thepasttoday

 

The past arriving at Sibton Green. I've finally created these after walking up the track from my house with a copy of A Suffolk Lad Remembers in hand. His recollections of Packway Farm and the land at the bottom of our garden where he lived are fascinating and provide a window to a harsh past. His house has long since been demolished, although we did find the foundations when we dug a vegetable patch.

 

whenworldscollide

Don’t you just love Photoshop! – in between teaching at nua I have had a week of photo editing in the studio, working with photographs I took last week of the articulated structures. Exploring how the sculptures could become a visual intervention alongside the physical one, thinking of them as tools for resistance or/and engagement. The images look towards documenting a private moment of meditation/mediation, an accidental ritual where techno meets nature. Meanwhile if you like your films full of revenge for wrong doings, a dash of mid-life crisis with a touch of The Transporter, John Wick and finally a glorious segment celebrating Home Alone then the film Nobody is for you. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7888964/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0  Thinking of moving into the world of fashion? – check out Halston on Netflix for your road map, don’t know who he is – listen to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDwutKpVyas

walkingandlookingand

the break has been all about long walks around Walberswick, Lowestoft and Southwold - managed to see an evening of projections at Snape Maltings, animating the buildings.  onto films - The threatening humour of The Green Butcher's https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0342492/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0 The glorious and thoughtful Beyond the Visible – Hilma af Klint https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9760516/ Love and monsters - effectively the odyssey with giant CGI insects men and chicken - twisted darkness that will make you feel a little tainted https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3877674/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0 Adams apples - is a dark dark dark experience of what holds us together when what holds us together is taken away https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0418455/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0 Another Round - a twisted tale of lost men trying to find themselves in a dystrophic whirlwind of madness https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10288566/ Spree - new ways of presenting new ways of being https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11394332/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

twowalksandtherest

walks at the end of the day are the way I'm making sense of where I am at the moment - Walberswick looking both ways at the river. its that time of the year so teaching at NUA is all about admin, timetables and creating content for either/and/or online and face to face teaching depending on..................factors. ok - screens - so Tenet in its second viewing is neither better or worse just different - I would recommend it though so maybe the experience is worth it. The Song of Names moves along, although there are so many gaps/flaws in the characters developments. Prom is a case of leave whatever brain you have left somewhere, get on board and hang on for the ride. Superintelligence looks lightly at the surveillance state (very lightly). admitting that I actually did laugh at Freaky just feels wrong. Small Axe continues to be solid. the distressfully unpleasant characters in Industry and the actual process they are engaged in is impenetrable, both these factors don't help to make it watchable but it is car-crash-can't-look-away-TV.  

gettingbacktostuff

well it was only a matter of time before we had to get to see things live! - (before the restrictions kick in again) an afternoon at Snape watching a harpsichord recital seemed like the answer - well it was as odd, exclusive and niche as performance art but maybe not as interesting. Although the playing was quite awesome.The walk along The Sailors Path to it was most excellent. Splayed Festival from The Place in London was a way of connecting - you watch live, paying what you can/want we checked out a few - Caj Collab was an extraordinary collaborative experience between Nando Messias and Rebecca Bellantoni, especially as they only have a day to work together to create the piece. Using two screens creatively looking at the duality of presence,  Mele Broomes endless journey sets a body in space https://www.melebroomes.com/, Cade & Macaskill explore how to exist if presenting yourself is your life https://www.artsadmin.co.uk/profiles/cade-macaskill/ onto the screen - a little disappointing but entertaining (just). Juliet, Naked - so many co-incidences but the story rolls along keeping any questions one has away.The Boys in the Band - the gloriously dialogue was poisonous within a highly theatrical setting https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10199914/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0 The Trial of the Chicago 7 was a little too shiny or surface, it was entertaining but/and. The tax Collector - I was expecting more from Shia, there was lots of words/violence but not enough 'off the wall' philosophy. 28 days uuummmh.

walkingincolour

this time of year the colours one encounters out walking are quite marvellous, although it means that Winter is round the corner. meanwhile the work for Saxmundham is almost complete - spinning bookworks https://theartstation.uk/ - some films - St Francis - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9016016/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0 you believe in the characters that have been created, talking about stuff that isn't usually discussed in main stream films. Bill and Ted Face the Music - well if you're a fan you will love this.... Good Trouble -  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Trouble_(TV_series) is terrific in its depiction of young women's voices.

installinglandscapes

 

the area around the house has the  feeling of a glorious early 70s conceptual art installation - the industrial farming provides some excellent forms on a huge scale using manufacturing materials.. onto some films - Can you Keep a Secret - you know where it's going from the start but it's very sweet getting there. Clemency - an extraordinary experience for the viewer where everyone is damaged from their proximity to the death penalty. The Judge - a 20 min film stretched to 2 hours and 20 minutes with so many cul-de-sacs of storylines that you are willing it to end....edit edit edit

carpetlandscapes

a day out photographing and drawing - returned to the jumps at Sudbourne after a gap of 2 years - it still looks very odd with its interesting use of carpets in the landscape.

connectingconnections

i have returned to the Alde and Elder project – they have developed into Landingstage.net and have created a web site - which is a space for ideas... http://www.landingstage.net/we – for i have joined - are a growing number of Suffolk artists and writers who are interested in coastal and climate change. the website is an attempt to explore these changes and our relationship with our environment here on the Suffolk coast. early days yet and i have to post my thoughts/ideas/projects
the other space that i am now connected to is http://suffolkarts.wordpress.com/ it really is the place to find out what’s going on – specifically in Suffolk.