Ihlsee-Salon #1

Topic
There are more and more voices in the art field that say that crisis in general, the current one specifically, force us to rethink. As the article we use as our starting point suggests in its opening argument: Crisis forces us into models of practical alliances. From there, we look at an art market in crisis mode and models of “co-opetition” – a portmanteau of cooperation and competition. Applying this business strategy, based on studies of game theory, it means that combining efforts and resources creates value, efficiency and quality. It benefits multiple players, including rivals – from vertically integrated producers to horizontal networks. Sounds great, and it’s what we aim for as we start our residency. Yet it also carries a risk of unequal relations of force: Under the banner of collaboration and claims of good-will, one might fall for the fantasy of harmony and equilibrium. Keeping that in mind, we intend to turn what we have so far offered individually into a shared endeavor among allies – to build a platform that connects people, places, knowledge and resources around contemporary art from and connected to the Chinese-speaking world. A mantra might be: Let’s stay open to all kinds of models to keep that balance.

Literature
Tom McDonough (2025, en/de): Through Foul and Fairs | Messen im Gesellschaftsspiegel. In: Texte zur Kunst, Dec 2025 (140), pp. 78–89.