Inspiration, sharing, genius and intellectual property

Ruth HartleyApartheid, Creativity, Human rights, Installations, Mpapa Gallery, Slavery, Visual Arts, ZambiaLeave a Comment

Heroes and Scapegoats As you can probably tell I’m unimpressed by the idea of male genius in art and male heroes in political history, when its written by men. It’s a useful trick to focus on a key individual in an epoch when there’s an exam looming but it leaves women out and falsifies history. it also allows people to […]

Cuba, art, installations, Zambia, Africa, and the 1989 Havana Biennial

Ruth HartleyCreativity, Imagination, Installations, Mpapa Gallery, Politics, Power, Printmaking, Racism, Slavery, Southern Africa, Visual Arts, War, ZambiaLeave a Comment

Che Guevara and that famous poster Old revolutionaries will remember the importance of Cuban screen prints as propaganda tools for the fight for freedom all around the world. In 1968, my communist friend, Bill, insisted that we visit the Cuban Embassy in London to see this particular brilliant and sophisticated form of art and agitprop. We all remember the poster […]