War, inflation, skyrocketing energy prices – everyone feels the effects of the current crises. And that has made people more frugal. As a result, people are less willing to donate. Yet, curiously, more money is going into the art market during this crisis than ever. Our idea: turn homeless people into artists and let them profit from the art market – with The Homeless Gallery.
“I WAS ABOUT TO JUMP INTO THE RIVER ELBE”.
“IT DIDN’T COME FROM MY PEN. BUT FROM MY MOUTH.”
Hinz&Kunzt sellers became Hinz&Kunzt artists. And their stories turned into real art. At first, we immersed ourselves in the lives of these homeless people in long, one-on-one conversations. And then, with the help of artificial intelligence and the expertise of the Hamburger Kunsthalle, the homeless artists followed an iterative process to create intimate and emotionally-charged works of art from their life stories. The result is The Homeless Gallery, a pop-up gallery like no other.
Beneath bridges, in subways and at train stations – The Homeless Gallery was just as unsheltered as its artists. Over 100,000 Hamburg residents and tourists visited the 13 open-air exhibition venues throughout the city. Each location was announced in real-time on the social media of Hinz&Kunzt and the Hamburg Kunsthalle, via hyper-localised and contextual DOOH and on The Homeless Gallery’s website.
“THE RED CARD IS FOR THE POLITICIANS, SO THEY FINALLY DO SOMETHING”
The art catalogue became the best-selling special issue in the history of Hinz&Kunzt; the increased awareness helped magazine sales rise by 32%, and all merchandise sold out within a few days. The press was also enthusiastic: over 315 national and international reports generated 87.3 million in earned media reach, bringing The Homeless Gallery and the topic of homelessness into the spotlight. To continue the success story, both of Hamburg’s most famous football clubs invited The Homeless Gallery to their stadiums. Plus, Christie’s auctioned off the art pieces at the Hamburg Kunsthalle making the homeless gallery the most lucrative fundraiser in the history of Hinz&Kunzt.
Merchandising sold out
“AI UNCOVERS THE WORLD OF HOMELESS PEOPLE”.
“GERMAN MAGAZINE HINZ&KUNZT SHARES EMOTIONAL LIFE STORIES OF HOMELESS PEOPLE WITH AI-ARTWORKS”.
PRODUCED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
