Safety first

Last night I went to the opening of Sur Place at Mediamatic, Amsterdam. They had built a bike track around the gallery, stretching to the walls so guests had to climb over the track inbetween boys speeding past on their fixed gear wheels.

There were only a few crashes into the audience: safety first. This would never get past health and safety in the UK!

How It Is

How It Is is a huge dark chamber with a steel exterior exhibited by Miroslaw Balka in the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern at the moment...

Balka explains it far better than I can:

" 'How shall I move forward?' you might ask yourself as you stand at the threshold, confronted by the darkness ahead. The unknown can be terrifying, especially if it is also without light. How you approach it is unique, as your first encounter with anything can only ever be as an individual. Staring into the black void may make you wonder whether to move ahead at all.

'It's fine' you reassure yourself, 'what can actually be inside?' How It Is is only complete when you, the viewer, enter. The container focuses you inwards, both physically and psychologically, deeper into the darkness. In choosing how to move ahead - to march in fearlessly, or to skirt along the walls - you create your own journey. But as you bump into others, or mistakenly grab a stranger's shoulder, your trepidation eases and collectively you navigate the void."

I began by entering the box in the center - no walls to hold on to, but I soon was exaggerating my steps and treading carefully (it feels like you are in a dream) and as I got further, was grabbing for my Dad's arm. Maybe thats it: I like to seem fearless, but in fact am not. Even a bit.

Take care of yourself

I took advantage of last Thursday evening's late night opening at The Whitechapel Gallery which is exhibiting Sophie Calle's 'Take Care of Yourself'. 

Calle: "I received an email telling me it was over. I didn't know how to respond. It was almost as if it hadn't been meant for me. It ended with the words 'take care of yourself'. And so I did.

I asked 107 women chosen for their profession/skills to interpret this letter.

To analyse it, comment on it, dance it, sing it, exhaust it. understand it for me. Answer for me. It was a way of taking the time to break up.

A way of taking care of myself."

I was familiar with the project before I went to see the 107 responses, but all in a room together, it was quite powerful. The emotional beings that women are, attempting to understand a man's insensitive ending. A collection of interesting and varied responses to the words that fill the gallery. 

The predominantly female audience grew around the wall filled with films showing the video responses. We laugh, tut, roll our eyes together as the chosen women try to make sense. It feels like the room understands how unjust Calle's email ending was. Every one of the women in that room had a story, could relate. It sounds like corn-ville, but it felt like there was an unspoken solidarity in the room. It was nice.

New kids on the book block

Had to protect the precious books from the Manchester rain on my way to the Manchester Artist Book Fair...

... they survived...

... Good day - smiles all round

There was a certain naivety that came with Parlour Press' first book fair. We hope is was enderaing as opposed to unprofessional.

A successful day for the new kids.

No ISBNs

I really want to submit one of my books for this self-published books exhibition in Austria in Spring 2010 (http://www.salon-fuer-kunstbuch.at/noisbn). However, having read the rules, you have to have a minimum of five editions of the book... which I don't have. I suppose I'll have to get drawing a lot more food maps if I want to submit my mapping book

Joyous Machines

I am still rather into machines.

Today I went to Tate Liverpool to see 'Joyous Machines'. The exhibition saw Jean Tinguely's work and how it inspired Michael Landy's creations.

I much preferred the rough drawings Tinguely did in order to realise his vision as opposed to Landy's intricate drawings depicting the same mechanisms.

I really liked the drawing machines (bottom image) and the ones that did not hide their mechanics... far more interesting. Also, I like the fact that some of the machines don't work, or in the case of 'Homage to New York' (top image), destroyed themselves. This was all part of Tinguely's vision: that it is almost left to chance. In comparison to Arthur Ganson's beautiful work, Tinguely's is far less perfect, in both its aesthetic and workings. I still like it though - it was reminiscent of Alexander Calder's work at times.

Good day trip.

Christmas came early

13th Aug '09: LINZ

Basically the best exhibition I've been to in, well a long long time. It was called Poetry of Motion and was at the Ars Electronica Centre, Linz. Christmas came early for me when I realised that the actual Absolut Quartet machine was at the exhibition! I got to type in my own 5 second melody and see the amazing machine make into music. It was so so good.

Arthur Ganson also had work in the exhibit - his work is wonderful. As is Theo Jansen's work huge kinetic sculptures that are powered by the wind. I cannot explain how amazing all of these projects are. I am excited to create once again.

'...a little bit more attention and imagination'

26th July '09: PARIS

By chance we saw a little flyer for a Jacques Tati exhibit that was on at La Cinematheque Francaise. I am now desperate to see all of his films. Love the graphics for posters - their playfulness makes them work well with the films thay are attached to. A very well curated and designed exhibition.

Here are a few quotes that were on the exhibition walls:

"I want my film to start when you leave the cinema" - Tati, 1967

"My method merely presupposes a little bit more attention and imagination from the spectator" - Tati, 1966

"I'm one of those film makers who love their films and don't mind not being seen by everyone, like an artist doesn't mind not having his work hung in every living room" - Tati, 1979

New found respect for Nike

25th July '09: PARIS

Since reading about the Stages exhibition on the 'Its Nice That' website, I had wanted to visit. 'Lance Armstrong and Nike unite to launch Stages, a global art exhibition to raise funds and awareness for the fight against cancer.' It seemed especially fitting that we go, as the Tour de France was to finish the following day in Paris.

I like the idea behind the exhibition and especially liked Tom Sachs' Tequila bike for girls.

It gave me a new-found respect for Nike too.

www.stages09.com

"Highlight of the crawl"

Our little reading room got rather busy in the end. It gave me a fuzzy feeling watching everyone line the room looking at the work of five girls who like making books.

It was described as "the highlight of the crawl" which was encouragement indeed. Lovely evening.

The Reading Room

My 'Mapping The Mundane' book gets a breath of air from its slip case on Thursday as part of The Reading Room exhibition. It is on at The Castle Hotel, 66 Oldham Street, Manchester. Thanks to Caitlin Howard and Sophie Lee for letting my little creation in. Look at their blog (www.dancepicture.blogspot.com). Come. Books and booze. Doesn't get much better than that.