Fighting Resistance WW1 - Artist Residency at Salford Museum and Art Gallery & Working Class Movement Library

I am pleased to announce that I have received Arts Council funding for a new project working with Salford Museum and Art Gallery and the Working Class Movement Library. I will be Artist in Residence as part of an open Network Residency with access to both institutions with the aim of creating a new body of work for public exhibition.

 The project is based on a contemporary artistic response to the World War I centenary looking at Conscientious Objectors, War profiteering, War resistance and Shame Propaganda. I will have access to the Pilkington Tile and Pottery archive which is now part of the Salford Museum and Art Gallery collection.

 As part of this year long project I will be working with Mark Devereux Projects,  and also partnering with Castlfield Galleries New Art Spaces Churchgate House in Bolton where I have a great studio space to work from.

 The exciting thing about the project is that it is research driven and there are no pre-conceptions about the artwork that will be created. This gives me freedom to follow my muse and artistic process, to create a contemporary response to World War I.

Research has started to day with the arrival of two great books, The Pot Book by Edmund De Waal - an A-z guide of over 300 makers, schools and styles throughout history and Comrades in Conscience by Cyril Pearce - The story of an English community's opposition to the Great War.


This blog will be used to document the project as it develops

"Just Do It" I hear America Singing - Selected for the Aesthetica Art Prize 2016

 

I am pleased to announce that I have been longlisted out of over 3,000 entries from artists working in 67 countries worldwide for the ninth Aesthetica Art Prize. The longlist comprises 90 artists working in a range of media, whose selected pieces are published in the AestheticaArt Prize Annual: Future Now 2016.

The piece selected is a pit fired ceramic American Civil War revolver hovering over a nike shoe box.

Inspired by the Walt Whitman poem "I hear America Singing" the artwork references Americas frontier past and optimism of the time, in contrast to the way the West was won and its current political situation and self appointed role policing the world. Just Do It "I hear America singing" uses an ancient pit-firing techniques used by the Native Americans and the industrial process of mould making to create a ceramic revolver, combined with a reclaimed object that symbolises the capitalist/consumerist aspirations of America.

Hosted by Aesthetica Magazine, an international art and culture publication with a global readership of 311,000, the prize is a major annual event for British and international artists.
 

The award presents a platform for creatives to engage with a wider audience through the publication, and it also hosts an exhibition for 10 shortlisted artists at York St Mary’s, York, UK, from 14 April to 29 May. Images of the longlisted works will also be shown on monitors in the gallery.

The book Future Now enables readers to explore the 100 captivating projects from the shortlist and longlist through images and artists’ statements. A series of critical essays also feature, offering contextualisation in mapping current trends in today’s visual culture. We hear from John Keane, Artist and Aesthetica Main Prize Winner in 2015; Sarah Coulson, Curator at Yorkshire Sculpture Park; Vanessa Corby, Senior Lecturer, Fine Art, at York St John University, and Chris Littlewood, Photography Director at Flowers Gallery.

Cherie Federico, Director of the Aesthetica Art Prize says: “We are thrilled with this year’s selection, which offers a window onto cutting-edge practice from around the world. The works explore how we inhabit the earth and engage with some of today’s most pressing topics, from ecological concerns to transitions in urbanisation and developments in technology.”

The Tetra Pact - new work in progress

Tetra Pact 2016 - work in progress slip cast terracotta, pit-fired in pine needles, re-claimed furniture, straw, wood shavings, cardboard and pallets.

Here are a few images of some of my latest ideas - I havejust finished reading The McDonaldisation of Society by George Ritzer and Conversations before the end  of time by Suzi Gablik and thinking a lot about climate change and the impact on the world that such large corporations are having and the choices we make as consumers. The work is looking at the basic principles of material and creation of a useful container and then transposing this into a society that has a blatent disregard for its actions, and the impact of this upon the planet.

"Since the aseptic packages contain different layers of plastic and aluminium in addition to raw paper, they cannot be recycled as "normal" paper waste, but need to go to special recycling units for separation of the different materials

Tetra Pak cartons have been criticized for being more difficult to recycle than tin cans and glass bottles.The difficulty lies in the fact that the process demands specific recycling plants that are not easily accessible and that if not recycled, they end up in landfill. Tetra Pak has stated that it is currently working on joint ventures with local governments around the world to increase the number of recycling facilities" -source wikipedia

Work Selected for ON PHOTOcopy part of Fringe Arts Bath

My work "I hear America Singing" has been selected for the Exhibition ON PHOTOcopy which will explore themes of displacement at Baths 44AD artspace as part of the Fringe Arts Bath. 

This event is part of the Bristol/Bath arts weekender and there’s lots going so why not make a weekend of it.

The 44AD events are listed on the flyer attached or to  find out more visit

http://www.44ad.net/on-photocopy-exhibition.html

http://www.artweekender.com/

http://www.fringeartsbath.co.uk/

Bury My Heart - Art Vend Oriel Wrecsam - Pit firing Ceramics

I have been selected to take part in this years Artvend organised by Oriel Wrecsam. The project was to create an artwork in a multiple of 50 that could fit into a capsule of 80mm. The capsules are to be distributed in vending machines up and down the country and the artworks are £1 each. I loved the idea instantly and was very happy to be selected.

