Allmende / Commons

The 8th edition of minus20degree takes the term, Allmende, as its starting point. Allmende, or in English, the Commons, refers to a shared ground and its resources “was jedem gehört” what belongs to all. The allmende is rooted in a social agreement of collective ownership, ensuring that no one takes more than is harmful for the resource and for the other participants, such that all can benefit.

In a time of increased individualization and privatization, minus20degree seeks to discuss and contemplate the Commons, the Allmende. What does it mean today and where can we still find common ground?

Jury

Britta Peters (Urbane Künste Ruhr)

Cornelia Offergeld ( KÖR, Kunst im öffentlichen Raum Wien)

Vlado Velkov (Augmented Studies)

Location

minus20degree is an exhibition which takes place entirely outside. All possible sites are therefore exposed to the elements. Temperatures might be as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius but this is not guaranteed. It might snow but it can also rain. Therefore, all artworks must be water and temperature resistant. The amount of snow cannot be predicted. Genereally there are 20-60 cm in the valley and up to 150 cm on the mountains.

Flachau is a village with a large variety of natural and manmade landscapes. It is a highly touristic village with about 2.700 inhabitants that can host over 10.000 guests. Hotels, ski lifts and ski slopes are very present elements in the landscape as well as barely touched forests, fields, and mountains tops. The entire village and its surrounding can be used as a site for artistic intervention.

We see infrastructure as a place where forms of Allmende might still be found. This is why we are especially looking for artistic submissions that intervene in these already existing infrastructures of the village or work with existing communities. Think of buses, hiking paths and public buildings, or the voluntary fire brigade, the church and the local pub.

For the open call it is not neccesery to know your exact location already. Once the project is selected the m20d team will help the artist(s) to find an ideal spot for the work in the requested landscape or will help to find an alternative setting.