Change/Cambio/Weshsel, Rosendal’s Garden Stockholm 2009.
Curated by Lisa Boström
Carte Blanche deals with economic and social conditions and systems in the financing of culture. Rosendal Garden is a place where visitors are free of advertising. This is partly because the land is owned by the swedish royal family but is also a business concept by the company that runs the garden. The visitors should ”rest from information society”. Rosendal is located in a part of Stockholm which Is considered privileged. The visitors can afford high prices on coffe and cake and the Garden does not need advertisement or sponsors to make a profit. A scenario in the future where places completely free of advertising is something that only belongs to an elite in society is alarming close at hand. Rosendal is a ”picture machine” that conveys a lifestyle possible only for a few. The budget for the exhibition were bad and during the process with Carte Blanche the swedish culture minister made a statement that artists should take responsible and show entrepreneurial. To solve the situation with the budget and take responsibility as an artist a part of the artwork were sold. The advertising billboard payed wages and the overhead costs of the work.
