Hotel Drawings

Inspired by the nomadic German artist Martin Kippenberger’s well known Hotel Drawings, 20-21 Visual Arts Centre put out an open invitation for artists to send artworks on branded hotel note paper, or small works on paper that use Kippenberger’s transient drawings as inspiration.

It’s not uncommon for hotels to provide a notepad and stationary in each room for guests to use. For artist’s travelling for work or pleasure, often the lure of such readily available materials is irresistible and they can’t help but be creative. Kippenberger, who stayed in hotels for weeks or months at a time, used these ready made materials to create hundreds of drawings and form one of his most significant bodies of work.

The invitation to artists received a phenomenal response from across the globe, with artists from as far away as Japan, USA and Australia sending works to be included. The result is an exhibition of over 100 artworks that are intriguing, humorous, bizarre and beautiful, exhibited in showcases throughout the gallery.

Sent by mail to Scunthorpe, from all four corners of the world, these small works on paper give an insight into the artist’s mind, and how artists use the often mundane time spent during travel, as inspiration, and opportunity to let the mind wander.