EXCHANGE VALUES: Who Controls the Bundeskunsthalle? (DE+EN)

Shownotes

See the dubbed English version with all presentations here: https://www.bundeskunsthalle.de/en/studiobonn/tw-wem-gehoert-die-bundeskunsthalle.html

On July 15, 2021, artist HITO STEYERL declared the Bundeskunsthalle occupied at STUDIO BONN. She had registered the address of the Bundeskunsthalle on the Ethereum blockchain and thus controlled it via NFT. (See https://www.bundeskunsthalle.de/en/studiobonn/tw-krypto-kapitalismus.html). With this satirical action, HITO STEYERL demonstrated the arbitrariness of ownership claims in the booming market for digital certificates of ownership (NFTs). By "minting" an entire institution as NFT, STEYERL simultaneously got serious about the anarchist utopia of blockchain, which promises to distribute control of money and culture from the hands of gatekeepers into the hands of the masses. But how democratic is the blockchain really? And is the Bundeskunsthalle that undemocratic? Centralized institution and decentralized governance, representative democracy and anarchy enter the ring. HITO STEYERL and the DEPARTMENT OF DECENTRALIZATION let the audience vote on the future of the Bundeskunsthalle. Three administrative models compete against each other: Managing Director OLIVER HÖLKEN explains how the Bundeskunsthalle works. DEPARTMENT OF DECENTRALIZATION (DoD) show how blockchain could allow for increased co-design by the public and artists. And OTHER INTERNET present a model for more transparency regarding money and resources. The audience joins the discussion and votes by quadratic voting.

The software produces a new edit of Hito Steyerl's work "Strike" (2010), based on the distribution of votes. The result, "StrikeDAO," will be purchased by the Federal Collection and displayed at the Bundeskunsthalle. Hito Steyerl thus also decentralizes her own work.

All too complicated? Read our glossary: https://www.bundeskunsthalle.de/en/studiobonn/tw-wem-gehoert-die-bundeskunsthalle.html

THE GUESTS

HITO STEYERL uses the latest technologies of control and surveillance as artistic tools. Her video installations and essays have made her one of the world's most influential artists.

DEPARTMENT OF DECENTRALIZATION (DoD) is a collective of individuals working on Decentralized Open Source and the intersection between such technologies and art. They focus on research around blockchain and arts, as well as trying to establish relations between the hacker and the creative communities and their cultures. DoD developed the voting tool for this evening with Tim Daubenschütz and Lea Filipowicz. María Paula Fernández, Stina Gustafsson, and Mary Elizabeth McCarthy are traveling from Berlin. https://decentralala.com/about Read María Paula Fernández' and developer Tim Daubenschütz' take aways from the evening here: https://jpg100.substack.com/p/the-jpg-newsletter-with-my-friend?s=w

Read more follow-up by Tim: https://proofinprogress.com/posts/2022-03-27/the-user-experience-problems-of-quadratic-voting.html

Toby Shorin, Sam Hart, and Laura Lotti represent OTHER INTERNET, an applied research organization. They study and build social technology and advise organizations on decentralized coordination. An overview of their projects can be found here: https://otherinter.net Read a follow-up talk on the event by OTHER INTERNET with HITO STEYERL: https://otherinter.net/research/curating-value-exchange/

Oliver Hölken has been the new Managing Director of the Bundeskunsthalle since August 2021. The economist has held various management positions in the administration of Koelncongress GmbH since 2003.

Konzept: Hito Steyerl, Department of Decentralization, Kolja Reichert Redaktion: Kolja Reichert Regie: Frank Buchholz Redaktioneller Schnitt und Postproduktion: YELLAH! Studios Foto: Geza Aschoff © Kunst- und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland GmbH 2023