Perseverance - A Time Capsule

In June 2021 a time capsule was buried in Newcastle Cathedral - to be opened in 100 years.  My poem 'Perseverance' (which considers the Mars probe landing from an earthbound perspective - and is printed over my photo of Lynemouth Bay on the Northumberland coast) has been included in the capsule.

 

One of the main themes of my work is to start from the absence of something. The idea of putting this piece into a box which then disappears into a hole, only to be seen many years after my demise, seemed appropriate; to in some ways represent the entire cyclical process. 

Credit: Newcastle Chronicle

National Poetry Archive 2021

This year's National Poetry competition is online now. It's been another strange year and I wanted to reflect that in some way so...to quote my introductory text:

During covid I have been walking the Northumberland coastline. Occasionally I have tapped a poem into my phone and taken a pic - in the hope of capturing the essence of these moments. Refined later, some of these have survived. 

Lynemouth beach is a strange industrial shoreline, seeming to echo parallel worlds; somewhat how I might perceive another planet. The latest Mars probe was landing that day and the two imaginings came together.

If you'd like to see me reading it click here >>

New Video Art Channel

My film The Tipping Point is now live on new video art channel SIX MINUTES PAST NINE. It's great to have a new curated channel dedicated to video art and I was super pleased to be selected. Head over and have a look 

Here >>

National Poetry Archive

You don't need me to tell you about the global pandemic, but here is my response in verse - written for the Poetry Archive. The brief is that it should in some way reflect this last year (and be under 2 mins).

Here I am reading it >>

The show goes on at last!

Well these have been odd times...So it is with great pleasure I can announce that the Paper Trail Exhibition at Maidstone Museum, cancelled due to Covid-19 will now run from:

Tues 25th August - Sat 27th Feb

There will be a ‘Meet the Artists’ event on Sat 5th Dec 2 - 4.30 

New Year...Future Tense

For the last few years I've written a short verse considering the incoming year, and the Independent has been kind enough to publish it for me.  I struggled this time to find much that's positive in the prevailing political landscape, so have taken the long view.
'An Ode to 2020'...You can read it here at the bottom of the page >>

Paper binds us all

..."1991 will always be unforgettable for me too, as the year when the Republic of Kazakhstan was born amid the shock and turbulence resulting from the collapse of the Soviet Union. It is in 1991 that modern Kazakhstan was founded, establishing the priorities and principles which have guided us on the long road we have walked since then..."

So goes an excerpt from the reply I recently received from ambassador Erlan Idrissov.

Kazakhstan is the first country to reply to my appletye.org 100 years of paper project, and the ambassador very kindly also sent me a map of the countries born that year. Have to say I was genuinely moved to receive it. I wasn't sure if any country would reply, but to receive even one response (and such an uplifting one) is truly appreciated.

Hopefully there are more to follow...who knows???

Appletye ALIVE

The 100 pieces of heritage paper project run by appletye.org now has my my contribution live on the website.
Take a look here to view the video I made >>

SCULPTORVOX - hits Greece

Just in case you happen to be in Athens for the weekend - All three editions of SCULPTORVOX are now available at neonraum.com 

My work is featured in the first edition.

LOAVES & FISHES

100 pieces of heritage paper spanning over 100 years, have been given to 100 artists to create a piece of work. I have been invited by appletye.org to make a work that relates to a piece of paper from 1991.

Towards the close of '91, one rather large event dominates - namely, the dissolution of the Soviet Union. I decided to divide the paper into 15 pieces and send a piece to each of the 15 union republics of the former Soviet Union, attached to an explanatory letter. The form of the final piece will depend on whether I receive a response from all or any of the republics. I have not yet decided if it will be audio visual or more physical in presentation.

"There are many things I could have done with this fragment of paper – but in the end I decided to look outwards, to give it away, in much the same spirit as it has been given to me. This act reflects the use of paper as a vehicle for communication across the preceding centuries.
It is a small gesture, and one which has no overt ‘political’ intent. It is simply a token of good will towards you and all the citizens of your country."
(extract from the covering letter)

New Fable, New Year...

