[dentifier] K2026-006

"We are more concerned about practices' modes of existence being under attack by enclosures than the artist's integrity. If a practice is no longer generative, it will probably no longer be practiced." Kobe Matthys, Agency

Agency is a Brussels-based initiative founded in 1992 by the artist and activist Kobe Matthys. It maintains an ever-growing list of what the artist called "quasi things": borderline items and cases that challenge the radical split between nature and culture. The list is based on recent and historical controversies, court cases and disputes from around the world around intellectual property, such as copyright, patents or trademarks. Intellectual property starts from the assumption that that nature and culture are strictly separate, just like, for example, expression and ideas, creation and facts, human and non-human, or individuals and collectives.

Agency investigates these borderline cases in so-called "assemblies", which can take the form of an exhibition, performance or publication. Each assembly examines how (intellectual) property influences ecologies that enable a diversity of (artistic) practices.

Each item on the list is stored in a box. This practice has resulted in a physical collection of more than 2 500 wooden boxes containing research materials, court rulings and disputed objects. The "Praticothèque", located in Kobe Matthys's former flat on Rue Théodore Verhaegen in Saint-Gilles, provides access to the “List of borderline cases” and to the Agency library. It also serves as a space for research, debate and interdisciplinary collaboration.
This acquisition marks the start of a long-term collaboration between Kanal and Agency vzw (2026–2035), which focuses on developing a shared responsibility for the Praticothèque and the practice of Agency.