One Night Stanza

Well, the 17.56 One Night Stanza from Various Artist is over, a stuffed Dodo, dead in the water. Yours unruly is tired but now out of the Wu and down in Some are set (and some are runny) taking it easy and waiting for his supper. If I was to do a brief evaluation I’d say I was happier with the show when there was no one in it, people being in it seemed to change it somehow – but then it was reception so whatever happened was good.

Nina was a curatorial Goddess, full of cunning and bright ideas. Techno problems came, went and resurfaced as and when but the electrical shop gave me a refund today so a happy ending. Still not found my yellow cable….

Laurie’s MK Phlaag w/Braille & touchy feely fabric looked, and is, terrific! Thank you. 

Thanks to Mark for photo’s – and to everyone who attended. And everyone who didn’t, perhaps next time….?

However, favourite moment was conversation with chap about the West Midland’s rail network and the route between Droitwich and Birmingham;

Him “Dorridge? Sounds like Droitwich”.

Me “No it doesn’t, it sounds like porridge”.

Title (t.b.a)

No sleep last night. Wired. Got up at 3.30, made tea, got things ready for the morning. Typed this, burned that, put batteries on to charge. Had text from Nina saying she’d be at M first thing. Only new idea I’ve had is to film myself at a roadside burger van eating one of their ‘meals’. Going to Malvern tomorrow to pick up projector, might do it on the way. It’s a reception of sorts.

Good day, M first, then over to Malvern and a coffee with Mr Mecca followed by tea and a natter with the female half of Yolk + Zoom, which helped enormously – even got event out on the ‘book with encouraging response from you lot out there in bookville. Filmed at M until it grew too dark to blink – oh yes, bought turf and full marks to Nephew #2 for carrying it up to the gallery. Did I mention that he appears to have moved in? – I didn’t, well, he appears to have moved in.

And I picked up the Motel/Kandinski flag from Laurie’s, terrific stuff – as usual!

Had a beer and am contemplating pasta. Fucked…. 

I'd Like To Nietzsche World To Sing

Back in gallery today. Good to see Jose who dropped by, nice chat, saw her recent show at Croombe Court. Also chatted with nice man who declined my offer to help paint miniature soldiers and also turned down my offer of a Cadbury’s finger biscuit or three.

Most intersting was chap who came in with blood dripping from some form of cut on the back of his shaven head. Gave him some wipes which he took from me using a hand with knuckles bearing the one word legend that is H.A.T.E. Still he parted with a cheery ‘Nice one, mate’ as he went of to drip blood all over Great Western’s nicely upholstered London to Hereford grunter shunter. Happy days.

At the main gallery I met up with artists Michael from Stoke and Alan from somewhere who I then lost when I went to buy several hi viz vests for Thursday’s show. Very long drawn out negotiation with chap in PJ’s worktogs, couldn’t resist an ‘initialsake’! Vests are totally puntastic, examples being Forever Jung and Barthes Simpson. Groan at your leisure..... 

I am still a little nervous, only now slightly less so. John Robinson wants to play at the opening, maybe that’s one for another time. 

There Is A Light That Never Comes On

Been to the Twinkleberry coalface today, which has meant no time at Movement. However I was there last night painting my plastic toy soldiers until it was too dark to see – unfortunately the lights would not work despite my following the traditional path of locating and transferring the switch to the ‘on’ position.

Abject POV shot of gallery

For Thursday’s show I am going with the definition of Reception that reads thus ‘the action of admitting someone to a place, group, or institution – or the process of being admitted’. This way I can focus on the space as a place where some type of interaction can occur.

I’m drawn to how it interacts with its environment on the station platform. The gallery space can be off putting if you ‘don’t speak the language’, with it’s perceived aloofness, reputation for rigorous intellectual discourse and the unwritten rule that says you must wear black. As a result, whilst travellers will sometimes put their head round the door they often appear reluctant to let their bodies follow suit.

