Catalogue relating to an exhibition, 1996
Published by: Visionfest
Year published: 1996
Unpaginated.

A4 sized off white coloured box with a sticker with the title and artists/box contains four A3 folded landscape booklets all titled “Discreet Charm“. Two are about the Hall and the exhibition - the other 2 are produced by the individual artists.

Title: Discreet Charm - Yinka Shonibare and Kate Smith
1 October - 10 November 1996, Croxteth Hall, Muirhead Avenue East, Liverpool L12 OHB
Curated for Visionfest by Richard Hylton in collaboration with Visionfest and Croxteth Hall

Booklet 1: Front page contains a photograph of Croxteth Hall and a text by Lisa Murry dated August 1996
Booklet 2 : Frontpage contains a photograph of the kitchens with 2 figures in period costume with the following quote: “in the activity of “designing“ and representing the past, the shape of the future may also be traced.”

Also contains a text by the curator, Richard Hylton that explores some of the ideas around the exhibition and the the work produced by the artists for it: “Discreet Charm lies somewhere between what artists’ wish to excuvate and what people go to ‘see’ at Croxteth Hall. Rather than being seen as autonomous works of art the exhibits are alternative comments on the past and present. Croxteth hall’s history did not cease following the death of the 7th Earl of Sefton in 1972. Its history continues to this day. The Seftons and servants have been replaced by the curators and other maintenance staff, (some of who actually served the 7th Earl and still live in the grounds). Croxteth Hall’s history is ongoing, Discreet Charm has become a part of it.”

Booklet 3: Front cover contains a installation photograph of a display of china plates produced by Yinka Shonibare for the exhibition. the inside pages contain a text titled “Upstairs/Downstairs“ which is also the title of the work exhibited. There is also a photograph of a display of 3 paintings hung next to Shonibare’s installation.

In two individual clear plastic sleeves are 2 8x10m colour photographs - one is an installation shot, the other is a close up of the work. From the text: “The installation Upstairs/Downstairs echoes the display of the existing cabinet, opulent and contemporary versions of porcelain plates are placed in the adjacent alcove. The plates have the names of the invisible servants who made the opulence of our surroundings and the Sefton estate possible, the contemporary brightly coloured plates which feature traditional floral patterns are made in cyan, pink and lime green respectively.”

Booklet 4 : The cover and inside page are blank - the following page contains the text titled Motion Pictures by Kate Smith. In two individual clear plastic sleeves are 2 8x10m colour photographs - one is a photograph of the interior of the hall, taken by Kate Smith, the other is an installation shot of her work, Motion Picture.”