Monday, 14 July 2014

A site-responsive exhibition exploring abstraction and minimalism : Society of Island Universes

Produced by Lisa Denyer and Michael Thorp

Venue: Unit 4C Piccadilly Place, Manchester
Preview: Thursday 17 July, 6–9pm
Exhibition continues: Thursday 17 July – Sunday 20 July, 1–6pm
Contact: societyofislanduniverses@gmail.com

Through the incorporation of photographic elements, installation, sculptural assemblages, projection and painting, Society of Island Universes explores the ideology behind abstraction. The exhibition brings together practices which demonstrate a strong interest in materiality, each piece of work provoking the viewer to examine and consider their immediate environment.

The title of the exhibition is taken from Aldous Huxley’s The Doors of Perception, making the link between ways of seeing, intuition, and the discovery of new possibilities. We each have specific areas of interest in our interpretation of the world - but can we ever successfully communicate their importance?

Abstraction utilizes processes that can involve highlighting or obscuring. This visual language is ambiguous and open to interpretation, meaning that the resultant work becomes imbued with a multitude of ideas and points of recognition.

Within this exhibition, compositional elements which are not normally given much thought, such as the stretcher of a canvas, or a mark on the surface of a wall, are taken into account. Work is manipulated to expand into the architecture of the space, evidencing elements of the making process. Through responding to site and testing curatorial ideas, dialogues are initiated around flux and fundamental form.

All materials and their implications are considered through complex juxtaposition and comparison. Taking structure and solidity as a starting point, found objects, visuals, textures, colours and varied processes are brought together as mechanisms to represent the nature of transience. Construction and deconstruction take place until a balance is finally struck between what is painstakingly nurtured and what is left to chance.

Friday, 28 February 2014

Fire and Forget - 13.03.2014 The Killing Jar Project - Federation House Manchester

I will be exhibiting new work at the Launch of Federation House on the 13th March BTW 6 and 9pm. The work is about the USA's programme of Drone strikes in Pakistan that is responsible for the deaths of at least 168 children.

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oin us for the official launch of Castlefield Gallery’s New Art Spaces Federation House from 6-9pm on Thursday 13 March..
New Art Spaces is CG’s ‘pop-up’ project spaces initiative offering opportunities for artists, artist groups and artist development agencies. Federation House has been made possible through the generous support of NOMA.
Speeches at 6:30pm on the 6th floor by:
Maria Balshaw (Director, Whitworth and Manchester Art Galleries, and Manchester City Council’s Strategic Lead for Culture)
Alison Clark-Jenkins (Director Combined Arts and North for Arts Council England)
Martyn Hulme (Managing Director Co-operative Estates Co-operative Group)
Exhibitions and open studios on all 8 floors: Lower Ground floor MARS /  Upper Ground floor Curated Place, CSV, DIY Art School, and Lauren Sagar & Sharon Campbell / 1st floor Mark Devereux Projects / 2nd floor Greg May, Molly Smyth, Saoirse Higgins, Julie Del’Hopital, Holly Rowan Hesson & Lisa Denyer, and TEA / 3rd floor Filmonik / 4th floor Roger Bygott, and Charma Force & Rafael Perez (guest exhibition) / 5th floor Sam Meech, Kathryn Miller, Darren Nixon, Huw Wahl, James Bloomfield, and Pool Arts / 6th floor TOAST
- See more at: http://www.castlefieldgallery.co.uk/event/new-art-spaces-federation-house-official-launch/#sthash.lmtcH9GT.dpuf

