joiningbendingfixing

a day of exploring articulation using the 3D printer – part downloadable files, part manipulation of those files and part working out how to use SketchUp to develop new structures – synthesis and genesis. The online bookmaking course for Leicester Printworks continues to be most excellent – the latest session explored our relationship to audiences, the book, one of the very few ‘art objects’ created for the hand is a rare experience for art makers, so the audiences are always in the mind when conceiving the object from the beginning. onto films – Midnight in the Switchgrass – women are hunted, Jolt – woman becomes hunter1, Blood red sky – woman becomes hunter2. Uprising, a BBC series - 3 documentaries by Steve McQueen, tells a version of story not told in the media.

spinspinspin

The National Youth Company at Dance East last night was glorious – the energy off the stage blew me away – young people are brilliant and have a lot to say, we need to listen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnrwFCxHX8o Getting deep into the brain thinking with David Eagleman - its full of extraordinary examples of the brains capacity. Recently my interest in and the work created with the 3D printer has led me to explore the various parameters used when printing objects - how thin can the perimeters be before the form becomes too fragile? Exploring the extremes of possibilities leads to thinking about process v outcome. Onto screens - A quiet place part 2 – more of the same, Hitman’s wife’s bodyguard – more of the same, The Tomorrow War – a long version of Interstellar meets Star ship Troopers is about right. Black Widow – oh dear. No sudden move – complicated and layered but I guess that is the point. Friendship’s Death meanwhile is amazing, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093050/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0 In the middle of 6 feet under which is really well written with solid character development, but it is a little draining so offsetting that with episodes from the new series of Atypical. The team at Forensic Architecture have created an astonishing piece of work for MIF which is available online https://watch.mif.co.uk/productions/cloud-studies/ you will never think of clouds in the same way again.

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.

 

footballasdistraction

The amazing Tilda Swinton in Peter Wollen’s Friendship’s Death outlining the plot to Douglas Gordon’s Zidane a full 19 years before he collaborated with Philippe Parreno to create the best football documentary ever. With Bill Paterson explaining the English obsessive connection to the great game – not pointless at all….. Glorious

Disceautdiscede

A weekend of a ‘road trip’ back to Lincolnshire to see some places located deep in the recesses of my memory. First off Louth to see 3 life-sized bronze figures and floor text panels that I collaborated with laurence edwards to create 20 years ago. The work celebrated the fact that the meridian line passes through the town, one of the few habituated places on the planet. The work looked fantastic, like the day it was made and sited. The idea was that a male figure outside a church had got hold of the line, as it emerged from the ground, the tangled text line was confusing as it goes back to into the ground. It emerges outside the library where a second male figure holds a fractured line, it can be found going into another building. A third figure, a woman holds a perfect circle outside a school and understands the concept. The conceptual line was made physical by placing steel text in the street, emerging from shops and buildings only to disappear back into the city scape. The work also involved working with local media to generate the text which was cut into the line, alongside workshops in schools and the generation of a one-off book and exhibition for the library. It was commissioned by Louth Town Council and Commissions East. I can recommend the coffee at the Masons Arms, which has changed greatly in the 20 years since I was last there, microphone in hand giving a speech to the people of Louth! Lincoln itself was celebrating the imp with some totally glorious ‘statues’ what a time to pick to go. Lincoln has changed so much, locating my past was negotiated through recognising existing buildings, even if their function had changed. The cathedral is such a magnificent building, despite the £9:00 admission fee and it had not changed, the imp still in its place. I enjoyed seeing the motto above the door at the building which was where I worked at the art school Disce aut discede – learn or get out. My old house in Sturton by Stow seemed neater and the sun helped to make it and its surroundings quite beautiful. Out to the coast, via Horncastle, where every building seemed to be a second hand one 30 years ago. Anderby Creek and Chapel St Leonards.  What to say, what was an isolated empty space of contemplation now has 3 interventions to help you engage with nature, “to make it more interesting”. To say these are some of the most ill-conceived objects known to mankind is an understatement. A sound thing to enable you to hear the wind, in theory. An inaccessible cloud ‘bar’ watching device that consisted of a cluttered platform area of generic concrete clouds where you looked at clouds through mirrors, which in fact just reflected each other as the mirrors were so close together. What had happened was that a device to enable you to see clouds had made the whole exercise less accessible – genius, just add some very poor bird/text metal plaques and you have all the issues of why public art should not exist. Finally, just down the coast a lookout tower so badly designed that it actually blocks out the view when you climb the yes poorly accessible stairs …………. Oh dear, ill conceived is not strong enough to describe this travesty. At least the beach huts were worth seeing.

