Artist Threatened with Censorship for Critiquing Contemporary Art Organization’s Practices
via Daniel Djamo
Daniel Djamo // Dear Mr. Luca Curci, 2014
Dear Mr. Luca Curci / 2013
This work was sent to the call for artists BorderBody – Mixing Cities, an exhibition that was supposed to take place at Palazzo Barone Ferrara, from Bari (Italy), organized by International ArtExpo and Mr. Luca Turci, after they had mailed me, informing me of the deadline (November 7th, 2013). The exhibition was supposed to take place between November 28th and December 6th, 2013 (for one whole week). I never thought that they would invite me to participate yet again in an exhibition organized by them, after the following:
From: International ArtExpo
To: dndjamo@yahoo.com
Sent: Tuesday, July 2, 2013 11:27 AM
Subject: Border Cities & New Identities | Romania 2013 – Confirmation
Dear Daniel,
we are glad to confirm your participation in Border Cities & New Identities | Romania 2013.
Border Cities & New Identities | Romania 2013 – International Art Exhibition of Photography, Video Art, Computer Graphics, Painting, Architecture and Performing Art will be held in Suceava (Romania), at The Water Plant “Uzina de Apa”, from July 26, to August 02 2013.
In attachment you will find the submission form with all details to take part in the event with the works “And I loved only you” and “Le noir subit”. The entry fee for each artwork selected is:
photography / video art / computer graphics / painting / architecture categories
– 100 euro per selected work
performing art category
– FREE per selected performance
Since the deadline for applications was yesterday, we need your confirmation as soon as possible.
Thanks for all your time,
Luca Curci
Director
International ArtExpo
Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, 33
70122 Bari (Italy)
+39.0805234018
+39.3387574098
www.lucacurci.com/artexpo
From: dndjamo@yahoo.com
To: International ArtExpo
Sent: Tuesday, July 2, 2013 12:13 PM
Subject: Re: Border Cities & New Identities | Romania 2013 – Confirmation
Dear Mr. Luca Curci, first of all hello to you as well.
I will enlist some of the reasons why I am stunned to hear that you are asking 100 euros\work:
1. never, under no circumstances have I heard someone pay 100 euros\work to exhibit in Suceava for almost a week (I am Romanian and I know things around my country)
2. you never ever said anything about an exhibition fee in the call that I found through the artist call website that presented the exhibition
3. I just wanted to present some works in Suceava because I wanted people from the Romanian region of Moldavia to see what it is that I do
4. I do not need this sort of publicity. I did this only to share something with the artistic community
5. If we are talking about money, I never payed for any exhibitions that I was in – I was actually the one being payed to exhibit in some cases (a few until now, it’s true). I am a young artist – 26.
It would had been correct to put in all of your calls the sum of money that you are asking. This is how it would be fair. And 100 euros to exhibit in Romania is totally crazy. And where? In Suceava?!
Yours, poorly,
Daniel Djamo
P.S.
On November 30th, 2014, at 3:59 PM I received a message from Mr. Curci in which he threatened me with a lawsuit if I would not take down the page from this free website made on weebly.com in 7 days (a website that does not belong to any specific company).
Also, he insisted that he would inform ALL OF THE INSTITUTIONS and my GOVERNMENT (written like this, with capital letters) of my misbehavior.
This happened 1 year and 24 days after I have sent my work to him, in a demand to include it in one of his exhibitions, at Palazzo Barone Ferrara, after he continued spamming my mailbox with news regarding his projects (message sent on November 6th, 2013, at 1:15 AM). I have also provided him with the online link.
From: dndjamo@yahoo.com
To: Luca Curci
Sent: Tuesday, November 6, 2013 1:15 AM
Subject: hello daniel djamo work submission
Hello, Mr. Director Luca Curci. I want to present to you my work – photography – for your upcoming exhibition.
I will have it printed (it is a promise) – and I always keep my word.
Also, I want to have it in an exhibition in Romania. I want to make you famous. You deserve it. You are amazing.
I dedicate it to you: http://djamo.weebly.com/dear-mr-luca-curci.html
Yours, kindly,
Daniel Djamo
He never replied to my demand of being part of the exhibition. So, I was unable to send it. I guess that Mr. Curci does not like my art.
