Aid & Abet, Cambridge
Space Exchange is an ambitious project as Aid & Abet opens its doors to other artist run spaces from around the UK in relation to the theme of exchange. Five artist run organisations have been invited to respond to the theme and have proposed a series of innovative projects through interventions and performance events – exchanges of space, ideas, resources and the building of future collaborative relationships.
The Royal Standard presented an assortment of objects acquired by the organisation over the previous five years of its existence. Since 2006, The Royal Standard has worked with hundreds of artists, curators and organisations through a diverse programme of exhibitions and events, performances, publications, artist residencies and offsite projects, alongside providing studio space a wide range of artists and designers; a process which inevitably results in the accumulation of a multiplicity of stuff.
By re-examining and exhibiting this collection of remnants of things that have happened at The Royal Standard, an order was provided to this mass of detritus. Questioning perceived notions of ownership and authorisation, the eventual display seen during Space Exchange formed the basis of a pseudo permanent collection belonging to The Royal Standard.
