The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
Dr Martin Luther King Jr.
In a moment when social, cultural and political values are being fiercely contested, 198 Contemporary Arts and Learning’s Associate Curator Barby Asante invites Eddie Bruce Jones, Teresa Cisneros, Taylor Le Melle, Andrea Phillips, Willow Verkek and Rehana Zaman to join her to lead a collective study session using James Baldwin’s text the Price of the Ticket as the central text in a study session on value.
Baldwin’s text explores power, economics and other systems of value, through reflection on the value of friendship, mentorship, black life, art and more. This is an invitation for us to discuss ideas relating to value in the arts and how artistic production is affected by social values. We intend to interrogate the idea of value, values and value systems and how we can think and work differently with value.
- How do we value? What do we value? Who do we value?
- Is the creation of value a collective social practice or is value determined by social positioning, cultural elitism and political agendas?
- Is there a place for intersectionality in the production of value?
- Can the production of value be fair and impartial?
- Can we change our system’s of value? How can we think about changing value systems?
This event is programmed by 198 Contemporary Arts and Learning, a Tate Exchange Associate.
About 198 Contemporary Arts and Learning
Following on from 198’s 2016–17 project Possible Futures, this year’s programme in Tate Exchange follows the theme of Production – the seen and the unseen – and sub-themes of Material, Knowledge, Value and Transformation.
198 Contemporary Arts and Learning's mission is to advance public interest in the visual arts, as well as nurture and support the career of emerging, under-represented artists. Founded in 1988, 198’s motivation initially focused on the need to provide a platform for Afro-Caribbean and Asian artists as part of the Black Arts Movement. For nearly 30 years this work has evolved and continued to develop projects that consider the work and study of emerging cultural identities, through exhibitions, workshops, education projects and critical debate with artists, thinkers, activists, young people and local and artistic communities. We advocate for diversity within the visual arts and provide opportunities for those wishing to develop careers in the creative and cultural industries.