stuffandmorestuff

A busy weekend – off to Orford Ness for Afterness as ever it was going to be interesting to see if any of the artists could match or at least work with the extraordinary space that is Orford Ness – they couldn’t - there was nothing to see of any consequence, apart from the space and buildings themselves – dull and not up to Artangel usual standard. Next was first flight in Lowestoft. Brought to us by the fabulous people who brought us First Light it was a celebration of birds and bird boxes but actually it was a celebration of community as hundreds of people turned up just to be there. https://firstlightlowestoft.com/whats-on/first-flight/  I popped up to Oxford and Cambridge Home Zone, something I worked on 20 years ago doesn’t look too bad, the worst damage was done by contractors digging up cobbles and replacing them with tarmac. Next - Snape Maltings to see a piece that was less than interesting, apart from a short moment when the players went off key on purpose to illustrate a person’s inner self disentangling – playing all the notes just in the wrong places! Art Station at Saxmundham has some good pieces in what is a great development for the arts in Suffolk. https://theartstation.uk/  I have a some work in it which isn’t bad but there is a piece by William Cobbing that is mesmerizing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fD86pPPkoo  The costumes from Black Panther are contextualised within a fantastic exhibition at Christchurch Mansions – The Power of Stories - truly amazing. https://www.powerofstories.co.uk/  Also I had forgotten how amazing the building and its collection is – you could get lost in there for hours. Finally, onto Felixstowe to see the new development at the Martello Tower area – great roof but not yet finished – it will look good in the end. Then just standing at the entrance to the Port is mind-blowing – truly vast ships, almost too big to comprehend with containers that look like tiny blocks being lifted seemingly effortlessly onto trucks – capitalisation and globalisation meshed together was quite disturbing. Onto screens - late to the party but have started 6 feet under dark, funny with a great script and what looks like excellent complex characters – it should be good. The Dead Don't Die https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8695030/ every indie star is in place as the film casually moves forward – dealing with the zombie threat in a way that does not appear to feel like one. My Year in New York has terrible reviews, but I enjoyed the ‘stagy’ feel and over dramatic nature of it.

thethingsthatdreamsaremadeof

We'll outlaw your voices, do anything we want
We've nothing to fear from the nation
We'll kick you out your houses if you get too much
If we have to, we'll destroy your generation
We've built up a frontage and we've gained respect
Paul Weller
Standards
1977

You don't know what it is but, there's got to be more
You'd better find a way out, hey kick down that door
It's a rat trap and you've been caught.
Bob Geldof
Rat trap
1978

These works explore control, order, and manipulation.
The social structures and educational systems that supported my journey are gone. The path I took can no longer be taken by people like me.
The clash that takes place on the turntables seeks to provide a space to consider potential and possible connections.

These are the things
These are the things
The things that dreams are made of.

Dimension’s variable

Cardboard, grey board, paper; arches, tissue, Tyvek, cartridge, IKEA carpet underlay, PVA glue, paint; emulsion, spray, gold leaf, fishing line, linen thread, PLA, graphite, felt, steel rod, nylon wing nuts, titanium foil, 11 turntables, 11 record covers, 4 extension leads, 1 monitor, the NHS, welfare state, comprehensive education, the BBC, the library service, full university grant, maintenance support, housing benefit, subsidised travel, the GLC, 

Les Bicknell
2021

My installation in the exhibition - Here - @the_artstation. opening 26th June till 25th the show is going to be a real joy, there is some excellent work in the exhibition