This pilot project explores artists' economies of swapping works for some hopeful future gain, a kind of pension, a gift economy. it is also a slight on the poor wealth distribution among artists. Using a critique of debt, put forward by David Graeber in 'DEBT, The First 5000 Years' in chapter 2; Graeber reasons on the Myth of Barter and he dispels the idea that capitalism and economies started with a bartering system amongst our earliest civilisations.
CURATORIAL STATEMENT for The Mythical Land of Barter

THE MYTHICAL LAND OF BARTER
Artist as Collector
ARE YOU AN ARTIST WHO ALSO COLLECTS?
WOULD YOU LIKE TO START AN ART COLLECTION?
The Mythical Land of Barter is new pilot project aimed at artists with a connection to the North of England, the concept is to explore the long tradition of artists building their own collections through the trade or swapping works with one another.
DO YOU HAVE A CONCEPT FOR A PRINT OR AN ARTISTS" MULTIPLE? APPLY ! SEND US YOUR IDEAS.
We will select 10 artists and together we will make 10 artists prints or multiples as an edition of 50 portfolios.
Each selected artist will receive a complete portfolio for themselves as payment for participation. The remaining portfolios will be sold at The Manchester Contemporary, the sales will be divided between A Modest Show and the artist.
Artists will be invited to embellish, sign and number their works on the opening night of The Manchester Contemporary in the feature area at the centre of the fair and therefore must be available for Friday 15th November*
SPECIFICATIONS
Print or multiple. We welcome all proposals for multiples and ideas for print however we have a size limit which is determined by the size of our portfolio 400x500mm with a maximum thickness of 10mm (for multiples)
LIMITED PRINTS
We would also encourage low cost printing methods with options for embellishment, that is, artists should consider uniqueness and how to alter and add to the surface of the print. We envisage the prints will be made with either a photocopier (colour or B&W) a Riso printer, mono-screen print or giclée however we are open to other suggestions. The printing and associated costs will be undertaken by A Modest Show.
MULTIPLES
Multiple ideas are welcome, these could be low relief sculpture; casts, 3-D prints, soft sculpture, collage, photomontage etc. Multiples would have to be similar and uniform, produced in an edition of 50 with a maximum of 3 AP's and be exclusively consigned to A Modest Show / The Myth of Barter, maximum thickness 10mm. Where possible AMS will assist the artist in the cost of production.
CALL OUT
Artists are asked to email their ideas, images, PDF or video recording with a short statement about their work, some examples of their previous work and / or website links with a proposal for a print
(max size 400x500 see specifications above)
Send your application to : producer@amodestshow.com
Note there is no deadline, we will notify artists as selected and close this process as we fulfil the 10 selected prints. Future editions will arise depending on the success of this pilot.