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/