howmusicworks

A good break so far – spent a lot of it with a present I bought for myself – How music works by David Byrne. In amongst the astute theories about the music business from the perspective of a musician are some insightful personal comments that have enforced some thoughts around sound and made me reconsider the role of music in my life. The relationship to space and technology was particularly good. As a fan it was excellent to read the background to the thoughtful, intelligent music that has been in the background since 77 was played in the art room at Binley Park Comprehensive. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Byrne Gone back to the source More Songs About Buildings and Food, Fear of Music, Remain in Light and My Life in the Bush of Ghosts have been on the turntable all Christmas. 

12 12 12adayoftwohalfs

the morning was spent working on an application that required a new artist’s statement –

I have a history of working with the book form and its associated processes, including printing, paper construction, typesetting, design, image and text, binding and book structures. The more conceptual issues of narrative, editing, publishing, production and display are also a large part of my work

These very practical issues are underlined by how my work and ideas in general are conceived and developed, which is through the exploration and utilisation of ideas at the root of book; sequence, control, communication, and revelation.

Navigating a practice where physical outcomes and practical issues are dependent on the opportunities available with each individual context enables flexibility and a huge range of outcomes to be defined as my practice from permanent sculptural installations to ephemeral giveaways and presentations. At the core the investigative values are focused, which is simultaneously liberating and supportive.

The book, a symbol of power and knowledge is seen as a vehicle to communicate directly; it is a form that is understood in these terms. My practice often repositions its context and by redirecting its purpose the work challenges these very notions. The art becomes a question rather than an answer, a collaboration in the mind and hand between maker and reader/viewer/audience.

The practical aspects of the book form, of disseminating information; of making things clearer are also questioned. The bookworks I make explore the idea of form as content and their manipulation enables multiple narratives creating a space for the reflective experience, taking time to connect, look, listen, and consider.

Recent work has seen my practice move away from large scale consultative, structural public art interventions and returning to physical making, using and developing practical skills to make objects/things. Supported by a GFA Arts Council Grant I have been exploring the role of the fold within historical and contemporary textiles and printed matter held in heritage collections within the Eastern Region. I am creating a body of work in response to the material I am encountering within the archives and collections. This will be exhibited in 6 exhibitions and support a number of workshops and talks. The second strand of the project is mapping possible entry points to the collections and looking at developing new ways in which the material could be accessed by the public.

The afternoon was spent in a care home in Ipswich where I ran a workshop as part of creative carers. The session centred on objects, touch and memory.  It was a really good time, Christmas was in the air and everybody seemed up for it – even residents who came just to watch joined in and we ended up with a card/bookwork/decoration/folding event

collaborativeresearchintwodays

The presentations yesterday were an extraordinary success. They were in the form of pitches at the end of a weeks collaborative project between small groups of students on the textiles BA at nuca. The project was the result of an internal staff workshop at the end of last Summer where ideas around learning and teaching were discussed. It was felt that students needed to have a more structured course within year three. So it was decided to rethink the two long units into multiple smaller sections - so that the students could create a wider body of work, more finished pieces and experience a range of teaching approaches.
So far so good - a mass of learning has taken place, the feedback is very positive and I believe they are better designers and individuals, more ready to take on the challenges of the workplace because of it. Looking forward to building on this after christmas.
The day today was all about staff research - an opportunity to see some of the research individual members of staff are engaged in at nuca - a space to share good practice and build relationships with people one only sees at staff events.
The morning was comprised of a range of exciting, thoughtful and professional presentations - I really am surrounded by some most excellent people doing fantastic things.
meanwhile - finally sorting the station at beccles!

unabletosleepexcitedandlost

Its Wednesday but just getting round to this - a weekend of films – both with a focus in the middle east – Argo a Hollywood romp that sets you on a thrilling ride with final scenes that take your breathing away.  Ben Affleck does a wonderful directing job and acts a beard well, don’t leave the cinema as the credits add another layer. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1024648/ Incendies blows up in your face – less easy to find but worthwhile as it has provided a restless night and the inability to sleep past 6.00 (hence writing this). A staggering journey of what it is to encounter the past, the film beautifully, brutally unfolds leaving a kind of open scar as it undoes itself. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1255953/

Looking forward to a week of work in Norwich both at nuca and then at the Costume and Textile study centre and also a day at MEAL. 

