Another Halloween Post

I'm sure you know all about the Bacchanalian orgy that is the annual Ikon Eastside closing party, and this years' coincided with Halloween. Double Trouble. Seven inch provided their usual high quality films and audio (although the acoustics in the warehouse didn't do any favours).

Unfortunately, I didn't get in to Scott's performance/installation, which is a shame as I'd have probably enjoyed it. (I hear it was based on Poe's fear of being buried alive)

Here are a few snaps to add to all those on Facebook and elsewhere.

Being & Drunken Boat

I've been struggling to get to blog, so thought I'd put these two shows together, a quick comparison perhaps.

Being by Damián Ortega at Ikon Eastside

Smooth, buttery curls of locally sourced copper rolls, some were slightly lost in the large space, but a couple of pieces were strong on their own. Perhaps it would have been nice to see a Tate Britain Turbine Hall treatment, with a vast sea of copper filling the space. There was also a video by Ortega of typewriters crashing to the ground, which seemed unconnected, but there may have been some reference to the passing of outdated technology and industry.

Drunken Boat at Colony

Casey & McAree's Fucked Arc dominates this show (a curatorial intervention across the 2 rooms at COLONY, creating a version in cardboard of Richard Serra’s Tilted Arc). I'd heard it was going to be even more awkward to get around, but they'd left a gap to get to the loo (too kind of them in my opinion)

Most of the sculpture was fairly lo-fi, humerous work, although Grex Cox's formica clad furniture (right, above) had a slightly more self-contained presence to it.

These exhibitions are examples of the current popularity of sculpture in Birmingham, despite having different ways of approaching the form, they share a slight sadness at their heart, as if responding to loss and impotence. I'm not sure if I prefer the fairly formal, traditional approach of Being with its subtle references to local industry; or the more overt use of populist imagery and familiar materials in Drunken Boat. I can't help but think that the return to an interest in objects is a sign of the increasing retreat to more commercial possibilities in the current art climate, and I hope that there will still be a place for works that challenge people to change what is going on around them, not just mourn it.

Larger versions on my Flickr page

Le Déjeuner Sur L’Herbe

The Please Excuse Our Appearance residencies & Jacques Nimki's closing party was a picnic on the field at Ikon Eastside. "Smart dress required.”

Ikon Eastside Picnic

Didn't get many pics of this as my battery died, but there was loads of stuff going on at Eastside Green and in Curzon Street station.

Captain Ed was a shiny white clad master of ceremonies, introducing all kinds of sea themed loveliness including many shanties:



and David the mer-man read out a story that I didn't hear but the text can be found on his website



Richard did a solo proto-ballet which was ace as usual too.

Laundry's performance of standing around and then making strange, slightly Tai Chi movements was a bit like a communist dance cell



Later on we did an Insectoid audio performance, a few hitches but made kids stare which is always great, video here

And randomly, these are The Destroyers who were quite a hit with the public, they were in the seven inch cinema event the night before and the room was rammed



Larger pictures on my Flickr page

Only the Lonely...

Ikon opening and launch party at Eastside, featuring Clippetyclop, a 'Country and Deafness' band featuring Aaron Williamson.



I got pissed and danced like a loon to their crazy covers, then ended up giving shoulder rubs to loads of people, god knows why.

Project 99

Project 99 was a performance event that took place on the four Saturdays before Christmas 2004. Two art groups competed to sell the most artists' multiples from the back of ice cream vans. Each team selected 9 works, and 99 copies of each multiple were made. All items were priced at 99p, and made by professional artists.

The performances took place at Ikon, Brindleyplace, Birmingham every weekend, as well as other locations around Birmingham:

The Mailbox - 27th November
Craft Market, Lower New Street - 4th December
The Custard Factory - 11th December
mac, Cannon Hill Park - 18th December

27/11/04 a.a.s.	04/12/04 a.a.s.	04/12/04 d.o.T.b.
11/12/04 a.a.s.	18/12/04 a.a.s.	18/12/04 d.o.T.b.

more on Project 99