Gönül Sen-Menzel at the “Handgemenge” of Galerie plan.d

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It has proved to be more than a flash in the pan: the artist-run gallery plan.d is celebrating its fifth anniversary today with prominent guests.

A rather illustrious group will gather in the inconspicuous rooms: the Düsseldorf gallerist Walter Conrads, Kunsthalle director Ulrike Groos, Kunstpalast curator Stephan von Wiese, the art professors Annette Leyener and Sabine Tschierschky, and Ingrid Stoppa-Sehlbach from the Ministry of Culture. Under the patronage of Professor Christian Megert, they will discuss, weigh up and decide which of the 123 glove objects on display will receive prizes.

Gloves? Indeed – for plan.d’s fifth anniversary, the energetic organizers called for a “Handgemenge” (a play on “scuffle” and “hand”): whether made of rubber, leather or wool, gloves were to be transformed. As a sign that art is, after all, also a craft. Well-known artists such as Klaus Richter, Bernd Engberding and the children’s book illustrator Wolf Erlbruch submitted entries. Jyrg Munter of plan.d is delighted: “The youngest artistic contributors are two boys, aged seven and nine, from the house next door.”

A wealth of ideas and sensory impressions has come together in this project. To pick out just a few examples: there is the pleasant-smelling “soap glove” and the moss-covered one in an open pose: “No moss, no fun” (a pun on “Moos”, slang for money). On the wall, a blue sea creature stretches out – a cleverly cut rubber glove. A wrist warmer invites viewers to put their hand into a cage. Sausage-pink, “Die Hausmacher” hangs from a hook, and not far from the “glove stretcher” there is even a crowing – or rather trumpeting – specimen of the species.

Care was taken that the artists of the works could not be identified straight away: “Each object is only numbered,” explains plan.d member Angelika Eggert, “because the jury should decide without bias.” And her colleague Peter Clouth adds: “That is also why we didn’t want to take on the role of jury ourselves.” But they did decide on the prizes. The exhibition organizers find the third prize the nicest, that much can be revealed – a manicure: “Something fine for artists’ hands,” says Eggert, laughing.

Six months of preparation went into this anniversary celebration, which is financially supported by the Cultural Office of the City of Düsseldorf. Because, as Jyrg Munter says: “Five years is an unusually long life for an artist-run gallery.” How do they judge this period in retrospect? “We have expanded our catchment area from local to international, as far as Japan. And, in the case of Andreas Thein, for example, we recognized early on who was interesting, even though we occupy a niche in the art market.”

At today’s celebration, however, the focus will also be on the future. To further consolidate the gallery, a circle of friends is to be founded.

The glove prizes will be awarded at 7:30 p.m. And from 9 p.m. it’s party time.

plan.d, Erkrather Straße 88, Düsseldorf

Original caption: Object: Gönül Sen. Will this hare win the race in the competition?