That which takes place without forethought, art, or understanding is Schlump, the unexpected lucky break.
(Grimm’s Dictionary)
It was just by chance that in 1984 a group of so-called mentally handicapped people who felt the urge to paint began to meet with the painter Rolf Laute in the basement of the institution known as Townhouse Schlump near the Schlump subway station in Hamburg. Many of the Schlumpers, as they came to call themselves, had been unable to fit into the routines of the usual workshops for the handicapped and had been classified as unsuitable for such activities.
Today the group consists of about 30 men and women between the ages of 20 and 80. Each of them has an individual style; together they are a marvellously crazy group. The Schlumpers live all over Hamburg in supervised group homes sponsored by various institutions. In 1993 the Ministry of Labor, Health, and Social Welfare of the City of Hamburg, together with the organization “Friends of the Schlumpers”, offered the members of the group the chance to pursue their artistic activities on a full-time, professional basis. 22 of the artists currently enjoy salaried positions as “Professional Schlumpers”. They are assisted in their work by freelance artists, who provide easels and paint but do not interfere in the artistic process. In January, 2002 a special partnership was established between the Schlumpers and the Alsterdorf Evangelical Foundation in Hamburg.
The conception of this work project is basically similar to that of an ordinary workshop for the handicapped in Germany: it must produce enough profit to support the process of production and to provide a guaranteed monthly income to the artists. The difference is that the Schlumpers’ work is independent and self-determined, engaging the entire personalities of the people involved. The “products” of this workshop are also unusual: paintings, graphic art, sculpture, installations, and performances. The market for the Schlumpers’ products is the international art market. Like other artists, the Schlumpers exhibit in galleries and museums. Their works have been used for posters and CD covers; they are rented by film makers, photographers, and art lovers, and are purchased by private collectors and public institutions.
(Grimm’s Dictionary)
It was just by chance that in 1984 a group of so-called mentally handicapped people who felt the urge to paint began to meet with the painter Rolf Laute in the basement of the institution known as Townhouse Schlump near the Schlump subway station in Hamburg. Many of the Schlumpers, as they came to call themselves, had been unable to fit into the routines of the usual workshops for the handicapped and had been classified as unsuitable for such activities.
Today the group consists of about 30 men and women between the ages of 20 and 80. Each of them has an individual style; together they are a marvellously crazy group. The Schlumpers live all over Hamburg in supervised group homes sponsored by various institutions. In 1993 the Ministry of Labor, Health, and Social Welfare of the City of Hamburg, together with the organization “Friends of the Schlumpers”, offered the members of the group the chance to pursue their artistic activities on a full-time, professional basis. 22 of the artists currently enjoy salaried positions as “Professional Schlumpers”. They are assisted in their work by freelance artists, who provide easels and paint but do not interfere in the artistic process. In January, 2002 a special partnership was established between the Schlumpers and the Alsterdorf Evangelical Foundation in Hamburg.
The conception of this work project is basically similar to that of an ordinary workshop for the handicapped in Germany: it must produce enough profit to support the process of production and to provide a guaranteed monthly income to the artists. The difference is that the Schlumpers’ work is independent and self-determined, engaging the entire personalities of the people involved. The “products” of this workshop are also unusual: paintings, graphic art, sculpture, installations, and performances. The market for the Schlumpers’ products is the international art market. Like other artists, the Schlumpers exhibit in galleries and museums. Their works have been used for posters and CD covers; they are rented by film makers, photographers, and art lovers, and are purchased by private collectors and public institutions.
»Bird«, 1990, 160 cm x 89,5 cm
»Smoking Angel« (detail)
The Schlumper Gallery is a studio, exhibition space, auditorium, and neighborhood café all in one. A changing exhibition of works by the Schlumpers and other artists is on display, and paintings, catalogues, posters, and postcards are available for sale. In the café, you can try the home-made cakes and also sit and talk directly with the Schlumper artists.
Galerie der Schlumper
Alte Rinderschlachthalle Hamburg
Neuer Kamp 30, Entrance B
20357 Hamburg
Phone: + 49-40–432 54 270
Open
Tuesday-Friday 4:00 pm-7:00 pm
Saturdays 11:00 am-5:00 pm
Last Sunday of every month: 3:00 pm-7:00 pm
Email: post@schlumper.de
Essay by Prof. Günther Gercken
from the book »Die Schlumper,
Kunst ohne Grenzen/Art without Borders«
Springer, Wien / New York