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

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.

artartandmoreart

 

a good weekend in London getting to see art - an activity not undertaken for several months. Bruce Nauman at The Tate was exceptional - it is truly extraordinary to see him rip through endless ideas, almost manifesting them as quick sketches and then moving on to the next one. You can spot the individual pieces  that other artists have taken and then used to build their whole career on. The 'permanent' collections were absorbed as if I hadn't seen art before, highlights were immersing in Agnes Martin, Cildo Meireles's Babel and Dora Maurer's video work as well as the dialogue between works that were set up with the hang. Next up Goldsmiths apart from the building itself the best thing about the visit were the structures put up to deter pigeons from settling. Grace Woodcock at Castor was quite beautiful with some thoughtful ideas about the gut. Gossamer Fog had a thoughtful video and finally a shout out to the immersive disorienting, sick-inducing VR by Samuel Capps at Seager. Even managed to get to the garden center - pansy's really are quite pretty. 

mentalgymnastics

At NUA we are now moving into a blended teaching experience. There are many elements to consider and with time and due diligence they can be addressed.My latest obsession is Arboretum by David Byrne - it's a book of diagrams or mental maps that explore a range of idiosyncratic lines of mental gymnastics - there are so many starting points for great conversations. You might be interested in checking out his website - there is great thinking and commentary there http://davidbyrne.com/ meanwhile work in the studio is all about films and gifs of crushed structures.