DAS INSTITUT – Triennial Report 2011–2009

Artist's book

“Das Institut” presents a lavishly illustrated review of the productions, exhibitions, and collaborations in which it has been involved over the past three years in the style of a business report. “Das Institut” was founded in New York in 2007 by Kerstin Brätsch (*1979) and Adele Röder (*1980) as a notional free space in which they both gave themselves the opportunity of working independently from the concept of their own oeuvres, for their promotion and reproduction.

Taking an ironic approach to themselves, and using great verbal wit, they have tackled the strategies of (self-)marketing head on. The fast-tempo artistic ping-pong game between the two agency proprietors Brätsch and Röder can be followed in detail in this artist’s book. Each smuggles her works into the agency as models for further processing by the other. Sources of inspiration, costs, sales revenue, and exhibition techniques are frankly disclosed. What at first looks like a strong overstatement that treads on a fine line between art, knitwear, role play, and marketing is at the same time a trenchant observation of the art scene, and a plea for artistic experiment and the potential of painting.

“Das Institut” participated in the group show “Non-solo show, Non-group show” at Kunsthalle Zürich (2009) and recently in the 54th Venice Biennial (2011). The book is published on the occasion of its solo exhibitions at the Parc Saint Léger, Pougues-les-Eaux (2010); the Kölnischer Kunstverein (Spring 2011); and the Kunsthalle Zürich (Autumn 2011).

The publication is part of the series of artists’ projects edited by Christoph Keller.