The Airing Architectures Dirty Laundry Series: #03 ARTWASHING

Artists and gentrification already have an uncomfortable relationship. Creative communities have often drifted into less desirable areas where the rents are much cheaper, making unconscious changes around them and adding a ‘cool factor’ that in turn shifts the perception of a place. This process is old news and developers have cottoned on to the winning formula and sped up the process.

Depressed areas are now targeted by local authorities and developers for improvement and the first steps usually involve some eye catching murals or pop-up pavilions that become destinations in of themselves. In a digital age, we’ve seen cultural tourists flock to these places for Instagram moments, enjoying the contrast between bold artworks and gritty urban landscapes.

To distill this cheek-by-jowl affiliation between corporate bodies and artists even further, we are now witnessing a renewed vigour for the commissioning of pieces in or around some of the most bland and unexciting architecture and place-making. Here colourful bricolage or spray-painted ‘street art’ is used to dress up the banal, with little regard for existing communities or local heritage. In these circumstances, how do we apportion blame and complicity between the commissioner and the creative?

Featuring:

David Michon, Editorial Director (chair)

Will Jennings, Artist & Writer

Fiona Grady, Artist

Seyi Adelekun, Artist/Assemble

Tony Colville, Urban Splash

amongst others….