28 March – 4 April 2019
A relationship with capitalism is complicated and often unhealthy, but we love latte.
Alice Archer / Alan Lynn / Yanan Zhang / Jason Lund
How can we move beyond the ‘latte libel’ and into a new universal modernity?
Economic growth rises whilst food poverty does the same, why?
Climate change is the exhaust product of capitalism?
But We Love Latte was conceived as a pragmatic and experimental fulfilment of an MA assessment. Proceeding as an experiment afforded Alice, Alan and Yanan a think space to encounter, understand and draw upon each others varying skills and interests. Early planning conversations revealed an opportunity to include Jason, a local artist and scholar. Jason’s contribution was thoughtful and well received.
The title for the event But We Love Latte was taken from the long form title ‘A relationship with capitalism is complicated and often unhealthy, but we love latte’. The title emerged from an early planning session. Despite the anti-capitalist sentiment of the meeting it was noted that each of the big three UK coffee houses were present in cup form. The show was the beginning of a much-needed conversation on modern life. Concepts such as latte libel highlighted the difficulty of having such conversations. The artists asked questions on how to explore individual perceptions of living with capitalism, how to refuse capitalism as grand narrative and how to talk about change whilst acknowledging individual transgression and contribution to the problem.
The work shown reflected personal relationships with capitalism in a mix of sculpture, video, essay and drawings. Members of the public were invited to ponder upon the artists’ personal perspectives and talk to them about their own relationship with capitalism in a convivial and relational space.
Opinions on capitalism and its influence on politics, gender, race, Brexit, Trump’s wall, wages, house prices, war or the environment, were invited into an ongoing conversation here on But We Love Latte‘s Instagram.