INVENTORY: THE WORK OF CHRISTINE HILL & VOLKSBOUTIQUE

Published by Hatje/Cantz and distributed in the U.S. by D.A.P./
Distributed Art Publishers, Inc.
Essays by Doris Berger, Barbara Steiner and Lucy R. Lippard

"Like many social artists, Hill sees most of her work as both introverted and extroverted. It is in fact a skillful updating of what used to be called 'Life Art'. In an aesthetic echo of the American dream, Hill's work has gone from downscale (street vending, rummage sales) to the pseudo-corporate (board meetings, TV shows, fashion show). Yet it still offers an endearing mixture of Dada, pop, performance, process art, and conceptual art, recycled for the 21st century with a certain fin de siecle élan. Her trajectory provokes insights about the relationship between lifestyle and 'baggage', mobility and status quo, packing and unpacking (postmodern intellectual processes in themselves), the familiar and the foreign, cultural memory and amnesia, as well as the dangers of uncritical service. There's no telling how far she will go in this direction, but as she pushes the envelope, Hill is also pushing the letter. And that can only be good for art. Is Volksboutique a bargain? A gift? A joke on art? In its ambiguity lies its success. I know I'm right because, after all, the customer is always right..."

-Excerpt from 'Bargains' by Lucy R. Lippard, from "Inventory".

The Volksboutique Products Division was created in 2003 to serve the community of Greenpoint, Brooklyn and the public at large. We are hard at work manufacturing Quality Products to offer to you. Please check back with us and see what we're up to!

Our current featured product is:

The Volksboutique Handbag has been designed as a tool for use in daily situations. It serves as a courier bag, a portable office and a survival kit. The owner is instrumental in supplying the bag with the necessary ingredients to provide its function and personality. This bag has been designed to cater to your needs. Our template bag is then transformed to your personal agenda. It is red: protective, attention-getting, individual. Wear it as a shield. Wear it with pride. This is not fashion. Art is a lifestyle, and this bag carries yours. Handbag represents the philosophy we have come to promote at Volksboutique.

We can happily answer any product related questions you might have - products@volksboutique.org

Welcome to the creation of a new term: The Organizational Venture. We hope you will be satisfied with the products and the actions of this terminology. They are designed to give form to a selection of ideas, principles and actions. Perhaps you will recognize them from your daily lives. Perhaps you will see them intersect places you have been or would like to go. Perhaps you will envy our office supplies and strive to achieve better aesthetic harmony on your desktop.

The Organizational Venture reveals the dichotomy between a productive workspace and a functioning display space. Additionally, a selection of hand-picked Objects which we support, or otherwise find valuable, can be perused. Some of these we have manufactured in our own facilities. Please bear witness to the New Volksboutique, improved and expanded for you, while providing the same service, the same aesthetic and conceptual joy you have come to associate with our Productions.

You can view a selection of Organizational Ventures under 'Supply and Demand' in the 'Portfolio' section. Thank you for your curiosity.

For more information about services available please contact us - service@volksboutique.org