“Eighth Tableau: How poor little monochrom dwelt in the gloomy netherworld of socially precarious existence, even rejoicing at coverage on Austrian National Television”

In the midst of the everyday jungle war of socially precarious existence in Austria, time is a scarce resource. Nonetheless, monochrom somehow managed to complete the newest issue of the magazine Sun Breasts Hammer. Roland Gratzer, the group’s press speaker, displayed great sacrifice in processing the correspondence coming in at Teyssandier-Springer, asking himself all the while why he hadn’t just applied for an internship like everyone else. On the side he was slaving away as a film critic for the Catholic weekly Die Furche to keep his head above water. The power of contradiction...! And lo and behold; a report appeared on ORF online:

“monochrom intends to file suit
29 March 2006

Dispute regarding rights to Schlick cultural trademarks

Surprise and confusion resulted from a report issued on Friday by the Austrian Press Agency regarding future legal rights pertaining to cultural trademarks created by Jörg Schlick. The Viennese artist group monochrom has announced extensive legal action.

“The Legacy of Jörg Schlick”

According to the report, Jörg Schlick transferred ownership of the cultural trademarks “Lord Jim Lodge”, “Sun Breasts Hammer” and “No one helps nobody” to the artist group monochrom shortly before his death, laying the foundation for franchise marketing and artistic “re-start-ups”.

monochrom is threatening lawsuits.

Without monochrom’s agreement, no use of these trademarks, including reproduction and exhibition, is permitted.

In this context, legal action is being considered against a gallery in Berlin, the Forum Stadtpark and Galerie Bleich-Rossi in Vienna in view of upcoming exhibitions.

Gabriella Bleich-Rossi, who has moved her gallery from Graz to Vienna, plans to open the Schlick exhibition „Über die Fuge und ihr Stolpern innerhalb der Malerei“ (“The Fugue and Its Stumbling in Painting”) on 7 April at the new location.”
The case also came to the attention of further exponents of the gallery world (“But Jörg and I had been buddies for years!”) and of art education (e.g. concerns involving student projects on the Lord Jim Lodge). The rumors were as powerful as dinosaurs before the comet hit: no one knew more.
On the occasion of the Schlick exhibition, Gabriella Bleich-Rossi read a statement that a lawsuit had been filed against her gallery, but that it had been possible to settle the legal differences. Agreement had been reached regarding an amicable “working basis for legal cooperation” that was “administratively, financially and humanly unobjectionable.” Subsequently the new issue of Sun Breasts Hammer was distributed. It was devoted to “the largest construction site in the world, human culture” and announced the completely revamped Lodge motto: “We help everyone”. Thus Lord Jim Lodge powered by monochrom presented itself as a serious player on the marketplace “art”.