oin us for the official launch of Castlefield Gallery’s New Art Spaces Federation House from 6-9pm on Thursday 13 March..
New Art Spaces is CG’s ‘pop-up’ project spaces initiative offering opportunities for artists, artist groups and artist development agencies. Federation House has been made possible through the generous support of NOMA.
Speeches at 6:30pm on the 6th floor by:
Maria Balshaw (Director, Whitworth and Manchester Art Galleries, and Manchester City Council’s Strategic Lead for Culture)
Alison Clark-Jenkins (Director Combined Arts and North for Arts Council England)
Martyn Hulme (Managing Director Co-operative Estates Co-operative Group)
Exhibitions and open studios on all 8 floors: Lower Ground floor MARS /  Upper Ground floor Curated Place, CSV, DIY Art School, and Lauren Sagar & Sharon Campbell / 1st floor Mark Devereux Projects / 2nd floor Greg May, Molly Smyth, Saoirse Higgins, Julie Del’Hopital, Holly Rowan Hesson & Lisa Denyer, and TEA / 3rd floor Filmonik / 4th floor Roger Bygott, and Charma Force & Rafael Perez (guest exhibition) / 5th floor Sam Meech, Kathryn Miller, Darren Nixon, Huw Wahl, James Bloomfield, and Pool Arts / 6th floor TOAST
Address: Federation House, Manchester. Corner of Federation St and Balloon St (map)

Federation House has been made possible through the generous support of NOMA.
- See more at: http://www.castlefieldgallery.co.uk/event/new-art-spaces-federation-house-official-launch/#sthash.lmtcH9GT.dpuf

Join us for the official launch of Castlefield Gallery’s New Art Spaces Federation House from 6-9pm on Thursday 13 March..
New Art Spaces is CG’s ‘pop-up’ project spaces initiative offering opportunities for artists, artist groups and artist development agencies. Federation House has been made possible through the generous support of NOMA.
Speeches at 6:30pm on the 6th floor by:
Maria Balshaw (Director, Whitworth and Manchester Art Galleries, and Manchester City Council’s Strategic Lead for Culture)
Alison Clark-Jenkins (Director Combined Arts and North for Arts Council England)
Martyn Hulme (Managing Director Co-operative Estates Co-operative Group)
Exhibitions and open studios on all 8 floors: Lower Ground floor MARS /  Upper Ground floor Curated Place, CSV, DIY Art School, and Lauren Sagar & Sharon Campbell / 1st floor Mark Devereux Projects / 2nd floor Greg May, Molly Smyth, Saoirse Higgins, Julie Del’Hopital, Holly Rowan Hesson & Lisa Denyer, and TEA / 3rd floor Filmonik / 4th floor Roger Bygott, and Charma Force & Rafael Perez (guest exhibition) / 5th floor Sam Meech, Kathryn Miller, Darren Nixon, Huw Wahl, James Bloomfield, and Pool Arts / 6th floor TOAST
Address: Federation House, Manchester. Corner of Federation St and Balloon St (map)
- See more at: http://www.castlefieldgallery.co.uk/event/new-art-spaces-federation-house-official-launch/#sthash.lmtcH9GT.dpuf

Monday, 20 January 2014

MQ-9 UNMANNED REAPER DRONE

MQ-9 Reaper Drone - 2013

UnManned drone strikes by the US have been responsible for the deaths of over 168 children in Pakistan and theYemen. Created for the landfillart project:

landfillart.org/james-bloomfield/

Remote Killing of Civilians

The US has used armed drones in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Libya, Somalia and recently in the Philippines. Over 200 children have already been killed in these strikes since 2004. See The Bureau of Investigative Journalism

There are around 60 military and CIA bases around the world connected to the drone programme and more are being planned.

America’s Secret Empire of Drone Bases

The UK is currently using armed drones in Afghanistan and piloted US drones in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya.

Israel has used armed drones against Syria, Lebanon, Sudan and Palestine

175 children have already been killed by US drones, 160 of them in Pakistan Read more

Despite claims that drone warfare is more precise, a recent study shows that in Afghanistan drone strikes have caused 10 times more civilian casualties than strikes by manned fighter aircraft.

source: Child Victims of War

List of children killed by drone strikes in Pakistan and Yemen:

