the_Ned_James
No Word of a Lie
ongoing series from 2010
RING-FENCED? (2010)
RING-FENCED? (2010) was a paid-for advertising banner across the finishing post at Worcester Racecourse. The font and colour matched the NHS branding and the word refers to the phrase made popular and part of 20-10’s political jargon, a ‘promise’ to protect the NHS from the Cameron/Clegg coalition while also describing the horses themselves, racing inside a ring-fenced space. A critique born out of a love for horses and our NHS.
Filmed on SKY Bet and visible in nationally in rolling race news in all bookmakers as well as online, is clearly not advertising any conumerable product, and could easily be considered a critique of animal exploitation and yet no objection was raised and no one questioned the content.
image: screenshot from the official national broadcasters of daily racing
No#10 - No Word of a Lie
Division of Labour 2012
George Stubbs, Mares and Foals without a Background, c.1762. (licensed fascimile billborad)
For the eponeymous show, curated by Division of Labour No#10 came from a set of text messege instructions sent to the gallerist, these were 1. to enter a charity pantomime horse race. The race at Worcester racecourse was recorded and shown beside a temporarily licensed reproduction of George Stubbs’s Mares and Foals Without Background, circa 1760. (above)