Magna Carta

The Magna Carta has always been an important part of our identity as artists living and working in the city of Lincoln, and the LAN has always had it’s own Artist’s Charter, which forms the basis of the group.

At the end of 2014, a proposal was created and submitted to The Collection for their Courtyard Gallery space, for Lincoln-based artists to create and exhibit work in response to The Magna Carta. There was much interest in this from artists wishing to get involved.

However, we were disappointed to receive yet another rejection email from The Collection, not enabling us to do this.

Advice often given – often those that think fine art is important say that “you can do anything as an artist” (as opposed to illustration, where apparently you can’t, for some unknown reason).

However, we’re not able to create and exhibit work in The Collection during the upcoming Magna Carta celebrations, because they said no.

Let’s have a look at the Magna Carta and the rights and freedoms it expresses.

For instance, a current campaign is ongoing to Save Lincs Libraries.

When our Alice in Disneyland exhibition couldn’t be exhibited at the Odeon cinema, we found Lincoln Central Library an appropriate venue in which to exhibit.

Here at the LAN, having examined Borges, and spent a lot of time in Great Central Library writing dissertations, we rather like them.

Lincoln Cathedral has one of the best libraries in the country, the Wren Library – some of the medieval illuminated manuscripts look as if they were written and illustrated yesterday, and there are some fascinating insights into the goings on of a certain Robyn Hode.

So it’s sad that plans are afoot to close many library services in Lincolnshire. And in relation to this, is this article about the significance of libraries and the Magna Carta:

http://www.labour-rose.co.uk/archives/804

So, not only are libraries under threat of closure, they’re also denying local graduates an opportunity to create contemporary fine art in response to the Magna Carta itself. So much for democracy.