A Kind of Exchange

‘A Kind of Exchange’ is an exhibition of works that respond to the question: what connects us, materially, socially, and culturally? The exhibition connects the use of waste, reformed, and locally-sourced materials in a range of art and design practice as critical and generative, with architectural and decorative histories of the square mile, and critically alternative models and illustrations of currency distribution, dynamic, mapping and circulation. Exchanges are not only transacted in a bank, but processes to be wrestled with and through which ideas, stories, values, and experiences circulate between people, form and material practice and culture; the bank, as both an historical institution of stability and exploitation (materially and speculatively) and as a site commonly associated with logics of value, wealth, exchange, (money and capital) is a curious place to think about money and exchange in dialogue with contemporary material culture. Within the exhibition are works that engage with themes of material culture, exchange, commerce, colonial histories, and the Bank of England’s own archival narratives, including reflections on value, circulation, and transformation. Each practitioner has the rare opportunity to work directly with the Bank of England’s waste banknotes (shredded polymer and paper). A Kind of Exchange, organised by Alkesh Parmar, Ekua McMorris and Susannah Haslam (Royal College of Art) and Saskia Boersma. The exhibition also complements the new display in the Bank of England Museum on Eleanor Coade, a remarkable 18th Century business woman, who took over a Lambeth stone manufactory in 1771 and pioneered a new durable artificial stone used across Britain, from major landmarks like the Bank of England to decorative features on townhouses. Coade stone is often hidden in plain sight, yet few people know its story. The Bank’s Museum displays 12 Coade stone caryatids, commissioned by John Soane in 1795, they remain a striking example of Coade’s craftsmanship and innovation. The practitioners: Adam Knight – London-based artist and researcher working across image, sound and installation; currently completing an AHRC-funded PhD with Aspex Portsmouth’s archive. https://www.adamknight.co.uk/ Alkesh Parmar – British-Indian designer, researcher and educator exploring material culture through a non-Eurocentric lens; founder of Studio ARP and RCA tutor. https://www.studioarp.uk/ BC Joshua – London-based designer exploring storytelling, material experimentation and cultural narratives through furniture and objects. https://bcjoshua.com/ Julian Leedham – Designer and artist focused on material experimentation, creating sculptural works using Carton Pierre (literally; stone-carboard, a type of paper mache), to create sculptural pieces that balance art and design. https://www.julianleedham.co.uk/ Martha McGuinn – Designer and director of Jamps Studio, working primarily in metal and collaborative practice. https://www.jamps.co.uk/ Megha Ralapati – Chicago-based curator and arts leader interested in artistic, financial and transnational networks. @MeghaPallavi Micaella Pedros – London-based artist-designer creating furniture, lighting and sculpture through material transformation. https://www.micaellapedros.com/ Ndidi Ekubia – Contemporary silversmith known for sculptural silverware inspired by traditional techniques and African heritage. https://ndidiekubia.com/ On the Marshes – Collaboration between Claire Darwent and Titus Davies, creating unique furniture from reclaimed London Plane timber. https://onthemarshes.com/ Sam Jacob – Architect and designer, director of Sam Jacob Studio, with work exhibited internationally including the Venice Biennale. https://www.samjacob.com/ Studiomama – East London design studio founded by Nina Tolstrup and Jack Mama, known for sustainable, multidisciplinary work across design, architecture and art. https://www.studiomama.com/