Dead Darlings are excited to invite you to our upcoming anonymous art auction, summer edition Issue!²

This will be our first live event in Amsterdam since before the pandemic, and it will take place smack in the middle of Amsterdam at the historical artist-run space  former press-hall Vrij Paleis, Paleisstraat 107, on Sunday July 31st at 4 o’clock sharp. Register online here ahead of time!

Inspired by the original function of Vrij Paleis as a printing press, and the swelling tide of issues developing in our times, we have entitled our upcoming auction: Issue!² Yes, as in the issue of a newspaper but also interpreting broader definitions of the word such as: the matter in question, a predicament, a consequence, a version of something, or a thing under discussion. Artists responded to our open call, and 54 artworks have been selected for this first cool and fresh Summer edition!

The space will be open for preview 1-6pm on Saturday the 30th, and 1-4pm on Sunday the 31st. Make sure you come early enough to give yourself time to browse the artworks and find a good spot!

How our auction works: Entrance is free, all are welcome. To bid at the auction you need to register and get a paddle. Our amazing broadsheet catalogue — a homage to our hosting space — will be available from Friday and can be yours for a mere five euros! We highly recommend you obtain one to help you navigate the auction and support Dead Darlings. This edition, among other things, will contain a crossword puzzle where the names of the artists can be filled in as the auction progresses! You think you can guess the artist from the title? Give it a shot!

With each catalogue you will get a free beer from Oedipus no less, who are generously providing our event with their coolest freshest summer beers! Our auction is conducted in a comfortable informal atmosphere, where guests are free to come and go. There will be a bar and a break in the middle.

You can pay cash or card, and may take your artwork home immediately after the sale!

Bring good vibes, your wallet, your friends, and leave the rest to us!

You can read about this edition’s theme in our Open Call to artists here. 

What is a Dead Darling? A Dead Darling, is a work that an artist might not normally sell; A fabulous experiment, an outlier, a misfit, yet always something that stands strong on its own and has a story to tell. We give these works a second chance for love and love to tell their story. As these pieces have been previously “killed”, starting prices for our auctions are very low, (ranging from less than one to a hundred euro) giving all of you the opportunity to bid for an original and often unique artwork. All the artworks are auctioned anonymously, so the buyer can connect to what they love! Participating artists are listed, but the names are not revealed in relation to the piece until after the sale.

Who are Dead Darlings? Dead Darlings are a collective founded in Amsterdam in 2005, running anonymous art auctions as a platform that challenges notions of value and explores the complex love triangle between artist, artwork, and collector. Our focus is on artefacts whose value is ambiguous. Our events combine elements of performance and exhibition. As a collective we bring something “unseen” into the public sphere. The core members are Tania Theodorou, Lina Ozerkina, Hanna Mattes and Jessie Gong. During events our team expands to include more Darlings.