Illegitimate Business
Illegitimate Business
Will Brown
January 27 - February 26, 2012
This was the inaugural exhibition of the alternative curatorial project know as Will Brown.
Curated in collaboration with Zachary Royer Scholz and Brion Nuda Rosch, this exhibition of artworks and ephemera with peculiar provenance investigated the ways in which works of art are acquired outside of galleries and auction houses. The eclectic collection of objects, from some of the world’s most revered artists, had one thing in common—they were all obtained without any monetary transaction; often illicitly. Illegitimate Business explored the unexpected life of these artworks and posited that the value of these works, removed from the market, resides in the narrative of their acquisition. We are indebted to our generous lenders, who for obvious reasons will remain anonymous.
Illegitimate Business was exhibited in the unfinished basement of Will Brown. The main street-level gallery remained empty for the duration of the exhibition and visitors accessed the show via ladder through a locked hatch door. In place of title cards, each object was accompanied by a written statement from its lender detailing its unique provenance.
