Drone Ensemble Performance - The Boiler House - Saturday 18th August - 6:30pm - 9:30pm

DRONE ENSEMBLE

AT THE BOILER HOUSE, NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY

SATURDAY 18 AUGUST 2018
6:30PM - 9:30PM

FEATURING: ROB BLAZEY  II  TIM SHAW & JOHN BOWERS  II  ME LOST ME  II  CHARLIE DEARNLEY  II  BEN JEANS-HOUGHTON

Drone Ensemble is an experimental sound group that uses hand-built acoustic/electric instruments in extended improvised performances. The instruments draw influence from musical traditions from around the world but are unique in their playability, construction and sound. Drone Ensemble has a fluid membership and promotes a belief that exciting and cutting-edge sound art is not an exclusive activity but rather is better enjoyed through a sense of community.

For this 3-hour performance, Drone Ensemble will bring forth complex frequencies that excite the Boiler House air; weaving between slow, meditative sonority and thunderous rhythmic patterns.

At various times throughout the performance, Drone Ensemble will be joined by special guests who include- Rob Blazey, John Bowers/Tim Shaw, Me Lost Me, Ben Jeans-Houghton and Charlie Dearnley.

Audiences who wish to be lost in a realm of drone are invited to attend for the entire performance, others are invited to drop in and out throughout the duration. Spirits will be lifted up into the eternal frequency and the universe will never be the same again.

https://mailchi.mp/0c2aee6e1a7c/drone-ensemble-performance-the-boiler-house-saturday-18th-august-630pm-930pm

Boom + Bust by Bex Ilsley at GOLDTAPPED

It’s one of those days. I feel wobbly. I fill up the kettle in preparation for an uninterrupted stint in the studio and notice the pale pink silt that lines the sink. It is the remnants of the paint being used to transform the walls of the GOLDTAPPED gallery space and create a new environment for the next exhibition. This is something that I am beginning to associate with the gallery. The walls are chameleon-like, changing hue with each new exhibition. I enjoy the way that colour is used to unite different elements and creates a context for the work. This is effective for the type of installation-based work that is often presented by GOLDTAPPED.



There is something about the dimensions of the space and the colour of the walls that reminds me of the bedroom of a young girl. The wavy dark pink horizontal line that wraps around the walls somehow reminds me of my mental state. It fluctuates; up and down.



Over the course of the next few days of install I am gradually introduced to the different elements that form the whole. Mood Swing (2018) is a large pendulum constructed from aluminium and steel. Positioned in the centre of the space, there’s no avoiding it. The reflective ball hangs, a weight on the end of a line. In my mind, the gentle ebb and flow of it swinging back and forth relates to the fluctuating line on the wall. Both elements suggest time, movement, set a pace, a rhythm.



There is a catchy rhythm and tune to BEX ILSLEY Finger Family Song Daddy Mommy Nursery Rhyme Kids Sing along! FUN SUNGS and MORE (2018). This short video references the highly popular “finger family” songs that are in abundance on YouTube. In keeping with this format, Ilsley’s video features a costumed persona against an animated background. The ‘dolled-up’ character waves her hand, showing the miniscule versions of the character’s head on each fingertip. The song takes us through each of the members that make up the ‘happy family’; Daddy, Mommy, Brother, Sister and Baby finger. It is all so artificial and exaggerated. It is hardly a realistic representation of the average family unit. The far-from youthful character is sexualised and ‘adultified’.



I cannot help but reflect on the effect that technological developments are having on childhood and familial structures and relationships. I feel uncomfortable and disappointed that childhood innocence and freedom is being threatened. Similar thoughts, and a concern for her sister prompted Ilsley to create 44 loci, two light boxes leaning against the wall opposite the video screen. One light box features the character from the video, and the other is a younger version of this character, as played by Ilsley’s 10 year old sister. I recall the difficulties that I faced as I was growing up and think about the whole range of new issues that the youth of today have to deal with.



On a brighter note, I am thankful that galleries such as GOLDTAPPED are programming work that explores mental health and encourages discussions around issues raised in the exhibitions to take place across cities. Given the content of the work in the exhibition, it seems fitting that the Coventry based artist used technological platforms such as facebook and skype to work closely with the Liverpool based curator, Mia Cathcart.



