Yesterday, I was busy preparing Portrait Of Ian Duncan Smith With Bandaged Nose to take to Nottingham for the exhibition, and I was invited to volunteer for this event – in a workhouse.
I obviously declined, as it directly violates Article 27 of the Human Rights Act, and obviously, I have no intention of voluntarily going to a workhouse.
Then I got quite angry about it. I reported it to Facebook (not that I think that’ll do any good) and recommended that no one else volunteers for it, in fact, I’d suggest going to protest about it on the day!!
I thought about doing that myself, but that would mean buying train tickets and making some kind of placard, all of which would take time and money that I wouldn’t be paid for.
I hope anyone that might be in Ripon on the day (or can afford to go) has the opportunity to protest outside against the fact that a single parent artist was asked to effectively enslave herself for another artists’ work – work that is funded by the Arts Council.
The private view for the A Journey exhibition, which will feature Portrait Of Ian Duncan Smith With Bandaged Nose, will be at the Institute of Mental Health on Monday 23rd May. More info to follow.
