Economics in Art

Economics in Art is the third in the series of exhibitions presented by MOCAK the Museum of Contemporary Art in Krakow to relate art to the most significant domains of civilisation such as history, sport, science, religion and art. To date, two exhibitions in the series have taken place: History in Art and Sport in Art.

The juxtaposition of economics and art is not self-explanatory. On the one hand, there is a pragmatic discipline, cold and based on mathematics, on the other hand – the realm of unrestrained artistic imagination. However, the encounter of these two areas turns out to be fascinating. Economics has provided a source of inspiration for many contemporary artists, frequently provoking non-obvious artistic actions. Today, with the world is facing a global economic crisis, the voice of the artist has become particularly topical and noteworthy; the themes that artists take on board have become crucial in the discourse on civilisation.

The exhibition Economics in Art is a collection of works of a few dozen artists from Poland and other countries, who represent various techniques and media. The exhibition has been structured around a number of issues:

• Value. How is value created? What are the symbols of value? How can it be manipulated? In what way is it an artificial or contractual concept?
• The ethics of market activities and mechanisms. To what extent does economic success justify ethical compromise? Should the rich feel guilty?
• Humanist aspects of economics. How strong is the chain that links economic and social problems?
• Art’s dependence on market forces. What does the value of a work of art depend on? How do market games work? Why should the artist’s work have value? What      does it mean to be an owner of art?

The exhibition will be accompanied by ample Polish and English publications, reflecting on the most significant problematics resulting from the relationship between economics and art. The texts have been written by such authors as Edwin Bendyk, Jerzy Hausner and Georgina Adam, the Editor of The Art Newspaper and a Financial Times correspondent.

Photo: 1. Liena Bondare, KUNST = KAPITAL,  2011, 230 x 420 x  2 cm. Courtesy of L. Bondare.