East, London
Raju Rage
Under/Valued Energetic Economy
Banner RepeaterUnder/Valued Energetic Economy is a term inspired by Alexis Pauline Gumbs, and informs the title for the installation, and work in progress, by Raju Rage at Banner Repeater, that maps out the tangled ecology between "activism", "arts" and "academia". Rage prioritises their interest in kitchen table conversations, and the knowledge’s that are produced during them, placing the Under/Valued Energetic Economy map with other items, on a trestle table top in the gallery space. Highlighting informal strategies of organising, and placing emphasis and value on creativity and collectivity, the map also informs an integral part of the work exploring alternative archival practice that will take the form of several workshops to be held during the exhibition period. The Under/Valued Energetic Economy map is representative of Rage’s work in developing alternative archiving of his/her/theirstories in digital and print formats, with consideration to the ethics, curation, framing and sites they are created and placed in. The map is inspired by the lineages of the Kitchen Table Press (women of colour communities) in 1980’s, queer feminist DIY organising in 2000’s and anti capitalist movements, and is part of an ongoing process of thinking through knowledge, care and value, by highlighting connections, problems and strategies. It includes short audio interviews with various artists, activists and academics which unpack the themes in the map, which can be heard in the project space throughout the exhibition period, and include contributions from: Zadie Xa, Daniella Valz Gen, Victoria Sin, Trishna I, Ari de B, Tarek Lakhrissi, Fanny Aboulker, Sandeep Bakshi. Reading material and publications selected by Raju Rage exploring radical archival practices, and under-represented perspectives, will also be available to read in the project space and reading room. Raju Rage is an interdisciplinary artist who is proactive about using art, education and activism to forge creative survival. Based in London and working beyond, they explore the spaces and relationships between dis/connected bodies, theory and practice, text and the body and aesthetics and the political substance. Their current interests are around value, conditions, sustainability, care and resistance. They are a member of Collective Creativity arts collective and a creative educator with an interest in radical pedagogy.