British Bulldogs

SOLD TO PRIVATE COLLECTOR

"‘British Bulldogs’ embodies Tim Ruth’s ‘hope-free’ ethos, a radical rejection of the emotional oscillation between hope and hopelessness that defines modern culture. Drawing on Stephen Jenkins’ metaphor of hope as ‘the crack-cocaine of modern culture,’ Ruth’s melting pound sign breaks free from the addictive cycle of economic promises, revealing the fiction of money’s value. This iconic piece invites collectors to own a work that transcends illusion, offering clarity in a world of uncertainty."

A Provocative Icon of Our Time

"British Bulldogs" stands as the iconic figurehead of Tim Ruth’s ground-breaking series, Hope-Free: The Writings on the Wall. This collection dares to recontextualise the symbols that shape modern civilisation, peeling back layers of meaning from images so familiar they often go unnoticed. At its heart is The Flag of All Flags—a modern evolution of the Union Jack, reimagined as a vibrant mosaic of 208 flags representing the languages and dialects of the world. This design celebrates English as the global lingua franca, a unifying thread weaving together diverse cultures, yet Ruth uses it as a canvas to probe deeper truths about power, conflict, and the fragility of our systems.

A Frame Steeped in History and Meaning

The painting was originally encased in a frame titled War, crafted by renowned artist David Apps, whose work is celebrated in its own right. Apps, known for his photography and ornate sculptural frames, documented the transformation of London around the Olympics’ site while incidentally capturing East London’s street art scene in his now-collectible book East End, including the ascendance of figures like Banksy. His frame—a baroque masterpiece laden with symbolic weight—set the tone for Ruth’s exploration and was the inspiration for this piece, evoking the grandeur and conflict of history while framing the painting as a relic of our times.

The Great British Pound: A Melting Symbol of Power

At the centre of "British Bulldogs" is the Great British Pound (£) symbol, rendered in a dripping, golden hue that appears to melt over The Flag of All Flags. This iconic sign, with its two bars harking back to the pre-gold-standard era, carries centuries of meaning. Originating from the Latin libra pondo—a unit of weight in the Roman Empire meaning "pound by weight"—the pound symbol derives from the letter "L," tied to scales, balance, and justice. Yet its deeper roots trace back to a glyph of a cattle-prod or shepherd’s crook, an inverted "J" symbolising manipulation and control.

Ruth’s melting pound sign speaks to a world in flux. Once as "good as gold," backed by the banker’s promise to "pay the bearer upon request," the pound now faces an uncertain future. As we stand on the brink of global digital currencies, Bitcoin, or a return to gold-backed systems, the symbol’s disintegration foretells a seismic shift in the monetary systems that have shaped the last few centuries. Nothing lasts forever... especially the kind of money which regards itself as a store of value. The dripping effect suggests decay—a poignant commentary on the fading trust in the abstract, fictional nature of money, divorced from tangible reality yet all-pervasive in its dominance. Money that would truly serve humanity would mirror the cyclical nature of life and death, employing demurrage and therefore boosting circulation of currencies, something which is supposed to flow rather than becoming stagnant around the banks.

A Meditation on Conflict and Confinement

The title "British Bulldogs" invokes the bulldog’s symbolic tenacity, a hallmark of British identity often tied to imperial might. But Ruth subverts this image, using the pound to explore the darker side of this fading strength. A pound, after all, is not just currency—it’s an "enclosure for stray animals," a "place of confinement." Its linguistic roots evoke "pounding"—the sound of relentless strikes, whether the forces of order raiding a home, an undertaker sealing a coffin, or the will of a people resisting the "tax farms" they inhabit. Ruth asks: whose coffin is being pounded shut? Is this the end of an old world, or the birth of a new one?

The painting resonates with the adage "All wars are banker’s wars," reflecting on money’s role as a driver of conflict. The pound sign, used by over thirty countries and colonies, has long been a global standard of value, yet Ruth reveals its cost: a commodification of culture, a divorce from nature, and a war within human hearts.

Overlaid on The Flag of All Flags, the melting pound suggests that economic forces have stained the linguistic diversity it represents, threatening the 208 languages and dialects beneath.

A Timeless Statement for Today’s World

"British Bulldogs" is a profound meditation on the intersections of money, language, and power, encapsulated in a single, striking image. The melting pound sign serves as a "writing on the wall"—a prophetic warning of systemic collapse and a call to reflect on the fictional nature of the systems we take for granted. Yet beneath the decay, the vibrant flags endure, a testament to the resilience of human expression.

This artwork is not just a painting; it’s a conversation starter, a collector’s treasure, and a mirror to our times. Its multi-layered symbolism—spanning history, economics, and culture—ensures it will remain a talking point for generations. Perfect for collectors of contemporary art, history enthusiasts, or anyone seeking a piece that captures the zeitgeist of our global moment, "British Bulldogs" is a rare opportunity to own a work that challenges, provokes, and inspires.