Art Collectives

Struggling to go it alone?

Get together with a bunch of like-minded people, decide on your premise and then make it happen.

From time to time mention will be made of The Stromboli Group set up to support the making, showing and selling of original works of contemporary art.

                               Laura Orsini   &   Nadia Masotti

Drop into Volcano Coffee Works Cafe to see The Stromboli Group's first show of work, The Botanical Garden, with the added bonus of being able to taste the best coffee in London, Volcano Coffee, roasted in small batches just metres away in the same building.

Winter Open Studios

5-7 December 2014

Here are two particular South London favourites that combine both the possibility of looking at and buying the creative conjuring ups of many talented craftspeople, plus unique and atmospheric locations.

                                        Spindrift_Square    Beep Studio   Havelock Walk

    

Pullens Yards, Victorian live-work spaces just off the Walworth road near Elephant and Castle and Havelock Walk further south in Forest Hill and if you jump on a 176 bus both easily do-able  on one day!

Getting into the zone...

It is very hard indeed to settle and find the stillness and focus needed for creating when life is growling all around, snapping at our heels.

By now most of us are familiar with the wisdom that to eat and sleep well, to exercise and relax, to practice mindfulness, all contribute to that healthy mind and body state that helps ward off a lack of productivity.

These pages of podcasts found on the Mental Heath Foundation website deal with all of these issues very nicely - thank you!

However, a word of warning. All the above will need to occur as compensation for the excesses (unintentional and deliberate), the risky adventures and the myriad of not so sensible moments that, as a Bold and Curious being, we will inevitably also be experiencing.

After all, it is said...life, it's all about the balance!

The stories that make us

Following on from the art and craft of oral storytelling comes the art of translating our experiences into language. Through our carefully selected words we create a world that we present to ourselves and others as our reality.

Becoming aware of the spin we lend our tales is incredibly useful in developing our self-awareness and self development.

Lyn French, art therapist and A Space Director writes about this in The stories that make us, a blog on the Iniva website that also links to a Resources Page where it is possible to download free resources based on a project undertaken with this theme, and also to resources connecting to the Emotional Learning Cards, a collection of really wonderful themed visual art images aimed at stimulating creative exploration in therapeutic settings. 

Oral Storytelling

The Moth

Life-affirming, therapeutic, informative and occasionally extremely hair-raising. There is nothing more magical than a story told well.

It seems to satisfy a deep primal connection to a form of communication that existed long before our technological age, in its very simplicity a link to the past. A coming together of a community, of families, that suspended intimate moment at bedtime. A chance to switch off from the visual and yet the flow of words conjuring up a whole universe of images and emotions through the skill of the telling. 

The Moth is a not-for-profit organisation launched by George Dawes Green in 1997, set up to promote the art and craft of story telling. On their website it is possible to hear some of the many wonderful true to life stories they have presented live to audiences over the years.

Depth

In our busy lives it is not always easy to find time to delve beyond the surface. 

Knowingly bombarded by superficial, biased viewpoints, some liberal and informed enough to sound convincing, we struggle to keep abreast of all that is happening in our world.

Every now and then a little gem of deeper knowledge sparkles bright and catches our attention.

 Illustration by Sam Hofman and Kyle Bean

Karen Armstrong, a former nun, religious scholar, and in 2008 the initiator of The Charter of Compassion recently wrote The Myth of Religious Violence for The Guardian, an article that managed to shed some light on a complex situation (not without controversy though!).

The art of children

Children are brilliant. They produce great art without knowing it. Spontaneously. Without being self-conscious. But only for a short time. Mark making, some like doing it more than others, but the only value is in the joy of the doing...until the adult world interferes and starts adding meaning, disturbing the peace.

There is a sort lived time when the imagination reigns supreme, gloriously unfettered and the inner critic hasn't yet gained enough strength to be heard and allowed  to spoil the fun. 

Nature's 'gifts'

For Zola...xxx

Pigeon poo/Window

The price to pay!

Affordable Art Fair

23-26 October

Chance. Ludmilla Andrews.The Stromboli Group.

Take a deep breath and fork out the £15 it costs to get in...worth it for research purposes you mutter to yourself, unless of course you go to buy, in which case, it is just the  inconvenience of scrabbling around to find your card that stops you briefly in your tracks.

There is a lot to see, lanes and lanes of galleries all offering very different ranges in style and price.

A chance to chat, to ask questions and maybe even pick up some tips. Potential galleries to target for your work, a sense of pricing, presentation, ideas to nick. It's all good fun, especially when someone buys a piece of work that just minutes before, you and your friends deemed jaw-droppingly hideous! 