Starting the third stage of the rethink around the structure of year 3 on the textile course at nuca. Stage one was an open phase of finding your practice, then after a presentation there was a period of focused study – today I introduce the first of two group collaborative projects – its only a week but working together will be an interesting test and good practice for the future. http://www.slideshare.net/l.bicknell/005-briefing-for-unit-8 have started the countdown to the moment they leave in seconds - it makes it seem longer.

Next week - gets a little hardcore in terms of time left. Time to get on - http://www.slideshare.net/l.bicknell/briefing-10th-dec

Continuing to work in stitch and the pleat – slightly obsessed – I don’t think that it will pass.

iminabook

I'm in a book! Strange I spent 10 seconds complaining in my head that ‘somebody’ had created a piece of work just like the one I had made with Laurence Edwards for the Louth Art Trail then only to read the copy! Nice twist to be in the index after Joseph Beuys.  

http://www.laurenceedwardssculpture.com/ 

http://www.commissionseast.org.uk/html/casestudies/louth/Louth.htm 

assessmentassessmentassessmentandabogman

The end of unit 7 on the textile course at nuca sees sessions of hardcore assessment - interesting to see the exciting possibilities within the work and to project on them the potential outcomes for the final show and collections.
A day in London with Book Art students saw visits to two spaces. First the British Library where we connected the students research strands to objects in the permanent treasures collection - ending up with a tour of the show curated by the students - I had fantastic conversations around the work and came away with many notes and ideas to follow up myself. The afternoon was spent at the Poetry Library where we looked at the Printed in Norfolk exhibition by Coracle http://ticketing.southbankcentre.co.uk/find/literature-spoken-word/tickets/printed-in-norfolk-1000302 Wonderful to visit the work again but also to be given a talk about the Poetry Library by Chris who was really knowledgeable and made everybody feel that they had access to the space, the objects within it and the ideas behind it 
The guard announces on the train 'welcome to Later Anglia' most appropriate.
I managed to slip in a quick visit to the British Museum to see a 3D digital autopsy http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/exhibitions/virtual_autopsy.aspx - effectively the 'bog man' had been CAT scanned and you were able to manipulate him on a huge touch screen 'ipad like' - taking away layers of skin, soft tissue, zooming in and rotating - quite marvellous - I managed to speak to the curator who happened to be standing behind me as I interacted - a must see.

danceteachdeconstruction

Finally got round to see skyfall - a good bond movie esp enjoyed the nod to the Bourne trilogy - only marred by the person next to me pointing out that he had been to all the locations and how he had enjoyed them - i did see it in the rather posh venue of Aldeburgh cinema.    

The Shechter Dance Company was at Snape - most excellent - Uprising was a full on assault from the first second - men emerge from the shadows and go through maleness in all its madness and glory - lighting and music never gave you a moment of rest p wonderful - although a little limited in its palette (maybe that was the point) if they are near you go see. http://www.hofesh.co.uk/

Teaching at nuca has been a mixture of deconstructing learning and teaching with cake on the BA! a workshop around the digital www.slideshare.net/l.bicknell/course-seminar-4-digital and one about the multiple on the MA – looking forward to seeing the results of a set project next week.

Managed two days of pleating and folding http://unpickingandrebinding.blogspot.co.uk/ the sacks are from MEAL.

turnthepage

I have been invited to be to be one of the selectors in this year’s juried annual artist’s book fair turn the page. I am in the wonderful company of Tanya Piexoto (Director of bookartbookshop), artist Nicola Dale and Jules Allen (TTP). Held in the forum in Norwich TTP 2013 is now supported by Arts Council England so I am looking forward to seeing how it grows. I'm already anticipating seeing a great body of work as book arts appears to be undergoing one of its periodic spurts of interests within the art world. www.turnthepage.org.uk

Meanwhile I'm really enjoying how the music works by David Byrne. I've been a huge fan of talking heads and Byrne, (well I was at art school in the 80s) both the music itself and the ideas behind it, the book is a wonderful insight into the mind of this free thinking intelligent man. 

