SLESP

I've been collaborating on a project in the virtual Eastside Projects in Second Life that Michael Takeo Magruder has been developing with them. Myself, Antonio Roberts and some students from BIADs MA Digital Arts in Performance have been using the space and the virtual objects left there to explore the possibilities for this kind of exhibition.

My slot has been this week, and I've taken phrases that suggest control, persuasion and compliance from Liam Gillick's plays (that are being performed for his exhibition in the RL space), and scripted them into objects for avatars to sit in.

I'm interested in whether we can use this rather structured environment to produce new relations, so feel free interact with any other avatars you see, perhaps responding to the space, the phrases, or the context.

It would help me if you could document your visit somehow, maybe take a snapshot and forward the chat log, if you get time you could make a few notes about your response.

This link takes you to the door of the main virtual Eastside Projects, assuming you have Second Life set up on your computer, and you need to walk along the wall to get to the 'twin' space where we've been doing things.
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Transitional%20Space/140/133/51

My SL name: Ana Vemo






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EP:VV

Changing Room
23 November 2009 - 23 January 2010

Changing Room is an evolving mixed-reality installation that considers the mutability and reusability of artefacts, concepts and situations in the Digital Age. Lead artist Michael Takeo Magruder will collaborate with Extra Special People artists Ana Benlloch, Iona Makiola, Antonio Roberts, Lee Scott, Zhao Wei and Selma Wong to develop a new collaborative space.

Blending the shared virtual environment of Second Life with the shared physical environment of Eastside Projects, the artwork will facilitate the realisation, curation and documentation of seven distinct - yet interrelated - art projects arising from a common pool of virtual and physical resources.

Experience the artwork's physical component at Eastside Projects alongside Liam Gillick's Two Short Plays, a new solo exhibition (27 November 2009 to 23 January 2010) and the virtual environment in Second Life). For further information please visit: www.takeo.org.

Changing Room is an experimental prototype for EP:VV (Eastside Projects: Virtualised and Visualised) - a new space for imagining ideas about Art. EP:VV will develop online, multi-user virtual worlds that afford new models for participation and representation of the gallery's artworks and initiatives. For more information about EP:VV and its ongoing development, visit: www.eastsideprojects.org or email info@eastsideprojects.org

Ever felt there’s something missing in your life?

The Event is upon us and we'll be spending the next 5 days changing our name every 6 hours, wearing hand decorated dungarees, playing thought-stopping games, eating brightly coloured food, asking questions, strengthening our Dantien, collective dreaming, strumming red, yellow, green and blue ukuleles, finding portals, calling rainbows, going to the top, chanting punk meditation, making friends, sleeping in pods, giving out flowers, love-bombing, and having all the fun we can cram into the day.

Want to join us?

http://theotherplaceportal.net/family/

Parfyme Backpack Factory

Met up with Parfyme again (We'd been in their Tent Show, and Pelle was part of Red Line Surveillance - building the mini bus shelter that's still there). They've been doing a Residency in Loughborough for Radar.

They travelled around the campus and further afield, getting "Ideas" in a custom made rucksack/mailbox - they were deliberately vague about what this meant, but when pressed said that perhaps something to do with public spaces would be good. They then took some of these ideas for activities on their current residency, and they may also feed into future work However, there was also an interesting suggestion that what they were really doing was to encourage people from a particular place to discuss what they thought would benefit them and if some people agreed, give them a push toward working on it together. Rather than being there to "fix" things, they were a kind of catalyst that could activate an area and encourage further public engagement.



This is from a set of photos up on Flickr of them exchanging Danish Sausage for ideas.

They came over to Birmingham for a couple of days, braving the snow to gather ideas around the Ikon, Brindleyplace and Digbeth, I didn't manage to see any of the things people suggested, but think it's a really good thing to just ask people to consider their environment in a different way, to change the course of someone's working routine, their train of thought. Whether any of the specific ideas get implemented is not the point for me, but instead that we start to realise we can work together to improve public spaces, and always be coming up with new ideas.



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Parfyme website

Re:Flux (Part One)

Just a quick reminder about Re:Flux, which is on tonight in the Jewellery Quarter (details below). It's part of the Vivid Flux Festival and features artists reinterpreting original Fluxus scores and writing their own to be performed by other members of the group, so the focus is more on the sharing of ideas, building on others' work and adding to it. Should be loads of fun and plenty of free apples.

We'll be attempting to live update with photos and texts, and asking the audience to join in, so could be an interesting experience, do follow along and join in if you're there.

Re:Flux Fluxconcert
Co-curated by a.a.s. and Ensemble Interakt
Friday 27th June 2008, 5pm - 9pm (late arrivals admitted)
St. Pauls Church, 30 St. Pauls Square, Birmingham. B4 1QJ
Tickets £3/£2 (Concessions)

Re:Flux Flickr page
a.a.s. Re:Flux pages
aas Twitter

we.assimilate

Here are some images and video of the Insectoid performance we did a few weeks ago in a double bill with Tai Shani. Performers on the night were me (Ana Benlloch), Alex Marzeta, David Miller, Paul Newman, Vanessa Page, Antonio Roberts, Stuart Tait and Vickie Wood.