Compiled from The Bureau of Investigative Journalism reports

PAKISTAN
Name | Age | Gender
Noor Aziz | 8 | male
Abdul Wasit | 17 | male
Noor Syed | 8 | male
Wajid Noor | 9 | male
Syed Wali Shah | 7 | male
Ayeesha | 3 | female
Qari Alamzeb | 14| male
Shoaib | 8 | male
Hayatullah KhaMohammad | 16 | male
Tariq Aziz | 16 | male
Sanaullah Jan | 17 | male
Maezol Khan | 8 | female
Nasir Khan | male
Naeem Khan | male
Naeemullah | male
Mohammad Tahir | 16 | male
Azizul Wahab | 15 | male
Fazal Wahab | 16 | male
Ziauddin | 16 | male
Mohammad Yunus | 16 | male
Fazal Hakim | 19 | male
Ilyas | 13 | male
Sohail | 7 | male
Asadullah | 9 | male
khalilullah | 9 | male
Noor Mohammad | 8 | male
Khalid | 12 | male
Saifullah | 9 | male
Mashooq Jan | 15 | male
Nawab | 17 | male
Sultanat Khan | 16 | male
Ziaur Rahman | 13 | male
Noor Mohammad | 15 | male
Mohammad Yaas Khan | 16 | male
Qari Alamzeb | 14 | male
Ziaur Rahman | 17 | male
Abdullah | 18 | male
Ikramullah Zada | 17 | male
Inayatur Rehman | 16 | male
Shahbuddin | 15 | male
Yahya Khan | 16 |male
Rahatullah |17 | male
Mohammad Salim | 11 | male
Shahjehan | 15 | male
Gul Sher Khan | 15 | male
Bakht Muneer | 14 | male
Numair | 14 | male
Mashooq Khan | 16 | male
Ihsanullah | 16 | male
Luqman | 12 | male
Jannatullah | 13 | male
Ismail | 12 | male
Taseel Khan | 18 | male
Zaheeruddin | 16 | male
Qari Ishaq | 19 | male
Jamshed Khan | 14 | male
Alam Nabi | 11 | male
Qari Abdul Karim | 19 | male
Rahmatullah | 14 | male
Abdus Samad | 17 | male
Siraj | 16 | male
Saeedullah | 17 | male
Abdul Waris | 16 | male
Darvesh | 13 | male
Ameer Said | 15 | male
Shaukat | 14 | male
Inayatur Rahman | 17 | male
Salman | 12 | male
Fazal Wahab | 18 | male
Baacha Rahman | 13 | male
Wali-ur-Rahman | 17 | male
Iftikhar | 17 | male
Inayatullah | 15 | male
Mashooq Khan | 16 | male
Ihsanullah | 16 | male
Luqman | 12 | male
Jannatullah | 13 | male
Ismail | 12 | male
Abdul Waris | 16 | male
Darvesh | 13 | male
Ameer Said | 15 | male
Shaukat | 14 | male
Inayatur Rahman | 17 | male
Adnan | 16 | male
Najibullah | 13 | male
Naeemullah | 17 | male
Hizbullah | 10 | male
Kitab Gul | 12 | male
Wilayat Khan | 11 | male
Zabihullah | 16 | male
Shehzad Gul | 11 | male
Shabir | 15 | male
Qari Sharifullah | 17 | male
Shafiullah | 16 | male
Nimatullah | 14 | male
Shakirullah | 16 | male
Talha | 8 | male

YEMEN
Afrah Ali Mohammed Nasser | 9 | female
Zayda Ali Mohammed Nasser | 7 | female
Hoda Ali Mohammed Nasser | 5 | female
Sheikha Ali Mohammed Nasser | 4 | female
Ibrahim Abdullah Mokbel Salem Louqye | 13 | male
Asmaa Abdullah Mokbel Salem Louqye | 9 | male
Salma Abdullah Mokbel Salem Louqye | 4 | female
Fatima Abdullah Mokbel Salem Louqye | 3 | female
Khadije Ali Mokbel Louqye | 1 | female
Hanaa Ali Mokbel Louqye | 6 | female
Mohammed Ali Mokbel Salem Louqye | 4 | male
Jawass Mokbel Salem Louqye | 15 | female
Maryam Hussein Abdullah Awad | 2 | female
Shafiq Hussein Abdullah Awad | 1 | female
Sheikha Nasser Mahdi Ahmad Bouh | 3 | female
Maha Mohammed Saleh Mohammed | 12 | male
Soumaya Mohammed Saleh Mohammed | 9 | female
Shafika Mohammed Saleh Mohammed | 4 | female
Shafiq Mohammed Saleh Mohammed | 2 | male
Mabrook Mouqbal Al Qadari | 13 | male
Daolah Nasser 10 years | 10 | female
AbedalGhani Mohammed Mabkhout | 12 | male
Abdel- Rahman Anwar al Awlaki | 16 | male
Abdel-Rahman al-Awlaki | 17 | male
Nasser Salim | 19

