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From: Eva Category: Art Date: 08 September 2008 Time: 09:11 PM Review: I like the prints that make up this edition but am a bit, not very, surprised that the ICA is choosing to celebrate 60 years with such a blunt commercial gesture. It appears that as the exhibitions rotate in the galleries above and below, this display will hang for longer, ushering visitors between the shows and to the bar. So how is this different to the massive ICA auction about to kick off in a couple of days time? I appreciate the ICA needs to raise revenue and at least the auction is a contained event. I have issues with the auction too (like, is it really the best way to raise the profile of the place on the occasion of its anniversary? how does that reflect on its sixty year history, containing as it did radical moments?). But what surprised and rather annoyed me about the editions display is, after the fact that it exists, the way its done. Large vinyl type on the walls explain the prints, details of the price and all technical specifications super-sized slap back next to the frame. I feel hypocritical when I say that it annoys me, that there’s been a wasted opportunity and that this space is being used as an extension of the shop. I feel any conversation to be had will now follow well worn grooves to echo how art and money always go hand in hand and that to say otherwise is worse than to acknowledge it because it makes for a more sinister relationship based on a kind of mythologising of the art object which only gives it extra appeal, thus raising it’s market value etc. The alternative, if related, argument is that it is the fact that the ICA is an institution that damns it to an existence dependant on corporate funding and so, according to this argument, again it would be better to just be out and proud about these networks of interest and not pretend they don’t exist. The extension of this argument relates to public funding and involves the words 'unsustainable', 'bureaucratic' and 'fallible'. I don’t know the answer. None the less, this display annoys me. Some nice prints though.