| Museum Frieder Burda presents “Love is in the Bin”, the Banksy painting recently auctioned to a European collector at Sotheby’s. The artwork goes on public display for the first time in February 2019 and will be on show for four weeks from 5 February to 3 March 2019. It will also be accompanied by a panel discussion. Details to follow. |
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“Banksy does not just make art, he is art. Every picture, every performance is part of this meta-work of art.” Georg Seeßlen Since the birth of conceptual art, there have always been artistic attempts to volatilize or even destroy an artwork’s own existence, thus undermining its material value or trying to transfer it into a different value context. Banksy’s own self-destroying painting “Girl with Balloon” from 2006 undoubtedly marks a new and radical high point of this artistic strategy and one that grabbed attention all over the globe. In a matter of seconds, the picture became one of the most famous in the world – and that in a world already flooded with images. The concept developed by Museum Frieder Burda to appropriately exhibit the picture is the reason why Baden-Baden got the ‘nod’ for the world’s first public presentation of the artwork, despite stiff competition from other quarters. Its track record in addressing urban art, established with its expert handling of a major JR exhibition in both the museum and its hometown in 2014, also played a part. “We are expecting great interest from the public, especially young people and Banksy fans. At the same time, we have to resist the temptation to display the picture like a trophy. That would definitely not be what the artist had in mind. Instead, we are trying to adhere to his approach of consistently democratizing art and we are currently discussing how to make the picture accessible to as many people as possible,” says Henning Schaper, director of Museum Frieder Burda. Can the strategies of the art market be torpedoed while adding fuel to its fire? It’s hoped an accompanying discussion can cast some light on this fundamental question, this subtle strategy pursued by Banksy. The discussion will include Elke Buhr, editor-in-chief of Monopol, the art historian Wolfgang Ullrich and the Banksy expert, Ulrich Blanché. Frieder Burda himself says about the project: “I am delighted to be able to exhibit such an exciting and unusual work of art in our museum and continue the critical art discourse about it.” The display planned in the museum focuses closely on the picture itself, the new global icon. At the same time, it attempts to make the context and intentions of Banksy’s work plausible – and to question conditions in an art market that makes such a development, and such an explosion of value, possible in the first place. Viewing conditions – in accordance with Banksy’s own convictions – will be designed to allow as many visitors as possible to see the work. |
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