The New New York Lotto

People have been gambling since before the invention of money. So too have they been making art. The New New York Lotto is a chance-based alternative art market that draws the line between this moment in economic history and these two ancient forms of meaning-making and risk-taking. Lotteries not only subvert capital—they also subvert mundanity; they can be both radical and irresistible. From the spiritually-charged mutual aid of the New York Numbers Game, to Native-run tribal casinos, to PTA raffle fundraisers, gambling has deep roots in its ability to financially support communities in need. The more sinister associations we have with gambling stem from two sources: the co-optation of these grassroots projects by the state, and the reliance on money as a vital resource in late-stage capitalism. It goes without saying that vital resources should never be prizes we must bargain for.

As an artist, I question the value of art that has become so entangled with the economy surrounding it. Increasingly, I see artists forced to rely on collectors and dealers just to keep making their work. The current state of the art market is just as perverse, withholding, and suffocating as a state-run lottery that targets the poor while pretending to fund their schools. My project does not claim to solve these problems, but rather asks: What might happen if we tried something different? With tickets as low as $1.00, and the option for free entry, will people want to bet on an artwork? Can gambling off artwork change the market as we know it, while providing a more sustainable alternative for artists and their communities?