Exhibition 75 by Poly-Technic is a type set poster and invite – Art is not doing enough. So what will we do about it? Poly-Technic aka Kate Genever and Steve Pool say: Kate and Steve say: We responded to the thinking of Victorian art critic John Ruskin. We aimed to show how some of his writings are useful now. He like us attempted to hold a mirror up to those in positions of power, be that curators, arts organisations, artists or politicians. He used art, beauty and writing to demand change.
Our project was called “The simple stories they tell us don’t make sense anymore” We made art, large-scale projections, opportunities for other artists and young people with the aspiration to make a new type of arts education.
We commissioned this poster and its companion invite from a letterpress printer, who works from a studio in Batley. We thought Ruskin would be pleased – a crafted object, words with value, an inscription in gold ink.
The simple statement and proposition feel relevant today as the world that we recognise continues to slip away. At the Notice Board, with it, we ask you to all look at the impacts of climate collapse, and arts’ responsibility to take action .
Poly-Technic was an artist collaboration that ran between 2006 and 2017. It’s mantra was: With people in places, doing things. “We began the collaboration after we stepped back and asked ourselves What can we do that was worth doing – what can art do that’s worth doing? In response we decided to ask tough questions, critically think and open up active spaces.”