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You are here: Home Leisure Arts & Culture When I rent my masterpiece

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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. He said that while he does not regularly offer work to Artothek, due primarily to time constraints, he thought the institution provided an important function for contemporary artists. “For artists, Artothek is a good chance to be seen by the broader public...they try a work and then buy something. “It’s always good for people to get accustomed to contemporary art. Artothek has a lot of different works, figurative to very abstract, which is very good and necessary.” Borrowers have turned into purchasers for Schmidt, and he has adopted a lending policy in his own studio. “I lend pieces of mine to people who come to my studio and say ‘Ah, that’s a very nice piece, but I don’t know if I want to buy it.’ After a time, they buy it. People have to become accustomed to contemporary art.” Schmidt admitted, however, that not all of his work would suit Artothek. “I look at Artothek for something I do which might be interesting for the general public like prints or engravings. These sorts of things work very well but other things I do I know wouldn’t be chosen.” Schmidt praised Artothek’s collection, saying it represented very diverse styles. “There are all kinds of works and it’s always different when you come.” Over 100 artists submitted work when Berlin’s Artothek met recently to buy new pieces. Those chosen will be available in mid-December, with colour photography popular. “Artists can apply to provide three works per meeting, and we also invite people to make sure there are good applications,” said Dr Tolnay. “Artists must bring in the originals and then we choose.” The judging panel is made up of 12 people who represent the Artothek, an artists’ trade union, the Berlin Senate Department of Science, Research and Culture, Berlin museums and the general public. Dr Tolnay said discussions could be heated, but the “majority vote rules.” Berlin’s Artothek has an annual budget of DM 80,000. Dr Tolnay claimed Artothek had been very successful in Berlin with over 3000 borrowers. But he warned items on loan are not for sale. “People fall in love with pieces and want to buy them, but they can’t because the work is the property of the state. But,” he said, “we can put people in touch with the artists or the gallery from whom the work was purchased.” As long as people can show an Ausweis, Dr Tolnay said work could be borrowed on the spot. He said if people failed to find something they liked from works exhibited, they should ask to look in the catalogue, as only about one-fifth of the work available might be on display. For more information, see the following websites:


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