The work I created was called Bury My Heart and contained 50 slip cast civil war bullets of six different designs. The bullets were my response to the 1890 massacre of Wounded Knee where American Troops killed 350 unarmed civilians 50 of which ere women and children.


The bullets were made in a production line and each imprinted with my initials - as was the tradition when creating bullets in this period. The bullets were then hand finished and fired in a pit using various materials including straw, salt, seaweed and a number of different metal oxides and carbonates. The fire burnt overnight and I excitedly looked at the results the following morning.

Once the bullets had cooled down and been cleaned up I began to see ho each one had reacted differently to the fire in relation to its placement and with regard the combustibles that surrounded it.

 The bullets were all photographed and catalogued individually and I have created a limited edition print about the project that is available to buy on my website click here to view

More details to follow on the exact venues of the machines - I will update the info on my website please click here to view 

More Info an Art Vend including location of Machines here 

I Hear America Singing 2015

"I Hear America Singing "
Multiples 2015 version 0.01 Illustrated above
Slip Cast Pit fired Colt Single Action Army Revolver, Nike Shoe Box
 

I am exhibiting new work at the Pool Arts exhibition "Dreaming of New York" at Horsefall space Gt Ancoats Street until 19th July. The piece "I Hear America Singing " comprises of a slip cast pit fired Peacekeeper Revolver and a Nike show box. The version in the exhibition is embedded with screws inspired by African Nginki fetish dolls.

"I Hear America Singing "
Multiples 2015 version 0.02 Illustrated above
Slip Cast Pit fired Colt Single Action Army Revolver, Screws, Nails, Rivets

Walt Whitman, 1819 - 1892

I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,

Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong,

The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,

The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,

The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck,

The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands,

The wood-cutter’s song, the ploughboy’s on his way in the morning, or at noon intermission or at sundown,

The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing,

Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else,

The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly,

Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.

more information about the exhibition here 

Horsfall Space at 42nd Street Based on Great Ancoats Street, 
Horsfall is under renovation in this innovative historic quarter
42nd Streetthe SPACE, 87-91 Great Ancoats Street, Manchester, M4 5AG

Upcoming Exhibitions July 4th 2015 - Dreaming of New York - MANIFEST

I will be exhibiting new work at the "Dreaming of New York" exhibition at Horsefall space on the 4th July 2015. The exhibition runs for three weeks and is open Thursdays to Sundays 2 - 5pm.

My Dreaming of New York examines the American love affair with firearms technology contrasted with the most ancient and universal techniques of making pots.

It is also part of MANIFEST manchesters alternative Arts Festival.

Pool Arts featuring Penny Arcade

The CIA and Abstract Expressionism? A Situationist-style Derive of Ancoats? surreal Elvis? Queer Culture?

Visit Horsfall Space at 42nd street during Manchester International Festival and see Pool Arts art exhibition on the links between Art / Manchester and New York City.

Join us for special events, meet the fabulous Penny Arcade and enjoy an Independence Day Barbecue and  our famous bagels!

Where

Horsfall Space at 42nd Street Based on Great Ancoats Street, Horsfall is under renovation in this innovative historic quarter,

87-91 Great Ancoats Street
Manchester
M4 5AG

A creative hub for 42nd Street, a charity supporting young people under stress. Opening in April 2016 and housing our creative programme.
Manchester | UK

more info here Pool Arts

MANIFEST

UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS June 19th 2015 - Notting Hill Art Club

 

I will be exhibiting a text piece as part of Broken Grey Wires in London this June at Notting Hill Art Club , the piece was first shown in Federation House and has since then had a number of different appearances and mutations.

Broken Grey Wires 'Make Windows Where There Are Walls'

Broken Grey Wires
'Make Windows Where There Are Walls' : a Live Wires Opening Event. 

A five week arts exhibition exhibiting artists;

Lizz Brady 
Kier Cooke Sandvik 
Paul Digby
Lizzie Dunn 
James Bloomfield
Simon Mawdsley
The opening night for the show is Friday 19th June from 6pm onwards beginning with the exhibition private view and following on with music featuring performances from Petrol Girls and Kitten Pyramid and a DJ set by Madame X and Lazy Susan.

Visit the BROKEN GREY WIRES blog for more info or Notting Hill Art Club here

Art Monthly May 2015 issue no 386 - small write up

 

Its nice to appear in this months Art Monthly with a small write up on the New Art Spaces: OPEN HOUSE at Federation House by Eleanor Clayton.

OPEN HOUSE - Federation House 2015 March 26th

"How Mindfuckingly difficult it is to be an artist and how you should say thankyou to the next artist you meet for sacrificing his/her sanity in pursuit of an artistic dream ideology in a corrupt and impenetrable system"
Mixed media 2015
Budgerigar case, adidas samba trainers, sunflower seeds