There were lots of glitches with technology, as usual, but the beauty of doing something like this is that the mask covers most of your emotions, and everything seems like it's intentional. This is probably the most successful performance we've done, and although I'm not a fan of such a theatrical layout and setting, there's lots we can take from it for the future.

If that's whetted your appetite, here's the video in 2 parts:





And links if you can't get the embedded versions
we.assimilate (part 1)
we.assimilate (part 2)

More on Insectoid's YouTube channel

Insectoid website

Insectoid! Last.FM page

The Nagual

a.a.s. performance at Crowd 6 Christmas event Mistletoe and Mingling. We dressed in festive red velvet and decorations then chanted as we went around a Christmas tree. At the appointed time, we pulled our tinsel entrails out of our stomachs, and started to wrap them around the tree. Spent, after the extertion of the ritual we fell to the floor, then we crawled off, only our animal spirit left. The tree remained all night, dripping 'blood' as a reminder of our sacrifice.

Here's a link to the YouTube video if the embed doesn't work
Larger versions of photos on the a.a.s. Flickr page

I AM The Great Grock

We (a.a.s.) did a performance at the Royal Standard Turner Prize Extravaganza protesting against our own inclusion in the show as an homage to The Stuckists, who protest against the Turner Prize most years (but not this year)

Here's a link to the YouTube video if the embed doesn't work
Larger photos on the a.a.s. Flickr page

Artober

A lot of my friends have been down in London over the last few days schmoozing at parties for the Frieze and Zoo Art Fairs, little knowing that the event of the weekend was right here in the Midlands: The launch night of the Artober Festival in Leicester.

The incomparable Richard Peel did a solo proto-ballet, miming Club Silencio-style to a recording of his own voice and songs (can you imagine how postmodern that was?). If I sound like I'm mocking it, it's only 'cos I'm so jealous of his genius. If you missed it, you're a fool, buy his book to try to make up for it. Yes that's a cardboard guitar he's playing.

Cheesy compere Dave from Metro-Boulot-Dodo asked us to come up with even worse puns than the name of the festival, I came up with loads, including my favourite: Whoregust - a summer festival celebrating the oldest profession.

During this, Phil Henderson heckled Dave with the killer line "What about Goth?" a propos of nothing, then did a compelling keyboard set of drones and repetitions. It was constantly teasing the edge of being painful: Phil's expression switched from absorbed masochism to serene sadism and back again.

At one point you could just about hear him say "Goth" in the middle of some inhuman whines and muttering. The joys of delayed gratification.

Fierce Launch

Went to the opening party for Fierce, there was a big queue for the party, they let people in a block at a time and then we all had queue again for our one free drink, Although somehow, Jo got two, the little party animal

It was Charlie's birthday bash, here she is eating cake with Caitlin, later we all danced ourselves silly as there was nothing else to do there except watch the fish behind the bar

larger pics on this Flickr page

... So Sad

Went to this exhibition opening at the Guy Hilton Gallery, 35 Fournier Street, London E1 6QE

It was curated by Mark McGowan with works from Brian Catling, the Centre of Attention, JJ Charlesworth, Sacha Craddock, Richard Dedomenici, Sarah Doyle, TheFucks, Marcia Farqhuar, Andrew Hunt, Mark McGowan, Harry Pye, Will Self, Bob and Roberta Smith, Stella Vine, Jessica Voorsanger.

The main draw of the show was Mark McGowan supposedly eating a swan, as a protest against the Queen (all his work courts the media, trying to be provocative and essentially making video art using their technology)





The rest of the 'swan' was offered to the audience, they could have some marmalade with it too



There were plenty more art offerings, exploring the title of the show in different ways. Smashed pot held together with sellotape and Centre of Attention's floral tribute



Flag made by Andy Hunt, based on a real flag he took a photo of at a Luton football match. He got the flag for free after the World Cup, apparently. Also a video by the guy dressed as a dog called 'Peanut Buddha', note Slade poster in background



Other stuff down in the basement, like this little Cyclops painting hidden in an alcove, a pinball machine covered in cut outs from magazines



Will Self was doing some kind of counselling, didn't get close enough to hear what it was all about as he was very popular



Another one of Mark's celebrity friends is Bob and Roberta Smith, who included some paintings and possibly a sign over the door that said this was the best gallery in the world



This guy was great, he tried to introduce himself to us a few times, but I've forgotten his name. He had a dog's head too. A costume one, not a real one or anything.



Another thing Andy Hunt did was give an old painting he did when he was 17, and it was shown along with a letter of explanation



Mark McGowan's site

There's usually plenty of press about his stuff, here's some I found online from Friday Cities and Times Online

And, if you want larger versions of pictures go to our Flickr page

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NEW: One of the artists, Sarah Doyle, has some photos of the show on her Flickr page about So Sad