Free or Fair? part of Human Cargo exhibition

What connects fair trade campaigners with 18th century abolitionists (of slavery)? They are the problem solvers of the world... responding to the injustice of their time, by doing something about it. And sustaining the effort for years.

Researching further, I found more links. Look at the crops. Plantations of sugar and cotton and cocoa established by slave labour in the Americas. Three hundred years later, the fair trade movement starts with focussing on one product at a time: tea, coffee, cocoa, sugar and now cotton. The very same crops - a coincidence?

These crops have been selected because many of today’s producers are at risk - of labouring for no return. How is it that these products, so lucrative for some, can be so unrewarding for others. How much has changed?

It’s been a fascinating journey.

I wanted to get other people to follow the trail. Rather than just telling the story, I had the idea of getting people to work it out for themselves. Giving them the facts and figures, and seeing if they will join the dots.

Eureka! a competition. I’ve called it Free or Fair? A treasure map. Playing on our idea of treasure. Does one man’s treasure means another’s enslavement? Slaves were once referred to as black gold.

Only most retail competitions are in fact lotteries. The accepted mode is to make the questions really simple, and then determine winners by draw. How will people respond if they are asked to read, analyse information and write down a response? Does consumerism make people passive? Will we find some active thinkers who engage in the challenge?

Outcome (extract from my speech given at prizegiving on 24/11/07):

“About 3,000 Free or Fair? flyers were distributed at Plymouth Museum, the Art Centre, the Library, seventy Coop supermarkets, the M&S staffroom, and numerous cafes in Drakes Circus and Barbican.

And we received 13 entries. From what they say, I reckon that many people read the flyer and tried to answer but gave up. For the number crunchers, if we estimate half the flyers were read for an average of 10 minutes each, it's a total "intervention" of 250 hours!

But numbers was not all I was looking for. You’ll have heard from the prize winners read out earlier by Linda (Gilroy MP) - what we got was passion!

This outcome mirrors the lessons of history – the committed few are the catalysts of change. The 18th century abolition campaign was speared headed by a few committed people who kept that flame alive for years till it finally caught on.

Why was it so difficult to identify who said what (a question in the competition)? Because campaigners share common characteristics, whether 18th century or 21st century.

The Treasure Map was an attempt to track the changing form of economic domination, market distortions, call it what you may. The campaign against these injustices also continues - fair trade being one.

We asked you to nominate as the product you most wanted to see made available fair trade. What did you say?

Everything (twice)

Curios

Wooden Furniture

Sweets

Mars Delight

Clothes

Nappies

Tampax

Eggs

Milk (twice)

I’ve passed this on to the Fairtrade Foundation, who say they have to focus their resources on producers in developing countries. Although they share the concern for farmers in Devon and Cornwall, reform at home is someone else’s battle.

John Riley from the Cooperative is here. The Coop has been at the forefront of selling fair-trade products. And you have some initiatives to pay your farmers more for milk? (John assents)

You see… someone does listen…keep campaigning!”

More information on the competition, and the Human Cargo exhibition can be found on www.plymouthmuseum.gov.uk. Art Monthly reviewed the exhibition in its November 07 issue, referring to Free or Fair? “Yet it is the quietest work in the show ...(that) proposes a structure for positive change.” Read Colin Glen’s review in full.