Trickle Down-A New Vertical Sovereignty is a new four-screen film installation by Helen Knowles that explores value systems and wealth disparity.

The four films are composed of auction scenes, performances and choral interludes from different communities, including prison inmates, market shoppers, buyers at Sotheby’s auction house and attendees to the Ethereal Summit in New York. When installed, the films will be operated by a coin machine/sculpture which will convert sterling coins to crypto-currency. This transaction will activate the installation and make payments to the film participants via the blockchain each time the work is viewed.

Helen Knowles and blockchain machine designer, Daniel Dressel, will introduce the coin machine/sculpture and will explain how it was made and what it does. They will lead a group workshop on the blockchain to demystify and instigate ideas on its use in the culture industry and beyond, as well as the implications of this technology.

This event is part of Economics the Blockbuster, an action research project and exhibition that will take place at the Whitworth in autumn 2021, in partnership with Alliance Manchester Business School.