to any members of @artistsrogue who have been invited to 'showcase' artwork for free at #Crusader - I encourage to refuse - boycott the #artwash by Capital&Centric

This is exploiting the labour of artists in order to make the building look COOL by association, and assuage any fears that the artistic community were damaged or in any way dissent. It’s our seal of approval. For free.

Meanwhile it distracts from the larger narrative of displacement, both of artists, but more importantly of textile businesses. #boycottCapitalCentric #Crusader #NoDevelopersAllowed

The invitation for @artistsrogue to ‘showcase’ work recognises "our previous association with the building" but I am sure C&C do not extend the same invitation with the south-asian textile community who worked there since 80s. Infact, they seek to erase them from the record.

an excellent documentary here by @matyldosia and Zhi Li looking at both the artists and the textile communities in Crusader https://vimeo.com/148038319 

Of the 7 factories that were in there, only 2 now survive. The pressure on these businesses and communities is immense already, nevermind being forced to move by developers who fetishise industrial hertiage yet do not care about present textile industry.

C&C do not want art as critique or art that is in meaningful dialogue with history or heritage. They want art as wallpaper. For free. This is an invitation to look pretty and shut up. And in doing so, validate our mode of operation.

You may not agree, and that is your right. You may even like C&C or like the idea. But if you’re still going to do it, at least make them pay for your work! You have value! That is what they understand very well, hence this ‘opportunity’.

I love everyone at @artistsrogue. Your work, your labour, your creativity has value. At the very least, don’t give it to developers for nothing.

why do i care? why do i still go on about it? Because if we allow the narrative to be dictated by developers, then the voices and histories of communities will be erased. We need to show solidarity. (image from The Art of Work by @matyldosia)

to finish, here are some artworks that actually draw on the associations with the building’s previous occupants. First up, my film SOCIAL FABRIC, which looks at displacement of knitting factories at #Crusader by C&C https://vimeo.com/386067953 

my FIRST DIBS banner - displaying C&C's original pitch to #Crusader investors before a £25.5m publicly funded loan inspired a PR pivot towards a new strategy of #NoInvestorsAllowed - thankfully the WayBackMachine archives everything http://portfolio.smeech.co.uk/first-dibs 

IMAGE NOT FOUND - knitted tile installation, knitted by Unique Knitwear who were in Crusader since mid 90s. This marks a spot where you used to find both textile and art production, but now it is missing http://portfolio.smeech.co.uk/image-not-found/

FAIT ACCOMPLIS - knitted tiles that archived the textures and painted signage of #Crusader, referencing the textile factories past and present. C&C infact requested ths artwork was removed for their 1st sales day. They like some art, just not all art. http://portfolio.smeech.co.uk/fait-accomplis/ 

TROUBLE AT THE MILL - remember that fire back in 2017? It was started in Dream Knitwear. The owner of the business had been locked out by C&C and their management company in a lease dispute. http://portfolio.smeech.co.uk/trouble-at-the-mill

I understand that Dream Knitwear actually took C&C to court and won. Not sure if the total has been decided yet (was set for March this year), but C&C could be looking at having to pay £100k + compensation to Dream's owner. Again, you wont see them tweeting about that.

ART WASH / LUBRI KUNST - nothing screams gentrification like hot pink vinyl on OSB board - inspired by C&C's rebranding of Open Studios 2016 at @artistsrogue - http://portfolio.smeech.co.uk/artwash-lubrikunst

UNIQUE PORTRAITS - knitted portraits of the south asian textile community at #Crusader - made for Progress exhib 2016 - It was a lovely project to get to know each other - I gave the banners to the people after the show.

sorry, it was Fait Accomplis that was in Progress. The portraits were part of UNIQUE EDITIONS, which featured many works and collaborations with the knitting factories https://www.flickr.com/photos/39554118@N08/sets/72157674814808161

finally - WATERFALL - a 16m long machine-knitted cascade, made with yarn that had to be thrown away as the displaced #Crusader factories were forced to move and downsize. I managed to save about a ton and redistribute to local knitters. http://portfolio.smeech.co.uk/waterfall/ 

ironically when I was looking for a home for this only Culture Plex got in touch, but I said no because of their connections to C&C. #NoDevelopersAllowed

that's it for now. More info about #Crusader here http://portfolio.smeech.co.uk/category/crusader-mill/ -

Remember, you can great make art about developers, just not for them. Question the narrative, don't be complicit in it.

Please support local artists but also local textile manufacturers!