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Last Saturday’s I-slam visit at The New Art Gallery Walsall proved to be the most successful of its tour around the country so far, with really strong contestants, a great atmosphere and inspiring spoken word performances. At the end Sosa stole the show and was crowned winner of the night! Have a look at the photos and video.
Photos by Oona Luras Wiggan.
Studio Line – let the feet do the talking
2x2
Dance into the spiral
Square dance
Rain Dance/ Singin In The Rain
Best Foot Forward
I went along to Tap class at Forest Arts Center On Thursday and shuffled around – it’s been a while, but it’s cracking.
Fred Astaire was my first hero.
He still is.
What style, what grace.
” Can’t act, can’t sing, balding, can dance a little” ( The verdict passed on Fred’s first screen test!)
Self-Portrait Walsall
Here are some of the hundreds of self-portriats taken by our visitors during the Wellbeing Festival 2009 (Sat 10 Oct) at the gallery’s lobby area. The event attracted more than 1,500 people and was the most successful to date, marking World Mental Health Day to promote ways that we can all look after our mental health.
Organised by Walsall Council’s Creative Development Team in partnership with NHS Walsall.
Photos courtesy of Brian Homer, Timm Sonnenschein and Emma-Jo Tucker.
What’s Under The Bed?
Bogeyman from The House Of Fairy Tales
Thank you to everyone who has joined in the Learning Revolution so far. For those who’ve put a monster under the bed but haven’t seen the Bogeyman print that inspired the idea, here it is. Of course, even better is to come and have a look at it in the Gallery.
Meanwhile, here’s a little piece from the Word Jar:
Sunshine & Moonlight / Happiness & Blackness / Running Around / Then All Of A Sudden /Scared Still in the Dark
Big Thank You
A big Thank You to everyone who took part in doing some writing for the Learning Revolution – all the groups who made me so welcome as well as the many people I saw in the gallery. I’m still working through all the great writing (and drawing) you did. In the meantime, please do leave a comment if you can.
Philip Monks
Party Tunes
Maybe this Titles lark could become a themed Dj Set?
CELEBRATION- Madonna
LET’S CELEBRATE ( GOOD TIMES) Kool & The Gang
THE RIGHT TO PARTY ( Beastie Boys)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY (Altered Images)
1999 – Lets party like its… ( Prince)
LETS GET THE PARTY STARTED ( Pink)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ( Stevie Wonder)
IT’S MY PARTY ( Lesley Gore)
PARTY LIGHTS ( Claudine Clark)
Any more for any more? Track Suggestions welcome!
What shall we call it?
Coming up with a suitable Title for a piece of work or a project can sometimes be a tricky thing.
Here’s some suggestions I received.
Journey to Old Halloween – The House of Fairy Tales at The New Art Gallery Walsall October 2009
Dear friends,
Apologies for the delay, but better late than never! Enjoy some of the photos taken during the House of Fairy Tales weekend a couple of weeks back, especially for those of you who were not fortunate enough to be here. More photos to follow soon, I promise!
Photos courtesy of Alain Rolli (Walsall Flickr Group) and Raz Khan.
See Esther…
After making the ‘See Esther’ film with Neil, I thought more about the process of Epstein making a portrait bust. The bust of Esther with a flower with her rather long neck is an open image of a young woman. It sits in stark contrast to the first bust which is the subject of our film. There is something unsettling in the image and I have begun to think it is the image of a young woman resisting being portrayed by her father. Nowhere in any of the letters from Esther or Theodore am I aware of them referring to their father as anything other than ‘Epstein’. Epstein’s Portrait busts were either of lovers, small children or the Famous. The first Portrait bust of Esther is uncomfortable. Esther stares ahead. Her gaze looks to the middle distance to a space beyond the viewer, beyond the artist.
I am reminded of being a teenager and relatives asking ‘what are you thinking?’ and wanting to shout at them but not being able to. Epstein called the first bust of Esther one of his best. He was right.
The default thing Art Historians say about Epstein’s busts is that he was a genius at being able to explore the psychology of his subjects. I am not sure that this is anything more than myth making. What is great about the 1st bust of Esther in his in ability to capture Esther’s psychological state.
Like Leonardo’s Mona Lisa she remains her own person resisting easy interpretation. Unlike the Mona Lisa there is no enigmatic smile.
Comment > Archive for November, 2009