The Custard Factory (formerly Bird’s Custard) which has been adapted as an arts and media production centre, Birmingham http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Custard_Factory

When I came to Birmingham for the ‘Post-industrial revolution’ residency, I just knew it was a city with industrial heritage. Now I would say that Birmingham is a good example of transformation industrial areas into ‘cultural production’ zones.

Birmingham’s coat of arms – being visible in many places in the city - on reliefs, street lamps, street signs, or even litter bins - contains personifications of Industry (a male figure dressed as a blacksmith) and Art (female figure holding a book and painter's palette). The coat of arms has evolved since 1838, when it was granted to the town. The current one was designed in 1977 and it generally resembles the old coat of arms, but the figures ‘swapped the places’ on the shield and the male figure now holds a cupel (not a hammer) - a tool used in manufacturing jewellery - an important industry in modern Birmingham. 

The thing that has drawn my attention was the motto "Forward", which I could see almost everywhere, not only on the coat of arms; at least this was my first impression. Residents of the town probably do not pay attention to such things. The motto caught my eye as something which reminded me of communists slogans, that I would never expect to see in a Western country. The most impressive example was a huge inscription FORWARD written on the wall in Digbeth. As I learnt later, it was done as an artwork in 2009.  

I thought to myself: It was the industrial era which insisted on going FORWARD; while the post-industrial era would rather ask WHAT FOR.

FORWARD, mural, Newso, Juice126 & Zoot79, Birmingham 2009

FOR WHAT, mural, Birmingham 2011

"During her month long residency Kamila has developed a fascination with the Birmingham coat of arms, using it as a focal point of her research.  In particular she is interested in the motto for the city ‘Forward’.  For Kamila exploring the significance of symbols and monuments associated with a city is significant, and she often develops whole bodies of work in relation to obscure local references to civic pride.

For Post – Industrial Revolution Kamila has developed a series of site specific interventions throughout Digbeth, most notably ‘For what?’ a large scale text piece situated in a car park next to the Custard Factory facing Digbeth High St.  ‘For what?’ is a direct response to the 'Forward' mural, an earlier art work referencing Birmingham's coat of arms in a car park on Heath Mill Lane.  'For what?’ aims to instigate a dialogue about the future and the past of the district by responding to the statement ‘Forward’ with a question."

Kate Pennington-Wilson, curator of Post-Industrial Revolution

"It struck a chord! I thought it was 'the cherry on the cake' or more fittingly, 'the nail in the coffin'.
(...) you 'put your finger on' something that was already a 'thorn in my side' but not only that, you turned it around to express what it was that I/we found so annoying about it. Deconstructed the propaganda. You burst the bubble and turned it around. Challenged a direct order and coined the catchprase of dissent."

Jacob Harry Davidson, Birmingham

FOR WHAT?, sticker, Victoria Square, Birmingham

FOR WHAT?, stickers on street signs, Birmingham