Now, November 30th, 2014: He wrote to me that he is paying between 500 and 1000 euros/day for renting the spaces of his exhibitions. Of course, I do believe that he payed 1000 euros/day to have some works exhibited in Uzina de Apa (in Suceava, Romania). That meant that for the whole exhibition week he payed between 3500 euros and 7000 euros. To have payed this money for the exhibition only, he should have presented 70 works, only to neutralize the payment (for Uzina de Apa, Suceava, Northern Romania, the European center of marketed art). I am also very sure that he has the bills that state that he payed between 500 to 1000 euro/day for Suceava’s exhibition space.
Democratic as it should be on paper, the internet can prove a place of censorship.
And as open to dialogue as Mr. Curci seems to be, the content of my website angers him. I did not insult Mr. Curci, I did not use foul language in writing my messages and nor did I lie. I just shared two things with the artistic community: the price and the places of exhibition. And, of course, humor should be censored, as we are all aware.
I am kindly asking ROMANIAN INSTITUTIONS and my GOVERNMENT to take notice of my misbehavior, in presenting one’s point of view upon a matter.
I would want to thank all of the people who contacted me in regard to this work. Thank you for your support.
_____________________________________________________________________
Please share this story widely and post comments below to support the artist being threatened for refusing to take his work down from his website.
Other cases surrounding Mr. Luca Curci / ArtExpo Group that have been shared publicly:
Luca Curci and the ArtExpo Scam
Mexico Biennale paintings missing
International ArtExpo. Next Festivals
ArtExpo 2005 by Luca Curci in Italy
If there are other readers who have had similar experiences with Mr. Curci / ArtExpo we invite them to also share their stories with us.
ArtLeaks 
Could someone please help me, i was scammed out of €2,014 by Luca Curci. How can I get back my money?
The artist is correct! I did a one man show ( a 30-day showing) in a museum and they handled everything, including promotion, snacks etc..
mm thank you for the warning, much appreciated (your art and the alert)— he is director/ or a part of itsliquid.com ?
LUCA CURCI YOU ARE PURE SCAM. IT’S LIQUID GROUP IT’S A SCAM, INTERNATIONAL ART EXPO IT’S A SCAM. ALL THAT SHIT DOESN’T EVEN EXIST. YOU ARE A GANGSTER AND KARMA WILL PUT YOU IN THE PLACE YOU BELONG.
It’s liquid group es una estafa. Luca Curci, el responsable de todas las triquiñuelas, es un estafador. Este tipo se dedica a enviar emails de spam, pese a darse de baja del mailing, y solo esto ya es delito. Pero ojalá sólo fuese eso, este tipejo se dedica a organizar festivales de arte no existentes, o en sitios super cutres, haciendo ver que es en sitios importantes, cuando en verdad esos sitios ni existen. Y lo más fuerte de todo, es que se dedica a pintarlo todo con una imagen de marketing supuestamente ideal, y al final siempre pide a los artistas en la submission comisiones de mínimo 100 euros, hasta 500 euros, por participar en estas exposiciones falsas. Juega con los sentimientos e ilusiones de artistas. En sus redes sociales, la mayoría de sus seguidores son bots. Si queréis confirmar mi testimonio, simplemente buscad en google: “it’s liquid group scam” o “luca curci scam” (scam = estafa en inglés). Y descubriréis cientos de otros testimonios que verifican sus manipulaciones y fantasmonería.
Espero que este mensaje no les asuste, pero encuentro injusto sus acciones, así como creo que todo el mundo debería enterarse de a qué se dedica este gangster.
Saludos cordiales,
Thanks a lot for sharing I barely announced for an Artist I am Wirkung with. An Artist should not pay for showing his artwork a Commission fee by sell would be more understandable.
I am known to some of the above posters and I have been approached by galleries and exhibitions offering space for payment. I am an artist – but I have also been in business for 30 years. What most artists don’t get is this is a business. You have to speculate to accumulate. Do you really think that it is right that someone should take a risk to rent space, advertise and promote an event for relatively unknown artists and for the artists not to contribute? Even the great Royal Academy in London charges £25 per entry for the Summer Exhibition and that’s just to send a digital version of your work!
Everyone is missing the point. The only thing that needs to be considered in these circumstances is DOES THE GALLERY SELL WORKS? If there is footfall at the event and the gallery sells works then everyone’s a winner.
These guys should not be called scammers – they are trying to make a business and if you can’t see that then you are not thinking about the costs involved in staging any event.
