Art You Can Buy for $5: Why an ArToMaT Belongs at Proto.logue / Dead Letter

Ten years ago, somewhere in Las Vegas, after seeing Cher live, I stood in front of a repurposed cigarette machine that wasn’t selling cigarettes at all—it was selling art.

Source: ArToMaT

Tiny, handmade artworks. Unexpected. Affordable. Democratic. Slightly rebellious.

It was my first encounter with ArToMaT®, and I’ve been quietly obsessed ever since.

For years I wanted one for our spaces, but logistics and square footage always stood in the way. When we began designing Proto.logue / Dead Letter—our upcoming restaurant and digital space in Sonoma—I made sure that would change. 

Source: ArToMaT

And now… it’s here. (Well almost, still waiting to be uncrated in our warehouse until we get further along on the remodel.)

Our very own ArToMaT. It was born in the 60’s and converted about a decade ago.

The timing feels poetic.  ArToMaT began in 1997—the same year we opened our very first restaurant, the girl & the fig. Two very different ventures, born in the same year, both centered on gathering people, sparking discovery, and making creativity feel approachable.

 ArToMaT was originally created by Winston-Salem artist Clark Whittington, who transformed a vintage cigarette vending machine into a conceptual artwork for a café exhibition. Instead of tobacco, it dispensed small original photographs for a dollar. The machine was never meant to be permanent—until it was. Other artists joined, a collective formed, and a movement quietly took hold.

Source: ArToMaT

Today, more than two hundred  ArToMaT machines live in museums, galleries, cafés, and public spaces around the world—from the Whitney Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts Boston to Australia—featuring hundreds of artists and thousands of tiny works traveling home in pockets and purses.

What draws me to this project—especially inside Proto.logue—is the contrast.

We are surrounded by screens, projections, motion graphics, generative art, digital futures.

And then… this.

A heavy steel machine.Mechanical levers.Cellophane crinkle.A physical exchange.A surprise you can hold in your hand.

 ArToMaT’s mission says it best:

“Art should be progressive, yet personal and approachable. What better way to do this, than with a heavy cold steel machine?”

Yes. Exactly that.

At Proto.logue / Dead Letter, the  ArToMaT will dispense original artworks for $5—truly affordable art for anyone. We won’t profit from the sales, and neither will the artists beyond the joy of participation, exposure, bragging rights, and community connection. Think of it as micro-patronage, chance encounters, and small moments of wonder.

Source: ArToMaT, Artists in Cellophane, Erick Roderick

There are only five  ArToMaT machines currently in the San Francisco Bay Area.

We’re proud to say ours will be the first in wine country.

Source: Artists in Cellophane

I’ve already invited a number of local artists to apply, and I’m hopeful many more will discover the project and join in. If you’re an artist curious about participating,  ArToMaT is always welcoming submissions through their website—and I’d love to see Sonoma creators represented inside this little steel miracle box.

Artist: Laura Trangmar Art - www.laurentragmarart.com

This machine is a quiet rebellion against the idea that art must be intimidating, expensive, or hidden behind white walls.

It belongs in restaurants.It belongs in everyday life.It belongs next to great food, conversation, and curiosity.

And if I seem overly excited…

Guilty.

Come pull a lever.

Soon. I can’t wait for you to see it.

Visit the  ArToMaT website for more information about their company, including maps with the locations of other machines as well as pictures of different machines.

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