Black Market International (BMI) is a performance artist collective with international members, each with an established and independent practice as a solo performer. Since 1985 the group has presented durational collective performances worldwide.
The movement was founded under the name Market project in 1985 in Poznan (Poland) with founders Boris Nieslony, Zygmunt Piotrowski, Tomas Ruller and Jürgen Fritz. In 1986 for the first European tour the name Black Market was taken. In 1990/91 the group appeared as Black Market International, with personal changes .
There have been a variety of different versions of what BMI is about, as the group always avoided the definition of an organised group. The title Black Market does not designate a group, but rather an idea of working. The aim is to promote - like in a black market - open and free exchange of ideas, and to achieve an Art of Encounter, or mixed englisch-german “Art of Begegnung”.. Michael LaChance, Performance Art Research, “15 principles of Black Market International"
Members Until 2014, the group had twelve regular members: Jürgen Fritz, Germany Norbert Klassen, Switzerland (1941–2011) Miriam Laplante, Canada/Italy Alastair MacLennan, UK Helge Meyer, Germany Boris Nieslony, Germany Jacques van Poppel, Netherlands Elvira Santamaria, Mexico Marco Teubner, Germany Julie Andree T., Canada Roi Vaara, Finland Lee Wen, Singapore (1957–2019)
Past Black Market International members were: Zygmunt Piotrowski, Poland Tomas Ruller, Czech Republic Nigel Rolfe, Ireland Zbigniew Warpechowski, Poland. Several international guest artists have been invited to collaborate in BMI performances throughout the years. ASA Art Service Association - Biography
See also Performance art Fluxus Experimental theatre Living theatre Intermedia Norbert Klassen Alastair MacLennan Lee Wen List of performance artists
References
External links Official website of Black Market International Timeline of Black Market International history and activities on the website of ASA Art Service Association Michael LaChance, Performance Art Research. “15 principles of Black Market International" About BMI on member Boris Nieslony’s official website About BMI on member Myriam Laplante’s official website About BMI on member Lee Wen’s official website