Like a circle of wagons, Materialverwaltung on Tour gradually accrues in front of the Colosseum, where various materials and props from cultural organisations can be submitted, looked through, borrow or purchased. The project promotes the further use and recycling of materials, props and, not least, ideas from theatres, museums, film sets and trade fairs. It is a sustainable and diverse collection, that is actively operating with the objective of anchoring the project in the region on a long-term basis. Such a concept has already been established in New York (Material for the Arts) and Hamburg (Hanseatische Materialverwaltung).
Everything that has been salvaged from being pointlessly scrapped is being traded following the maxim that the more non-commercial it is, the cheaper it will be. This is of benefit to, for example, freelance artists, youth group art projects, educational institutions and students without large budgets, who are all supported by the collection. Professional production companies are also welcome and can pay market prices. But it is also worthwhile just browsing; the diverse materials tell their own stories whilst building bridges between the various institutions in the Ruhr Area. With the Moondog from the production of the same name by Fidena (Figurentheater der Nationen), a particularly beautiful and beloved prop has already found a new home for a while at the Materialverwaltung.
In cooperation with Hanseatische Materialverwaltung, Hamburg.
- Festival
The project Materialverwaltung on Tour was developed as part of the exhibition Ruhr Ding: Territorien and was on view from May 4—June 30, 2019 in the Colosseum in Bochum.