artificial horizon
workshop in cooperation with
C/O/N/E/C/T/A company for organizational consulting
7. April 2000
The friends' association of the Künstlerhaus has set itself the goal, among others, to act as an interface between the fields of "Art and Economics". In this context, the project "künstlicher horizont" (artificial horizon) is to be seen, analysing and questioning the value-system and the understanding of the roles played in art and management. "künstlicher horizont" is the beginning of a longterm cooperation plan between the Künstlerhaus and C/O/N/E/C/T/A, the company for organizational consulting and patron of the Künstlerhaus.
The fields of "Art and Management" are usually only limitedly associated with each other. On the one hand, art needs management for its marketing and financing, and has long since become a discipline of its own called Art Management, on the other hand businesses see art in a more social light, whose sponsorship serves mainly to maintain a good image.
The connection of these two can be seen in a completely different dimension though, namely in the characteristics of the work process. From their comparison and reciprocally reflecting exchange a new value system and understanding of roles, for each group, can be developed.
Terms like context, strategy, intervention and projects - especially in association with transfomation processes - mark, here as well as there, the current orientation. Value systems like creativity, flexibility, interlaced thinking and ability to discourse have, here as well as there, importance. Social, economic and political intervention come from both sides, but are evaluated and received differently by society.
The project "künstlicher horizont" poses the question, how would artists and managers describe each other's fields, which ways to see oneself and others do exist, how can personality and roles be brought together in harmony.
The aim of the project goes into two directions:
an extended way to see oneself and a mutually inspiring exchange of experience for the structuring of one's own profession on a personal level, and a search for new possibilities for cooperations and connections on an organizational as well as intuitive level.
The starting point of this project was a series of EDP- supported interviews, that C/O/N/E/C/T/A made with 40 experts from the fields of art, management, and consultancy in the early part of 2000, among them the following participants:
Artists:
Konrad Becker
Jakob Gaststeiger
Walter Koelbl
Walter K. Kosak
Cornelius Kolig
Martin Walde
Jana Wisniewski
Heimo Zobernig
Managers:
Wolfgang Grebner, Philips
Manfred Feichter, Postsparkasse
Dietrich Karner, Generali Versicherung
Wolfram Littich, Wiener Boerse
Rudolf Siegle, Springer Verlagv
Helga Sattler, The Company Stage
Alexander Wrabez, ORF
Art Managers:
Angelica Baeumer, Culture Journalist and Author
Dieter Bogner, Bogner & Lord
Sabine Breitwieser, Generali Foundation
Gerry Keszler, Life Ball
Josef Ortner, museum in progress
Christian Reder, University of Applied Arts
Doris Rothauer, Künstlerhaus
Wolfgang Waldner, Museumsquartier
Albert Wimmer, Architect
Consultants:
Philipp Goeth, Deloitte et Touche
Peter Hochegger, Hochegger/com
Fritz Orasch, Communications Consultant
Boris Pavlekovic, Neuhimmel
Herbert Schober, Conecta
Doron Zuckermann, Pro & Co
As a second step, a workshop took place at the Künstlerhaus on the 7th of April 2000, to present the results of the analyses from the interviews and the first hypotheses and on the basis of this material the participants formed active cooperation groups to discuss the topic.
The results of the analysed interviews resulted in the following image:
All managers and artists, that were asked, position themselves rather similarily, they see themselves close to their own positive image of their specific profession, with the managers lying between result- or structure orientated (efficient, organized, analytical, service-orientated) and transverse or progressive thinkers (talkative, curious, focused on personal potential, open), with the artists lying between transverse or progressive thinkers and creative action or social responsibility (impulsive, self-determined, freethinking, ethnic minded, following social goals).
A gap opens in the alien images they have in their approach to each other: while managers assume that artists have a negative image of them, artists tend to assume that managers have a more positive image of art.
Thematically, both roles appear to differ/complement in their tasks (socially or scientifically) and their approach (purpose orientated or open).
On the managers' side individual freedom and the intention to make an impact, for and with others, are emphasized. On the side of the artists pleasure orientation, social critisism and creativity stand in the foreground.
From the managers' point of view a lot of potential can be found in the artists, that could be supportive of their own work. Whereas the artists find the strong, result orientated attitude of the managers displeasing.
Managers and artists have a common basis at their disposal (transverse thinking), that they use in different ways. "Creative developers of social values" polarize themselves versus "structured, innovative, purpose serving do-ers".
With regard to cooperations between art and economics, the estimations of the Status Quo of cooperations diverge strongly from each other. Whereas the ideal image is more homogeneous. The artists tend to have a negative opinion of the present cooperations. From the managers' point of view, cooperations are seen with the results in mind that should have a functional and economic use.
From the artists' point of view the main point of critisism in the present cooperations is the superficial and profit orientated attitude towards art. Yet the search for communication has been acknowledged, the similar strategies and curiosity that has been aroused.
The managers' perspective critisizes the separating attitude of the artists within cooperations, with their arrogant and demandingly high-standards.
But above all the enrichment of the emotional side and the image from outside as far as ethical values are concerned.
You can find the detailed results on the following homepage: www.concecta.com
download at KPRAES:ppt as Powerpoint-Data.
A catalogue of the "künstlichen horizont" will be available as of the Fall: orders at office@k-haus.at or at conecta@conecta.com.
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