Anne Wenzel - Carte Blanche: Fuck the Dictator

In February 2019, Deirdre Carasso, director of the Stedelijk Museum Schiedam, issued a bold invitation to artist Anne Wenzel: step into the museum's boxing ring and confront the autonomy of art against the might of cultural institutions. Despite her lack of boxing experience, Wenzel embraced the challenge with one condition: if she emerged victorious, the museum would grant her carte blanche. Wenzel triumphed, seizing control of the museum with the goal of elevating art to the forefront.

This book chronicles the carte blanche episode, serving as both a manifesto for the autonomy of art and a contemplation of the role of art and artists in today's institutionalized art world. Alongside essays and visual documentation exploring various facets of the carte blanche episode, the book showcases the body of work created and presented by Wenzel at the Stedelijk Museum Schiedam.