[aha] Janez Jansa's valid passport sold at auction in Vienna

[Aksioma]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Janez Janša's valid passport sold at auction in Vienna

 

On November 18, 2010 the conceptual artwork by Janez Janša, Janez Janša,
Janez Janša, entitled "PB0241891 (Passport)", was sold at auction for 1900
Euro.

 

The auction catalogue declared the art piece (Lot Nr. 12) to be "valid also
as identification document, expiration date: 06.07.2017".

 

The auction, organized by curators Alexandra Grausam and Elsy Lahner as part
of the event "Hard to Sell, Good to Have", took place at Palais Sturany in
the city of Vienna and was run by Mag. Andrea Jungmann, Director of
Sotheby's Austria.

 

When asked why she accepted to facilitate the selling of a valid passport
the auctioneer replied "the decision was because I was convinced that this
work of art is something very special so, I wanted to sell it and as soon as
the legal aspects were cleared I thought. 'fine, then let's do it!'. When I
saw the work for the first time I was like 'oh my god!' you take away
freedom from a person, which I think is just awful! But on the other hand I
thought the idea behind it is just incredible, it makes one think. I've
never experience any other artwork so controversial and I've never had so
many thoughts before selling a work".

 

Immediately after the auction the buyer, who at the moment prefers to remain
anonymous, claimed he bid on the piece because he "saw something fresh in
it, a new way of understanding the issue of Readymade - an interesting and
challenging way to confront Duchamp". When asked about the double nature of
the item he added: "I'm aware there is a risk in buying this artwork, which
is also a document, but you have to take a risk if you want to be a
pioneer".

 

Video (the auction):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3nxpCxgiI0

 

Video (the auctioneer):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtSsmzvvopA

 

Video (the buyer):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH2_FGSc1ro

 

 

Download here images free of charge:

http://www.aksioma.org/name/auction/index.html

 

Hard to Sell, Good to Have is a project initiated by Alexandra Grausam and
Elsy Lahner, who together manage the Kunstverein das weisse haus. In
cooperation with different art leading experts this discussion platform is
addressing to the topic of art and economic systems for artists. More:
www.hardtosell.at <http://www.hardtosell.at/> 

 

The auction catalogue:

http://hardtosell.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/auction_catalogue3.pdf

 


Contact:

Marcela Okretič

Aksioma - Institute for Contemporary Art, Ljubljana
Executive producer
Neubergerjeva 25, SI - 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Tel. +386-(0)41-250 830 | Fax. +386-(0)591-90877
aksioma4 at siol.net
www.aksioma.org <http://www.aksioma.org/> 

 

 

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