inandoutdeath

a quick trip in and out to see The eternal smile presented by Verk produksjoner from Norway http://www.spillfestival.com/performance/the-eternal-smile/  an event as part of spill at the Barbican.  http://www.spillfestival.com/ Based on Pär Lagerkvist’s novel the work was a startling and disturbing meditation on death and the dead – wonderful. Transported to DADA, absurdist theatre and the turbulent times that the work comes from.

Meanwhile 35 days to go before year 3 students at NUA finish their studies. Yesterdays sessions were around ambition and digital presence, alongside curating the final show with a team of students who are working on it with great professionalism.

moreshowsandsometutorials

an interesting group tutorial with students at Camberwell -  highlights of a really good discussion were ideas around display and a works relationship to potential audience(s) - managed to get to the Serpentine Gallery to see Fishel and Weise bolder balanced on top of a bolder which was a bolded balanced on top of a bolder – a little underwhelming, although it was big I have seen more spectacular examples in nature so.......... but the show in the gallery was wondrous – Rosemarie Trockel - an exhibition full of invention and ideas. Ranging from artist books, textile explorations of the minimal canvas, large scale ceramic pieces and an area of curated vitrines which were displayed to hold many narratives. http://www.serpentinegallery.org/2011/03/rosemarie_trockel_a_cosmos.html  A must see. Pae White at the South London Gallery http://www.southlondongallery.org/page/pae-white-too-much-night-again was a spectacular extravaganza of yarn but its initial impressive position was unable to provide extended viewing, unlike Rosemarie Trockel. But the lamb broth was good!  

showdisplaythegoodandthebad

A couple of days in London to see in the beginning was the end, an immersive site specific theatre piece. Held in abandoned spaces under Somerset House the work was a labyrinthine broken narrative exploring exploration, science, invention and global trade in scientific ideas, very good with some moments of darkness interspersed with naked wit.

Some visual recommendations – Schwitters at the Tate was meaningful and often beautiful http://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/exhibition/schwitters-britain but not Lichtenstein which was just very bad. .... some of the worst sculptures I have ever seen. The real joy is the Merce Cunningham the dance projection in the oil tanks http://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tanks-tate-modern/eventseries/tanks-art-action. Běla Kolářová  at Raven Row was superb – http://www.ravenrow.org/current/bela_kolarova/ intricate collections of small objects and wonderful photographs that show collections of objects - the whole display is delicate and thoughtful. Bernadette Corporation at the ICA presented an interesting way of doing things. An overview of how a group of people got together, using fashion as a model along with corporate language to disseminate ideas, strangely it felt like punk would of looked like if it had of started in the 90s. http://www.ica.org.uk/?lid=35536  An odd but vast number of eccentric puppets at the curve gallery by Geoffrey Farmer: The Surgeon and the Photographer http://www.barbican.org.uk/artgallery/event-detail.asp?ID=14389. Finally a 360 projection by Charles Atlas at the Bloomberg space that dances with a wonderful rhythm within the space whilst meditating on the power and abject beauty of global capitalism http://www.bloombergspace.com/artists/current/charles-atlas-2/

holymotors

A huge recommendation – a thing that is more philosophical discussion than film, more as an idea, more as an art piece than a film – think Matthew Barney - cremaster cycle -  the more you think about it the more it becomes – Holy Motors by Leos Carax a meditation on the virtual in our lives and the multiple narratives we engage in. the film just gets bigger and more!!... http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2076220/

codexbetweenspaceandstructure

I’ve been invited to engage in a project with some alumni from the Camberwell Book Art course.  Chris, George and Egidija have set up a project called codex between this and that.

http://collectiveinvestigations.tumblr.com/

The bookwork they are proposing focuses on the codex and I’ve created two double page spreads that look at the relationship between maker and audience whilst

This work has emerged from the rebinding and unpicking project inspired by a set of photographs within the archive that document the construction of a building.

whatwedo

a week of hanging the student show and all looks good - if in Norwich pop into STEW gallery - the show is open till friday 10.30 - 5.00 - there is some interesting work which really shows the individual nature of what we do on the BA Textiles Course at NUA.

seventythreeshowatstew

year 3 textiles design and surface design students at NUA have a show at STEW. this week is to be spent hanging.