As announced at a press conference in Berlin's Cafe Einstein in spring 2006, the Vienna group monochrom has assumed ownership of all trademark and usage rights of the artist Joerg Schlick's "Lord Jim Lodge". Schlick, who died in December 2005, developed the brand name together with Martin Kippenberger, Albert Oehlen and Wolfgang Bauer during the 1980s. This takeover has far-reaching consequences for numerous artistic endeavors. In cooperation with the Berlin art consulting agency Teyssandier-Springer, monochrom has lodged claims asserting its rights in the affair while simultaneously inviting the owners of the works in question to negotiate a satisfactory out-of-court settlement.
Shortly before the artist's death, monochrom purchased from Joerg Schlick in a package deal all rights pertaining to intellectual property, copyright, trademark, and usage in accordance with national and international regulations.
In May 2006 monochrom had already succeeded in landing the first returns from the partial transfer of the logo to the American soft drink manufacturer The Coca Cola Company. From these funds it was possible to enter into takeover negotiations with additional art and cultural organizations, thus furthering the group's vision of working toward an economic restructuring of the so-called Austrian "art scene". The results will be officially announced shortly. In celebration of their exceptional art-market performance, monochrom and Art Consulting Teyssandier-Springer - in cooperation with the partner firms Galerie Bleich-Rossi, Austroarts Consulting, MuseumsQuartier Wien, The Coca Cola Company, Landesbund Kunst & Kultur Kärnten, Ströck Art Center and Künstlerbedarf Hirmke, Hrabalekgasse 9a – invite you to take a painted look back at the business year 2006/2007.