Stand Up For Art – Munich Artists Event
- Event: Art Happening
- Organised by: Dr. Emmy Horstkamp, Dr. Holger Kern, Storey Tarris
- Date: December 13, 2014
- Participants: Open to all Artists Living and Working in Munich, Germany
- Objective: To bring artists together to share their art and find artists of similar genre and art ideologies.
- Funding: Self-Funded
- Format: Protest/Demonstration demanding Munich citizens see the art of Munich based artists.
Summary of Event:
Dr. Horstkamp, Dr. Kern and Storey Tarris discussed with artists and residents in Munich about what the art scene needed and why they didn’t consider it to be a thriving art community. The Founders of Munich Artists heard repeatedly that the city was not a city where you could sell art. It was not a city that encouraged a thriving art scene. It was not a city of Creativity. Hearing their complaints about Munich, the founders of Munich Artists wondered what they could do to solve their problems.
One conversation after another, the artists in Munich commented on the lack of collectors, the lack of resources and the lack of interest from local citizens. They wondered where all the small galleries were; why artists had to go to Berlin or Leipzig or even London to show their work and what could the artists in Munich do to make sure they were recognised as part of the German art community.
Looking for a way to build up the Munich art community outside of the traditional art avenues, Dr. Horstkamp brainstormed with Dr. Kern about what kind of events they could do that would not require public financing, grant writing or high costs to the artists. Munich Artists wanted to meet the needs of Munich Artists to be heard, allow them to show and share their artwork and give Munich Artists the opportunity to meet other Munich based artists.
Seeing the large protests near her creative space near Sendlingerstrasse, Storey decided that a traditional protest would be an ideal way for Munich Artists to gather and feel as if they had a voice in Munich, Germany.
Researching what it would take for artists to protest in Munich, Germany, Storey passed the information to Dr. Kern, a native Bavarian, who submitted the correct forms in German and made sure that everything was filed with the permit department of the city.
After a few weeks, a permit arrived from the city of Munich stating that Munich Artists were allowed ” to Stand for Art” and Protest on December 13, 2014.
For the span of one protest permit, Dr. Horstkamp gathered Bavarian based artists in front of Kunst Werkstatt in Haidhausen and asked them to share their artwork with each other.
Each artist was given a sticker to show that they participated in the event and the sticker was their identification allowing other people to know they were part of Munich Artists and the Munich Artists event – They were Munich Artists.
After introducing themselves in a casual way, the protesting artists stood outside and in unison raised their artworks towards passing public transport to show their art ID to Munich.
The event was covered by Jeffrey Ely for MunichNOW and more photos of the event may be found on the Munich Now Facebook Page.
This was one of two events that Munich Artists created in Haidhausen.
After this event, the founders of Munich Artists found it easier to create events that used their studio space at Frauenstrasse 18, spaces offered by Munich Artists members, local businesses, other art groups, art galleries or even art events.
Most events created by the group were created without the assistance of the traditional art community, the city of Munich or the state of Bavaria and were motivated by the interests of the group, Storey Tarris and Dr. Horstkamp.