Monday, 26 November 2012

In Memory 10.11.2012 - The Killing Jar - Installation & Talk

After much planning, emails and butterfly folding I arrived at the Walker Art Gallery to give my artist talk and deliver the workshop. I was welcomed into the bowels of the Gallery and delivered to the resource area by means of the biggest lift I have ever seen. Angelica was on hand to setup the workshop area, and we began to pin the butterflies in preparation for the workshop. The artist talk took place in the main gallery in front of my painting. If you want to find out more about that some of the main topics that I covered are in this interview by Stephen Martin click here

The initial aim of the workshop was to deliver a collaborative installation piece that could be contributed to over the day by members of the general public; it had to have a painted element and reference my entry for the John Moores painting prize. I knew straight away what I wanted to do, and it was a piece that was on my mind for some time.

437 butterflies were folded and painted each one represented a British serviceman or woman who had lost their life in the current afghan conflict. One member of the public said “Its quite sad really when you see how many people have died, the families that have been effected, loved ones lost”.

The final piece is on Display at the Walker art Gallery until the end of the John Moores Painting Prize 5th January 2013.

Thursday, 25 October 2012

The Killing Jar - In Memory - 10.11.2012

I have been asked to give an artist talk on my process and practise at the Walker Art Gallery, this is also to be followed by a workshop examining the concepts behind my entry into this yeas John Moores painting prize.

The talk starts at 12.30 and is a free event, the workshop starts at 2pm or just after the talk till 4pm. The workshop will give people an opportunity to paint or fold a butterfly, or they can contribute by using a piece of their own paper, something that is important or relevant to their own lives.

The workshop is a collaborative installation of 433 folded paper butterflies, a butterfly for each of the British servicemen and women that have lost their lives in the current Afghan conflict. The butterflies are folded from envelopes that have travelled through the postal system.

The installation will be in the resource area next to the John Moores 2012 exhibition. The installation will be on display until January 6th 2013.

More info here: http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/events/
or on the BBC website here: http://www.bbc.co.uk

Thursday, 12 July 2012

John Moores Painting Prize 2012

I am extremely pleased to announce that my painting The Killing Jar - Collateral Damage 14.I.2012 has been selected for this years John Moores Painting prize. I have been entering this competion for the past 12 years and to have a piece selected is a great achievement.

And as an added bonus an image of the paintings appears on the painting prize home page, now not one to normally blow my own trumpet but I think I need to maximise on this opportunity....

To view the 62 exhibitors please click here

Monday, 18 June 2012

Eddie Price a Retrospective 21st June Curatorial Project

Over the past few weeks and months I have been working with fellow artist and friend Eddie Price, we frequently have a tête-à-tête and discuss artists, ideas and a smattering of philosophy. This coming Thursday is an exhibition of his work that I have curated with fellow artist Alison Kershaw. The exhibition is at the AWOL gallery on the fifth floor of Hope Mill, more details below.

Prolific Manchester Artist Edward William Price has been working tirelessly to create his own inimitable style. A blend of traditional woodcuts, graphic arts and xerographic prints form the foundation of a body of work that spans a quarter of a century.

The process starts with an idea or visioning, rooted deeply in the sub-conscious, or found in biomorphic shapes or inspired by the work of another artist. Then through a very laborious and traditional approach the work evolves organically sometimes over numerous drawings and renditions. The finished piece is then transformed through the reproductive process of xerography and worked on further.

A retrospective exhibition of artwork coming this month to the AWOL Gallery at Hope Mill in Ancoats.

