Day Four - Tue 7 June, 2016 | Exchange and Value

Thoughts from our Co-convenors, David Cross and Claire Doherty:

Today we talked about the nature of what exchange and value was across the idea of the market as a trading place. We then expanded the notion of exchange and value across monetary exchange to think about cultural exchange, waves of migration. Thinking about that idea of the relationship between individual traders and affiliations and connections across the market.

We talked about the delineation of different traders. Fruit and vegetable versus fish monger, dairy hall. We looked at a little bit of the history of the changing nature of exchange. We thought about the way that the market operates in a 1960s context, right now - how it closes early and how that rubs up against a 24 hour city.

“I think I’ve come to see that for all its robustness and smelliness and aggressive character…the market is quite a fragile ecology.” – Will Foster

QVM Conversation: Michael Caiafa, from the Dairy Hall at QVM

*QVM conversation with Michael Caiafa. Photo Kristoffer Paulsen.*

Workshop / Exercise: Veronica Kent and Patrick Pound, Dreaming Workshop

Van Sowerwine and Isobel Knowles in the dreaming workshop, led by Veronica Kent and Patrick Pound. Illustration: Kenny Pittock. — *Van Sowerwine and Isobel Knowles in the dreaming workshop, led by Veronica Kent and Patrick Pound. Illustration: Kenny Pittock.*

‘The imaginary potential of dreams is what I have always been interested in’ – Robert Desnos

“Today’s workshop with Veronica Kent and Patrick Pound was about using the imagination to find unorthodox creative pathways. Today’s first activity – sleeping with a picture underneath your pillow and then sharing dreams – was very revealing, exposing the unconscious. They are both such great artists, as are the methodologies that they both have. Veronica using dreams and telepathy, and Patrick collecting found images or objects and giving them a taxonomy.” - Biennial Lab Chief Curator, Natalie King

Inframents, Veronica Kent and Patrick Pound Dreaming workshop. Photo: Kristoffer Paulsen. — *Inframents, Veronica Kent and Patrick Pound Dreaming workshop. Photo: Kristoffer Paulsen.*

Tram clatters past, traffic roars and the rubbish truck beeps slowly through the empty stalls.

Cabbage leave spile up, the smell as well as the physical object.

Corrugated shed rooves held up by slim trusses, maroon pillars and concrete plinths.

Bunting – to dissuade the seagulls or persuade the shoppers’ shuffles in the city glow.

Enormous skinny buildings tower above the sheds, flanked by cranes and signage.

Inside, pine pallets stacked, trestles covered in tarps and cloths. Grey, blue, hessian, green, large white lights, signage falling down. Forklifts mid climb.

Two cyclists, one on, one off. Melbourne black denim. Dark jackets, stopping to get cash.

(Day 4: Artist inframent during Veronica and Patrick workshop exercise, ‘exhausting a space’.)

“Today’s exercise was really interesting in the way of being able to pinpoint dreams spatially, and being able to map our thoughts both vertically and horizontally.” – Sanne Mestrom