna, where art robbers can dispose of their stolen art-pieces anonymously. Various exhibition openings took place in the own Artist-Run-Space and invitations from various institutions (Essl Collection, Kunstraum 21 Köln, Cologne Fine Arts, etc) followed.
See www.werftgalerie.at (Fine Arts Projects) oder www.kunstwerft.at
THE BASIS WIEN
basis wien, responsible for the media-observation in this project, is a documentation centre, archive and the most extensive database on contemporary art in and from Austria in national as well as international context. Materials on art production, presentation and reception are compiled in analogue and digital form and made accessible as an online database.
See www.basis-wien.at
AIMS OF THE ACA
The biennial prize for art criticism schould become established in the Austrian art scene. The reputation linked to receiving the ACA shall rise due to its well-founded review and the transparent procedere.The Art Critics Award serves as a stimulation for the Austrian art criticism.
In addition to the Senior Art Critics Award for a professional art critic, the Junior Art Critics Award offers a unique possibility for emerging critics. They get paid for four reviews, that will be published in four different art magazines, and collect their first experiences in dealing with editorial offices.
For the introduction of the Senior Art Critics Award the media observation replaces the usual application procedere to define the actual status quo of Austrian art criticism. Like critics visit publicly accessible exhibition spaces, here the artists judge published reviews.
RELATIONSHIP ART - CRITICISM
"As everybody knows there is no institutionalized entrance examination, that would decide, if somebody can call himself art critic or not. The writing of a text and its appearance at the right places makes him what he is, like exhibitions make artists" ("Bekanntermaßen gibt es kein institutionelles Zulassungssystem, welches darüber entscheiden würde, ob sich jemand Kunstkritiker nennen darf oder nicht. Das Verfassen von Texten und deren Erscheinen an den richtigen Orten macht ihn zu dem, was er ist, ähnlich wie Ausstellungen zu Künstlern machen." Vgl. Graw, Isabelle: Nur für Kenner. Wie wird man Kunstkritiker? In: Graw, Isabelle: Silberblick. Texte zur Kunst und Politik. Berlin: ID Verlag 1999 S. 87-89)
On the one hand critics are commonly thought to be in a powerful position inside the art system, holding on careers and sales figures. On the other hand the market seems to be little interested in their knowledge and critics themselves assess their influence rather low.
Often artists write reviews for art magazines, or curators sometimes work as critics, as collectors curate exhibitions. The classical role models, if they ever had existed, cease to ve valid today. Nevertheless independent writers draw a dividing line between themselves and the institutionalized cultural journalism. Also the economic situation seems to be very difficult for free critics.
The reversal of roles is important for the concept of the Art Critics Award. Here artists review the critics. The invitation to the competition is part of an artistic work und itself an object for criticism.
IDEA AND CONCEPT
Moussa Kone works in his drawings on the relationship between art and theory or art production and reception. This occupation and the fact, that young artists are always confronted with various competitions, lead to the development of this concept. See www.moussakone.com
|
|