This is the kettle that wil boil the water that wil make my tea

So, I’m dumbing down, sort of. I’d like to make the space an arena where the reception that can take place is that of knowledge, and to that end I have been thinking up dreadful wordplays based upon philosophers/cultural kitsch. This way they will seem more readily digestible to the more partisan of part time gallery dweller ie Barthes Simpson and Guattari Hero, to name just two of the worst offenders. Working title for the piece is "I'd Like To Nietzsche World To Sing'. You can all groan in your own time. 

This is the seat I shall sit on whilst I am drinking my tea

These will be printed on the backs of Hi-Viz jackets which will be hung to make the room look like a football dressing room. One hook might have a sports jacket hung upon it to make it look like one that is in use. 

Welcome to the Preoccupation.

Starting mini residency at Movement, a gallery occupying the site of the gentlemen's toilet on Platform 2 at Worcester's Foregate Street Station. I'm the cheap option, I keep the gallery vacant. Not complaining, just saying like.

It's going to be a Motel/Kandinski IV (Reception), I'll be in situ on and off between 9/10/12 and the 'opening' on Thursday 18th. Want the opening and closing times to match arrival and departure times of trains arriving at 6pm and leaving at 8pm. Will check the timetable. Helen grundy has sent me a piece of work to be included and Alex Johnson, one half of Yoke + Zoom has suggested we make a Johnson & Johnson piece, which might be nice.

I have several ideas brewing; they involve cake and sand and some women dancing. Stay tuned (reception - geddit?)

Heavy Petting

Can we talk about Animal Porn – we can? Recently I was thinking about the morality of a society that condemns this and yet finds it semi acceptable to stuff a duck’s liver with fat until the bird can barely walk, and thinks it’s ok to keep baby calves from the sight of a field before slaughtering them.

To put it in some kind of context; what is the worse thing that can happen to Ricky the family’s Rhodesian Ridgeback following some heavy petting? Maybe it gets confused about it’s place within the pack – starts putting away the shopping and wondering why no one will let it drive on the school run. As for the women, I imagine that shagging a Shire horse that’s hung like a donkey is something that, whilst not for everyone, is nonetheless something one might get drawn towards if the money, and the horse’s personal hygiene are right. So, the next time you’re eating meat you might want to lie back and consider the context. 

Anyway, in other news Various Artist attended Summer Camp at Eastside Projects and this Friday is hoping to attend an all night writing session at Grand Union - so lots of black coffee then. Also my drumming debut at DoL has been put back a week to the 8th, before which I will have had my fifty second birthday. Good, sort of. 

Currently down at Darling #1's and tomorrow the Wood clan will meet to bury John's ashes (you might remember my writing about his death in a post from a couple of months ago). Whilst this will be a sombre occassion there will no doubt be beers of laughter in the pub following the service. Hope so. 

Right, that's it. it is 5.46 and I need to go watch a documentary on the German band Can - they were/are awesome. 

Sketch #1

Does anyone agree with me that it would be helpful if the armies of the nations of the World wore more distinctive uniforms, like our football teams? Few if any incorporate stripes, let alone hoops and they need an away kit for when they are invading someone else’s country and the two strips clash. Get Nike involved, get a swoosh on those desert boots, and get Addidas to design the UN’s kit. And have advertising on the jackets - they already have the soldiers names in small text on the front, put 'em on the back in bold where the TV audience can see them. Get them in the stores, replica uniforms in kid sizes – support your favourite soldier. Be useful in films too, where every shaven headed killing machine looks pretty much the same as another. I watched Thin Red Line recently and I couldn't tell a Corporate right from a Private wrong. Get some serious sponsorship deals in place too, that way pensions could be guaranteed and we could go back to having bigger armies which would mean better wars, but with their own kit sponsored by, well if you want irony on a World scale then Coke adds life or perhaps the more homely 'we're the Marines and we're lovin' it'.