As political turmoil continues in the UK, perhaps you might like to read my cautionary prose - published on New Year's Day in the Independent. Bottom of the page titled 'Rabbit takes a trip' >>

Neither Use Nor Ornament

Working towards the 'Neither Use Nor Ornament' group exhibition at Oxfordshire Visual Arts Development Agency in Oxford (OVADA) - opening 30th March 2019.
My piece includes a re-imagining of a Victor Burgin poster from 1976 which I reference in a series of seven posters, plus an imagined heath centre made from cardboard. All will become clear if you make it down to the show.
This installation is a collaboration with psychotherapist Dave Edwards and takes as its subject matter a street in the west end of Newcastle which we both formerly lived in.

Caroline Street

The Great Exhibition is dead...long live the video

The Dog Ate my Wheelchair is now no longer on the streets of Newcastle, but can be found online if you care to take a look. Here is my favourite >>
I will be adding more into the main site shortly.
My blog on the AN site is also here >>
if you care to get my take on how the piece developed, including some of the challenges we faced.

The Dog Ate My Wheelchair...

...is a multi-screen video piece that I've been working on with 6 participants who identify as ‘disabled’ or ‘different’ as a result of mental and/or physical health impairments. Disability North have acted as project facilitator.

It comprises 4 screens placed around the centre of Newcastle - one in a shop window, one in a bus station and two in the central library. All the videos are now mastered and I'm currently arranging the installations, along with window vinyls.

The idea is that the piece offers glimpses into the lives of others and, being away from the gallery context, it is more embedded in the city and so should be seen by a wider demographic. It is part of the art trail for the Great Exhibition of the North (who have part funded it). We launch on 1st Aug so fingers crossed it all goes to plan! More on this once the project goes live.

And so it begins...

I am using some photos I took in 1977 as the starting point for research around the Caroline Street Project. During the process of finding out where my young subjects are now, I was approached by Newcastle's Evening Chronicle to see if I needed any assistance. As it turns out that was very helpful, gleaning some public profile for this new work and engaging quite a few people from the area.
See the article here >>

BLUE Gillette

This one has risen to the top of the 'pieces I must write' pile, and the Museum of Object Research is just the place for it. It is a belated confession. Hope you enjoy. Read it here >>

Future thoughts

Following on from last years effort at the turn of the year - I thought I would give it another go.
Top of the page this time... my little ditty calling for a little bit of love and understanding this coming year.
Thanks again to the Independent for putting it out there for me - take a peek here >>

Corners of Europe Project

Mobile Radio: Stories of Blackhall

I was recently asked by ISIS arts to make short videos to capture the essence of three projects they have developed, together with East Durham Creates, in ex mining villages on the North East coast.

Shot run and gun, it was a real joy to film and talk to artists from various parts of Europe who had come together to make this happen.

Three artistic collaborations produced a radio program broadcast live from Blackhall community centre, a walking tour of Shotton and a whole events day featuring games especially devised for Horden, staged in the Horden Welfare Park.

The links above take you to the videos.

New site: Museum for Object Research goes LIVE

“Some museums live in our cupboards and imaginations, awaiting their moment of arrival”

A small group of artists who use objects as an element of their practice came together a while ago and began sharing and discussing their work on the AN website.

Artist Sonia Boué was the facilitator and I, along with Sonia and another 6 artists, shared our common interest. Add to this my friend and collaborator Dave Edwards, and you have the group.

So - with the assistance of Arts Council England funding, a new website is born. It is hoped this will act as the first initiative in a more public profile - leading to group shows and public discussion. Visit it here:
www.museumforobjectresearch.com

SCULPTORVOX...Real Paper Print

It's nice when something is actually printed these days rather than just being online. I am very happy to say that the very first numbered, limited edition print run of the magazine Sculptorvox is available for pre-order. It includes an article considering my Caroline Street collaboration with psychotherapist Dave Edwards, putting it into the context of my past and present work. 

This edition is themed around the concept of 'The Geometry of Nothing' so it's a neat conceptual fit with my preference for using a state of 'nothingness' as an entry point to further examination.

You can pre-order HERE>>

Please support the mag if you can as it's the first of a groundbreaking publication, and you can say you were there at the very beginning of something out of nothing!