LUNDADA BANKFOUNDED DECEMBER 15, 1977NOT RECOGNIZED BY CIVILIAN AND MILITARY AUTHORITIES15.12.1977

LUNDIUS Commedia dell’arte 10:- Edition Sellem, c/o Galerie S:t Petri, Lund

On December 15, 1977, a play entitled LUNDIUS Commedia dell’arte was performed at Galerie S:t Petri in Lund — the non-commercial and non-institutional idea laboratory. At the same time, a mysterious bank was founded: LUNDADA BANK.

The gallery had been closed for just under nine months because certain political forces opposed its artistic and spiritual spirit. A local top politician, Birger Rehn (Social Democrat), made several statements in the Lunda Gazette, arguing that one had to bow to party discipline and therefore could not support the gallery’s activities, which were in a precarious financial situation. Nevertheless, support was granted.

Galerie S:t Petri decided to enlist the Polish master draftsman Andrzej Płoski as the central figure in the play, which was staged at 3 p.m. on that day (December 15). The City Council of Lund was to decide whether the gallery could receive a small silver coin. Jean Sellem, who founded Lundada Bank and printed its first banknotes, staged LUNDIUS Commedia dell’arte, dressed in a tailcoat and top hat, while Andrzej Płoski wandered around in a red dressing gown and Santa Claus hat.

Galerie S:t Petri decided that all activities should be financed with pure money; a pure coin was worth a ten-note. Two slogans appeared on the bills: “One for all, all for one” and “Unity gets punished.”

The Copernican artist Andrzej Płoski — in LUNDIUS Commedia dell’arte called Sven-Olof — and the French artist Jean Sellem, who also directs S:t Petri, apparently carried out the play Papou Y’ang to everyone’s delight. At seven o’clock, the City of Learning, Lund, granted Galerie S:t Petri fifteen thousand pure, freshly washed kronor.

LUNDIUS Commedia dell’arte, a parody of the decadent cultural outlook of Lund and Sweden, has now been published as a book and is available for ten kronor exclusively through Galerie S:t Petri, S:t Petri Kyrkogata 5, Lund. The edition hopes to cover its expenses and — if the stars shine favorably — help Andrzej Płoski, who until now has been occupied with cleaning and tulip picking.