Set up by Will Ramsey fifteen years ago, having started off as a warehouse venture bridging the gap between those interested in purchasing contemporary art and lesser known artists whose work was still affordable. A huge success, now held twice a year in London, with fairs also taking place in various cities around the world.

      

See, Pay, Wrap and Go is the order of the day! 

Barbicania mania

Curious I am indeed to see what the wonderful filmmaking duo of  Ila Beka and Louise Lemoine have made of their month-long immersion in the life of The Barbican in their soon to be premiered video diary Barbicania.

 Negotiating this 'village' in the centre of the city of London is best done with plenty of time to spare, as it is much harder to appreciate when you are running late for a show, and haven't yet located the re-assuring yellow line leading to it's throbbing cultural heart, The Barbican Centre.

This area is a real treat for fans of Brutalist Architecture or of social experiments in total living spaces. Lots of information on it's history and design concept can be found on the web site and maps and tours are also available.

The Barbican Centre hosts a whole array of exhibitions, talks, concerts ( the great, and sorely missed Cesaria Evoria deserves a mention), films, kids activities...an Eames show coming up next year...a never-ending stream of cultural stimulation. If you go on a Sunday you can even dive into the conservatory and lose yourself amongst the palm fronds and fish filled ponds.   

Urban Retreats

Located in the grounds of the newly transformed Imperial War Museum it is well worth spending a few quiet moments enjoying the tranquility of The Tibetan Peace Garden.

As you sit on the meditation seats wrapped by the curved walls, gazing inwardly at the Kalachakra Mandala, the nearby hum of traffic melts into the background. Instead the intentions of this special place, consecrated by the Dalai Lama  in 1999, come to the fore. As does the wonderful smells and colours of the planting and the satisfying symmetry of  the sculptures representing the four elements of fire, water, air and earth. 

Art Maps

Negotiating  the vast swathes of London  in search of galleries and studios is a daunting task. Anything that makes this easier is welcomed. And anyone that keeps on top of the ever burgeoning art scene and lets us know about it, has to be congratulated.

First up is South London Art Map with their map and app, tours and SLAM Fridays. They cover the art hubs of Bankside, Bermondsey, Peckham, Deptford and their newest addition, Greenwich.

They have also recently extended further south and have launched South East Coast Art Map. Brighton, Hastings, Folkestone and Margate are all on their radar. So trips to the seaside, in all weathers, are now on the agenda!

Then we have First Thursdays where over 150 galleries in the East End come together on the first Thursday of every month and run free events, exhibitions, talks, workshops, and private views.

The North London Art Map caters mainly for the borough of Camden and is hosted by the  Zabludowicz Collection.

Open-access Sculpture

London Sculpture Workshop

Modelled on longstanding initiatives such as the  Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop and the Glasgow Sculpture Studios, London's first open access sculpture workshop has been in existence for a mere two years. 

A much needed facility offering fully equipped  metal & wood workshops with additional mould-making and ceramic areas. 

Lots of technical courses are available to expand on your skills and the added bonus is that it is run by lovely friendly people, all practicing artists, creating a supportive non-intimidating atmosphere! 

Rules (of engagement)

As was writ large...

and as was savoured...an amusing contrast in the dynamics of engagement at Gilbert and George's recent SCAPEGOATING PICTURES for London exhibition at the White Cube, Bermondsey.

White Cube

Elefest

Celebrating cultural resilience!

As an area of London, Elephant & Castle could hardly be described as enticing.

Dominated as it is by two large roundabouts and a fading shopping centre that, in a moment of desperation, was once painted pink.....but fluffy it ain't, and despite ongoing changes, fluffy it will never be!

Now in its 12th year, and founded and directed by Rob Wray, Elefest is a celebration of all that South London grungy goodness, it's creative and cultural diversity and of course all the wonderful people who live there. It is on from  2-5 October so check out the events, no excuses,  and head to Elephant and Castle! 

ELEFEST

Paper

Sourcing materials

And the beauty of knowing about people who, through their passion, knowledge and sheer hard graft have set up businesses providing you with the stuff you love… 

If you want paper, or advise about paper, and not just the odd sheet of gold-flecked novelty stuff but reams and rolls of it, in the correct  weight, texture, quality, shade, size and quantity to suit the task at hand, then the free plug  for the place to know (and go – an experience in itself) is: 

John Purcell Paper

Delight in detail

Mapping the walk to work...

