Art Barter

In response to the financial crisis of 2008 Lauren Estelle Jones and Alix Janta-Polczynski created Art Barter, an alternative to the traditional art market, which would allow a democratic approach to acquiring and owning art. The first event in London in 2009 saw fifty selected artists, ranging from household names to unknown students, each submitting one artwork to a curated exhibition. A list of participating artists names appeared at the entrance to the show, however, the artworks were exhibited with only a number next to them, omitting the artist’s name or any of the work’s details. The public were invited to make offers on the anonymous artworks with money being the only thing not deemed acceptable. The project was designed to bring bartering, an ancient form of exchange to a wider audience as well as to encourage visitors to examine the way they think about the value of art and to judge it on its own merit. Simultaneously, the public were pushed to reflect on what they had that was unique to offer and were given an equal chance to acquire significant pieces despite their socio-economic background or position.

Since 2009, Art Barter has curated fourteen iterations of the initial idea across the globe, featuring artists living and working in the host cities at the time including New York, Berlin, Madrid, Mexico City, Dubai, Oaxaca, Herning and Athens with current plans to bring the project to Lagos and Tokyo. Art Barter launch events have included live DJ sets from legendary artists such as Mark Ronson, Don Letts and Gaz Mayall.

Some of the more outlandish offers that have been made include a functioning kidney, tantric massage with a happy ending and a child’s skeleton. The exchange is always at the artist’s discretion and some examples of offers that have been accepted include 30 hours of French tuition, a year of psychotherapy, building a new website, Patti Smith concert tickets, an intern for six months, two weeks in the Bahamas and a remote control car from a 5yr old child.

For a full overview of the project, offers and exchanges made please visit www.artbarter.co.uk.