thebestofitall

Another wonderful day of teaching at Camberwell – Symposium 2 is always a transitional moment within the students time on the Book Art Course – a time of reflection – to explore where they have come from, where they are going – their presentation is a bookmark - demonstrating the gap between symposium 1 it exposes the teaching and learning that has taken place and where they are now. Within the group the work and thinking behind the work (the research) is wide ranging and formed from rich thinking – I’m looking forward to the final show – there will be some good work.

The weekend starts on Friday – I’m spending the weekend at Pulse festival in Ipswich http://www.wolseytheatre.co.uk/pulse-festival/ the suitcase day – where performers perform with a stage set that can only be encompassed within a suitcase. It’ll hopefully be a number of short and sharp performances that pull you cleverly in a number of ways. I’m also looking forward to attending a discussion about world factory in the afternoon – an idea I saw both in its initial research phase and as a show at the Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich where I ran a clothes factory with 3 strangers!

Working on the PALs course at Norwich – it’s a supportive structure where year 2 students volunteer to help new students get through their first year. It’s an attempt to create a sense of community within the University - the students are the best of young people giving of their time willingly to support others.

Meanwhile some more images from the trip to New York of the Serra show – it really was an extraordinary experience communing with the giant blocks of steel.

symposiumchair

a day at home after a lot of meetings, workshops and teaching. Some highlights were Matthew Bourne at Ipswich – the show is a touring triple bill of acclaimed early works celebrating 25 years of the companies work. Spitfire is very very funny even after all this time – there is a moment in the Town element of Town and Country where a potential lover expresses his angst – chillingly awe inspiring – for me the infernal gallop is too close to a west end musical but even in this there is a wonderful element when the dancers fall into a repetitive sequence that takes your breath away – if you get the chance - http://www.danceeast.co.uk/whats-on/592/New-Adventures-presents-Matthew-Bournes-Early-Adventures/   

symposium 2 at Camberwell was a truly positive day – comprising the work of students on the book art course – my job is to chair and give an overview and to enjoy the presentations, which I did. It was excellent to see the journey they had been on, the engagement with the teaching on the course and a general air of academic professionalism. Discussion ranged from the book as a transitional object, controlling the means of production, the role of audience in the work of artists, the seduction of consumption, consumerism and capitalism and possible alternatives. I am looking forward to a possible show-reel of artists who work with the book but who have also worked with moving image, either as final pieces or in the research towards an understanding of practice.

the printing for bookmare came from the printers, really pleased with it - the folding starts here, only 499 to go. http://www.camberwell.arts.ac.uk/camberwellspace/futureexhibitions/bookmare/

tonight its doctor who with punchdrunk in Ipswich http://www.ip-art.com/what's-on/the-crash-of-the-elysium.aspx and sunday is orford ness with  commissions east http://www.commissionseast.org.uk/html/casestudies/Untrue_Island/Untrue_Island_about.htm working my way slowly to latitude via creative carers and tutorials at nuca – who said the summer was quiet? 

mushrooooooomingshared

mushroooooooming – its that time of year and i’ve been out and about collecting – meanwhile a busy week of assessments and timetabling at nuca alongside working on the publicity for repeat – a show of the work of people who work on the textile course both visiting tutors and course team. a day at camberwell working on the MA saw the session extending onto 6.15 when it should of finished at 4.00 – but some excellent work needed to be shared and it was the first crit of the year.

newthingsbecomeoldthings

a day out in London to see the final show at Chelsea and both sites at the RCA. As ever the standard of the textile work at Chelsea was of a very high quality and the graphics ‘tight’ fuled by solid thinking. the spaces for the RCA show are quite wonderful and the work in general matched it in general – it really is important to see the work of other colleges to check oneself – on that note Monday was a day at the design centre in Islington setting up the stand for New Designers. the actual stand looks good – focused with a professional edge – hope the work matches it.
symposium 2 at Camberwell was a full day – 19 students presentations with me providing the chair/continuity/timekeeping role. some truly wonderful presentations – some of the best I have ever seen used the space of the presentation to test and challenge elements of their practice – a real joy.
the MA Book Art Course is moving from Wilson’s rd to Peckham rd and the rooms are all empty but for packing cases. i came across a room with empty cabinets that used to hold the Camberwell decorative arts collection. the negative space created by the objects talked of loss and time and ultimately change – which we are all heading into in higher education.