An exercise in appreciating.

colour.form.sanctuary.seasons.colour.form.pattern.scale.humour.irreverance.
colour.form.playful.deserving.basquiat.colour.texture.pattern. 

  

Arty jobs + Arty news.

To ease the pain of the dreaded search for work, Arts Council England provide a service where you can subscribe to a daily or weekly update of all the Art Jobs they have been requested to advertise, dropped straight into your inbox. 

             

                                    
                                     They also do the same with Art news, so you can

                               keep a check on what is going on, or add your own news if,

                 for example, you need support with a project or wish to promote an event.

Arts Jobs

Find yourself through Design

On until the 21st Sept, there is still a chance to catch up with the latest products, ideas and innovations at the London Design Festival.

Check the guide for the events located across London, held in places such as the V&A and the Design Council.

100% Design at Earls Court and Tent London + Super Brands London at The Old Truman Brewery are the places to go to get the biggest fix of designers under one roof.

London Design Festival

Serpentine Pavilion 2014

 A unique spatial experience that will be around until 19th October.

The Serpentine Pavilion 2014

Designed by Smiljan Radić

The Serpentine Gallery

Photograph © 2014 John Offenbach

Rules to play with...

Sister Corita Kent or John Cage ? So it's not entirely clear who actually was the originator of these rules but as these two fantastic artists probably bounced a lot of ideas off each other, does it really matter.

(Lettered by David Mekelbury)

Digging for Gold

Marketing manoeuvre or clever conceptual art piece?

A  trip to Folkestone Triennial  may land you with more than you bargained for, or it may not, depending on the degree you decide to interact with Michael Sailstorfer’s new work Folkestone Digs where 30 bars of gold may, or may not, still be buried under the sand of Outer Harbour Beach.

The triennial is on until 2nd November, but if you don't make it there, Dan Addison's blog 'Gold Rush', found on their website, vividly captures and reflects on that particular piece of beach action.

But  mention of the above is not intended to overshadow the many other interesting (some big name) artists exhibiting public artworks, that are waiting to be discovered as you walk round the town. 

So, with the added benefit of lungfuls of fresh sea air, this is also a chance to support Creative Foundation in their bid to transform the town through creative activity.

Folkestone Triennial

Accessing the Avant-garde

Fortunately there are a few people out there that make our lives easier.

Kenneth Goldsmith founded ubuweb in 1996 with the intention of making marginal visual, concrete and sound poetry accessible to all.

It remains a non commercial and free resource that has now grown into a huge archive of all that is Avant-garde, and includes film, video and sound art mp3 archives

                                                                ENJOY!

 Alfred Jarry (1873-1907): Ubu Roi (1965) (Übü király)

Ubuweb

From external to internal.

The serious business of working on ourselves!

Plugging in to all that stimulation from the outside world is all very well. It allows us to expand on our range of experiences and influences that impact on our creativity, often triggering unexpected and exciting developments.

But a vital and possibly even more significant requirement, not often mentioned on art courses, is the work we need to do on ourselves, from the inside.  

That gradual build up of an awareness of our own particular creative identity. A mindfulness as to our strengths and weaknesses, thought patterns and work processes. A knowledge that helps to keep us strong enough to keep taking risks, to have the energy to play and endlessly experiment and most importantly, to keep us producing and showing. 

Some creatives, with their nonconformist streak, may well have an aversion to self-help books, but many have turned to Julia Cameron's The Artists Way in order to access some practical exercises  that can help  tune us in more deeply to our own creative spirits.

As with all these types of books, you extract what works for you. 15 years on, writing 'morning pages' is a daily routine that still proves invaluable in focusing the mind and dealing with all the stuff that gets in the way. 

Nature Fix

Getting out into nature is one of the best ways to re-vitalise. Spending time re-connecting with the elements and being reminded of our place in the world. Looking, listening and ideally, getting totally immersed.

Stuck in the city there are plenty of details to notice but sometimes only grand vistas and infinite horizons will suffice.

In desperate need of a nature fix but without the means, literature was turned to as a substitute.

Two books that convey the joy, sensuality and respect experienced in different environments, written with an abundance of knowledge, intelligence and experience by two passionate and dedicated nature lovers are:

The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd

and

Waterlog: A Swimmer's Journey Through Britain by Richard Deakin

(which inspired a naughty but glorious skinny-dip in the River Dart this summer!)

Investigating Iniva

For a decade the Institute of International Visual Arts has been creating exhibitions, publications, multimedia, education and research projects that engage with new ideas and emerging debates in the contemporary visual arts, reflecting in particular the diversity of contemporary society.

