I am opposite a large photograph of Tracey Emin. She has her legs open and is pulling all money into her lap. I am cross-legged and typing a reply to her.
The note to the photograph suggests that Emin is making a comment on the relationship between motherhood and unpaid labour: since her work often deals with uncomfortable areas of sexuality and female identity, the open legs and the exposed flesh are partially reminders of erotic photograph but also place this within her general interest in the way that women are represented.
However, I seem to remember Emin banging on about paying too much tax under Labour and having increasingly conservative opinions about poverty. This might be a comment on the way that motherhood is never factored into capitalism's assessments of cost, or it might be Emin's version of Harry Enfield's Loadsamoney character.
A larger photo on the next wall: Tabrizian's portrait of many (all male) city types standing in a foyer. They all look very smart and by capturing them in stillness, they have a sense of thoughtfulness and serenity in their postures. They are waiting for something - the picture was taken in 2008, so maybe they are waiting for the economic crash they helped to organise. The lack of connection between the men - no-one looks directly at anyone else - is sinister. Against Emin's consciously disordered picture, the stability and organisation of the male business boys is disturbing.
Whatever else Emin is doing, she is doing it with passion. The city crew appear disconnected from any recognisable emotion or community.
Male and female represent two polarities. On the one wall we have sex (legs apart), energy and individuality. On the other we have a group, smart clothes and seriousness.
A third image joins the conversation: Rosier took a shot of three women in an airport beneath an advertising poster (that contains three women). The gap between the real and the marketing version does not need to be stressed. In the advert, it's all sexy bodies and fun. In the real world, there's waiting about and comfortable clothes.
All versions of the way that the body is clothed by capitalism.
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