July 2 – July 30, 2010
Washington Project for the Arts, Washington, DC
Barter was a web-based, non-monetary silent auction, organized as part of Coup d’Espace, Washington Project for the Arts’ member-generated programming series. From July 1 – July 23, 2010, thirteen goods or services were put up for auction at www.barter-project.com and website visitors could place bids by proposing a good or service they would exchange for the auction item. When the auction closed, the thirteen participants chose which bids they wished to accept.
Goods and services up for auction included a studio visit from DC-based curator, Laura Roulet, a personalized poem or story by writer and performer Silvana Straw, a year of pen-pal services from artist Dana Maier and a transformational portrait from artist Kenny George. Exchanged goods and images representing exchanged services were displayed at Washington Project for the Arts for the closing reception on July 30, 2010, from 6-9pm.
Inspired by the informal gift and exchange economies common among artists and workers in the service sector, Barter invited participants to consider the undervalued skills and unique or handmade goods they could offer to exchange. Though the project was modest in scope, its goals were to begin a dialogue about alternative economic models, blur the lines between producer and consumer, and create a space for the consideration of value beyond currency.
Barter Participants: Kristina Bilonick, Jessica Buckley, Chris Combs, Chajana denHarder, Rachel England, Amanda Erickson, Carla Figueroa, Deborah Fitzgerald, Kenny George, Lisa Gold, Taylor Jenkins, Chandi Kelley, Larissa Leclair, Dana Maier, Samuel Miranda, Amy Murphy, Kelly Rand, Ezequiel Romero, Laura Roulet, Derya Samadi, Jessica Solomon, Silvana Straw, Linette Tobin, Tony Wilson, and Sohayl Vafia