Are you his lover or something? THIS PEOPLE ARE PURE SCAMMERS. Just the thing that they can’t stop spamming it’s a crime. They play with artists illusions. LUCA CURCI IT’S SCAM. IT’S LIQUID GROUP IT’S A LIQUID SCAM SHIT.
Thank you! Very interesting and helpful!
Very interesting and helpful, got also a mail from liquid art…
So I mustn´t think about this any more…
Heike
Wow, thank you. You saved us from becoming another victim. The prices have now gone up, by the way:
ENTRY FEE DETAILS
The entry fee is:
.video art category
– 200 euro per selected work
.painting, photo, and printed architectural projects categories
– 200 euro for each selected artwork with a maximum dimensions of 50x50cm;
– 300 euro for each selected artwork with a maximum dimensions of 100x100cm.
.installation/sculpture categories
– 250 euro for selected work with a maximum dimension of 100x100cm (or for 1 square metre of space).
Artworks/series bigger than 1 square metre are allowed. The entry fee for bigger and special projects, complex and innovative installations can be discussed with the organization.
.performance art category
– FREE to perform live in Venice during the opening day of the event. Performers’ travel and accommodation expenses are not covered by It’s LIQUID Group.
To conclude, I was not and I am not worried about my case, but I am sad to read about the experiences of others. A lot of people wrote to me. Having this said, I can understand that it was not pointless to present this situation to the public.
Also, I was very angry to hear his calm and relaxed voice, after calling him two days ago in order to confront him with evidences to his lies.
This case does not matter, it is one of many.
One can only question himself: how can he make this business continue?
November 30th, 1st contact after some time:
Subject: New Form Entry: Contact Form
You’ve just received a new submission to your Contact Form.
Submitted Information:
Name
Luca Curci
Email
xxx@xxx.com
Comment
Dear Daniel. If you need to write me, you can. If you need to share your private email and comunications, you could. but before you should ask permission. we are starting a legal process with you. with a letter from our lawyer to you, we will present it to all your country institutions, private and public organizations and everyone you work with. because you did not asked us why we work with registration fee. you don’t know why. you don’t want to know why. we dont work with public support, with money from european community. we are indipendent. we create events. around the world. we pay art galleries or private buildings for the renting space. and sometimes the renting space is 500/1000 euro DAILY. so we ask the contribution from artists. like a lot of crowdfunding groups online as indiegogo and kickstarter. we ask help to create indipendent events. not against artists. but for artists. will you publish this letter to your website too?? or will you delete the page you published? if we will see the page in next 7 days again, ALL INSTITUTIONS and your GOVERMENT will be contacted. Thanks for all. Luca Curci
I would want to make a note. I did not write to art-leaks.org in order to bring attention upon my case, but to a grey practice. It is not a case of “the poor artist” against “the corrupt system”. It is strictly about the corrupt system. I do not matter. I just happened to make a work that stirred the waters of a business. I can and I will take care of my problems if and when they will appear. I made this case public in order for everyone to have the correct information upon the system of International ArtExpo and Mr. Luca Curci (I am questioning the exhibition organizer, not the architect). I hope that people will focus on his practices, and not on this case.
When people will google search, they will find some truth behind the business of Mr. Curci.
I strictly want people to be very well informed and know what they should expect.
When people will be properly informed, cases such as these will not happen:
MargitHemsen said…
Luca Curci has cheated and betrayed me. I shipped 2 pictures to his so-called art expo, paid for the exposition and never got a proof (photo or press article), that it had taken place. And I did not get my pictures back, he ignored all emails, just did not ship them back (on my costs).
So beware!!!
MargitHemsen
(a fragment from a blogspot)
Or this:
Hello, my name is Juan Pablo Arroyo and I`m the director of Observatorio, an experimental Art Center located in Mexico. As I can see I`m being object of false acusations by Mattison Fitzgerald. I just want to say that this matter is already clear since I talked by phone to Mattison and sent her works back. The initial problem was that Luca Curci is not honest with his Art Expo and he promises art centers that he will send money for sending the works back wich is not true. Luca Curci was hiding the fact that he charged to artists a fee for being showned, when we found this out we told him to send us money for returning the works. He sent us like 250 euros to send back many works, and the money wasn`t enough to send all back. So the problem became public in the mean while and artists though that Observatorio didn`t want to send the works back wich wasn`t true. The only true is that we were expecting for Luca`s money to be able to send the works back. Today we are still finding a way to send some works back but that will be with our own money since it`s for sure that Luca won`t show up. I ask you to take this news out of the net since is just damaging my image. Thanks, Juan Pablo Arroyo (another fragment from another website)
I am supporting you, Djamo. I performed there for opening of expo. But I was not the one of official participants. So I didn’t pay 200euro. But I am in your side. Hope to take your right back!
