Art business on the web

Democracy in fashion started already in the 90ies born from 'utopian' ideas (first realized in one item, the jeans for both sexes in the 50ies) and when in the early new millennium high-couture items by Lanvin hit the stores as serial products, was it the consequence of today's higher requests in style. The same happens in the art world.

Vienna-based curator Lorenz Seidler has started on the web the art business 'MULTImART' which follows the idea of 'democracy of art' and makes not only the pieces more affordable by offering serials which gain a better price with more buyers. Even the messages by the artists are prepared for brighter understanding and accessible on the website multimart.at.

fig. right: Such as seen on the page where the painting 'Hide & Seek' (2012) by Stylianos Schicho is exhibited with accompanying text. 'Hide & Seek' consists of six images of people with and without balaclava (the artist works therefore with preformatted pattern) as symbol for constant observation and possible prejudging caused by failing templates. Stylianos Schicho (studied at the University of Applied Arts Vienna) says on multimart.at/stylianosschicho "...monitoring systems provoke regular debates on the issues of privacy, control, and options of refuge for to the individual."

fig. below: The digital word is also theme in another art work on Multimart's website. 'Title Sequence' (2012) by monochrom shows a scary fantasy face. It looks like a screenshot from a horror B-movie from the 70ies. The international art-technology-philosophy collective monochrom questions image sharing, effects on copyright, reproduction and contextualization: "Loss of aura, significance and context of artworks in the times of digital reproduction?" multimart.at/monochrom.

Additionally, the art works can be viewed by walking on the street via store-window exhibition from 6 November until the end of the online subscription period on 25 November 2012. (The online subscription period for buying the art works - the more buyers, the better the price - has already started in September.) Street windows of twenty spaces along the Gumpendorfer Strasse in Vienna from cinema over hair salon, fashion store, bars, cafés to art spaces will present the art works. During Vienna Art Week (19 to 25 November), Multimart offers guided tours together with curator Lorenz Seidler. Find details on multimart.at/ausstellung.

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