Economics the Blockbuster is a group exhibition about art, economy and community action. It brings together 10 extraordinary art projects by artists, collectives and art organisations that demonstrate art as real-world economic systems. Together they propose new ways of ‘doing business’, driven by the needs and concerns of the communities in which they are created.
Economy is an everyday activity. It includes many things, from the exchange of gifts, money and finance, to caring for others, building trust and sustaining the environment. It happens not only in factories, shops, or offices but in parks, on the streets, and in museums.
From a community-led drinks company to an art collective reclaiming plantation land, the exhibition includes new artist commissions, merchandise with a purpose, business collaborations and our live programme of events.
The exhibition presents work by: Association de Arte Útil, Cercle d’Art des Travailleurs de Plantation Congolaise (CATPC) and Renzo Martens, Company Drinks, Goldin+Senneby, Kathrin Böhm and Kuba Szreder (Centre for Plausible Economies), lumbung Kios, Owen Griffiths and Alessandra Saviotti, Rosalie Schweiker, The Alternative School of Economics (Ruth Beale and Amy Feneck) and Tŷ Pawb.
A project by the Whitworth, The University of Manchester, and presented as part of Manchester International Festival.
