Thinking about being a part of something, how we view and treat others.
Inclusion and exclusion are themes here.
Starting with the exciting news that ‘Incidence’ had been selected to be a part of the HOT-ONE-HUNDRED show at Schwartz Gallery.
Despite the fact that the gallery quite clearly states the show title is an ironic comment on the trend for power lists to create hype, it does as they also say, perpetuate the phenomenon.
It was a nice buzz to be part of.
‘Incidence’ had been hung at the entrance. I was really pleased with how it looked, hung low against black and the shadows were working.
With 100 artists it could seem packed in but it worked well and with every circuit of the space something new would catch your eye.
It was great to find Hannah Williamson also had a piece selected.
Hannah Williamson ‘MM Dreaming’
Another favourite was a painting by Simone Fontana Reis.
Simone Fontana Reis ‘Water Inside the Room’
Jeremy Deller representing Britain at the Venice Biennale with his ‘English Magic’ exhibition was very popular.
Jeremy Deller English Magic
He is not afraid to appeal to the masses and to celebrate ordinary people.
It was amazing he managed to pack so much into this pavilion.
Class status symbols, tax injustices, ancient history, Russian oligarch’s, warfare, media corruption, escapism and the idiosyncrasies of the public.
He used the socialist beliefs of William Morris as a motif in opposition to the arrogance and greed of Roman Abramovich who selfishly moored his yacht at the 2011 Biennale restricting others access to the site.
Morris comes back from his grave to cast the oligarch’s luxuary yacht asunder.
Jeremy Deller English Magic
The status symbol of the Range Rover suffers a similar ignoble fate, being crushed to a cube at the scrapyard, and also being subjected to a hen harrier taking its revenge for a pair of these extremely rare birds being shot at Sandringham with all evidence pointing to Prince Harry and his friend.
Jeremy Deller English Magic
Tea is free for all and an orderly queue forms.
Jeremy Deller English Magic
A diverse picture of England is presented through film in “English Magic” and is reflected in the accompanying soundtrack; that draws on three episodes in UK music history. Recorded at the iconic Abbey Road studios in London, the South London The Melodians Steel Orchestra were asked to interpret Vaughan Williams’ ‘Symphony in D minor’, UK acid house track “Voodoo Ray” by A Guy Called Gerald and David Bowie’s 1971 pop refrain “The Man Who Sold The World” all songs from different eras and generations but all products of British culture. Listen here.
Birds of prey swoop. swivel and focus their eyes on us, the public are unleashed on a bouncy Stone Henge, and a ceremonial procession with banners of all trades marches through the city.
We were able to handle a 6,000 year old and 250,000 year old hand axe, to feel the weight and balance and contemplate who spent the 100 hours or so chipping this stone into shape.
Jeremy Deller English Magic
It is believed these axes were for ceremonial use, cast into the Thames as offerings to a god which could signify an ancient sense of community and early religion.
Jeremy Deller English Magic
Much of this exhibition is about social justice all woven together with cultural icons, and the British public.
Photos taken throughout Britain on days when David Bowie conducting his 1972 tour map out a country of economic depression, industrial action and IRA bombings in contrast to the colourful escapism that Bowie offered.
Not only are William Morris’s beliefs acknowledged but his beautiful woodblocks and sample prints are on show.
Jeremy Deller English Magic
There is a hands on opportunity
Jeremy Deller English Magic
Only allowed out for 2 hours a day due to the humidity in Venice we were lucky to be able to get up so close and see the detail and craftsmanship.
Jeremy Deller English Magic
Definitely came out smiling and proud.
British Pavilion
The Central Asian Pavilion explored ideas of community and voyeurism. Cultural boundaries and social justice.
The title of the show was WINTER – to describe a cultural climate in which public discourse is frozen but also one that offers the potential to develop into spring.
The yurt is usually a social structure but here it is made into a transitory space for an isolated journey.
Kamilla Kurmanbekova & Erlan Tuyakov ‘The Way’
The role of the contemporary female and regional identity are explored in the video work by Aza Shade.
Aza Shade ‘The Disappearing City’ video still
A mother stages a traditional environment specifically to sell to tourists in search of exoticism while the daughter expresses her frustration at being held in stasis and battles to trade her indigenous clothes for short western styles.
The extraordinary development of Astana the new capital of Kazakhstan built in 1997 the second coldest capital in the world is captured in Ikuru Kuwajima’s photographs.
Ikuru Kuwajima Astana Winter Urbanscapes
Showing the stark contrast of the icy steppe with the tropically themed resorts, recreational facilities and opulent monumental government buildings these Winter Urbanscapes reveal a government with a strong man over nature statement and a lot of oil.
Eva Kotatkova looks at institutions and their effect on social behaviour. The nature of a country’s prisons, schools and mental health facilities are explored in her work.
Eva Kotatkova ‘Asylum’
In ‘Asylum’ she collaborated with psychiatric patients to look at the social hierarchies of people who live outside the normal social order.
In the Iraq Pavilion the artists are attempting to establish some idea of normality through performing simple everyday tasks.
Welcome To Iraq
A determination to make positive use of what they have, and to begin a free cultural exchange with the rest of the world. There is a moving film of young alcohol smugglers risking death on the borders trying to make a living in an extreme and harsh environment while in the kitchen tea is offered.
Maxine Peake’s timely reading of Shelley’s political poem The Masque of Anarchy at the Manchester International Festival was beautiful and passionate.
Stand ye calm and resolute,
Like a forest close and mute,
With folded arms and looks which are
Weapons of unvanquished war.
Maxine Peake The Masque of Anarchy
On 16th August 1819 a peaceful rally of 60,000 pro-democracy reformers, men, women and children, was attacked by armed cavalry resulting in 15 deaths and over 600 injuries.
This was the Peterloo Massacre described in Shelley’s poem that shocked the nation.
As Sarah Frankcom the director of this recital says ‘It continues to be such an uncompromising reminder that collectively, even in the most difficult of times, we have the power to change the world in which we live.’
Rise like Lions after slumber
In unvanquishable number,
Shake your chains to earth like dew
Which in sleep had fallen on you-
Ye are many — they are few.
Susan Eyre 