Artwork
1,000,000 Non-Payers in Scotland. What are we doing in Wandsworth?
1,000,000 Non-Payers in Scotland. What are we doing in Wandsworth? is a print by Brian Barnes. It dates from 1989 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
This 1989 print by Brian Barnes critiques the UK's Poll Tax through a powerful protest image. Held at the Victoria and Albert Museum, it combines bold visuals with direct questioning to challenge the tax's implementation.
Subject & Meaning
A woman in a blue shirt and hat stands defiantly in front of a green landscape, her hands raised in protest. The backdrop features a stone wall with 'NO POLL TAX HERE' and contrasting locations highlighted in the title, juxtaposing Scotland's non-payment with Wandsworth's implied compliance, highlighting resistance and disparity.
Technique & Style
The print employs bold, attention-grabbing colors (notably red for the title) and striking imagery, characteristic of protest posters, to convey a sense of defiance and urgency, ensuring the message resonates strongly with the viewer.
History & Provenance
Created in 1989, the print reflects the contemporaneous Poll Tax controversy. It is part of the Victoria and Albert Museum's collection, indicating its recognized historical and artistic significance in documenting UK social protest.
Context
The work is set against the backdrop of the UK's controversial Poll Tax introduction in the late 1980s, which led to widespread protests and non-payment, especially in Scotland. The artwork captures the divisive nature of the tax and the varied responses across different regions.
Legacy
While specific lasting impacts of the print are not widely documented, it remains a vivid artifact of the Poll Tax era, educating viewers about the period's social unrest and the role of art in political protest through its preservation in a major museum collection.
Artist & collection
Artist
Brian Barnes was an English artist. Brian Barnes was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2005 for services to the community in Battersea, London.
