The Politics of Cultural Disruption
WHO CONTROLS OUR PUBLIC SPACE?
21st June 2010, 6.45pm, Turbine Hall, Tate Modern, London
As part of the Sky Arts Artichoke season, Sky Arts and Artichoke have teamed up with Tate to deliver a series of debates, or ’salons’. Each ‘Salon’ is centred around the nature and use of public space. The first, titled The Politics of Cultural Disruption took place in the Turbine Hall at Tate Modern on Monday 21st June.
Over 500 people perched on cushions in the Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall as A panel chaired by Tim Marlow discussed whether ‘public art ais ny more than an excuse for second rate sculptors and failed performers to clutter up our streets and disrupt the traffic?’Speakers on the panel were Ruth Mackenzie, Director of Cultural Olympiad), British artist Marc Quinn, Janet Street-Porter, former police commissioner Sir Ian Blair and Dr. Augustus Casely-Hayford, former Executive Director of Arts Strategy at Arts Council. and an audience Q&A followed.
The event focussed on the politics of the public domain: who controls our public space, and who decides what is appropriate (or not). Artichoke’s work was central to the debate. From The Sultan’s Elephant to Antony Gormley’s One & Other in Trafalgar Square, Artichokes projects positively aim to disrupt daily life, and challenge the generally-held consensus that our cities are primarily for commerce and traffic, rather than for communal activities and fun.
How we use our public space is fiercely contested, while the space itself is being increasingly privatised via the back door. Be it public art, sporting events, political demonstrations, the right to take a photograph, or simply sitting on the grass, these collective interventions are controlled and regulated. While some events are given carte blanche to close the streets, others are put under pressure to relocate into parks and gardens, or simply not permitted to take place at all.
The panel of opinionated speakers, saw Ruth MacKenzie having to defend Anish Kapoor’s Olympic tower as Janet Street Porter fumed at the cost and suggested the money should have instead been given to a whole generation of schoolkids so that they could get to see exhibitions for free intsead.
Watch the event online -If you missed the event - don’t worry, as you can watch it online at www.artichoke.uk.com (opens in a new window)
The next Sky Arts Artichoke Salon...Look out for the next Salon in the series, this will take place on 7 October at Tate Liverpool and will debate The true legacy of large scale events programmed in cities such as Liverpool 08 - European Capital of Culture.
Tickets cost £8 (£5 for concessions), and members of the audience will be invited to submit their own questions for discussion by the panel. Book tickets online at http://www.tate.org.uk/liverpool/eventseducation/talksdiscussions/22202.htm
http://www.tate.org.uk/liverpool/eventseducation/talksdiscussions/22202.htm (opens in new window)