The labour of the artist
Roundtable
Saturday 18 February 2017 3 - 4.30pm
General Assembly Room, Burlington House. Entrance via the main stairs.
£8, £5 concessions. Free for carers.
Revolution: Russian Art 1917–1932
In this roundtable discussion, join activist, writer and lecturer Nina Power as she examines the political and economic conditions that define the art world of today.
Running on vast quantities of free and unpaid labour, today’s art world is notoriously unjust. At this intimate roundtable, Nina Power examines the labour involved in the production of artworks. How do we think positively about the assertion of the rights of the artist? This roundtable puts class and privilege on the agenda and thinks positively about alternative models of work and funding. Join the discussion as we delve into the “value” of the art market, and of art itself.
This list of further reading gives an indication of the kinds of topics that will be discussed. Participants do not need to have read these texts prior to the conversation in order to contribute, but they should be of interest to those attending:
Which Side is Art On?, Dean Kenning and Margareta Kern, Art Monthly, September 2013.
Art and Labour, William Morris, lecture, 1884.
When Work is more than Wages by Freee Art Collective, pp. 41-45 in On Curating: Precarious Labour in the Field of Art, 2013.
Art Workers: Radical Practice in the Vietnam War Era, Introduction and Chapter 1, Julia Bryan-Wilson, UCP, 2009.
If You Don’t have Bread, Eat Art!: Contemporary Art and Derivative Fascisms, Hito Steyerl, e-flux, October 2016.
This event invites audiences to participate in a roundtable discussion in the General Assembly Room. We encourage ticket holders to bring thoughts and perspectives to share with others and generate an informed debate with invited speakers.