The exhibition is open by appointment only until Saturday 18th August, so there is not much time left before the sink gets its next wash of GOLDTAPPED paint!

https://www.goldtapped.com/

Photos: Amelia Read

Land Sand Strand by Suki Seokyeong Kang at Bluecoat as part of Liverpool Biennial

'Conceived as a visual translation of the Korean musical notation ‘Jeongganbo’, Land Sand Strand is a new multi-part installation by Suki Seokyeong Kang. The work transforms the exhibition space into a grid. 

Building on the concept of the hwamunseok – a traditional Korean woven mat, interpreted as the minimum space provided for each individual in society – it is activated by performers and the audience. 

The choreography, inspired by the Spring Oriole Dance and traditionally performed on the hwamunseok, is shared with visitors. 

The movements on the mat serve as the blueprint for the wider installation consisting of painting, sculpture and video.'

I found Suki Seokyeong Kang's installation at Bluecoat a visual delight. 

I took pleasure from the formal qualities in the work; the subtle use of colours and the combination of traditional Korean materials along with painting, sculpture and video. 

I appreciated the way that the video transformed my understanding of the work presented in the gallery space; static elements are activated through movement and sound.

'Suki Seokyeong Kang (b. 1977, Seoul, South Korea) lives and works in Seoul. Kang deploys various media including installation and video to seek a synesthetic expansion of painting. 





Through movement and rhythm, she creates an environment that guides the direction of her painting, which she uses like a visual musical score. 

Her practice is situated between the abstract and figurative, the organic and geometric, creating a visual language of balance and harmony.'

Grace, Charles and the Sunflower by Paulina Olowska at Invisible Wind Factory as part of Liverpool Biennial

I find that part of the fun of going to Biennials is that there are usually a number of artworks situated in places one has never been. It is a great way to discover new parts of a city and to meet different communities. Much of the 2018 Liverpool Biennial takes place in established creative institutions in the heart of the city. It was as I was flicking through the pages of the Biennial programme that I came across an unfamiliar venue, namely Invisible Wind Factory. The colourful image immediately caught my eye and I decided to hunt it down.
As I consulted the Bienniale guide, I realised that the Invisible Wind Factory was off the map. Thankfully, aided by googlemaps and my sense of direction, I meandered my way through industrial estates, past a medley of dated and run-down pubs and found myself at a rather curious red-brick building that was closed! 

It had been quite a trek, especially in the heat of the afternoon, so was a little annoyed that I couldn't go inside to see the art. But then I re-read the blurb in the brochure to find out that the artwork at this venue is an outdoor mural. I found it difficult to see properly as it was quite high up on the building. I was disappointed by the full mural and thought that the detail image in the brochure glorified the actual artwork. It felt like a let down, but I'm eager to find out what goes on in the building.

'Grace, Charles and the Sunflower is a new mosaic by Paulina Olowska that references the socialist belief that through the creation of a public work one can influence and present optimistic visions of a better world. The artist’s idea is based on a Polish mosaic from the 1960s situated on the side of a public school in the village of Raba Zdroj, where Olowska lives. Despite its history, the mosaic remains unprotected and unmaintained: this kind of popular, public, post-soviet art is no longer favoured by the Polish government and there is a strong possibility that it will be demolished in the future. By presenting a similar mosaic in Liverpool, Olowska champions the value of these works and suggests that they should be protected as part of the country’s national heritage.'
For any visitors to the Biennial wanting to check out the artwork for themselves, please note that this work by Paulina Olowska is currently undergoing repair following adverse weather conditions. The central panel will be reinstated as soon as possible. Check the Liverpool Biennial website for updates.

http://www.biennial.com/2018/exhibition/locations/invisible-wind-factory

Bridges - live improvised performance and sound installation by David de la Haye and James Davoll, Long Gallery, Newcastle University

A live improvised performance by David de la Haye and James Davoll marked the beginning of their month-long sound installation in the Long Gallery in the Fine Art Department at Newcastle University.

David de la Haye and James Davoll have captured fields recordings of the bridges that join Newcastle and Gateshead.

