LUMBUNG GALLERY
Earning an income from selling artworks is mostly not part of the artist's practice in the lumbung of documenta fifteen. Since many practices are not based on producing collectable art objects. Many of the art practices carried out by lumbung artists and collectives are based on their resilience; their ecosystems’ support, local and international funding, experimentation of economic models in local contexts, such as starting farms, shops, schools, events etc., as well as other non monetary exchange practices.
lumbung gallery is a cooperative gallery. It is an experiment in co-ownership, exchange, and transvestment. It is a platform which could contribute to the different already existing ways of supporting the artists and collectives, their local ecosystem, communities and the lumbung at large by sharing returns.
During and after the 100 days of documenta fifteen, many artworks by the lumbung members and artists can be supported front stage; in Kassel and online. The gallery space during documenta is documenta itself. The gallery is guided by the practice and the values of lumbung, where value, pricing and percentages are reconsidered. And where collectors, public institutions, and communities are invited to form lumbungs, where they can share works temporally or with communities.
In documenta fifteen the lumbung interlokal members and the lumbung artists share common budgets. These common budgets are partially for thinking about how they sustain their practices long term and for diversifying economic models, towards lumbung value based economies. They have been meeting in majelises (assemblies) for over two years. Through these discussions a lumbung gallery working group started. Throughout the last few months they have been discussing pricing, sharing returns, different exchange and ownership models, as well as speculation.
The pricing of the artworks is going to be based on the collective's basic needs and artists’ basic income in addition to production costs and other material condition variables rather than speculative market prices. There will also be non-monetary exchange, as well as affordable artworks. The artists and collectives will receive 70% of the return, they will then divide this amongst themselves and the extended needs of their ecosystems and communities. 30% will go to the running cost of the gallery and the common pot of all members of the lumbung. A contract, or declaration of commitment which includes the conditions and recommendations of use and future life of the artwork will also be accompanying the works.
The lumbung gallery working group invited members of The Artists platform to a learning session during their research. The Artists is a non for profit platform which supports artists by exhibiting their work, giving legal advice and selling while maintaining transparency. One of the most interesting overlaps with The Artists was that they also set aside 5% of the returns which go into a community fund equally between all artists of one selection. The lumbung gallery group decided to collaborate with The Artists during the hundred days and beyond for running and further developing the lumbung gallery. Governed by the lumbung gallery working group and The Artists, the lumbung gallery will be registered as a verein and will continue to exist beyond documenta fifteen.
Visit the https://lumbung.space/