fasterthantoys

faster than sound focused on sounds created around the idea of game - curated by the wonderfully smiling brian duffy from the modified toy orchestra. From the initial electronic sounding noises emanating from the bass clarinet on here be monsters through to gaming, conducted by richard baker with prepared piano (mainly adding paper to the strings) the first half was full of ideas and collaboration. Finally game a piece where 4 speak and spell machines appeared to be generating the first language and teaching or copying the physical instruments. The second half - an excellent set by the modified toy orchestra with huge projections - starting with black star - possibly my favourite track - the projection of a distorted evolving threat by christopher plant was most excellent. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyGYfxPq7B0 All topped up by a lovely impromptu discussion about circuit bending with the band over their instruments when they were packing up. Got me thinking - who are the modified toy orchestra's audience - having seen them three times as part of faster than sound - one a gig (people dancing), one as part of an electronica session (chin stroking) and last night sort of a bit of both. 

teachingarchivesmeat

A week of teaching at NUCA, archives – see http://unpickingandrebinding.blogspot.co.uk/ and training – considering the National Student Survey (NSS) and our/my relationship to it. It’s important that students get the right information about a course when choosing where to study and increasingly, we are told, they along with their families are looking at sites such as which universities .com etc to make decisions, a sort of where to get the best deals on phones type site. I have been working with year 3 students on how to understand the rather elliptical questions in the survey along the implications of their tick boxes – it makes for interesting times and opportunities for us all. Meanwhile wading through some porn data with information graphics http://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/design/all/04984/facts.information_graphics.htm a tombstone of a book – wonderful. 

“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” Albert Einstein

thinkingsculpture

Managed to get to the private view at Peter Pears Gallery in Aldeburgh – it’s a joint exhibition of Laurence Edwards http://laurenceedwardssculpture.com/ Craig Hudson http://www.craighudsonart.com/about.htm and Brian Taylor http://brian-taylor.artparks.co.uk/artpark_sculpture_sculptor_details.php?artistID=152&sculptor=brian_taylor  It’s really good to see such an honest premise for a show – the passing on of ideas and support that artists have for each other. The work was excellent – Brian’s work appears to be case from the actual material souls are made from – you can see thinking in Laurence’s work and Craig’s men have a hulk-like twinkle of wit about them – go see - http://www.list.co.uk/place/20018586-peter-pears-gallery/

idrawincolourfulwater

A late train getting into London but a good day at Camberwell - the first crit with the new MA students was really positive - in some ways the crits are the core of the course - talking, presenting and debating the work that is made, often in isolation - the crit is a wonderful forum where, as the tutor I have to think on my feet, chairing many voices and interests so that everybody feels they have contributed to the degree they want and that fairness is evidenced. The student in reflective mood, often has revelatory moments about themselves and their work in the fierce light of a public experience.  With many cultures and languages represented language and words are often a problem, although again this can be a positive when specific experiences or concepts that are not universal have to be explained in detail, one really begins to get some idea of how small and yet connected the UK is. Translation often throws up a moment of poetic charm - i draw in colourful water - the whole day was worth it just to hear that. I often go away with a list of concepts, names and experiences from a wide range of cultures to research; another was a Chinese phrase about time and the end of the day - the last object, the left hand of darkness.
Managed to see the show at the South London Gallery - some interesting display possibilities within the work which I last saw in Venice at the Biennale. http://www.southlondongallery.org/page/rashidjohnson
The afternoon contained a seminar around several ideas - recognising the concept of active learning, practical issues around reflective thinking within a journal and mapping your practice through connections. http://www.slideshare.net/l.bicknell/course-seminar-defining-practice
As ever the train home was late - but at least they held the connecting service - it really is the worst 'service'.

generationofbookinaday

A day in London at Camberwell – 30 years of making and thinking about books compressed into 4 hours – starting the day by work shopping  the generation of images, ideas of translation into text , construction of multiple narratives including nonlinear, exploration of sequence, introducing the idea of form as content through 3D structures, manipulation as narrative, 100 years of western book construction including experimental and combination bindings, a presentation that de-constructs the idea of the book and supports the students in rethinking their relationship to book (image above is from presentation). Students go away with lots to think about alongside a brief that directs them to a specific location chosen by themselves where they will have to make a piece of book art that is informed by that space.  looking forward to seeing the results next week.

spillperformancechips

After a day at the record office it was off to the opening of the Spill Festival via a strange non door door – where the atmosphere was most excellent - it was good to be in a room with like minded people – sparkling wine and chips to watch a man place speakers on the floor and somehow get them to interact http://www.spillfestival.com/performance/spill-opening-night-double-bill-undisclosed-number/and then A Divine Trauma by Nicola Canavan http://www.spillfestival.com/performance/spill-opening-night-double-bill-a-divine-trauma/ truly beautiful. A woman wearing flowers attached to her with needles.

