March 2013 – Thrift Radiates Happiness
Launch Thursday 14th March 2013 5-8pm
Open Friday 15th – Sunday 17th March 12-6pm
Municipal Bank Building, Broad Street, Birmingham, B1 2JS
www.thriftradiateshappiness.com
@TRH_Bham
Artists: Spartacus Chetwynd, Elly Clarke, Tom Crawford, Caitlin Griffiths, Ellie Harrison, Mecanoo, Sparrow+Castice, Julie Tsang, Nicole Wilson and Mary Yacoob.
Curated by Charlie Levine.
Thrift Radiates Happiness is the first contemporary arts exhibition to be held at the Municipal Bank in central Birmingham, UK.
One of Birmingham’s most historic landmark buildings is set to open its doors to the public for the first time in ten years when it plays host to a captivating four day contemporary arts exposition.
From 14-17 March 2013 the former Grade II listed Municipal Bank on Broad Street will showcase a creative programme of drawings, images, sound and light, video and music from local, national and international artists.
The title of the exhibition is Thrift Radiates Happiness. The line has been taken from an inscription found carved across a main beam within the building. All the art projects featured will appropriately focus on finance and investment.
The main foyer space will host a specifically commissioned sound piece by Elly Clarke, the offices off this central entrance will house pieces of work by Tom Crawford, Caitlin Griffiths, Ellie Harrison and Nicole Wilson, all of whom work with and present works based on commerce, current economical issues, up-cycling objects and investment.
For the second part of this exhibition audience members will be invited to ‘invest’ £2 for which they will be given a number to a safety deposit box, within which will be a limited edition print by one of the contributing artists. Their £2 investment immediately rising and resulting in an original piece of artwork made for the exhibition by artists and architects Spartacus Chetwynd, Mecanoo, Sparrow+Castice, Julie Tsang, Mary Yacoob and a piece from the Library of Birmingham archives.
The showcase event is the result of an arts and business collaboration between Birmingham based gallery TROVE, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), the Birmingham Architectural Association (BAA), Birmingham City Council and global architect practice Aedas.
Entrance to the exhibition is free thanks to funding awarded by The Arts Council, RIBA and Aedas.
For further information visit www.thriftradiateshappiness.com