Their website is a treasure trove of information and  deserves a prolonged visit!

Just one of the many events they are hosting is the 'sorryyoufeeluncomfortable' Residency and Open Studio taking place from 11 Sep – 27 Sep.

As described on the website: 'The sorryyoufeeluncomfortable collective was formed during the recent Baldwin's Nigger Reloaded project created in collaboration with artist Barby Asante and Education Curator Teresa Cisneros and hosted at Iniva.  The purpose at the heart of this initial project was to bring together a group of artists, thinkers, and makers interested in exploring questions related to both personal and societal experiences.'  

Iniva

The Devil's Music

         Laura Dukes with Ukulele and Mose Vinson on piano with Sonny Blake, vocals and L.T Lewis, drums. 
                  .

Time for a musical interlude, and if the raw soul of these musicians doesn't inspire then there is always the quality of integrity lending great beauty to their old age.

These clips are part of a four episode series first transmitted in 1979. Alexis Korner presents not only some great footage of American Blues artists but also adds context through describing some of the social history of that era.

And best of all The Devil's Music is available to view for free on BBC iPlayer!

The Devil's Music

Getting out there.

Tapping into the energy and activities already generated by interesting organisations is one way of upping your game. Refresh yourself by doing some research into what's happening in your area and joining in.

In this spirit, the Bold and Curious has joined Drawing Room Network and is hoping a bit of immersion in the world of contemporary drawing will inspire and generate a whole new body of work. 

On the 26th September Drawing Room are visiting three artist spaces as part of their Painting, Sculpture and Drawing in Bermondsey  and ending up with a tour of their new exhibition The Nakeds, joined by the gallery directors discussing key works and ideas explored in the group exhibition.

Drawing Room

                                   

            Maria Lassnig, Woman in the Bed, 2002

          Pencil and watercolour on paper, 50.2 x 64.1cm

             Private collection, New York.

Escaping London

In recognition that London is not the center of the universe and that there are plenty of very good reasons to escape.

This is one reason...

'Islington Mill is a leading independent UK arts organisation based in Salford, in the NW England. Structured around an organic network of independent artists, Islington Mill runs innovative inter-disciplinary public arts programmes and artist residencies alongside studio spaces and an artists’ B&B. Drawing on the radical and subversive creative energy running through its arts activities, Islington Mill also has a reputation for putting on legendary experimental gatherings, events and parties.'

Islington Mill

and another reason is to make really interesting artworks such as the pieces found on this microsite for Remote Performances project.

'Remote Performances project, a repository for participating artists: documents, observations, notations, ephemera and the tangential.' 


Remote Performances



HIGHLAND GATHERING by Kenneth Richmond–London–Geoffrey Bles–1960.                                                         

Contemporary Art Society offerings.

For those of you lucky enough to have the cash...

Spend £100 (non members) and on the 20th September you get to go on CASt:South London.

This is the Contemporary Art Society's bus tour visiting a range of galleries, arts organisations and public collections across South London from the emerging to the established.

...but for this offering all you need is a curious mind.

A free talk  - Taking Up Space: Women Only Shows with the East London Fawcett Group on 30th Sept.

A panel debate described as bringing together the voices of artists, curators and critics and opening up a space for a dialogical rather than conclusive exchange.

Sonia Boyce, Missionary Position II, 1985. © Sonia Boyce

Check out Contemporary Arts Society for all the details.

Studio 1.1 Lottery Draw

Feeling lucky?

Pay £10 and buy a limited edition print by Jordan Mckenzie to enter for Studio 1.1's  Lottery draw. 

‘Woolworth’s Death Mask’ – the last bag of Pick ‘ Mix bought from Woolworths Bethnal Green branch 06/01/2009

(photo Sean Pines)

The winner will be given a four week slot (to use however they like!) as part of the Gallery's programme the following year.

250 prints only, draw on 19th October.

Studio 1.1

Welcome

As summer turns to autumn, an unexpected time for new beginnings, but this is when eager students begin their studies and queues form at the enrollment desks of adult education colleges. An apt time to tap into this renewed enthusiasm for learning and growth whilst the leaves turn from green to gold. 

Open House London - Weekend of 20/21 September

Not to be missed! A great opportunity to check out the interiors of a whole host of buildings.

The ballot that gives you the chance to attend debates on the 15/16th Sept and some landmark buildings over the weekend closes on the 7th Sept.

And there is also a competition for a place to visit The Leadenhall Building!

Open House London