Market Makers

Curated by Chris Dake-Outhet, Simon Denny, María Paula Fernández, and Stina Gustafsson
Leipziger Str. , Berlin
4-7 October 2022

Participating artists: Amauta Garcia & David Camargo, Baggy Industries, Bernard Schultze, Billy Rennekamp, Distributed Gallery, Ed Fornieles & Fini, Hans Martin Sewcz, Harm van den Dorpel, Hira Nabi, Horst Hussel, Jan-Robert Leegte, Jeff Davis, Keiken, Manfred Butzmann, Miragenesi, Mitchell F Chan, Nonzuzo Gxekwa, Noor Abuarafeh, Paul Seidler, Reiner Schwarz, Salwa Aleryani, Sarah Friend, Sarah Meyohas, Simon Denny, Stevie Pikelny, Ursula Strozynski, Veronika Kellndorfer, Wolfgang Mattheuer, Xavier Robles de Medina, Zhiyuan Zang

Market Makers is an exhibition that invites visitors to explore the relationship between fine art, markets, and capital. 

The exhibition seeks to go beyond the traditional notion of art by exploring the performance of exchange within the artworks, delving deeper into the myths and narratives surrounding both historical and contemporary markets — aiming to shed light on the lore, history, and current tensions between cryptocurrencies, decentralized finance (DeFi), banks, and traditional financial mechanisms. Market Makers provides an opportunity to explore these complexities and encourage a dialogue around these evolving relationships. By showcasing a diverse range of artworks and NFTs, the exhibition encourages visitors to engage with the performative and metamorphic potential of market-driven dynamics while considering the integration of capital within the artistic realm. 

With this exhibition, the curators aim to create a space for critical reflection, exploring the intersection of art, markets, and capital in a nuanced and thought-provoking manner. Whether we like to admit it or not, markets are ever-present and dominate the way we operate. They don't only determine our finances but also influence our education, our careers, and our psychology. To shy away from acknowledging the pervasive influence of markets on our daily lives is to live in naivety. Financial literacy and education are paramount to human development.

Cryptocurrencies emerged in response to the demand for alternative markets and economies. In times of global upheaval and uncertainty, the choice to use decentralized, user-controlled currencies becomes essential. These alternative systems offer resilience and can coexist alongside traditional ones.

Market Makers sets to address the inherent hypocrisy within existing art criticism that fails to fully acknowledge the significance of markets and capital relationships by recognizing the essential role played by markets in the production of artworks and the creation of meaning. While traditional frameworks may overlook this aspect, there have been notable and intriguing developments arising from these nascent contemporary market structures. It becomes imperative to integrate these insights into a critical framework – particularly in the context of NFTs and their impact on the art world – recognizing that traditional art structures often seek to separate the subject of the artwork from capital, creating a conceit that capital is detached from the artistic realm. However, some NFT works challenge this notion by reinserting capital as a core element within the very medium itself.

The Kunstsammlung der Berliner Volksbank, known for its collection spanning from the German post-war period to the present day, plays a central role in the exhibition. With a focus on artworks from Berlin and the region of Brandenburg, the collection particularly emphasizes the artistic movements of the 1980s to 1990s, a time when the collection experienced significant growth. Notably, the KUNSTFORUM der Berliner Volksbank gGmbH holds a distinct position as one of the pioneering collections that actively sought to collect, establish, and provide accessibility for East Berlin artists, facilitating their access to the broader Western art market. This historical legacy resonates with certain types of market exploration tactics found within the realm of Web3 and the NFT works showcased in the exhibition. The exhibition draws inspiration from this legacy, forging connections between past and present, and creating a rich tapestry that reflects the evolving dynamics of artistic expression and accessibility. This combination of historical and contemporary elements creates a dialogue between traditional and NFT artworks, highlighting the dynamic potential that arises from their interaction.

The exhibition will include workshops and educational programming that facilitate thoughtful discussions and actively engage with the possibilities presented by these new artistic and financial frontiers — encouraging visitors to question established norms, challenge preconceptions, and delve into the growing landscape of value, economics, and cultural expression.

Through this multifaceted approach, the dynamic blend of historical artworks, new digital creations, and the examinations of financial and artistic intersections; Market Makers provides a unique perspective of the interconnectedness between these issues, opening the doors to novel possibilities and fostering a deeper understanding of the ever-evolving relationship between art, finance, and culture.

The curators would like to thank Lohaus Sominsky Gallery, Upstream Gallery, Daniel Tilsch and Berliner Volksbank, Sebastian Pflum, Anja Mosbeck, Dr. Dörte Döhl and the staff at the Stiftung Kunstforum Berliner Volksbank, Anne Schwanz and Office Impart Gallery, Malte Rauch, Marcus Kraushaar, Studio Knecht Wendelin, and all artists that made this work possible.

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