OtherNetwork: Federico Martelli on Decentralizing Art Through Independent Spaces
Founded by Federico Martelli, Rotterdam's Cookies studio, in partnership with Germany's Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen (ifa), OtherNetwork is an international initiative that connects independent art spaces. Established as a nonprofit in the Netherlands in 2021, it aims to foster collaboration and support artists, particularly in fragile democracies, a reality underscored by the pandemic's impact on these venues. The network's website provides a city-based map of participating locations and facilitates a relay system linking exhibitions from Stuttgart to Accra, Johannesburg, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Barranquilla, and Guatemala. While OtherNetwork provides funding for production, it does not influence curatorial choices. The sixth relay exhibition, Bocas de agua, is scheduled from October 15 to November 12 at Galería de Bellas Artes de la Universidad del Atlántico, showcasing artists from diverse nations.
Key facts
- OtherNetwork was conceived by Rotterdam design studio Cookies with Germany's ifa and launched in 2021
- It operates as a nonprofit foundation registered in the Netherlands with a team across Europe, Africa, and Latin America
- Founder Federico Martelli describes OtherNetwork as a 'phantom institution, a decentralized museum'
- The relay system has one host space invite the next to stage an exhibition, creating chains across cities
- Funding has come from ifa, Stimuleringsfonds, and Between Bridges, founded by Wolfgang Tillmans
- Editorial series include Interdependence and Navigating Frictions
- The sixth relay exhibition, Bocas de agua, runs October 15 to November 12 at Galería de Bellas Artes de la Universidad del Atlántico
- Casa de Meira in Barranquilla invited La Nueva Fábrica of Antigua Guatemala, with curator Ilaria Conti organizing around water and interdependence
Entities
Artists
- Federico Martelli
- Wolfgang Tillmans
- Ilaria Conti
- Akwasi Bediako Afrane
- Anamarie
- Paulina Mellado
- Anwar Sadat Mohammed
- Thais Llorca
- Andreas Körner
Institutions
- OtherNetwork
- Cookies
- Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen
- ifa
- Stimuleringsfonds
- Between Bridges
- Casa de Meira
- La Nueva Fábrica
- Galería de Bellas Artes de la Universidad del Atlántico
- Instituto Tele Arte
- Espacio Odeón
- Beta Local
- ifa Gallery Stuttgart
- Fundación para el Arte Contemporáneo de Ghana
- Artishock Revista
Locations
- Rotterdam
- Netherlands
- Germany
- Europe
- Africa
- Latin America
- Kinshasa
- Gaza
- Israel
- Stuttgart
- Accra
- Johannesburg
- Brazil
- Puerto Rico
- Barranquilla
- Guatemala
- Antigua Guatemala
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Chile
- Copiapó
- Kumasi
- Ghana
- San Juan
- Aguas Buenas
- Magdalena River
- Caribbean