I JUST WANTED YOU
TO KNOW
I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW is my installation as part of the final show for The Other Ma’s 2022-2024 cohort. It consists of a ‘living room’ of sofas, pillows, books to read, plants, lamps and blankets - with of pieces of work made throughout the 18 months on the programmes on the walls surrounding it. To accompany this, I published a zine of the same name.
This installation is dedicated to where my art world happens, at home - on the sofa, in bed, on Facetime with other sick friends or curled up on their sofas because I’m in too much pain to go home. It’s literally only been possible to make because I currently live round the corner from the gallery and convinced many friends to help me put it together.
The work within it is painfully self-centred and I am learning to roll with that. It deals with my pain and my joy, the things that keep me enraged or in the darkness, and the things that keep me here.
Due to the gallery removing part of the installation that said ‘FREE PALESTINE’, I have now responded by covering up the remaining work. You can find out more about this here.
This is accompanied by the following statement (which is in turn accompanied by a statement in response by the gallery and then by TOMA):
“You will notice that my work is covered up. I have self-censored these pieces because of the gallery’s decision to remove an element of my work due to its ‘political’ nature.
From 13th April, the TOMA cohort installed this show at the Beecroft Art Gallery. At numerous points during this install, I was wearing a hoodie that I had stitched a liberatory phrase onto in solidarity with the people of Palestine. Our show opened on Saturday 27th April and this hoodie was on display draped over the armchair in this space as part of the furnishings that create this installation.
By Monday 29th April, I was informed via TOMA that the decision had been made by Beecroft Art Gallery to remove this hoodie due to its ‘political’ nature. I was told I could come and take it myself or let them remove it and store it. The gallery’s stance is that the space needs to be politically neutral as they are part of the council. The artist contract also stated that ‘The Beecroft has the right to remove any works from display, this decision will be made with all parties present, and any compromise will be sought prior to any final decision.’ On Wednesday 1st May, the first day the exhibition had been open since receiving this news, I arrived at the Beecroft Art Gallery to remove the hoodie (finding it turned over in the meantime, phrase hidden from view).
Earlier this year, I had a piece of work on display in another council-funded local arts space that included the quote ‘NONE OF US ARE FREE UNTIL WE ALL ARE FREE’. I do not believe that being specific about groups of people who are not free and that we should be standing in solidarity with is controversial enough to limit my freedom of expression as an artist.
Showing solidarity with people in the face of genocide is not more or less political than the rest of the works I have on display, which explore subjects such as the bureaucratic violence of the state. Politics is weaved throughout my work, and as a disabled, trans and queer artist my work is inherently political. The struggles we face are interconnected and I do not feel comfortable having some of my political work on display and not others, especially in the absence of any policy that dictates the nature of the gallery’s political limitations.
I have therefore decided to self-censor and cover my work that remains in this show. You are still welcome to sit in this space, rest and reflect, but know that you are not in this space as it was originally intended. Works from the installation, including the accompanying zine, are on sale on my website with all profits donated to groups supporting those in Gaza.”
This installation is dedicated to where my art world happens, at home - on the sofa, in bed, on Facetime with other sick friends or curled up on their sofas because I’m in too much pain to go home. It’s literally only been possible to make because I currently live round the corner from the gallery and convinced many friends to help me put it together.
The work within it is painfully self-centred and I am learning to roll with that. It deals with my pain and my joy, the things that keep me enraged or in the darkness, and the things that keep me here.
UPDATE
Due to the gallery removing part of the installation that said ‘FREE PALESTINE’, I have now responded by covering up the remaining work. You can find out more about this here.
This is accompanied by the following statement (which is in turn accompanied by a statement in response by the gallery and then by TOMA):
“You will notice that my work is covered up. I have self-censored these pieces because of the gallery’s decision to remove an element of my work due to its ‘political’ nature.
From 13th April, the TOMA cohort installed this show at the Beecroft Art Gallery. At numerous points during this install, I was wearing a hoodie that I had stitched a liberatory phrase onto in solidarity with the people of Palestine. Our show opened on Saturday 27th April and this hoodie was on display draped over the armchair in this space as part of the furnishings that create this installation.
By Monday 29th April, I was informed via TOMA that the decision had been made by Beecroft Art Gallery to remove this hoodie due to its ‘political’ nature. I was told I could come and take it myself or let them remove it and store it. The gallery’s stance is that the space needs to be politically neutral as they are part of the council. The artist contract also stated that ‘The Beecroft has the right to remove any works from display, this decision will be made with all parties present, and any compromise will be sought prior to any final decision.’ On Wednesday 1st May, the first day the exhibition had been open since receiving this news, I arrived at the Beecroft Art Gallery to remove the hoodie (finding it turned over in the meantime, phrase hidden from view).
Earlier this year, I had a piece of work on display in another council-funded local arts space that included the quote ‘NONE OF US ARE FREE UNTIL WE ALL ARE FREE’. I do not believe that being specific about groups of people who are not free and that we should be standing in solidarity with is controversial enough to limit my freedom of expression as an artist.
Showing solidarity with people in the face of genocide is not more or less political than the rest of the works I have on display, which explore subjects such as the bureaucratic violence of the state. Politics is weaved throughout my work, and as a disabled, trans and queer artist my work is inherently political. The struggles we face are interconnected and I do not feel comfortable having some of my political work on display and not others, especially in the absence of any policy that dictates the nature of the gallery’s political limitations.
I have therefore decided to self-censor and cover my work that remains in this show. You are still welcome to sit in this space, rest and reflect, but know that you are not in this space as it was originally intended. Works from the installation, including the accompanying zine, are on sale on my website with all profits donated to groups supporting those in Gaza.”