Ruth Ewan  - Bread Ahead

Dates and Location: 15th October at 3 Catherdal Street, SE1.

Tate Modern hosted a discursive breadmaking workshop for MERGE Festival at Bread Ahead with artist Ruth Ewan and the founders of Bread, Print and Roses (Molly Conisbee and Ruth Potts), a collaborative pamphleteering, walking and radical baking enterprise. Guided by an expert baker they created a large loaf of bread together and explored the everyday staple; how we enjoy and share it with others, its history across different cultures and its revolutionary power!

Commissioned by Tate Local this is the beginning of an ongoing research project led by Ruth Ewan examining the past and present political and social significance of bread. In collaboration with the Borough Market bakery school Bread Ahead, and local residents, participants will be invited to bake bread, share their knowledge and engage in a dialogue with specialists including food historians, bakers, food sculptors, food bank organisers and economic experts.

The research will culminate in a project by Ewan which will be unveiled for MERGE Festival 2015.

The workshop was a great success and took place at Bread Ahead, 3 Cathedral St, SE1 9DE on Wednesday 15 October 2014, 6-8pm

'...demonstrate before the palaces of the rich; demand work. 

If they do not give you work, demand bread. 

If they deny you both, take bread. 

It is your sacred right.’ 

Emma Goldman, 1893 

Ruth Ewan (b.1980) lives and works in London. Ewan’s work takes many forms including installation, live events and printed matter. Her research driven practice explores overlooked areas of political and social history, highlighting their continued relevance today. Encouraging collaboration and participation, in the past Ewan has worked with historians, archaeologists, traditional craftsmen, musicians and young people. Recent solo projects and exhibitions include The Darks, Tate Britain (2014), Memorialmania Collective Gallery Edinburgh (2013), Kunstal Charlottenborg Copenhagen (2012), Liberties of the Savoy (2012) Frieze Projects East London.