I never got my artworks back as I was promised. I also had to pay for the framing and the exhibit, and also transport there and back but I never got them back. Maybe it’s time to demand some money back
Mr. Curci pretends to pay the entry fee for (I shall refer only to Uzina de Apa): 1- renting and expenses: at Uzina de Apa it was not the case, 2- artworks receiving; I doubt that he payed more than 150-200 euros for the installation of the whole exhibition (if that really was the case); 3- global and local press office before and during the event: I discovered only 3 web links regarding a sort of promotion of this exhibition (and it was not on known sites), 4-printed invitation cards and totems or posters around the cities (mostly nobody in Romania EVER knew this exhibition even existed); 5- realization of the event page and event dedicated article (his own website, in which he wrote how great everything was); 6 – opening organization and ceremony; invitation of collectors, institutions, art critics and interested public to the show (what critic, collector and institutions took part in Uzina de Apa? I would really really want to know.); 7- hostess service and collaborators during the opening and for the whole duration of the show (it would be best to present receipts and bills of paying the sum of money payed in Suceava’s exhibition); 8-dismounting service and packaging of the artworks ready for the shipping back (there are 2 cases online that talk about his attitude of not caring about the return), 10 – most of times renting spaces costs of galleries or private buildings (he should make open all of the bills to his artists). All that I am saying is that his costs should be made open, available to the public.
And he absolutely has to present directly on his website the sum of money that he requests. For taxation laws to be able to function, for artists to know what they are talking about. This is a grey way of dealing with art exhibitions and in making money without much effort. Thank you for the shares.
I have found out that he did not pay any rent for some spaces. They were given to him, and also he was sponsored. For example, in Suceava, there is no fee required to obtain the space. There is actually funding available also. But I really doubt that all of his artists are well aware of this. What is the charge of 100 euros per work for? Since not for the space and not for the transport of the works themselves? 100 euros for having the honor of being represented by Mr Curci? For what services do people pay 100 euros for? The exhibitions have little to no visilibity. We are talking about a very well constructed web of lies. Organizers hardly know anything about his charges. These are not public. And zara, thank you. You were so right. He did spam the messages with these links to these interviews. Oh my god. :)) And also, we should be talking about the receipts and the bills that he would have to present for taxes regarding his services for each of the exhibitions.
International ArtExpo is an independent group of artists founded in 2001 by Luca Curci, with more than 2.500 artists subscribed. The organization deals with the development of international exhibitions of photography, video art, installation and painting; it organizes solo and collective shows, art residencies and international contests. Its object is to use new technologies to globalize the language of art, to connect artists working in every part of the world.
To organize exhibitions in some of the most important cities of the world, International ArtExpo will provide the artists with the exhibition space, the opening reception, press office services (through the web platform It’s LIQUID), promotional web pages and all other related services. International ArtExpo will suggest to the artist the better exhibition space in each city, according to his/her exhibition proposal and assist them during all the phases of the event’s realization.
Special projects such as the design and realization of contemporary art books, organization of international video screenings projected into limousines and creation of diffused art events hosted in art residencies all-over the world, are offered too by the organization thanks to the dedicated section Future is now (www.lucacurci.com/artexpo/futureisnow).
Starting from 2001, the group has curated and organized more than 80 contemporary art events all-over the world.
If you need to know more about our events, PHOTOS FROM OPENING DAYS, FEEDBACK RELEASES and INTERVIEWS TO SOME OF THE ARTISTS INVOLVED IN OUR EVENTS, please visit our OFFICIAL WEBSITE http://www.lucacurci.com/artexpo
I hope this website has a moderator for all things written against our organization, because our WORK is clear and if some artists don’t agree to pay an entry fee they are free to take part in other events. We are happy for all kind of economy related the contemporary art.
Our way of WORKING is a direct CROWDFUNDING, made by artists involved in the events! AND EACH TIME WE CREATE A NEW CALL FOR ARTISTS is always stated the presence of an entry fee once selected. Furthermore we pay all people that works with us. We have a team that WORKS for events.