Opening night Thursday 21st June 2012 6 – 9pm

Awol Gallery, 5th Floor Hope Mill, 113 Pollard St, Manchester M4 7JA

Exhibition continues Friday 22nd, Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th June 10am till 2pm

and the following weekend Saturday 30th June and Sunday 1st July 10am till 2pm

This exhibition is curated by Alison Kershaw and James Bloomfield

Thursday, 10 May 2012

John Moores Stage 2 2012 ART CRATE CONSTRUCTION

For the past two weeks I have been busy making a display crate for my stage two entry of the John Moores painting prize 2012. I am really happy to have made the cut so far and fingers crossed for actually being accepted into the exhibition.

The team at the John Moores have been extremely helpful, with both Harriet and Richard giving advice and support for the display of what is quite a difficult piece. The work is on re-claimed plasterboard and I have had to make a cradle with split baton and then a display crate to show the piece without it actually being handled.

I did quite a bit of research and finally came up with the following design, I also wanted to include the crate in the artwork and wanted to paint the crate up like an army crate, just to tie in with the painting. I found this wonderful green paint and some great handles. I hand cut some stencils this morning just to add the directions for opening and safe storage

I finally finished the art crate this morning after getting up at 5am to put the finishing touches to it. I am quite pleased with it! I borrowed the LIME arts trusty van and set off to Liverpool to deliver the painting to the back of the World Museum. Here I was greeted by Harriet and Richard and they helped me in with what has become quite a large and heavy piece.

I checked the painting to make sure that the crate had done its job and was relieved to find it all in one piece, I quickly touched up the black frame and handed it over! It is now over to the judges to see if it meets their idea of the best of contemporary painting. Fingers Crossed!

Tuesday, 27 March 2012

Collateral Damage January 2012

This is my entry into this years John Moores painting prize, I will find out on the 6th of April if I have made it through stage 1. I think its important for artists to express how they feel both politically and emotionally through their practise. Too much emphasis is placed on being a successful artist, pandering to public ideals of what they are led to believe is art. Forever trying to hit a brief or capture a market , whats wrong with just creating something just for the pleasure of creating. Entering into the unknown, following an idea through, blindly believing that something worthwhile will appear in front of you.

Some of the easiest paintings I have completed have come this way, but I have been too lacking in confidence to put them out for public viewing, fearing rejection or critical response. Feeling that there should be more too it than merely just creating something.

Recently I have been working with a new emerging artist who has taken Art for what it is, enjoyment, he has tackled his feelings, past, and present and exploded these into being with any possible means. His shear creativity and fearless approach has been truly inspirational, and I credit this piece to working with him over the past 18 months. He too has entered something for the competition something quite outlandish , something that I can't even begin to comprehend; but does this matter, just the fact that its in the mix, is enough.

So together we are waiting for the 6th of April, me quietly, cynically, hoping and my good friend outrageously optimistic, well maybe just quietly oblivious, if it gets in so be it, if not it doesn't really matter. The important thing being that we created honestly and with vigour.

Tuesday, 28 February 2012

JOHN MOORES 2012 "Collateral Damage"

This years entry for the John Moores painting prize is part of my on going project the Killing Jar. The piece was first conceived when I saw the footage of Collateral Murder released from Wiki-Leaks, Jukian Assange.

The painting is on re-claimed plasterboard and uses household paint, the piece represents a still taken from the infra-red camera footage where 15 people were killed by American forces. By using everyday familiar, DIY items, I wanted to highlight the fact of how de-sensitized we are becoming to such events and how they are becoming the fabric of everyday life.

BIOGRAPHY

James Bloomfield (b.1977) lives and works in Manchester, UK. He Studied Art at Manchester Metroploitan University a. Since then he has exhibited his work both nationally and internationally. Selected group exhibitions include: 2014 Fire and Forget Federation House - Manchester, 2013 Landfillart Project - Pennsylvania, USA, 2012 In Memory The Walker Gallery - Liverpool, 2010 The Killing Jar AWOL Studios - Manchester.

In 2012 Bloomfield was selected for the John Moores Painting Prize and was also Artist in Residence for Lime arts. In 2014 Bloomfield was awarded Grants for the Arts funding by Arts Council England for Research and Development of new work and professional devlopment.

Bloomfield is an associatew member of Mark Devereux Projects and Castlefield Gallery Manchester.