In 1991 a program constituting new efforts to anchor contemporary art in society was tested for the first time in France: the « Nouveaux commanditaires » (« New Patrons »). Initiated by the Belgian artist François Hers and supported by the Fondation de France, this program provides a structure that potentially allows anyone to become the initiator and patron of an artistic project – irrespective of financial means, prior experience with art, or the level of knowledge of how art is actually “produced”.
The exhibition presents seven French projects of the « Nouveaux commanditaires » from the period 1993 to 2007. It demonstrates the methods of the program: Why do people want a work of art? To whom do they address this desire? How do they find the right artist? Sketches, models, examples of works, documentaries and text panels trace how artistic works of international importance are created in a social production process that puts the relationship between art and the public on a new footing.
The exhibition is part of the annual program of the Leipzig Museum of Contemporary Art. The title « A Contract for Art? » asks how the social mandate of art and its institutions is faring. How do these play a role in the shaping of societal life from the point of view of autonomy, public perception and participation? Who is the patron? What expectations are directed at him or her? The Museum of Contemporary Art in Leipzig aims to contribute to a forceful, public debate on the social significance of art and its institutions.
