Art in Redlight - Eighth Edition of the Fair for Young, Emerging Artists
Art in Oude Kerk
The works of sixty artists will be on display and available for purchase in the coming days at the Oude Kerk as part of Art in Redlight, an outsider festival for independent artists.
Artists should be able to make a living from their art, says Simone Swildens (1961). "They don’t want to work at Hema or Zeeman. Every artist should have access to the market." That’s why Swildens has been organizing the Art in Redlight art fair for the eighth consecutive year at the Oude Kerk, along with visual artist Rob Thijssen (1955) and others. Thijssen: "In the beginning, people thought we were just show-offs, but by now, we’ve built a solid reputation."
Swildens and Thijssen may no longer be as wild as the young artists they represent, but they still like to challenge the established order.
In a letter published in this newspaper on Monday, Swildens questioned whether the Stedelijk Museum, which is reopening this weekend after eight years, has kept up with the times. "Let those old institutions stew in their own juice," says Thijssen.
Swildens adds, "We’ve always been ahead of our time. Art in Redlight is an outsider festival for the independents—artists who don’t want to tie themselves to galleries or give up half their income."
Art in Redlight is a non-profit foundation and receives no subsidies. Swildens takes twenty percent of the proceeds from sold works, which are then donated to charity: Orange Babies.
"But we are good businesspeople," emphasizes Swildens. Sponsors fund the art fair. On the Wallen, entrepreneurs promote Art in Redlight. Some, like Metropolitan Deli and Mata Hari, exhibit works that will be auctioned on the final day at the Oude Kerk. Thijssen: "On Sunday morning, there will first be a church service. We have to clear the central nave for that. Only afterward does the auction begin."
‘You can exhibit installations here that wouldn’t fit in a gallery’
The works of sixty artists are on display and for sale at the Oude Kerk, ranging from jewelry to sculptures, photography, paintings, and videos. "The church offers so much space. You can exhibit playground-like works here, large installations that wouldn’t fit in a gallery," says Swildens.
The work is displayed as in an exhibition. Thijssen: "The Oude Kerk embraces everything. The silence, the beautiful light when the sun shines through the windows."
Finding artists is no problem. Swildens and Thijssen visit graduation exhibitions and search online extensively. The art world is increasingly digital. "We received hundreds of applications. From London to Berlin, Tokyo to Rio de Janeiro." The criteria for participation? "Serious dedication to art and having a unique style." Artists like Gijs van Bon, who creates laser installations, or the Belizean Douglas White, who makes large sculptures from car tires or elephant skin. Admittedly, not the kind of work you’d typically put in your living room, the organizers concede.
"The photographs of the Russian Katerina Belkina will sell faster because they are beautiful, as will the drawings of Clementine Oomes or the ceramics by Brian Coutinho." The average art buyer is between 45 and 65 years old, Swildens notes. "We also target people buying art for the first time."
Does she have advice for novice art collectors? "Don’t think in terms of investment. Go for what you truly love. You should be happy every day with what you have in your home."
Artists can only participate in Art in Redlight twice. Swildens: "We don’t own anyone. We’re not a gallery. We want to give young and emerging artists a chance."
Thijssen: "There is so much art in the Netherlands. We have an enormous mountain of art. Every year, about 200,000 works are added by students, on top of the work of existing artists. That adds up to about half a million artworks a year."
Art in Redlight, September 20–23 in the Oude Kerk. www.artinredlight.com
