Here are texts written by others that we have commissioned, published, or included in a project
Reprise
Reprise [0] was a project on the occasion of Independence an exhibition at the South London Gallery 1st June - 2rd August 2003.
Reprise [0] was presented by the director Margot Heller. On our behalf, Margot read a speech that we found - and annotated - through research in the Gallery archives. The speech was first delivered in 1893 by the founder -the Gallery began in 1868- and director William Rossiter. Rossiter was fighting to retain the independence of the Gallery by keeping it out of Local Authority control. 108 years later, and although the direction of the Gallery's movement is uncannily reversed the struggle remain the same.
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Reflective Practice
Reflective Practice [0] is kindly reproduced with permission from artist and writer Dan Smith
With the memorable phrase [.....] 'in other words, the world has taken on the resemblance of Manchester in its era of radical development'. Dan Smith's essay locates the Free Trade project within a wider context of our practice, current 'museum' interventions by artists, and the historical development of Manchester.
Reflective Practice [0] an essay from the Free Trade [1] project catalogue [2]
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A Joy Forever: and its price in the market
John Ruskin A Joy Forever [2] (and its price in the market)
10th & 13th July 1857 (coinciding with the Art Treasures Exhibition).
Ruskin's extraordinary lecture attempts to build a political economy for art. He suggests that all economies require the wise management of labour, and could easily be divided into three components.
1. applying your labour rationally
2. preserving its produce carefuly
3. distributing its produce seasonably.With devastating effects, this ideal economy is then laid over the production, storage and distribution of the art of his time; a model that seems unchanged and still relevant today.
Extracted from a lecture first delivered at the Manchester Athenaeum, to coincide with the Art Treasures Exhibition, July 10th 1857. This version was recreated by art historian and former actor Paul O'Keefe, on the 26th November 2003 as part of Free Trade [3] and is reprinted in the catalogue [4].
Art, Wealth and Riches
William Morris Art Wealth and Riches [4] read on 6th March 1883
At a Gathering of the Royal Manchester Institute.
In this brilliant and provocative lecture, writer, craftsman and socialist William Morris challenges the merchants and manufacturers of Manchester. He suggests that Free Trade, and the industrial reproduction of ugly and uneccesary things denies equality, freedom, and happiness for all. Consequently, contemporary art - produced under theses conditions - is nothing but the pretence of art. With uncanny prescience, in this challenging and provocative lecture Morris describes our current confusion; between art and fashion, art and entertainment or art and celebrity.
A lecture by writer and critic William Morris, was first delivered at a joint conversazione of Manchester Societies at the Royal Institution, Manchester 6th March 1883.This version was redelivered by actor Steve Whitehouse, on the 10th November 2003 as part of Free Trade [5] and is reprinted in the catalogue. [6]
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