"The iconic bridges are a symbol of home to those living in Newcastle and Gateshead and are embedded in our everyday interactions. These recordings explore how the structures resonate during their daily interaction with the ebb and flow of people, transport and the River Tyne."
                 

             
                                                                                                                                      







As the name suggests, the Long Gallery is a relatively narrow but reasonably sized space. Speakers were positioned in a row down the corridor, each playing a different soundtrack. 

At the beginning of the live improvisation, all speakers down the corridor were switched off, and the sounds manipulated by the David and James were amplified through a set of speakers at the end of the space. Over the course of the performance, David and James switched other speakers on, adding layers of sounds. I particularly enjoyed walking along the corridor and entering different sonic 'zones' as I heard the sounds from each of the speakers separately. This added a spatial element to the installation which I imagine will become more prominent after the preview when there is less noise. Audience members are encouraged to use bespoke controllers on the speakers to set volume levels and create their own unique soundscape.

Drone Ensemble set up in Studio 1.17 for rehearsals

In preparation for the next Drone Ensemble performance on Saturday 18th August (details to follow shortly), we have moved the majority of the new instruments into Studio 1.17, where they will remain until the performance. This will allow us to be able to go straight into playing during our rehearsals as opposed to spending a large portion of time moving and setting up the instruments.

We had a great experimental session and found that, due to the acoustics in the space, it is extremely easy for the space to be filled with sound. We have therefore decided to minimise the number of instruments that are played at once so that we can hear the subtleties of each.

Julia Cameron talks about The Artist's Way on BBC Radio 4's Front Row

Monday night's edition of BBC Radio 4's Front Row featured an interview with Julia Cameron, filmaker, novelist, poet, playright and author of The Artist's Way. The Artist's Way is a creative self-help book that has sold over 4 million copies and garnered dedicated fans around the world. In the episode she explains the philosophy behind her 12 week programme and answers listener's questions.

Julia Cameron is a believer in the democratic power of creativity and thinks that everyone has an innate create energy. She holds the belief that it is possible to foster the artist, that sometimes forgotten or neglected spirit inside all of us. Through The Artist's Way, her aim is to allow people to tap into that creative energy. She regards happiness as a by product of creativity.

Cameron acknowledges that we experience blockages to creativity, and suggests that this starts in childhood. If children have a dream to be an artist, they are often told that it is not a proper job and are directed towards a different career choice (probably one that is more financially stable).

In her book, The Artist's Way, Cameron aimed to demystify the creative process and allow people to follow their artistic dreams. 

In order to foster creativity, she proposes doing a number of activities. These include

Morning pages (daily)
Produce 3 pages of longhand morning writing first thing in the morning
Write anything and everything that crosses your mind
This clears the debris that stands between you and your creativity and helps get rid of inner critic.

Artist dates (once a week)
Do something that is purely for your enjoyment.

Go for a walk (twice a week)

To listen to the episode please visit

https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/play/b0bd6y3b

The Serving Library as part of Liverpool Biennial 2018

Founded in New York in 2011 by Stuart Bailey, Angie Keefer and David Reinfurt, and based in Liverpool since 2016, The Serving Library is a non-profit organisation that variously serves as a publishing platform, a seminar room, a collection of framed objects, and an event space. It is run by Francesca Bertolotti-Bailey, Stuart Bertolotti-Bailey and David Reinfurt.

The enterprise is rooted in a journal published biannually as Dot Dot Dot (2000-10) and Bulletins of The Serving Library (2011-17), and now annually as The Serving Library Annual. It is released simultaneously online (for free) and in print (for a fee) every autumn. Each new batch is assembled around a loose theme for an international audience of designers, artists, writers, and researchers. Previous themes include Time, Pedagogy, Typography, Psychedelia, Germany, Fashion, Numbers, Mediums, Sports, Redux, Color, Perspective, and Public Fiction.

This year Liverpool Biennial 2018 invited The Serving Library to organise a series of free public talks to run concurrent to the exhibitions and related projects elsewhere in the city. The talks are hosted at Exhibition Research Lab, part of the John Lennon School of Art and Design at Liverpool John Moores University, where The Serving Library has resided since 2017. Liverpool Biennial 2018 is based on a question derived from a poem by German poet Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805) that was later set to music by Austrian composer Franz Schubert (1797–1828): “Beautiful world, where are you?” The speakers, which include, economists, sociologists, media theorists, architects and painters, were asked to variously address or refract this question.




