By Anthony Davies
Copenhagen, Denmark: Copenhagen Free University, 2001
Pages: 20
Dimensions: 8.1” in x 5.7” in
Cover: die-cut cardstock
Binding: staplebound
Process: photocopied
Color: red cover, light-blue interior cover, b&w throughout
Edition Size: unknown
ISSN: 1601-4014

Copenhagen Free University (CFU) was an influential, critical space for art, discussions, and a variety of other activities. Their writings, explorations, and publications feel as if they were just made. Here is how they described themselves when they were still active:

The Copenhagen Free University opened in May 2001 in our flat. The Free University is an artist run institution dedicated to the production of critical consciousness and poetic language. We do not accept the so-called new knowledge economy as the framing understanding of knowledge. We work with forms of knowledge that are fleeting, fluid, schizophrenic, uncompromising, subjective, uneconomic, acapitalist, produced in the kitchen, produced when asleep or arisen on a social excursion - collectively.

The Surge to Merge Culture with the Economy offers important historical analysis by Anthony Davies. The text is drawn from a presentation he gave at CFU in 2001. It outlines the ways in which government and businesses in the UK used the arts and arts institutions to advance their interests.

In the beginning of the booklet, Davies states:

[I'm] going to focus on how the surge to merge had radically transformed the landscape in which artists, curators, writers, and many others now operate. I'm also going to suggest that the convergence of economic, political, and cultural agendas can be seen within the context of structural change in the corporate sector. We've moved into a new world where contemporary art plays an increasingly key role in the 'new' informational economy and public institutions, for example, now act as networking clubs for venture capitalists and cultural entrepreneurs.

We are really lucky to have copies of these publications in our store. True to CFU's — and our own — values of making their work and ideas easily accessible to everyone, the price of this publication is a lot lower than it could be. We hope you grab a copy while you can and enjoy.