somestuffffutsemos

looking forward to receiving my anniversary tea towel from Focal point - https://www.fpg.org.uk/printed-matter/30th-anniversary-tea-towel/ - if I had any older relatives left alive it would be on my list of presents! But maybe my children will be getting something in their stockings! The first online session, structures 1. Experimental non adhesive binding structures, for Leicester Print works went well, I think. They are now working on their set task developing a 'family tree' of book forms, exploring their inherent qualities. LPW are thinking of creating a short course so if you are interested in making books, but not as you know them.....(apologies to Turn the Page) check out their site. The assessments went smoothly at NUA. Looking at work online is both sad in that the work has touch and feel at its core and also so much smoother and direct as students target their submissions to the Learning Outcomes and assessment criteria.  meanwhile  Hillbilly Elegy - no, The Undoing - yes but the ending - bad people are just bad, Tenet - yes, my head is still wonderfully spinning. The series Small Axe is totally glorious, the sensual and focused camera work at the dance in episode 2 was beautiful, I could of walked into a gallery and watched the 11 minute sequence of Silly Games on a loop all day. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08vxt33 thank you.

doyoustartfromquestionsorfromanswers?

Do you start from questions or from answers? a day spent at a foundry exploring the potential of the activities peripheral yet integral to the actual casting of work. Working with the negative spaces within the sand casting of ingots was interesting - working inside out with negative space - a great day of rethinking. 

onto films - The Act of Killing https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2375605/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0 if you want to watch it - you can on YouTube - your life will be altered - truly one of the most disturbing films I have ever seen and there is no actual violence, bad language or sexual oppression. But the casual way in which these things are talked about and then reenacted will change you and your thoughts on human nature - haunting.

bindingpuffinternal

Printing again - this time it's all about lines rather than spaces - continued work with the tessellated images - printing with puff binder is very fulfilling, it's printed on a range of surfaces and the effect is mesmerizing, especially in the heat press as the binder 'grows' - the work is all about the haptic - how the work feels in the hand is key,  it's all about the touch and weight. Temperature has become a thing, especially as the material retains heat in the hand. can't help but think about body, brain and images of internal organs.  

meanwhile onto looking at screens - isthisit has a new exhibition in its online exhibition space - https://www.isthisitisthisit.com/data-fatigue there are some beautifully odd and wonderfully thoughtful pieces within the show - I recommend the work by Jonathan Monaghan - the imagery is quite stunning https://www.isthisitisthisit.com/data-fatigue-4  what a carve up - an interpretation of Jonathan Coe's wonderful book - an interesting exercise from the New Wolsey in Ipswich. About Endlessness - the new film by Roy Andersson is deeply disturbing in so many ways - the tableau's are the usual tonal beige and the content is hyper banal. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6817944/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_1 Summer of 85 - just so French.

printingourworld

Working on some prints - using puff binder on polyester to focus on touch. It was interesting to see how cleaning the table presented some interesting images - layers accentuating ideas of contact. An extraordinary short video - Poem by Zoe Leonard - Performed by Mykki Blanco - I want a dyke for a president - a call to see all lives represented by those who represent us - https://vimeo.com/185375525?fbclid=IwAR2L8hHj8xpvi8-LnqIq86_T0hTr9KVB3S1DR_JJyLIJR7X5PRPp4LTAcvM Working on Raced through Roadkill in one sitting - excellent script but limited development of characterisation. Queen's Gambit was very stylish and made the chess board appear on our table. About Endlessness - the new film by Roy Andersson is disturbing in so many ways - the tableau's are the usual tonal beige but the content is hyper banal. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6817944/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_1

signssigning

signs, signs, signs - one of my favorites - so many messages here - where to start. The exhibition HERE, which was to take place at the artstation in Saxmundham has been temporarily postponed due to the latest lockdown - I almost got to hang the work this time! https://theartstation.uk/ In other news - the online longform course for Leicester Print Works appears to be booking well. I'm in the process of building a system to be able to show a table from a birds eye view. http://www.leicesterprintworkshop.com/ meanwhile onto a screen away from TEAMS and Zoom. The trial of the Chicago 7 - more than a courtroom drama, Harriet - more than a tale of one persons struggle, The Forty-Year-Old Version - more than a joke, some serious words alongside great beats https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10642834/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_3

findingacornerinaroundearth

a walk out to Snape for an evening with English Touring Opera. Poems set to music - Shostakovich and Britten - the poems of John Donne were a revelation. I loved the spelling - onely, thinking about the idea of one coming from and within only which gets you to lonely - wondrous.

John Donne: Holy Sonnets

At the round earth's imagin'd corners, blow

At the round earth's imagin'd corners, blow

Your trumpets, angels, and arise, arise

From death, you numberless infinities

Of souls, and to your scatter'd bodies go;

All whom the flood did, and fire shall o'erthrow,

All whom war, dearth, age, agues, tyrannies,

Despair, law, chance hath slain, and you whose eyes

Shall behold God and never taste death's woe.

But let them sleep, Lord, and me mourn a space,

For if above all these my sins abound,

'Tis late to ask abundance of thy grace

When we are there; here on this lowly ground

Teach me how to repent; for that's as good

As if thou'hadst seal'd my pardon with thy blood.

X

DEATH be not proud, though some have called thee

Mighty and dreadfull, for, thou art not soe,

For, those, whom thou think’st, thou dost overthrow,

Die not, poore death, nor yet canst thou kill mee.

From rest and sleepe, which but thy pictures bee,

Much pleasure, then from thee, much more must flow,

And soonest our best men with thee doe goe,

Rest of their bones, and soules deliverie.

Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men,

And dost with poyson, warre, and sicknesse dwell,

And poppie, or charmes can make us sleepe as well,

And better than thy stroake; why swell’st thou then?

One short sleepe past, wee wake eternally,

And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die

hereweare

the poster for the show in Saxmundham - HERE. looking forward to hanging the work - 20 elements will make up the installation including a sculptural piece and video. It's been a week of reading draft research reports at NUA, building presentations for the following week and thinking about developing the studio work further. onto the screen - the darkly odd Game Night - it won't be who you think it is, or will it https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2704998/ sparklingly truthful performances  - Rocks https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9067182/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_3 Watched a beautiful video as part of Festival Fringe! Queer Arts & Film Fest coming out of The Place about the work of shoog mcdaniel - http://shoogmcdaniel.com/ thought more people should know their work, if you get the chance the video documentary of their work is truly beautiful - short clip https://vimeo.com/318665185