Have abandoned all and will be at everything! http://www.spillfestival.com/

distractionsandotherstuff

Distractions and ‘other stuff’ found during the research around folding have thrown up some extraordinary stuff – colour swatches – now Yves Klein’s international blue has a new context! On thursday got on the train from Norwich after a day of MA tutorials to attend the private view at the Eagle Gallery - well worth the effort as i managed to get to talk to people I hadn't seen for a while including Emma Hill who runs the gallery - David Rabinowhich who makes superb prints with Imprints - a conversation with Annie Sherburne - http://www.coinstreet.org/shopeatdrink/textiles/annie-sherburne.html had me rethinking the smocking work I'm involved in - http://unpickingandrebinding.blogspot.co.uk/ - collector Neil Crawford was on form informing everybody that he had bought my first book over 25 years ago, almost true but it was actually to Bertam Rota's in Covent Garden one dinner time at college 30 years ago - the work at the Eagle looked good and it was nice to see Matthew and Isabel and meet Heiner who I have never met but I have spent many hours over the past 15 years with his work in the kitchen at Imprints in France.
In between teaching this week there has been lots of work and thinking around folding in the collection at norwich castle http://unpickingandrebinding.blogspot.co.uk/
First day at Camberwell was excellent (apart from the trains) - there is a real mix of students in this cohort and as ever one projects one's role over the following year - sound and relationships with audience (often working with them) could be the key.

lookingforwardbackwards

a busy week coming up - looking forward to the private view at The Eagle Gallery of Espaces Silencieux by Heiner Thiel et Matthew Tyson– London on Thursday night – its on from 26^th October – 23^rd November http://www.emmahilleagle.com/ - on the book art front its the first day back at Camberwell with symposium 1 on Tuesday – it’ll be interesting to see the work of the new students and to listen to their aspirations for the year – their facebook page is a good starting point and promotes good links - http://www.facebook.com/events/29346902735440 - more time looking at and considering the fold in the castle museum at Norwich and general teaching and admin at nuca including training in the new on-line assessment forms. came across the connection below - really pleased with the link at firstsite to the big book http://www.firstsite.uk.net/page/the-big-book  the book i created for the library of lost books looks good but is best when opened and sitting as a 3D object http://thelibraryoflostbooks.blogspot.co.uk/search?updated-max=2012-07-20T05:30:00-07:00&max-results=3&start=3&by-date=false.

alloutteaching

A long week – mainly teaching at nuca – two days with year 1 BA textile students away at a holiday camp in Hunstanton, drawing, walking, mind expanding, developing strategies for learning and generally bonding. http://www.slideshare.net/l.bicknell/presentation1-14790722 http://www.slideshare.net/l.bicknell/briefing-for-hunstanton-wednesday next day course committee meeting and then another of seminars with post graduate students on the two MA units – first – defining practice and then discussing ways to talk and write about work. http://www.slideshare.net/l.bicknell/course-seminar-2-reading-fashion-and-textiles looking forward to tomorrow and chance to get some folding and smocking under way.

reallyreallyreallyexcited

Well - 2 years ago I sat in a restaurant in Venice heatedly discussing the role and representation of folding and smocking within the clothes represented in the paintings in the Academia. It culminated in the question was smocking inherently evil? as the individuals in the paintings wearing smocking appeared to have poor character qualities. The activity itself has political overtones – workers clothes and busy hands, alongside the idea of the hidden and the process of creating folds. This conversation has developed over the 2 years starting off with a small body of works for a touring exhibition in Ireland influenced by some of the structures. This was almost subconscious but later a show titled bookmare at Camberwell College of Art and the repeat show at Norwich University College consciously started the process of exploring smocking through the objects I make. A TESS funding application at nuca led to a body of work for the windows at the Imago gallery.  A lot of meetings and conversations led me to some really excellent people to work with within some interesting collections and archives in the Eastern Region. This led to a successful bid to the Arts Council to spend a year working on the idea with a number of partners – here is the initial paper table layout with the notes written on it and finally I am starting on what I hope will be a fantastic opportunity......

