On October 1st, PAWNSHOP, a project organized by artists Julieta Aranda, Liz Linden and Anton Vidokle took over e-Flux’s storefront on Ludlow Street to host a different kind of art exhibition – a literal pawnshop where artworks are submitted by artists for cash, and if not reclaimed after 30 days, placed for sale exclusively by the shop. Questioning both the value of a work of art and the worth of money, PAWNSHOP poses an alternative venue to the traditional gallery setting.
With the slogan, “Are you an artist in need of fast cash? Forget gallery hassles, come on down today! High! Fast!” PAWNSHOP has opened it’s doors for lesser known artists to not only have an opportunity at momentary representation, but also make a quick buck from the often relentless art market. All the proceeds from the PAWNSHOP will be donated to charity.
Over 60 international established and emerging artists where initially asked to participate in the shop. Works from artists including Paul Chan, Claire Fontaine, Nuevos Ricos, Printed Matter’s AA Bronson, Fia Backstrom, Liam Gillick, Christian Jankowski, Hernandez Diango, Christopher Draeger, Nikolas Gambroff, Andrea Geyer, Sejla Kameric, Chrisopher Keller, Annika Larsson, Lucas Moran, Matt Keegan, John Miller, Aleksandra Mir, Olaf Nicolai, Ylava Ogland, Yoshua Okon, Martha Rosler, Matt Sheridan Smith, Nedko Solakov, Kim Sooja, Rirkrit Tiravanija, Lawrence Weiner and Andrea Zittel, will all be on sale starting November 1st (that is if they choose not to reclaim them) and the shop will remain open until January 2008. -–Naomi Nevitt
