3 Records

A series of vinyl records, a method to disseminate Various’s research into multiple subsidy systems, inequalities in the arts, etc…

i/ DJANGO JANE

The soundtrack for an experimental animation film (1): Django Jane (3), 2021, made of more than 2500 portraits downloaded from the Internet. The portraits show composers (4) from the Middle Ages to the present day. The film travels gradually through time, exposing gender/regional inequalities (5) in the arts in general and evolving with the technology (6) used to portray artists.

The soundtrack can have a multitude of versions: 

i/ Solo: a single piano with a single piano tuner 

r/ À Quatre Mains: a single piano with two piano tuners

z/ Ménage à Trois: two pianos with three piano tuners

h/ Quatre Mains A2: two pianos with four piano tuners

b/ Mariage Mixte: a piano, a harpsichord and two piano tuners

D/ À Quatre-vingt Mains: 20 pianos and 40 piano tuners

r/ CAP’S FOR ALL

To boost the cultural sector and give people back a taste of the diverse Flemish cultural life, the “culturele activiteitenpremie” was launched. You could apply for this premium for activities that took place between 1 September 2020 and 31 May 2021.

You could apply for this premium since 3 November 2020. On 12 January 2021, the foreseen budget of €35 million of the emergency fund was exhausted. 6,735 premiums were paid to organisations and one-person businesses, (7) in multiples of €2,000 to a maximum of €20,000.

During the Theater festival, 2021, the redaction of Etcetera (8) invited Various Artist for a marathon performance (9) of 10 hours reading out the list of granted applications.

z/ PANDEMICA

Most of the year 2020, the cultural sector in Flanders was in lockdown. Various Artists dug into the financial records of the subsidised cultural institutions for the year 2020. The A side of the record brings together 12 “winners” (10) that took advantage of a year of few activities and closed their books with a substantial joined profit of 11.256.965 € for fiscal year 2020 which corresponds to 8.528 € per second. The B-side gathers the so called “losers” (11) that for some reasons booked a joined loss of 1.793.397 € for fiscal year 2020, which corresponds to 1.359 euros per second.

h/ KA-CHING

In 2020 Various Artists were paid a day of work () with a KVR (). They rang a bell every time they made €1.00.

Hire Various Artists for one day and they will ring the bell each time they make €1.00.

D/ MUSIC FOR FREEPORTS

f/ SUBSIDISED SURVEY (ANONYMOUS)

  1. The video was originally intended for Christmas Tuning (with support from Cultural Activities Premium (2)), to be broadcast on 25 December 2020. The project was cancelled.

  2. see r/ CAP’S FOR ALL

  3. "Django Jane" is "a response to me feeling the sting of the threats being made to my rights as a woman, as a black woman, as a sexually liberated woman, even just as a daughter with parents who have been oppressed for many decades. Black women and those who have been the 'other', and the marginalised in society” Janelle Monáe. The Guardian, 2018.

  4. from Notker Balbulus (840 - 912) to Alma Deutscher (2005).

  5. 28,27% women, 7,65% non caucasian.

  6. icon-tempera painting-intaglio-oil painting-monochrome photography-color photography-digital photography-selfie.

  7. but excluded individual artists.

  8. Etcetera is an art criticism magazine that describes, analyses and comments on the performing arts from a critical affinity.

  9. brought by members of Etcetera's editorial staff and some hired performers.

  10. Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, Desingel, Het Toneelhuis, Hetpaleis, Ntg,Ghent, Stuk, Kunstencentrum Nona, Kaaitheater, Kunstenfestivaldesarts, Z33, Bronks Jeugdtheater & Buda.

  11. Noordstarfonds, Ancienne Belgique, Rosas, Jazz En Muziek, Peeping Tom, Kunst-Werk, Ultima Vez, Ictus, Imal, Concertgebouw, Pianofabriek & Froe Froe.