walkingandtalking

building a long walk from several short ones for an excellent day out on Sunday – the landscape around orford on the suffolk coast is really other - constantly shifting with sky becoming land becoming sea.

meanwhile tutorials at nuca with year 3 textiles reveal a range of exciting possibilities and the two presentations i'm giving on thursday will look at researching and developing a practice. http://www.slideshare.net/l.bicknell/researching-the-world
http://www.slideshare.net/l.bicknell/course-seminar-1-defining-practice

2020=400researchisall

Pecha Kucha – i am designated the Course Unit Tutor on the post graduate RiPU (research into practice unit) for the MA Textile Design Course at Norwich University College of the Arts - so - new students to meet and work with and an opportunity to show research through a Pecha Kucha.

http://www.slideshare.net/l.bicknell/pecka-cucha-for-post-grad-at-nuca

rapidbriefambition

a day of briefing at nuca for the year 3 students on the textile course – some interesting revelations all round with exciting discussions around ambition and personal aims for the future. the new spaces have gone down well and my ‘rapid response’ feedback forms indicate that we are doing the right thing by the students!

here are links to the two briefings held

http://www.slideshare.net/l.bicknell/unit-7-project-briefing-14527040

http://www.slideshare.net/l.bicknell/what-is-a-learning-agreement-formulating-one-year-3-1-oct-2012-14528662

theendisnigh

1 day down – 1094 to go for the new cohort of textile design students at nuca - a good day with lots of input and information for them to take in mixed up with interaction with each other.  and the construction of the letter that they write to themselves to be given to them 3 years from now just as they start to put together their work for the final show -  its a moment to consider why you are on the course, what you want and to construct your own version of success.

working on a Pecha Kucha presentation for the Research into Practice Unit on the Post Graduate at nuca has thrown up some images from Malta – working with string to create mass and images within a space – must add this image to talk about materials and their inherent qualities.

the show at Imago Gallery is now down – a nice link to CAMAC blog site - http://londondesignfestival.tumblr.com/post/31788106469/camac-design

gettingreadyatnuca

its all good – spent the day in Norwich organising the studios for the arrival of the textile students at nuca – everybody in the 1^st and 3^rd year gets their own space, something that the students have requested - with the 2^nd years having a more flexible space as most of term 1 and 2 is spent on work placement. we also have a huge new free studio space to have mass group work – seminars, drawing sessions  and professional practice workshops. looking forward to the arrival of the new students next week – we’ve been planning some exciting bonding workshops for the 1^st years in induction week.

got to snape on saturday evening to see the new opera by david toop - a star shaped biscuit – http://davidtoopblog.com/ sitting outside in derelict buildings listening to the most extraordinary voices floating in the air mixed with distorted harp and a hurdy-gurdy which was attacked with much vigour – and bats - it doesn’t get much better –topped off with the walk back in the dark through the reed beds to iken cliff.

adayinlondon

The new work for the Tate turbine hall is interesting in that you truly have to experience it - I think that it's best if you have no knowledge of what you are about to encounter so try and get there before you are told anything or find out too many details.
And then there are the tanks - an enormous, odd space - in a good way - and the smell- the experience only spoiled by a Tate education person instilling in a group of children how to hate art and that galleries are not for them by constantly telling them how important the artists were in the show, to move slowly, be quiet and work on their own and showing signs of weariness when the children weren't creative in the right way. I thought we had moved on from this nonsense.
The Saatchi gallery http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/ has an interesting show of Korean artists which is fascinating as I have taught, am teaching and will teach Korean students at Camberwell on the Book Art course and the show has many examples of the issues that the students are engaged in and preoccupied with. And it was a joy to see the Richard Wilson piece 20 50 in a new space - and the smell!
A hidden but thorough exhibition deep in the bowels of the V&A that is worth seeking out is transformations an exhibition of work around the theatrical experience focusing on set design - excellent - with examples from early London stage props to the opening of the Olympics http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/t/transformation-and-revelation-gormley-to-gaga.-uk-design-for-performance-2007-2011/
The soundworks show at the ICA focuses on Bruce Nauman's Days but there is also a room where you can listen to your own selection from an eclectic list of a 100 artists -  a link to the site - www.ica.org.uk/soundworks
And the culmination of the day - the private view at The Imago Gallery of the wallpaper society competition was a very professional affair - so If you happen to be walking along Clifford St - between Savile Row and Bond St I have some work hanging in ALL the windows of the Imago Gallery till the 20th. While you are there check out the Louis Vuitton window.

