9/4/2009
Spin[Freee]oza
Amsterdam Oud-West, Amsterdam
A new public arts project by the British art collective Freee. The work is commissioned by SMART Project Space as part of the exhibition On Joy, Sadness and Desire which takes place in the framework of the city-wide manifestation My name is Spinoza.
Spin[Freee]oza (Shop Windows and Balloons) is a new project by the art collective Freee (England). The work is commissioned by SMART Project Space as part of the exhibition On Joy, Sadness and Desire which takes place in the framework of the city-wide manifestation My name is Spinoza.
For their project Freee created updated quotes from the philosopher Spinoza (1632-1677) and printed these statements on shop windows in the vicinity of SMART Project Space and balloons available for visitors of the exhibition (from 10 May) to take away for free.
Rather than simply quoting Spinoza and treating his ideas as historical facts, Freee have altered one or two words to bring Spinoza back to life and bind us more closely with his ideas. Freee is interested in how philosophical arguments enter the world of work, commerce, consumption and everyday life. Making ideas public by printing them on a shop windows or on balloons carried by passers-by is intended to gently trigger thought and debate.
Spin[Freee]oza uses philosophically constructed sentences to present opinions that are neither already widely held nor simply in opposition to the consensus view. In other words, the statements question accepted opinion. The project, therefore, raises issues about democracy, consensus and power. The artists take it that this sort of questioning is essential for any democracy worthy of the name and argue that today the key question about democracy is how to stop it from becoming the
professional activity of a small minority. How can we all participate? Freee’s model of utopia is of people discussing democracy while doing their shopping.
Freee is a collective made up of Dave Beech, Andy Hewitt and Mel Jordan, who work together on slogans, billboards and publications that challenge the commercial and bureaucratic colonization of the public sphere of opinion formation. Freee’s recent projects include: Nought to Sixty, at the ICA, London, 2008; Terms of Use, Centro Cultural, Montehermoso, Vitoria, Spain, 2008; How to be Hospitable, solo exhibition at the Collective Gallery, Edinburgh, 2008; How to Make a Difference, solo exhibition at International Project Space, Birmingham, 2007; Protest is Beautiful, solo exhibition at 1000000mph Gallery, London, 2007.
Freee’s slogans can be found at
Pottery Dorje, Gerard Brandstraat 6b (until 27 April); Dish, Global Kitchen, Overtoom 255; Kinki Kappers, Overtoom 245; Pied a Terre Geografische boekhandel, Overtoom 135-137; Odds & Sods, Overtoom 139; Piu, Overtoom 97; Bagage93, Overtoom 93; Het Zwarte Fietsenplan, Eerste Constantijn Huygensstraat 88; De Koffiesalon, Eerste Constantijn Huygensstraat 82; Louise Banket en Bonbons, Eerste Constantijn Huygensstraat 78; Bloemenboetiek Arjan, Eerste Helmersstraat 84 C.
Dates
The project Spin[Freee]oza (Shop Windows and Balloons) runs from Friday 10 April – Sunday 28 June 2009.
The exhibition On Joy, Sadness and Desire at SMART Project Space opens Saturday 9 May 2009, 21.00 hrs and runs till 28 June. Location: Arie Biemondstraat 105-113, NL-1054 PD, Amsterdam.
Organization and funder
The manifestation My name is Spinoza is an initiative of the Amsterdam Spinoza Circle, developed by SKOR (Foundation Art and Public Space) commissioned by Foundation Spinoza Centrum Amsterdam.
Locations in Amsterdam Oud-West: Gerard Brandstraat / Overtoom / Eerste Constantijn Huygensstraat / Eerste Helmersstraat / Arie Biemondstraat