A well-known collector is trying to convince an artist to donate his work to him in exchange for “standing” next to other artists who behaved as cleverly as he did. The tone of the discussion leaves no room for the accused artist to rant, let alone demand payment for his work.

It could have been a real incident, but it was one of Pablo Elguera’s cartoons that took place in front of the screen, on the mezzanine of EMCT, in a discussion on “The Ethics of Collecting”, moderated by EMCT Director Katerina Gregu and State of Concept Athens Director Iliana Fochianachi.

“The art world is leading the way in many areas, but has shown an unprecedented delay in remunerating artists,” commented Ms Gregu.

The reason for the discussion was the presentation of the Code of Ethics for Contemporary Art Collectors, an initiative compiled by ten collectors from different countries that directly raises the issue of unethical practices in the art market. But why code? “Perhaps the word sounds “official” and the dry, technical language in which the text is written is already creating enemies, but so much opacity and ambiguity in the relationship between artists and collectors – whether we are talking about individuals or institutions – can be compensated by a clearly articulated an argument that reflects the problem on its true scale,” said Piergiorgio Pepe, collector and co-author of the codex.

“Artists, like all people, are paid for their work,” EMST director K. Greg said.

prosperity tool

“The idea for this initiative was born in the midst of a pandemic: collectors from all over the world communicated on zoom every two weeks, discussed each article and moved forward. Artists, collectors, directors of institutions and curators shared their observations. It is not binding, it is not a legislative measure, it is a tool that contributes to the well-being of artists. You may disagree, but the issue has been raised, anyone who believes that their rights are being violated can turn to him,” emphasizes Jordanis Kerenidis, who also worked on the drafting of the manifesto. Artist Walid Raad presents the text as an invitation to the “dark salons” of art .

It is known that collectors have in some cases a reputation for being “spoiled” who use art for social uplift, for a whim, for investment, but they are a very important part of the chain and must behave in a way that ensures the continuation of the artistic creativity of the creators. According to the code, they should not “extort” donations, “arrange” auctions, influence, if they are on the boards of directors of funds, their decisions. They must inform artists about the resale of their work and simply not act in their own interests.

And the institutions, however, from the standpoint of the collector are also responsible. “Glasnost does not pay the bills,” Katerina Gregu said, adhering to the provisions of the code. “It is wrong for a museum to benefit from artists, to seek donations to create a collection. On the contrary, the museum should support them. This policy needs to change, and in EMST it has already changed. Artists, like everyone else, are paid for their work.”