Documenta Gulp!

'Documenta Gulp!' was a special year-end bonus organized by the curators of Gulp!. In February of each year (the Gulpian fiscal year being from February to February) the curators got together to put together a Gulp extravaganza, celebrating the accomplishments of the previous year. Each Documenta Gulp! was different to ensure freshness, originality and fun.

On this festive occasion, a prize was awarded to the artist whom the curators felt had made a good impression for the gallery internationally. These unique prizes were the curators material donation to the arts and served as an incentive to artists worldwide to remain original, fun and Gulpy!

Gulp's! first Documenta took place in The Living Art Museum, Reykjavik, in 1996, where all the Gulp! exhibitions from the previous year were carefully documented and explained with photographs and accompanying text.

During the first year all Gulp! artists used the same paper box for their exhibitions. The box, originally from Christmas lights, was worn and torn after a whole year of activities and in much need of replacement. This first Gulp! box was on display in the first Documenta Gulp!, sitting on top of a bright green display stand. After that first year of operation Gulp! artist began choosing their own box... that is, if they wanted a box at all.

For Documenta Gulp! II, in 1997, the curators created the Gulp! Board Game. The game documented all the exhibitions of Gulps'! second year and lead the players through each exhibition one by one. The Gulp! Board Game was made in the multiple of 50 and sold for a fair price.

In 1997 Hlynur Hallsson received the first 'Gulp! award' on Documenta Gulp! II. The award was a handknit mitten bearing the Gulp! logo. The mitten was designed to be used as a handbag and/or a beauty banner.
Hlynur organised a large group exhibition in a shoebox. He gathered 32 artists from around the world and created a miniature exhibition. The artworks were displayed as if they were in a large gallery, carefully organised and looking simply beautiful and funny. He held the exhibition in the two largest towns in Iceland, got good reviews in newspapers and Icelandic radio. He took the first step in what became a steady ascent for Gallery Gulp! from the depths of the underground as this was one of the first times Gulp! managed to get its name in the papers!

Documenta Gulp! III in 1998 was in the form of a goodbye party since Gulp! was physically leaving Iceland. The curators were by then living elsewhere in Europe and Gulp! was becoming more international. Icelandic artists kept on exhibiting in the gallery and all Gulp! Artists helped the curators spread Gulp's! reputation. Shortly after Documenta III, Gulp! launched its' website where artists could apply for an Gulp! exhibition online.

At Documenta Gulp! III, the Mark Knopfleresque Gulp! Headband was awarded to Unnar Örn Jónasson for his generous donation to the ongoing Gulp! saga. Gulp! had simple rules in life and one of them was that if anyone chickened out on an exhibition, he or she would slowly become socially abandoned by their friends and family... and especially by the Gulp! curators. To make it even harder to give up on your Gulp! idea it was added to the rules that your Karma would die if you didn't Gulp! when you were supposed to Gulp!
Unnar had a slight problem with his Gulp! and things where looking rather bad for his social life as well as for his Karma. What he did, in desperation, is somewhat admirable (in the curators' opinion!), Unnar made a legal will where he donated all his belongings to Gulp! gallery after his death.

These unique awards were designed and handmade by the curators of Gulp!.

In spite of big plans only three Documenta Gulp! events have become reality yet.

Gulp! mail gulpgallery@hotmail.com