Artist Talk
with Ruth Beale
Join artist Ruth Beale at the Brickwork Space for a talk on their commissioned piece for DX 2025.
Ruth Beale
Ruth Beale is a South East London-based artist whose socially engaged art seeks to trouble societal structures, reframe knowledge hierarchies and advocate for collective approaches. They are committed to the radical possibilities of working collectively and collaboratively, and using dialogue and exchange to change who has the power, and what kinds of knowledges are valued. Their work grows from context-specific research and participatory processes, resulting in a wide variety of forms including events, public works, drawing, writing, installations and print. Often working collaboratively, they have created radio programmes, designed public interventions, and made performances and books. In 2012 they co-founded The Alternative School of Economics, which explores economic and political issues in relation to the complexity of lived experience. They founded The Hundred Club, a family club which uses art and play to explore social justice issues, with artist-led organisation TACO! in 2020. They teach in the Design Department at Goldsmiths and are a trustee of the Feminist Library.
Ruth has worked with public institutions, galleries, local authorities and agencies on collaborative commissions, projects and residencies, including TACO!, Create London, Gasworks, Mansions of the Future, Brent Borough of Culture, Whitstable Biennale, UP Projects, Wysing Arts Centre and BFI. Recent commissions include Elastic Money with The Alternative School of Economics and At the Library/Rule of Threes, Bootle (2024-25), Care & Magic, Edgware Library, with Up Projects (2023-24), Drawing Risky Play with Turf Projects, Croydon, London (2023); and Library as Memorial with Brent Biennial, London (2020-21). Recent exhibitions include LIKE GODS at Deptford Lounge (2024) and Swiss Cottage Library Gallery, London (2023), Editorial Tables, Reciprocal Hospitalities, The Showroom, London (2023), Squidgy World at Turf Projects (2023), and a major new installation by The Alternative School of Economics in Economics the Blockbuster: It’s not Business as Usual, The Whitworth, University of Manchester (2023). Ruth published All the Libraries: Reader with Simon Elvins in 2023.
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