by Jonathan Jones claims that the exhibition is less common to define the working class as a “individual, stable body”, although the way the artists asked the question and expand what it could mean to be working class (life less ordinary review – this is really a fair perspective of the British working class? 27 January).
This is one of the firmly rooted myths with which the exhibition aims. The far -reaching selection of the artists reflects the nuanced intersections of class, breed, religion, gender, sexuality and migrants and confirms “working class as something dynamic and plural”, as is clearly stated in one of the wall texts of the exhibition.
The show shows an expression of pride and joy, family and community, humor and hope and deliberately avoids the too familiar representations of the “way of how people work and survive”, which Mr. Jones seems to owe him.
I am glad that we agree that the exhibited art is “excellent”. But it is much more for me and many others than “a difficult load of idealism” to present it through lessons. Perhaps Mr. Jones is entitled to evaluate whose experiences are the working class “authentic”. I think the artists do a better job.
Samantha Manton
Curator of life less usually on Two Temple Place
