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When I rent my masterpiece

Arts & Culture

30/07/2003When I rent my masterpiece

Catriona Lyons explains how you can enjoy contemporary art without the price tag.

Ever hankered after a Picasso or Warhol but never quite scraped together the million or so required? Then the German art lending institution Artothek may be the answer. For DM 1 per piece – an insurance fee - you can borrow up to three contemporary artworks by both German and international artists for three months. The state-funded service is available to anyone with an Ausweis, and there is no membership fee. With roughly 140 bodies throughout Germany in cities such as Munich, Bonn, Dusseldorf and Erfurt, Artotheks were established to promote contemporary art and give the general public access to work they might otherwise shy away from. According to Dr Tolnay, the director of the Neuer Berliner Kunstverein, which runs Berlin’s 30-year old Artothek in Mitte, the service functions like a normal library, except it is original artwork rather than books that are on loan. “People can choose from etchings, original drawings, artist’s prints, oil paintings and sculptures,” said Dr Tolnay. “We want to get people accustomed to living with original pieces of art. If they can’t afford to buy it, are not use to contemporary art or want to change every year, then they can borrow a piece for three months and try it out. “Our first priority is education. We want people to learn to live with contemporary art pieces in their homes.” Berlin’s Artothek owns around 3,300 works, which include local artists as well as major names such as Lichtenstein, Dali, Warhol, Beckmann and Picasso. Artothek also aims to support and promote contemporary artists, such as Berlin-based Andreas Schmidt. Schmidt, whose work ranges from drawings, prints and photography to space-related installations, had two pieces purchased by the Berlin Artothek when its committee met in October.

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