Unfortunately the day of my visit did not coincide with one of the public talks, but I was able to peruse the collection of framed objects, each the source of an illustration that has appeared on the pages of the journal. The collection includes items as diverse as record sleeves, watercolors, woodcuts, polaroids, drawings, screen-prints, airbrush paintings, a car number plate, and a ouija board. These objects are essentially a toolbox for teaching as they are used as prompts to stimulate discussion.

For more information about The Serving Library please visit

http://www.servinglibrary.org/

These Silences Are All the Words by Madiha Aijaz at Open Eye Gallery as part of Liverpool Biennial 2018

These Silences Are All the Words is a film installation and series of photographs exploring the public libraries of Karachi, Pakistan, against the backdrop of the city’s changing landscape.



Focusing on librarians who have been working for years in traditional institutions such as Bedil Library, Aijaz tells the stories of an aging intelligentsia.

The backlit photographs show scenes from an assortment of libraries as well as the librarians who work there. One is reminded of the need for visitors to the library in order for the historical knowledge to be passed on.

The lighting in the photographs is exquisite. The dark environments are usually illuminated by beams of light from a window or a highlight from a reading lamp. The long exposure time needed to capture the image relates to the stillness in the image and suggests a slow pace and contemplative atmosphere commonly associated with being in a library.

Hack the Root by Mae-ling Lokko at RIBA North as part of Liverpool Biennial 2018

Mae-ling Lokko's practice centres on the upcycling of agro-waste and biopolymer materials into 'high' performance building material systems. 

For her exhibition at RIBA North she has built an architectural structure in the gallery that is grown from agrowaste-fed mycelium (mushroom) panels.

Within the gallery, a large-scale grow chamber has been erected in which the modular biomaterial building panels are growing. Lokko involved a number of community groups and school children in workshops, giving them the opportunity to create the building panels that have been used to build the architectural structure.



As well as being able to see the growing of the building panels along with the fully formed growing panels, an accompanying film explores the prototyping of these unique tiles. The film also acts as a way to help viewers understand the project’s proposition for generative upcycling economies.

Annie Pootoogook at Tate Liverpool as part of Liverpool Biennial

Fifteen drawings by Annie Pootoogook are exhibited in a single room at Tate Liverpool. They act as a diary of the artists' life; illustrating the everyday events of her modern Inuit life in the small community of Kinngait. These events include hunting, eating, watching television and camping.

As I walked round the gallery from left to right, I was taken by the honesty and immediacy of her style of drawing. I noticed that the views differ to the outdoor scenes that are more commonly associated with Inuit art. 



As I progressed round the room, the tone of the images shifted and the viewer is offered an insight into moments of domestic violence within the domestic environment.

The Intermediates by Haegue Yang at Tate Liverpool

'For Liverpool Biennial 2018, Haegue Yang has created an immersive environment for her sculpture series The Intermediates (2015-ongoing) in Tate Liverpool’s Wolfson Gallery. Made from artificial woven straw, The Intermediates allude to both traditional arts and crafts techniques and modern industrial production methods. Representing figures and sites from folk tales and ancient traditions, they question definitions of ‘paganism’. Yang’s environment for these works includes recordings of wildlife taken from the British Library’s sound collection, a wallpaper juxtaposing pagan traditions and modern history, and suspended ribbons that evoke folk traditions such as maypole dancing. Her multisensory, hybrid environments suggest fleeting connotations of time, place, figures and experiences that connect ‘folk’ traditions and contemporary culture.'



I thoroughly enjoyed being immersed in Yang's work. It was a delight for all senses, and the kind of exhibition that one could return to on numerous occasions and each time find something new. I appreciate the combination of media and the difference in intensities and paces of making and viewing. For instance, some aspects are rather immediate, and one gets an initial overwhelming feeling by being bombarded with such an array of colour, texture and forms. However, there are items that have been made with painstaking detail and require careful attention.