Cardboard Folly had a modest launch last week and although the house is still full of paper and cardboard, it was great to have it completed on some level. Now I really must attend to the website and get photographing. The work is on display at the Bluecoat until 14th November, but given it’s vulnerability, I will be impressed if nothing is damaged or stolen before then. I really hope not…
I’ve also been thinking a fair bit about protest and different ways of going about it. I have seen a few discussions going on in quite small groups (certain types of artists). This seems like an easy way to start conversation from common ground, as well as getting a lot done, but on the negatve side, these groups could be in danger of being slightly esoteric and diluting the argument as a whole. There were demonstrations against the cuts on 20th October around the country. Certainly a direct way to protest, but it seems easily forgotten, and there wasn’t much press coverage – the news mentioned it in stories of the day, but it wasn’t headline. I saw most about it on twitter.
Then there are the strikes in France against proposed pension cuts. Cutting off petrol supplies pretty much gets the job done doesn’t it? It hits those people driving massive vehicles pretty hard at least – if your Range Rover tank takes £100 worth of fuel in each pop, then you’re going to feel it very quickly.
Then I saw this this morning:
http://www.artlicks.com/events/1273/action-require…
A residency at the ICA that will result in performances (at the ICA and across London) by the ‘Paid not Played Choir’. The invitation to join asks for people’s complaints. This terminology makes me uneasy because it is really negative – why not a call for ideas for change? Complaints sounds like someone else will be expected to fix it. The advert also states:
Participation is free // Food will be served at each rehearsal // Everybody will receive a complimentary DVD of the performance // No singing skills required!!
I bloody well hope participation is free! It’s a protest about not getting paid for goodness sake. The choir is also therefore inaccurately and misleadingly named isn’t it? Who’s getting paid? I’m sure the question has been asked already of their ‘Dissent ‘ programme, but can you successfully stage a protest within an institution like the ICA? This is an especially pertinent question given the recent contraversy about its funding/financial situation (which involved pouring rather more cash into fancy sponsorship events and marketing budgets than it did artists). There is a very informative piece on the ICA by J.J. Charlesworth here:
http://www.metamute.org/en/content/crisis_at_the_i…
in which he says,
“With the ICA facing one of the most serious financial crises in its 63-year existence, its programme for the next year appears to be a radical-sounding ‘experiment in de-institutionalisation’, with radical artists and academics co-opted to provide content on a shoestring budget”
So many things seem to be at odds here that my head is spinning a bit trying to work it all out. For the moment, I am very suspicious and I shall be following it to see what comes out of the final events.
I won’t be volunteering.
