Artist as unpaid carer

Portrait Of Ian Duncan Smith With Bandaged Nose was taken to City Arts in Nottingham and successfully delivered yesterday lunchtime.

I’ve updated my blog with links to other exhibitions I caught whilst in Nottingham, including the epic Simon Starling works at Nottingham Contemporary and Backlit gallery, along with highlights from John Newling’s latest work, and Artist As Mother As Artist.

I’ve updated my website here.

Yesterday, I was busy preparing Portrait Of Ian Duncan Smith With Bandaged Nose to take to Nottingham for the exhibition, and I was invited to volunteer for this event – in a workhouse.

I obviously declined, as it directly violates Article 27 of the Human Rights Act, and obviously, I have no intention of voluntarily going to a workhouse.

Then I got quite angry about it. I reported it to Facebook (not that I think that’ll do any good) and recommended that no one else volunteers for it, in fact, I’d suggest going to protest about it on the day!!

I thought about doing that myself, but that would mean buying train tickets and making some kind of placard, all of which would take time and money that I wouldn’t be paid for.

I hope anyone that might be in Ripon on the day (or can afford to go) has the opportunity to protest outside against the fact that a single parent artist was asked to effectively enslave herself for another artists’ work – work that is funded by the Arts Council.

The private view for the A Journey exhibition, which will feature Portrait Of Ian Duncan Smith With Bandaged Nose, will be at the Institute of Mental Health on Monday 23rd May. More info to follow.