ArtSnacky is an art project established by a group of artists in Zottegem, Belgium. The aim of the vending machine is to distribute art in an accessible and approachable manner. For just one euro, you become the owner of a unique piece of art – ranging from a small painting, collage, photograph, or sculpture to a virtual artwork viewable through QR codes.
ArtSnacky originated from a quest for space for art and a search for connection and collaboration among artists. Zottegem, a small provincial town in East Flanders, Belgium, is home to a surprisingly large number of creatives. This presents a great opportunity for mutual support, but unfortunately, there is a lack of space to truly create together. Instead of waiting for an opportunity to arise, they created that space themselves: in a vending machine where around a hundred artworks can come together.
With ArtSnacky, the organizers aim to remove art from its elitist image and bring it back to the heart of society. The vending machine can be found in a local café or supermarket, places where people from different walks of life gather. To reach the widest possible audience, the vending machine doesn't stay in one location but moves nomadically from one place to another.
Artists donate their work, they are not paid for their one-euro artworks. The boxes containing the artworks measure 12 by 4.5 by 2 cm. The size limitation of the artwork contrasts with the opportunity to amaze people who might otherwise rarely come into contact with art, by having them pull your work out of a box. The boxes are anonymous on the outside, giving the artist complete freedom on the inside. The website artsnacky.net showcases all participating artists, allowing visitors to explore their work further.
The goal of ArtSnacky is to create a transaction of wonder and initiate a conversation about what art is. It provides artists with the opportunity to play and experiment. The barrier between artist and audience also appears much lower when someone has purchased a one-euro artwork.
At the opening, ArtSnacky immediately witnessed the connection the vending machine creates: artists are quickly approached by people who enthusiastically grabbed one of their pieces and inquire about other works by the artist. People watch with curiosity as the person next to them pulls something out of the vending machine. They want to pull another piece, curious about the surprise waiting for them in the next box. And people engage in conversations about art – or they seek out someone willing to exchange euros, as suddenly they were in high demand.
Initiators: Hyun De Kempe, Ignace Parmentier, Fran De Pauw, Sander Raes, Stefan Fostier, Bram Antheunis, Arno Schepens, and Robrecht D’Haeseleer
Anna Melnykova, "Palace of Labor (palats praci), architector I. Pretro, 1916", shot with analog Canon camera, 35 mm Fuji film in March 2022.
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