art-e-conomy _ reader - marko stamenkovic

ANETA SZYLAK: It is very tough financially. We are trying not to stick to any major
donors that would make decisions for us about what we are supposed to do there.
We operate in different networks. In the future we will have our own sources of
income, so that will also balance our situation a little bit. We have a pretty big space,
3500 square meters, and it will expand further. We are going to build an extension,
the building will be over 5200 square meters. We also have a collection and have
been collecting art works since the mid 90s. It is a wonderful thing to have but also
a burden in economical and organizational terms. So we are trying to develop some
projects that will give more visibility to the collection in terms of the recontextualization
and translation of those works from Poland that have a strong political overtone. We
work a lot with politically involved artists and activists. This has been the specificity
of Wyspa since the beginning, originating from the mid 80s. Working in with public
spaces, activism, and highly political art were always our major fields.
MARINA SORBELLO: The time for the presentations took longer than expected.
So I wanted to ask you if there are any questions, or any topics you would like to
discuss. Otherwise I will give word to the public.
PUBLIC: My question has to do with the commercial aspect of Eastern European
art. My question is primarily to Mr. Somlói, as a collector, but also for Mr. Podnar, as
a gallery owner. What do you refer to when you talk about the lack of private initiative
in the Eastern European context, especially in your country? And as a collector,
could you say what your main reason is for collecting? Maybe you have a particular
attitude towards the national expression of art, or maybe you receive special tax
reductions... Another question is: do the institutions have a particular relationship
with the galleries, or are they still two worlds opposite?
ZSOLT SOMLÓI: Ok, I can’t think, I can’t draw, I can’t read, I can’t write, so my art
is my collection. My motivation is very simple. In response to what you ask in general,
this story came to my mind. It was a Hungarian who invented vitamin C. His name
is Alber Szent-Györgyi. He was a very clever chemist. Once he was asked to give an
interview about how he invented vitamin C, and the importance of different factors
in the invention it. So he said that money is just factor number 3. Number one is
creativity and innovation. Number two is the public understanding and public support
around you, those people who want you to do something good, or people who listen
to you and understand what you are doing. The number three factor is money. This
interview was given forty years ago, but I think it is still valid.
GREGOR PODNAR: I would refer to the private sector as a power system. That means
that with only one center of power, it becomes a system that is not very dynamic. So
I see all over Europe, that whenever there is a power system, it can have negative
as well as positive influences, which provides for more of a competitive structure.
So in the case of Slovenia, there were mainly two financiers and two partners for
contemporary art, including the minister of culture and the city council. I believe that
cultural politics have something to do with an individual approach. It might sound
strange if I tell it from a curatorial background, when this type of demystification or
demonization of neo-liberalism is very much at stake. So I would say that if there is
a neo-liberal system we have to enhance certain systems and improve the already
existing institutional framework. That means that if there is a private institution, such
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