smockinginthewindows

images from the smocking is evil? body of work have been outputted as large format prints and sited in the windows of the Imago Gallery at 4 Clifford St, Mayfair, London till the 20^th Sept.

theendandbeginning

A most excellent day culminating with the private view at Camberwell – this was the culmination of the students work manifest in a range of eclectic possibilities. it was great to watch the public become an audience for their work. There really is no house style and I feel that we really do endeavour to support the individual student’s journey which is as varied and diverse as their backgrounds.  As ever it was really good to meet past students and to catch up with what they are up to. The Camberwell Book Art Alumni have infiltrated and embedded themselves into many creative positions across London and out into the wider world.

It was good to meet Simon Goode who is the person behind the first ever UK book art centre out in Hackney Wick - I see some positive things coming out of this. www.londonbookarts.org

The morning was the final session of the creative carer’s project for Artlink at the coop education centre in Ipswich. Interesting to be in the presence of people battling for positive care experiences and then juxtaposing this with the creativity taken for granted world of higher education - my notes include comments like celebrating what you do - confidence building - small steps - grasping opportunities - enriching the everyday - building on what is there - having said that it does sound a little like one of my professional practice seminars at nuca.

assessingexhibitionsandwatching

after watching the truly original film this must be the place with Shaun Penn i decided to get all the films out by Paolo Sorrentino http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0815204 first off was consequences of love which is a mafia movie without the usual tropes, meticulous and lingering in its detail - he really has a wonderful visual eye and the films display an exceptional use of the camera. He writes and directs with a singular vision, looking forward to il divo and family friend and then it'll be onto his short films and documentaries.

the 'book as response' for the library of lost books project in birmingham is finished and about to be packaged up to be send off. The work in the end became a mass of specific responses to the individual lectures and sermons which in some way are linked, all housed in a structure with many parts but still with a 'sort of' linear narrative.

two days in London assessing student work for the MA book art at Camberwell. There are some really innovative pieces that explore new ways of looking at and working with the book form - http://newsevents.arts.ac.uk/event/camberwell-ma-show-2012/

went to see the Welcome trust's latest show - Superhuman - it has some extraordinary objects, specifically for me the artificial legs and arms created for thalidomide children and also a challenging artists films that explores body enhancement via a gameshow! - http://www.wellcomecollection.org/whats-on/exhibitions/superhuman.aspx

late getting to it but also recommending Patrick Keiller at the Tate - a really fascinating show where the work of others is used to create a connective, curatorial voice - http://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/exhibition/patrick-keiller-robinson-institute

film of the month survive style 5+ whats not to like about five interconnected stories, one of which is the story of a man who lives as a bird because the hypnotist who made him think that is killed in the middle of his act - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0430651/

hangingshowsandparalympicfire

another doorway and its all go – the show is up and the marks are in for the MA Textiles in Norwich and all is heading to the private view – this week i’ve been hanging/curating the MA Book Art show in Camberwell which has a really diverse range of book related outcomes, next week its the assessment and then what is always a most excellent private view. Off next to the Paralympics flame celebrations at needham market   http://www.eadt.co.uk/entertainment/needham_market_paraylmpic_flame_celebration_day_details_revealed_1_1487531 it sounds like an all out extravaganza! and then there is the Paralympics orchestra at snape tomorrow http://www.aldeburgh.co.uk/news/british-paraorchestra-and-paralympic-flame-visit-snape-proms at the Paralympics i will be watching out for Dan Bentley – the guy i worked with as part of journey to the podium – he’s playing Boccia at the Excel centre and I’ll be glued to a screen on sept 2^nd meanwhile http://paralympics.channel4.com/boccia/

hangingtheend

The post graduate degree show at nuca this year is well organised and looks professional - worth a visit - http://www.nuca.ac.uk/thegallery/madegreeshow its been  interesting hanging the textile show for 3 days this week in norwich and a very successful culmination for the students. Next week its hanging the MA book art show at camberwell for two days http://newsevents.arts.ac.uk/event/camberwell-ma-show-2012/
i've also been working on the bookwork for the library of lost books project in birmingham - http://thelibraryoflostbooks.blogspot.co.uk/ the work is becoming a multi-part response both physically and conceptually to the collection of annual hopkins lecture pamphlets.

somebooksreadingreadingreading

Back from a good break camping in the south of france with lots of reading, a couple of exhibitions and some time drawing.

