Dear Artists,
As Dead Darlings take the stage in Berlin for a second time, we pay homage to the theatre hosting our anonymous art auction by introducing the theme: Drama! As drama plays out on the world stage as well, and conditions change, artists are forced to deal with obstacles that sometimes pose questions regarding not only the value of art, but the value of artistic expression and its role in our communities.
With all this in mind, we invite you to send us your most dramatic darlings…
Interpretation of the theme is up to you. Maybe, this work is demanding too much attention or the wrong kind of attention! Maybe, it’s too different from the ones around it: It’s too loud, too colorful, too opinionated! It has too much contrast, is too spectacular, too ostentatious! This artwork might be too existentially troubled… It may be too dramatic for its own good. But also, this artwork is dying to get on stage, thirsting for the spotlight! In whatever way you interpret drama, tell us why this piece is too dramatic for you and give it a chance to shine!
A dead darling is an artwork you “killed” during or after its production. Something you wouldn’t normally exhibit or sell, yet something that holds personal value and has a story to tell! We invite artists to offer up such a piece with a very low starting price because our auctions are low-threshold, inclusive events. We want to give an exciting and authentic auction experience, while posing questions about value. What does an artwork generate beyond economical value? We will give your dead darling its moment in the spotlight and help it find a loving new home. We will give it back its voice. For this auction, our theme is Drama! So if it’s dramatic, bring it on!
To participate, read carefully and fill in this form!
CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR PIECE
DEADLINE: 30 APRIL 2025
Our auctions are anonymous. This means that all the selected artists will be listed alphabetically, but no one will know who made what work until after the piece sells! Please hand in an artwork that is not typical for your practice — a real dead darling. This is, of course, a fitting element of drama within our auction format.
We want people to bid for an artwork they like, not because they heard the name of the maker before, or know the market value of a piece, but because they see something they personally connect with! We mix artists from different backgrounds and contexts because that diversity makes things both interesting and inclusive!
Deadline for this Open Call is April 30th (midnight)!
While we welcome all submissions, in this open call priority will be given to artists living and working in Berlin. If selected, it is the artist’s responsibility to deliver their artwork to the designated address in Berlin at least 2 weeks prior to the auction (which is on June 28th). The address and delivery times will follow in due time after the open call has finished. We aim to inform all the artists of the open call results within 10 days after the open call finishes.
The revenue of the auction will be divided equally (50/50) with the artist. There is no added buyer’s fee. Administration will happen and be communicated individually with each artist within a week after the auction.
Yet another dramatic collaboration between Dead Darlings and Heimathafen Neukölln will be held on June 28th during 48 Stunden Neukölln art festival. Mark your calendars and send us your dead darlings!
Dear Artists,
As Dead Darlings take the stage in Berlin for a second time, we pay homage to the theatre hosting our anonymous art auction by introducing the theme: Drama! As drama plays out on the world stage as well, and conditions change, artists are forced to deal with obstacles that sometimes pose questions regarding not only the value of art, but the value of artistic expression and its role in our communities.
With all this in mind, we invite you to send us your most dramatic darlings…
Interpretation of the theme is up to you. Maybe, this work is demanding too much attention or the wrong kind of attention! Maybe, it’s too different from the ones around it: It’s too loud, too colorful, too opinionated! It has too much contrast, is too spectacular, too ostentatious! This artwork might be too existentially troubled… It may be too dramatic for its own good. But also, this artwork is dying to get on stage, thirsting for the spotlight! In whatever way you interpret drama, tell us why this piece is too dramatic for you and give it a chance to shine!
A dead darling is an artwork you “killed” during or after its production. Something you wouldn’t normally exhibit or sell, yet something that holds personal value and has a story to tell! We invite artists to offer up such a piece with a very low starting price because our auctions are low-threshold, inclusive events. We want to give an exciting and authentic auction experience, while posing questions about value. What does an artwork generate beyond economical value? We will give your dead darling its moment in the spotlight and help it find a loving new home. We will give it back its voice. For this auction, our theme is Drama! So if it’s dramatic, bring it on!
To participate, read carefully and fill in this form!
CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR PIECE
DEADLINE: 30 APRIL 2025
Our auctions are anonymous. This means that all the selected artists will be listed alphabetically, but no one will know who made what work until after the piece sells! Please hand in an artwork that is not typical for your practice — a real dead darling. This is, of course, a fitting element of drama within our auction format.
We want people to bid for an artwork they like, not because they heard the name of the maker before, or know the market value of a piece, but because they see something they personally connect with! We mix artists from different backgrounds and contexts because that diversity makes things both interesting and inclusive!
Deadline for this Open Call is April 30th (midnight)!
While we welcome all submissions, in this open call priority will be given to artists living and working in Berlin. If selected, it is the artist’s responsibility to deliver their artwork to the designated address in Berlin at least 2 weeks prior to the auction (which is on June 28th). The address and delivery times will follow in due time after the open call has finished. We aim to inform all the artists of the open call results within 10 days after the open call finishes.
The revenue of the auction will be divided equally (50/50) with the artist. There is no added buyer’s fee. Administration will happen and be communicated individually with each artist within a week after the auction.
Yet another dramatic collaboration between Dead Darlings and Heimathafen Neukölln will be held on June 28th during 48 Stunden Neukölln art festival. Mark your calendars and send us your dead darlings!
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