Surplus To Requirements?

About

The recent student demonstrations were reported in the mainstream media as demonstrations about the coalition government's proposed rise in tuition fees. There was scant debate about the huge cuts and fundamental changes to arts and humanities funding that are also part of the proposed changes. Is this because as a nation we don't care about these subjects? ‘Surplus to Requirements?' is a three day event organised by the Slade PhD students that will comprise an exhibition, installations, performances and presentations given by students and invited artists, theorists and curators, around the theme of the ‘value' and significance of art and research in the current political and economic climate. It will ask what criteria are being used to 'measure' art's value and contribution to society? It will explore ideas around expenditure and consumption, the role of the art object as a commodity. Is art superfluous or an essential part of society? How do we measure excess in these terms? In counterpoint to the commodification of art, the importance of bodily and material aspects will be explored, using theorists such as Adorno, Grosz, Deleuze and Guattari, Bataille, Marcuse and Marx. Guest speakers for the symposium on Thursday 3rd March are: Dave Beech - Artist in the Collective Freee and Chelsea College of Art & Design Sue Golding - University of Greenwich Mel Gooding - Art critic, writer, and curator Jen Harvie - Queen Mary University of London Robert Hewison - City University London and Associate of think tank Demos Sarat Maharaj - Lund University and Malmö Art Academy, Sweden Peter Osborne - Kingston University London and editor of Radical Philosophy Attendance at the one-day symposium is free but please e-mail surplus@london.com to reserve a place.