Reading recommendations include the wonderful descriptive language of Hilary Mantel – Bring up the Bodies, thinking about memory with Julian Barnes – The sense of an ending, the textual assault of Will Self – My idea of fun, the violent truth by Robert Harris - Fear index and a brute of a book Stephen King – 11/22/63

Went to see the very moving permanent installation of Pierre Soulages black canvases at The Musée Fabre in Montpellier. The yearly pilgrimage to Chateau des Adhemar - Centre d'Art Contemporain in Montellimar which is a stunning space and yet the work always disappoints and the Musee de Miniature which never fails to give – how can you not like to see 12 camels in the eye of the needle! This year’s temporary show was of miniature origami.

contextopeningapplication

spending time at the moment on an application to grants to the arts to undertake work with 3 museums and collections in the region – meetings with all parties have been really exciting and productive and if i/we get the money it will make for a really positive 12 months.

the work on the lost books project is almost finished and i continue to read around the subject and am captivated by how contemporary Gerard Manley Hopkins poetry feels, there is a knowledge of and an inherent interest in the idea of context and the importance of connectedness.

the images are of a performance of landscapist from the opening at the Camberwell space of bookmare. 

highpointscare

well latitude had some high points - the sub bass from metronomy - battles harshness, eventually - the wit of john cooper Clarke - an informative Marcus Kwint discussing the brain with and Hannah McGill - the intelligent sound of SBTRKT is still with me but if I get a chance I’ll be seeking a night out with skittles again – fantastic collective sound with astute, biting words – get to them live soon. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36tnx71FtAA

so back to work and this week its creative carers - the next session is in a care home in Lowestoft – the whole project is giving me space to rethink a lot of the ways in which i work with people and obviously i’m also reflecting personally on a lot of the ideas that are being brought up within my own practice – meanwhile and looking forward to the world orchestra at snape http://www.aldeburgh.co.uk/events/world_orchestra_1

momentbeforeanactionanactionandarepeatedaction

bookmare is/was a great success - the show has a number of marvellous moments when the works are in dialogue with each other and in my case with the space itself. the illustrated presentations were most excellent - the event was tweeted live - if interested - @ccwgradschool #bookmare. stack 665 given by arnaud desgardin focused on his piece in the show which explored the idea of book choice and re presentation as art piece and talked with passion on both the selection of books, the idea of the book and the mediation required for this kind of work.  claire louise staunton curator of flat time house gave the most eloquent presentation of the ideas behind john lathams work I have ever heard - truly informative, thoughtful and entertaining - lots to think about around the idea of the time/moment before an action, an action and a repeated action -  and the role that the objects play in his practice - meanwhile I talked about my historical proximity to a factory building and the men who worked in it, its relevance to my practice both now - some huge ideas such as skill, revelation and testimony were covered by anecdotes whilst also throwing in references to an interview with the lead singer of the dirty projectors, a possible role for the artist in society exampled by the show next door at the south london gallery (stephen willats) and a piece of work I had just seen at invisible - the show at the hayward - a text piece by robert barry - A GREAT CONCERN TRANSMITTED TELEPATHICALLY all in all a good experience  http://www.slideshare.net/l.bicknell/bookmare-presentation-with-notes . now onto latitude!

latelateandbookbombandcare

on train home – only an hour and a half late due to incompetence on train companies part but this is  nothing new – anyway gaining access at the weekend to areas on Orford Ness usually unavailable to the public was most excellent – all thanks to Commissions East and the untrue Island Project http://www.commissionseast.org.uk/html/casestudies/Untrue_Island/Untrue_Island.htm

the afternoon working in the care home on Monday in Harwich was really rewarding with all the ideals of the project – supporting and developing the creative work that carers are involved in with the residents they work - in place http://www.suffolkartlink.org.uk/creative-carers.htm

today was all about developing the final show at Camberwell for the MA Book Art course and then helping to hang the bookmare show in the Camberwell Space – when I left it all looked full of potential and very exciting with many dialogues happening between the work in the show and the space itself - the marvellous folding of the printed matter undertaken by the students will enhance the whole thing http://www.camberwell.arts.ac.uk/camberwellspace/futureexhibitions/bookmare/