Artists Take Control with Art Barter
Art Barter is an art auction with a difference, where you can trade 30 hours of French lessons for a Tracy Emin drawing.
For people who long to own a piece of art but baulk at the price tags, here is an art auction with a difference. Put your purses away, because money is not the currency of choice. Instead, Art Barter revamps an age-old concept to urge the public to consider what they would be prepared to part with to own an artwork. It could be a possession, a skill, a service – anything goes. Famously, a Tracey Emin cat drawing was bartered in London for 30 hours of French lessons.
Artworks are unattributed to encourage people to pick pieces that they love, rather than get side-tracked by artist names and reputation. The artists themselves decide who wins, giving them back some control, whilst encouraging interaction. Suddenly, by cutting out the money-grabbing middlemen, it becomes all about the art.
Launched in 2009 by Alix Janta and Lauren Jones, Art Barter has had successful shows in London and Berlin. Unattributed paintings by artists such as Tim Barber, Poppy de Villeneuve and Charlotte Kidd were on display daily at NP Contemporary Art Centre this month, where the artists assessed offers.
There are no plans for an auction in Sydney just yet, but they are creeping closer with plans to hit Tokyo next year.
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