theaterchangesyou

a weekend of theater - Pulse in Ipswich was full of possibilities - it is such a life affirming experience to watch young people getting on with it. For me the stage is a space where human vulnerability is turned upside down. https://www.wolseytheatre.co.uk/pulse-festival/  For years I preferred cinema where I didn't have to worry about people in front of me but through attending festivals like Pulse (where I saw 24 shows in 2 days) I have come to realise that the human exchange is the point - the fear of failure or more like the sharing of humanity is all part of the experience. It is still on and I recommend trusting the organisers China Plate and Wolsey Theater in Ipswich https://www.chinaplatetheatre.com/projects and dropping in to see something that will change you https://www.wolseytheatre.co.uk/

Whitecube in Bermondsey has Sarah Morris paintings but the film Finite and Infinite Games (2017), was the highlight for me - so much so I will be returning. Titled after novel by James P. Carse, the film was shot in Herzog & de Meuron’s extraordinary Elbphilharmonie concert hall in Hamburg. Polymath Alexander Kluge is in it and is somebody I have to find out more about.

Teaching wise I am in the glorious storm of assessing, hanging, exhibitions, lists and general problem solving. It's a great time to be alive - I love this time of year, of decision making and possibilities for the future.

hanginghangingmoreandmorestuff

So after the private view at NUA, which I think went well. I thought the space was excellent but I had little feedback and you never know if you are pleasing everybody/anybody - students/parents/family/staff/academics/industry and past/present/future/prospective/proto students, it has been a week in London - Tuesday hanging work at the Business Design Centre for the BA Textile Design students at New Designers and then Friday was being in the space at the show talking with 'independent designers' rather than students, although the transition is awkward for both sides, watching individuals taking responsibility is always interesting to observe. The work and stand look ok and as ever New Designers is gloriously overwhelming and every second or first year student who is serious about being a designer should go to experience the awe and fear that is seeing the work of people who have worked harder, make more work and will try and are setting out to try and take your job. I'm always a little stunned when a persons first time at New Designers is when they exhibit.

Wednesday and Thursday was all about curating and supporting the students work for the MA Book Art Exhibition at Camberwell.  

http://events.arts.ac.uk/event/2018/7/12/Camberwell-MA-Visual-Arts-Summer-Show-2018/ The show is very specific and focused with each student developing a truly individual body of work that they own from initial research to the final pieces. Whilst supporting the hanging of the Book Art I noticed some interesting printmaking worth seeing. The shows will look great - the private view for the MA is on the 12th put it in your diaries, its always a roadblock so maybe come the following day to see the work, although that is the day of the Anti Trump march so you might be busy. 

Saw the textiles and sculpture degree shows at The Royal College - textiles had lots of interesting material exploration well displayed and sculpture was full of stuff. 

Went to the Barbican to see the truly fabulous Taylor Mac: a 24 decade History of Popular Music. It was chaotically beautiful, engaging, great fun with full-on gently serious politics - I loved Taylor's take on fear and disgust and the general desire of the audience to get on with each other, to support and share. A marvellous great night out - cant wait for the 24 hour version. https://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/reviews/taylor-mac-24-decade-history-popular-music-barbican_46983.html

Read this at a friends house in a book about Pompeii - seems apt.

Now the crickets pierce the thickets with their repetitive cry, now even the speckled lizard takes shelter in the coolness. If you are wise, lie back and make a libation with summer-weight glassware, or, if you wish, we'll bring out the new goblets of crystal. Come, you are weary, rest in the grape and bind your heavy head with a chaplet of roses. Cull kisses from a tender maid. Forget about those who raise old-fashioned eyebrows! Why keep fragrant garlands for ungrateful ashes? Do you want your bones to lie under a garland-carved stone? Set out the wine and the dice. To hell with him who cares for the morrow. Death plucks your ear and says 'Live now, for I am on my way!'

gettingouttoseestuff

The work for Chelmsford is rusting nicely in the back garden - the colour is quite beautiful. Meanwhile ....I had to go back to see Ed Atkins at Cabinet - and on second viewing it just gets better - it's still head swivellingly odd but then when spending more time you see the interlinked nature of the films - the baby from one frame wandering into another the boy in the field moving across to play the piano etc etc http://www.cabinet.uk.com/index.php?ed-atkins-olde-food . The Tate has the extraordinarily bleak coloured sculpture by Jordan Wolfson - this is also starkly eye wateringly cruel and a truly must see - after the last Tate mess having this in the tanks has resurrected my faith in them a little. Age of Terror at the War Museum was okay - but most of the work was not about terror but war and most of it seen elsewhere so £15.00 seemed a little steep (maybe that was the terror?) - the two stand out pieces were Francis Alys video work of soldiers from both 'sides' stripping and rebuilding weapons and the very raw footage by Tony Oursler at the 'ground zero' site days afterwards as he prowled around the site videoing the carnage and the human fair that arrived - so many stalls selling prayer as the answer. The real terror is laid out in the Holocaust exhibit on the 4th floor - it is very clever, starting off with a little bit of nationalistic pride and snappy sloganeering and ending with war trials World just after harrowing images of concentration camps and testimony from survivors. World without us at Battersea Arts Centre was just that a one person show that explored the before and after of our existence on earth. Some nice ideas and the narrative visualised what it would look like when we are gone. quieter with a lot of plastic.

