Nowadays when a pandemic is reigning in the world, we are daily at the centre of news about the economy and the financial crisis, the need for special measures, aid and social benefits to provide security. However, all of these terms have been constant elements of the cultural sphere for many decades, regardless of country, government or public awareness. There is no cure for this type of disease. Strange, given all the reports about creative industries as the driving force behind global innovation. For this reason, we have decided to dedicate this issue of Contemporary Lynx Magazine to the economy of the art world.
In the magazine, you will find stories that matter and will stay with you for a long time. You will have the opportunity to read a conversation with the art market economist Magnus Resch, which explains if buying art is a wise financial decision during times of crisis. We also invite you to look into the exquisite, well-considered art collections of Castello di Ama and Ettore Molinario. For interested in establishing or working at a gallery, we have prepared an interview with Massimo De Carlo, the founder of a mega gallery bearing his name.
In the section ‘Artists’ you can go deeper into an overview of Magdalena Abakanowicz‘s artistic practice, check out the series by Stanislav Břiza, Czech photographer, depicting gentrification at Hackney Wick, London. You will also take a look at the studio of Mateusz Choróbski, whose work often reaches the poverty line in Poland, and get a closer look at the artistic practice of Simon Denny, who explores the world of new technologies, Bitcoin and the economy.
In the sections ‘ECONOMY / The Changing Face of the Art Worlds’ and ‘Collecting’, you will have the opportunity to read essays on the state of the art and auction markets. The work and figure of Nedko Solakov, who designed our cover, is the beginning and end of this issue. You will find an interview with this Bulgarian artist, who combines traditional forms of expression with conceptual practices, dark humour, keen understanding and commentary on the surrounding reality.
7 EDITORS’ LETTER
8 CONTRIBUTORS
11 MAPPING OUR ARTICLES
12 IN THE SPOTLIGHT
ARTISTS / Close-up
18 Nedko Solakov. There Is Writing on These Walls
28 Simon Denny. A Snapshot of Ideology
36 Stanislav Bříza. The Rich Wick
44 Mateusz Choróbski. For Your Eyes Only
50 Magdalena Abakanowicz. Special Feature
60 Construction in Process
ECONOMY / The Changing Face of the Art World
62 The Undaunted Art Market. Overcoming Adversity Through Innovation
70 This Is So Good You Wouldn’t Know It Was Done by a Woman
76 Glitch and Glamour. On Blockbuster Exhibitions
82 That Painting Costs as Much as My House. Why Contemporary Art Is So Expensive
84 Invisible People. Visual Story
TREND-SPOTTING / New Culture Codes
98 The Impact of Vitra on the Design Landscape
104 Objects of Desire
106 Degrowth Won’t Happen But Here’s Why the Art World Should Be Talking About It
108 Why Is Fashion Turning to Craft?
120 Telling Stories through Photography. A Conversation with Marek Świca
122 The Greatest Heist
129 Vanity Pair. Art and Money on Film
MIND THE MAP
133 Kyiv. Find Yourself in Its Chaotic Charm
COLLECTING / Treasure Hunt
144 Lorenza Sebasti. We Owe Everything to the Land — The Castello di Ama Collection
150 Gender Identity. A Voyage Through the Ettore Molinario Collection
154 Massimo De Carlo. Embrace the Future
160 Magnus Resch. The Social Aspect of the Art World
166 The Price Is Right. The Lucrative Financialisation of Contemporary Art
170 Economic Survival in the Art World
180 On Our Shelf
Contributors:
- Mannika Mishra,
- Aleksandra Mainka-Pawłowska,
- Yasmine Akim,
- Dobromiła Błaszczyk,
- Anna Dziuba,
- Patrycja Głusiec,
- Oli Gudgeon,
- Amanda Jamieson,
- Patrycja Rozwora,
- Sylwia Krasoń,
- Maja Lorkowska,
- Alex Mirutziu,
- Mannika Mishra,
- Dobrosława Nowak,
- Grażyna Siedlecka,
- Karol Szafraniec,
- Mikołaj Jazdoń,
- Anna Tomczak,
- Oli Gudgeon,
- Marek Wołyński,
- Vera Zborovska,
- Kuba Żary,
- Tseleng Tshabalala,
- Adrian Balcau.
Illustrations:
- Marta Krysińska
LYNX Team:
- Editors-in-Chief: Dobromiła Błaszczyk Sylwia Krasoń
- Translations: Karolina Jasińska Monika Mokrosz
- Proofreading: Richard Greenhill
- Graphic designers: hellowasia