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so we come to my final day of the outside in residency and my final post. d/rift is a short film (1′15”) which animates selected visual poetry of mine previously made for and exhibited in the new art gallery, walsall in assocation with dash (disability arts shropshire). its first screening is as part of my open studio. yu can also download/watch it at http://vimeo.com/20373827
the text of it reads as follows:
d/rift. stranged house, a long-time friend and handfuls seed out pillboxings – wildflowers compost-downing, spore to rugs, pips under floorboardings, husks inside hand-fueled piano, and watered all in, the labels slapped on, slapped on – us uneasy swans on wolf-blue, ices no purchase, this brash, the sound/sounds of cracking up. world-as-ballgag no inspired by ‘famous anarchist’ (are there any other kinds?) official plaque blue opposite different blue ov sex shop three minutes from gallery square, fun loopy but still loopy? theres a beauty in nailing the amp for this kind of dissonance
i am also presenting cracking up – a durational performance. i will repeatedly crack open walnuts using only my left hand and offer the nut flesh up to audiences. this is intended as a small but cumulative and defiant tribute to those not making it thru the mental health system i have filmed a short clip of this which can be downloaded / watched at http://vimeo.com/20374244
weight on the nhs
so theres a lot of talk of weight in the nhs. we shouldnt be overweight. some are proposing not treating you unless you lose weight. what if the weight-gain has been because of meds – anti-depressants or antipsychotics? what then? are we supposed to sue those drug companies because of our weight gain?
footwear and psychiatry
bobby baker has her wonderful film of how to live playing in the gallery as part of life of the mind. her descriptions of psychiatric, psychological and psycho-analytical footwear is stunning, subversive and accurate. i have my own footwear story. i got rejected by the crisis team one time because i had designer shoes. i got to read my notes much later on and then managed to destroy all my notes in protest at reading this. i read that they had agreed i was in crisis but then evaluated my footwear which tipped me over to not-crisis. my ‘designer’ shoes had been bought for a tenner down leeds market two years previously and were knackered by this point, so …
CHANCE TO TAKE PART IN A NEW DANCE FILM PROJECT IN WALSALL
Sampad south asian arts is looking for dance lovers across the Black County to take part in an exciting new digital dance project.
Coming to The New Art Gallery Walsall on Sunday 27 March, the project sampad dance dub, will see the gallery filled with over 100 people who will be filmed dancing to a lively track.
The short film, created in just one take, will be available on YouTube and shown at various screenings and public events in the West Midlands.
sampad is looking for participants from the local area aged 12 and over, of any ability and any dance style. You can join in as an individual or a group (max 5 per group), and need to be available from 11am-3pm on the day.
Piali Ray, director of sampad said: ‘We’re really excited to be bringing sampad dance dub to Walsall – this is a brand new project, so you have the chance to be part of something that has never been done before!
‘The idea for the film is inspired by the popular ‘Lip-dub’ films on YouTube, where people line a building and mime to a popular song. We’re applying this to dance, to get lots of people moving and trying something different. In three and half minutes we want to create a mosaic of movement, vibrancy and colours around the gallery, with lots of different people and different styles.
‘So whether you’re into Bollywood, salsa or street dance, or have never danced before, if you would like to have a go, we want to hear from you!’
To apply for a place in sampad dance dub, send your name(s) and age(s) to Kavita Walia at kavita@sampad.org.uk, by Monday 7 March.
sampad dance dub is part of Arts Nation West Midlands.
Arts Nation is a national initiative funded by Arts Council England, looking at innovative ways of engaging arts audiences. Projects will be taking place across the country between October 2010 and September 2011 and will focus on developing best practice for arts organisations looking to provide a first step into the arts for audiences. Case studies and legacy materials will be collated and shared with the sector via the Arts Council England website (www.artscouncil.org.uk).
casting out the nuts
a former mayor of walsall – according to local history – had a tradition of casting nuts out at passers-by in an act of benefaction. i thought what a great tradition to continue. i’d like to cast out nuts at passers-by. no doubt i’d be failed by health and safety tho. yu might just need a hard-hat when walking past me in walsall
instead however come and see cracking up. a durational performance by sean burn. this is where i will repeatedly crack open walnuts using only my left hand and offer the nut flesh up to audiences. this is intended as a small but cumulative and defiant tribute to those not making it thru the mental health system.
A busy Saturday with: Sean Burn Outside IN Open Studio Event and Live Performance and Bob and Roberta Smith In Conversation with Bobby Baker
Do not miss!
Saturday 26 February 2011
Free – all welcome
The grand finale of Sean Burn’s yearlong residency will take place on Saturday 26 February 2011.
Sean will be opening the door to the Artists’ Studio (located on Floor 1 of The New Art Gallery Walsall) and inviting everyone in to see his new work.
