One of the world’s leading visual artists explores new ways of looking at the world in this enthralling new project. Rashid Rana has coined the term ‘EART’ to describe moments of self-expression beyond the arts: ways of thinking, being and acting creatively in real life.
An exhibition at the Dantzic Building in central Manchester explores how the concept of EART could be applied to a variety of everyday situations. It features new ideas with utopian aspirations that can still be realised in the form of a planet wide businesses, hence suggesting a change from within the system; MINUS Glocal, a concept store selling essential grocery items suggests the possibility of world without paid advertising; 1001 Minds Glocal, a concept for a new social media app devised by Rana that provides structure for the democratisation of expression through social media, and Exit Glocal, a housing development that presents a new way of living that celebrates de-compartmentalisation of a various components of urban life as its primary focus. Audiences are invited to take away a copy of Rana’s manifesto.
Out of these three concepts that Rana is presenting, the MINUS Glocal grocery shop is physically realised in Manchester on 10 Hanover street. The subversively unbranded designs highlight the powerful role that branding plays in consumer choices. Through the shop, Rana aims to eliminate this power and save on publicity associated costs, transferring this benefit eventually to the consumer. The shop is envisioned as a long-term business model concept, that turn capitalism inside out and consumerism upside down.
Widely considered to be one of the leading artists of his generation in South Asia today, Rashid Rana, has exhibited extensively worldwide, and his work can be found in the collections of the British Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and many other institutions worldwide.
Listings:
EART
Friday 2 – Sunday 18 July
Exhibition – Dantzic
Shop – 10 Hanover Street
mif.co.uk