WE ORGANIZE EVENTS
WE ARE NOT GALLERISTS. So, we will never represent artists, sell their works. WE ORGANIZE ART EVENTS. WE CREATE OPPORTUNITIES. EVERYBODY IS FREE TO BE PART OF THEM or not. We respect all. And we want to be respected.
WHY WE ASK THE ENTRY FEE
The fee covers the following services provided by the organization: venue’s renting and expenses; artworks’ receiving; installation; global and local press office before and during the event; printed invitation cards and totems or posters around the cities; realization of the event page and event dedicated article; opening organization and ceremony; invitation of collectors, institutions, art critics and interested public to the show; hostess service and collaborators during the opening and for the whole duration of the show; dismounting service and packaging of the artworks ready for the shipping back, most of times renting spaces costs of galleries or private buildings.
Here below some INTERVIEWS to ARTISTS that have presented their works in our last events.
Interview: Giouli Tsatsopoulou
http://www.itsliquid.com/interview-giouli-tsatsopoulou.html
Interview: Mar Garrido
http://www.itsliquid.com/interview-mar-garrido.html
Interview: Fabian Freese
http://www.itsliquid.com/interview-fabian-freese.html
Interview: Christine Istad
http://www.itsliquid.com/interview-christine-istad.html
Interview: Labib M. Sharfuddin
http://www.itsliquid.com/interview-labib-sharfuddin.html
Interview: Fred L’Epee
http://www.itsliquid.com/interview-fred-lepee.html
Interview: Robert Kirov
http://www.itsliquid.com/robert-kirov.html
Interview: Ašiku Svetlana
http://www.itsliquid.com/interview-asiku-svetlana.html
Interview: Vera Arjoma
http://www.itsliquid.com/interview-vera-arjoma.html
Interview: Jelena Dejanovska
http://www.itsliquid.com/interview-jelena-dejanovska.html
Interview: Antonis Kourkoulos
http://www.itsliquid.com/interview-antonis-kourkoulos.html
Interview: Ilia Yefimovich
http://www.itsliquid.com/yefimovich-ilia.html
Interview: Gabriella Parisi
http://www.itsliquid.com/interview-gabriella-parisi.html
Interview: Gian Cruz
http://www.itsliquid.com/interview-gian-cruz-2.html
Interview: Carlos Torres Machado
http://www.itsliquid.com/carlos-torres-machado.html
Interview: Aurora Giampaoli
http://www.itsliquid.com/interview-aurora-giampaoli.html
Interview: David Wasch
http://www.itsliquid.com/interview-david-wasch.html
Interview: Sophie Delaporte
http://www.itsliquid.com/interview-sophie-delaporte.html
Interview: Susan Yeung
http://www.itsliquid.com/interview-susan-yeung.html
Interview: Ina Navahrodskaya
http://www.itsliquid.com/interview-ina-navahrodskaya.html
Interview: claRa apaRicio yoldi
http://www.itsliquid.com/clara-aparicio-yoldi.html
Interview Harpo ‘t Hart
http://www.itsliquid.com/interview-harpo-t-hart.htm
To quote Monty Python: “Spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam.
I started to receive emails from Luca Curci (3 or 4 each day) some weeks ago, without any previous contact. I read his first e.mail and it seemed to me quite fishy. So, this guy is searching and finding artists on the internet to spam them in order to make his business. It is important to write against these kind of practices to keep the people aware of them. Thanks!
there are many stories about the activities of curci, but many were not even published. he was taken out from some exhibitions. organizers rarely know how how much he charges (because he never publishes). so, the only way to know that you have to pay 100e for a small exhibition that is not even well promoted, would be to propose a work. sometimes it is not at all promoted. some ar ghost exhibitions. there are several stories in which he was taken out. angried some organizers. you know about them? curci always tries to make people shut up. and nobody ever united against this sort of practices. it is very sad. i hope that you won’t be judged. he’s got nothing on you. it’s a joke to even think about starting a lawsuit against you. he’ll lose. it’s a work of art, as you said. i hope that all others who have had problems with him will back you up. but he will probably overwhelm the comments here soon, saying how perfect his organization is. he will publish the same ridiculous interviews from itsliquid. he always tryies to spam the comments. horrible man. and tries to cover his bullshit. thank you for your work! it is really smart and funny. zara
Reblogged this on Ned Hamson Second Line View of the News.