• Rant 9: As the recession bites, kicks in, looms, threatens…Altermodern steps in

    What did we talk about before the recession? What will happen to art? And does all this pontificating on the state of the arts in a global recession justify the almost racist jibes that have been flying about regarding Nicholas Bourriaud and his new Altermodern theory?

    View full details , Rant 9: As the recession bites, kicks in, looms, threatens…Altermodern steps in

  • Rant 8: Is it still sculpture when it's taken apart?

    When is art no longer art? When an artwork is dismantled for transit is it still art? Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) took this issue to a tribunal last year - after questioning whether works by Bill Viola and Dan Flavin were art or light fittings. Josie contemplates: is the art the installation or its component parts?

    View full details , Rant 8: Is it still sculpture when it's taken apart?

  • Rant 7: Golf, Casinos, Zoos and Museums

    In the midst of a global recession what part do the arts play in our economies? Do governments value the artistic sector enough to include it in ‘economic stimulus’ packages? President Obama’s promise to the arts looked shaky for a while but a last minute reprieve saw $50 million dollars going to preserve arts jobs in the US. Does the difficulty in even getting such a paltry amount set a precedent for an attitude towards art and culture in a recession?

    View full details , Rant 7: Golf, Casinos, Zoos and Museums

  • Rant 6: Of course it's great, it's a massive horse!

    Do you think Mark Wallinger's horse is lovely? And if it is will that make it a good piece of public art? At the very least let's hope it lasts a bit longer than Manchester's fated 'B of the Bang' which is soon to be taken down after a rather costly and short life

    View full details , Rant 6: Of course it's great, it's a massive horse!

  • Rant 5: New restrictions on non-EU artists as the Tate celebrates global exchange

    New Home Office Visa regulations spell trouble for international artists wanting to come to the UK for residencies and professional projects. The reams of paperwork and hefty fees could make it all but impossible for artists from outside of the EU to come here. What does this means to the UK? Will our own self-imposed restrictions mean we are cast out of the global art scene?

    View full details , Rant 5: New restrictions on non-EU artists as the Tate celebrates global exchange

  • Rant 4: Stingy Duke finally hands over Diana and Actaeon

    The people have saved a Master for all to enjoy. Big art names and the Scottish government got stuck into the cause to save the Titian, and now the painting has been 'saved'; but should the 7th Duke of Sunderland be paid at all from the public purse? Or would Tracey Emin's reproduction have sufficed and saved us £50 million?

    View full details , Rant 4: Stingy Duke finally hands over Diana and Actaeon

  • Rant 3: Thieving Prince and Maddy Misuse

    Manipulation of the media may be alive and well this week as the outrage that surrounds the current show at Decima gallery in Hackney Wick takes hold in the tabloid press. Is it acceptable to use the face of Madeleine McCann pasted onto pornographic images and call it art? And whilst we are on the subject of manipulation – has Richard Prince significantly transformed the photographs in his recent work to avoid being sued by an aggrieved photographer?

    View full details , Rant 3: Thieving Prince and Maddy Misuse

  • Rant 2: Art world set to implode at last

    If an 18-carat gold statue of Kate Moss is hardly a judicious approach to making art during a credit crunch, then how should artists position themselves at a time when the queues for the job centre snake around the corner? Where does the value of art sit when people are struggling to pay the mortgage? Is making art from ‘the everyday’ a more acceptable practice in a recession than creating gold super-models or diamond skulls?

    View full details , Rant 2: Art world set to implode at last

  • Rant 1: Arty Gang Squat in Luxury

    If you think squatting is all about slumming it in a run down warehouse, with no amenities, then think again - London based DA! Collective are making a name for themselves by squatting multi-million pound Mayfair apartments with wi-fi internet and marble bathrooms. You can even take part in a whole host of timetabled art classes and discussions...But is getting your squat all over the national press really a great way to keep it?

    View full details , Rant 1: Arty Gang Squat in Luxury