Art & Market. Project by Fokus Grupa.

Art Contracts & Artist's Rights

We constantly, in this part of the world, complain that there is no [art]market. I think that's good because when it comes it won't be exactly what we have imagined.
Dan & Lia Perjovschi
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Art Contracts & Artist's Rights - Discussion

As a photographer speaking in terms of photography - these days, it is kind of funny having this conversation because ...
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Gentrification & Public Art

By the very structure of [museums] existence, it is a political institution. (…) The question of private or public funding of the institution does not affect this axiom. (…) In principle, the decisions of museum oficials, ideologically highly determined or receptive to the deviations of the norm, follow the boundaries set by their employers. These boundaries need not to be expressly stated in order to be operative. * Hans Hacke - All the art that's fit to show
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Gentrification & Public Art Discussion

These projects have been around for several years and had motivated creation of new alternative spaces. Now there exist around twenty to twenty-five alternative spaces, and what we're seeing with this development is that these alternative spaces have blended in with the communities and with it's own localities, and have also contributed to the development of the culture of these communities.
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Park Chaneung Interview

But I don't want Seoksu to be a popular place. I don't want Seoksu to be gentri∫ed. I want it to develop slowly, step by step, and mix the past and the future. I don't invite artists to make it more expensive. My dream is to convert the central space of the market into a place where the citizens can come and enjoy arts, and to make a harmonious relationship between citizens and artists. I thought that, if the government gives me the chance, I could make my dream come true.
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Woon-Gi Min Interview

I think artists' activities should be aimed toward these matters, like the New Town Plan, which are threatening people and their lives. But art is now mostly used to advertise the city's policy more than solving citizens' real problems.
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About Fokus Grupa

Fokus Grupa is an art collective based in Zagreb formed by Iva Kovač and Elvis Krstulovic. Working together since 2005, Kovač and Krstulović have decided to transfer their authorship to the legal person whose name refers to working methods based on poly/dialogue. FG works within the framework of post-conceptual art practices. Her format is interdisciplinary; realized trough exhibitions, interventions in public space, publications, writings, lectures and discussions. FG works with and against the idea of the 'political' as well as 'subjective' in art and culture production. Understanding art production as materialist practice FG has investigated legal, economical and social (lack of) consequences of art production. She also explores ways in which politics employs artistic or esthetic means to (mis)appropriate and instrumentalize emotions, reclaiming certain methods back into her art practice.

In recent production FG gave lectures, made interviews and published content dealing with artist rights and the role of art within the public space [Art&Market], narrated the history of the 'art proletariat' [I Sing for Time to Pass] (drawings published in Micropolitics Notebook 2011). FG in collaboration with Nataša Tepavčević conducted interviews and published texts about the paradigm of the 'Eastern' artist [Distribution of Knowledge]. Momentarily FG is exploring the discourse of the West Balkan nationalisms of the 1990's as a sexualized discourse [Darling, Sorry for Not Writing Earlier]. Sexuality as discourse is further developed in the artist book [Perfect Lovers (2002 - 2012)]. Fokus Grupa is also involved in self-organized communities SIZ and k.r.u.z.o.k. FG works with and against the idea of the 'political' as well as 'subjective' in art and culture production. Understanding art production as materialist practice FG has investigated legal, economical and social (lack of) consequences of art production. She also explores ways in which politics employs artistic or esthetic means to (mis)appropriate and instrumentalize emotions, reclaiming certain methods back into her art practice.