The Open Studio event will take place from 12 – 2pm and visitors are welcome to pop in at anytime for an informal chat, a cup of tea and an
insight into the ‘life of the mind’ of an artist.
The Open Studio event will be followed by a new, live performance by Sean Burn at 3.30pm. Thedurational performance titled Cracking Up, continues Sean’s explorations into language, visual puns and his own of experiences of living with mental illness.
Newcastle-based artist Sean Burn has been working with the gallery over the last year to develop his interest in reclaiming the ‘languages of lunacy’. During this time, he has also produced various interventions in and around the building. Last autumn, for example, visitors were invited to ‘lose their marbles’ in a game with the artist.
The residency is part of Outside IN; a region-wide programme designed to increase the number of Disabled and Deaf artists working in partnership with mainstream galleries. Outside IN has been designed and is coordinated by DASH who are working in partnership with Oriel Davies Gallery in Mid-Wales, The New Art Gallery Walsall and Wolverhampton Art Gallery.
Sean Burn’s work is also featured in the gallery’s current exhibition The Life of the Mind: Love, Sorrow and Obsession, curated by Bob and Roberta Smith (until 20 March 2011). The ‘Smith’s’ describe Sean’s work as follows: Sean Burn is interested in writing and how the written word can become an iconic image that reflects forceful emotion.
Work by artist Bobby Baker also features in The Life of the Mind. Sean Burn and Bobby Baker hosted an ‘In Conversation’ event last year to celebrate the launch of Outside IN. Together they discussed art, life and the footwear choices of mental health professionals whilst baking a cake!
On Saturday 26 February Bobby Baker will also return to The New Art Gallery Walsall to lead a tour of the exhibition with Bob and Roberta Smith. This event will also take place at 2pm and will complement Sean’s Open Studio event and live performance.
http://www.thenewartgallerywalsall.org.uk/whats-on/event/in-conversationthe-life-of-the-mind
The day promises to be thought provoking, sociable and fun – and a fantastic way to celebrate the success of Sean’s residency and all he has brought to the gallery.
more not losing yr marbles walsall
more not losing yr marbles. walsall is being kept in balance by my helpful balancing of these marbles not allowing them to get lost. the film is available to watch at http://vimeo.com/19972926
Women’s Voices – International Women’s Day Centenary
Saturday 12 March 2011
at The New Art Gallery Walsall
12pm– 4pm
International Women’s Day was first declared in 1910 with the first IWD event held in 1911. 2011 sees 100 years of International Women’s Day having been celebrated around the world. Widespread increased activity is anticipated globally honouring 100 years of International Women’s Day to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women and Walsall could not be the exception!
The New Art Gallery Walsall will once again be hosting a free for all, special event that will include stalls and performers celebrating the International Women’s Day Centenary as part of the We are Walsall programme of events that help people understand each other better.
Performers will include local women from different nationalities, two choirs, singers, dancers, and the event will also feature a visiting women’s co-operative from Kabul who will be selling arts and crafts.
Other stalls will include health checks, mendhi henna hand patterns, African arts, Asian sewing and much more. There will also be a poetry workshop and a pampering room hosted by From Outside to Involvement, a local project working with migrants.
Holding the event together with her warmth and humour will be Mrs Barbara Nice, the region’s most famous comedienne, with her hilarious, no-nonsense brand of comedy.
Come down to the gallery for a fun time celebrating how women from all over the world are part of Walsall, and join us at 2pm in holding hands in solidarity with women who are standing up for their rights all over the world.
The event has been organised by the Creative Development Team and supported by The New Art Gallery Walsall.
Free, everyone welcome!
We are Walsall: events and activities that bring people together and help different people in Walsall understand each other better.
d/rift – new artists booklet from sean burn’s outside in residency
as artist in residence here at walsall new art gallery in association with dash (disability arts in shropshire) i have made an artists booklet available now. you can either download it as a pdf file for free or buy a print on demand copy at cost of paper/package and posting only. its called d / rift and all 60 full-colour pages is available at www.lulu.com/product/paperback/drift/14728770
Love The Sea – Midland Aquaphiliacs
Calling all landlocked Black Country folk…
If you have a picture or postcard of the sea in your house, then we want to hear from you!
Do you have a photo of a favourite family seaside holiday on your wall at home?
Or maybe a postcard from a loved one in Llandudno?
How about a snowglobe from Scarborough?
Artist Jake Oldershaw is looking for Black Country folk to star in their upcoming exhibition. This is your chance to have your portrait taken and displayed in a secret location in the Black Country over the next few months.
To take part or find out more contact jake@theuntiedartists.co.uk by Wednesday 9 February 2011. Open to all aged 16 and over.
Comment > Archive for February, 2011