studiothoughtsandcollectingforanaudit

Getting reading for a making day as part of OCA - it's a first for me and am excited to be a part of it. I'm in the process of creating a form of audit of things I am interested in exploring in readiness. Sort of evaluating or just trying to look at the last few projects and pick up threads that I didn't fully explore that still interest me....see what's on the table in the studio.

spent yesterday reading a number of texts - this one springs into my head today.... Evidence was brought that “what is called ‘news’ is always an anti-social and disturbing act; that ‘news’ consists, as to ninety percent, of the records of human misfortunes, unhappiness and wrongdoing, as to ten percent of personal advertisement” - Uncommon Law, Alan Herbert 1935

This relates directly to the current thinking of Hans Rosling - I'm really enjoying the book of the week https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qftk/episodes/player from the beautiful Hans Rosling - him of glorious data. Meanwhile some stuff -  Ramps on the Moon at the Wolsey had another stunning production - this time Our Countries Good https://www.rampsonthemoon.co.uk/show/our-countrys-good/ go see them - it will be good for you...funny, powerful, thoughtful theatre, what more could you ask for. saw a number of films including Speilberg explaining gaming but not quite as good as the book Ready Player One http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1677720/ the haunting Thelma http://www.imdb.com/title/tt6304046/?ref_=nv_sr_1 the almost annihilation

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2798920/?ref_=nv_sr_1 and relentlessly oppressive The Florida Project http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5649144/

drawdrawdrawandyouwillsee

Fridays are all about Synthetic Anatomy, although learning and working with new software to be able to create 3D pieces has been my obsession this week in between the gaps of general teaching, running a smocking and pleating workshop for BA students, a folding workshop for MA students, interviewing prospective students for Textile Design BA, briefing the last unit for the current year 3 on the Textile Course at Norwich, tutorials for year 2 OCA Fine Art students, seeing The Comforter by the wonderful (you will laugh you will cry) Stacy Makishi https://www.artsadmin.co.uk/artists/stacy-makishi at the glorious Norwich Arts Centre which was really fantastic and then finally tweaking designs for planning committee for the Goldlay Square commission.

This Friday at Kings the afternoon session was run by Celia Pym.  http://celiapym.com/  Life drawing. If you ever need a drawing workshop I cannot recommend her more highly. The level of serious fun and energy in the room (for 2 hours) was awesome. The medical students went from 'this is a laugh', which it was, to taking the whole thing very seriously as they became focused and realised that drawing is not so easy and needs practice and a way of thinking to develop your skills. The drawing techniques and rules that engaged in by the students were so relevant to thinking about anatomy and 3D printing. 

burningwomenforentertainmentisnevergood

so a couple of things - at Snape Maltings we saw the results of a week's residency - three witches https://snapemaltings.co.uk/whats-on/open-session-witches-three/ - unsure what was added to the genre/issue of exploring how we as a society marginalise and oppress outsiders and those deemed different that shows like Black Mirror and the artist Rachael Maclean http://www.rachelmaclean.com/ have already brought to the table, although the voices were superb. Maybe we need more reminders of our history of violence towards women - so the idea of it becoming a huge community play where the audience get to boo and cheer as women are hung (maybe the crowd could be incentivised to do this, the more you cheer the less you pay) is something that we would pay to watch - maybe do this in areas where people voted to leave the EU - maybe not, the whole idea just got very dark. I can remember shouting with glee 'crucify him' at a community mummers play in Lincolnshire in the late 80s and feeling very odd!! http://www.visit-constablecountry.co.uk/articles/matthew-hopkins-the-witch-finder-general

Caught up with and watched two seasons of Stranger things http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4574334/ some great acting and an interesting spin on the value of early game playing - you never know when rethinking dungeons and dragons will help you out with dealing with dark evil things. Have safely got my ticket to flight of the conchords at the O2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDXcPgEZj6I - it will be odd to see them there but maybe it will feel warm to be in amongst people who love them 

witnesseverything

witness at Dance East was a tender and moving dance piece exploring mental health http://www.companychameleon.com/ there were some truly extraordinary moments of dance moves - I wish they had trusted their dance and not spoken - their movements communicated everything....

a quick jaunt to the Norfolk and Norwich Festival to see Summer. Autumn. Winter. Spring. could it possibly be a new genre 'fly on the wall theatre'? editing choice control truth and theatre as a mirror were topics of conversation 'post show' - It must of been life changing to be part of the experience for the participants - Summer was great with audience participant conversations and in Autumn I had my first tarot reading - an 'interesting' experience.

With the discovery http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5155780/  afterlife - what happens there and where is it? is at the fore and can we get there and if we can should we? lots of meaningful questions about destiny...win it all http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3155328/?ref_=nv_sr_1 don't do it no no no just don't do it.

returningcanbeasgoodasanticipation

first saw the strange undoing of prudential hart by the National Theatre of Scotland at Latitude Festival a couple of years ago Eastern Angles did it above a pub in Ipswich - it's a cracking night out - they are in the middle of a tour - catch it while you can. https://easternangles.co.uk/whats-on  I've already excitedly got my ticket to see La Ribot at the place but she is also at Cambridge Junction - it has to be a must see. We have a chair by her in our house and think about the extraordinary performances she has developed with it. thinking about anticipation the new blade runner http://www.imdb.com/list/ls053181649/videoplayer/vi245020953?ref_=hm_vd_br49_i_1 has it in spades....