The centre of the city is the place for meeting and consumption. It is where everyone goes, it’s where our culture is consumed and lived. However, the offering there is limited, and not a lot is allowed. It’s not everybody’s space, but the space of the majority. Yet even for that majority, there is no free choice, so it is also place for the silent majority. Meanwhile, every human being wants an inclusive culture, with free offering and free access. Although our culture turns out not to be free, but forced.
With this project we ask what could be on offer, and what perhaps ought to be? Many free-thinkers such as designers, philosophers, journalists, artists and others take space to explore this. In short: WE ARE THE MARKET! calls out to freedom in the capitalist commons, within the cultural production of the high street.
Public gallery and publisher Onomatopee Projects, organiser of this venture, has a space for free imagination in the heart of Eindhoven. Here they provide their services free of charge - partially paid for by the spokesperson of the people’s sovereignty - yet hidden behind all the commercial forces.
As an alternative, focused on a public service for the interest-less imagination which is exclusive to the arts, Onomatopee goes onto the streets in action against mollycoddling and in defence of an inclusive world: in an ultimate stimulation of a truly liberal culture. They make question the role within our collective responsibility regarding public culture. Now the focus is on target audiences and life in bubbles alienates us, public space is becoming increasingly more exclusive.
Our culture is our responsibility: we demand inclusivity!
READ THE MISSION STATEMENT FULL OF CONFUSION CONTEXTUALISED HERE.
Featuring achievements by: Harmen de Hoop, BURO SNDVG (a snodero-group member), David Blamey, Teun Castelijn, Nolwenn Salaun, Jennifer Moon & Laub, Su Tomesen, Martin Krenn, MG&M Collective (Mosab Anzo, Gil & Moti), the Mona Lisa’s, Ilke Gers, Disarming Design, The Temple of Tease, Vanessa Brazeau, Toine Klaassen, Jasper Griepink, Apparatus 22 and Everyday criticality.
The theory-sparked bartenders, offering enlightening conversations over heavy drinks, include Robert-Jan Gruijthuijzen, Michel van Dartel, Lietje Bauwens & Wouter De Raeve, Rogier Brom, Koen Haegens, Fred Dewey, Berit Fischer and Dirk Vis.
