down by the water front

Had A Good Day

 

To have had a good day....

That’s what we all hope for when we head toward the land of nod. The hope that whatever we wanted to accomplish, discuss, start or finish has generated a positive rather than a negative reaction or thought. This is always good.

However, after watching the aftermath, of the aftermath of the aftermath discussions from the recent #rank visit to Miami, I began to pick up on something about the meaning of positive and negative argument that wasn't altogether obvious (to me) during this latest event.

After witnessing the #class debates held back in February my initial overall impression (viewing from a twitter/stream holed-up in the sticks in the UK) was that of admiration: That a group of artists could get together and discuss – yes vehemently discuss, coherently, problems and the possible solutions to real obstacles that artists face. The very fact that these things were being discussed and bandied about with people who in a lot of cases were perpetrators of those obstacles made me feel things were at last being dealt with.

#Rank too, for me was an event taken further into context within the fringe of the Miami Art Fair – a discussion centred around Art Fairs foibles ; a juxtaposition of interests set squarely in amongst the 4-day window of commerce opportunity that is Art Basle Miami, literally cheek by jowl. The event was later digested in a re-meet-up at Ed Winkleman’s Gallery, again streamed and twitter-linked for a post #rank, post #class discussion. And subsequent further discussions were then taken on-line in the days that followed.

Here is Jennifer Dalton's #rank was... posted a few days after Miami; the reply was also interesting.

And Feeling Rank Part Three by William Powhida (check One & Two also)

The main difference that I noticed with the current debate, and what I first saw in #class was an upfront no-holds barred discussion at #class by what seemed to be, to coin a phrase Angry New Yorkers as opposed to, say, coining another phrase Whinging Brits. A mixed crowd of people with both passionate and vested interests in art. The post #rank discussion was not seen as so vibrant by those present; admittedly it was only a three hour slot as opposed to a month long series of events as with #class or even the four day window at #rank. And true, those present were also pretty much already on-board with the #class #rank idea so any argument was more on the lines of differing views on a similar theme.

But the energy to discuss for me was still obviously present. So I was surprised to hear that maybe people were being too polite? – holding back from what they really felt.

I then witnessed an on-line twitter discussion about ideology connected with public art institutions, private art collections, funding and government. In which one wider opinion was put very strongly about communism being the only way forward – so strongly I could only think they were playing devil's advocate in order to drum up some sort of black and white yes-it-is-no-it-isn’t argument. The I’m right you’re wrong that tends to offer no compromise or no solution. Albeit in the finality of a glaring spotlight with black and white clarity.


Still, ineffective politeness and ineffective aggravated debate aside, I do agree that the next set of discussions need to include many voices, like the first hashtag class, with a wide variety of people involved in art and its business. In order to thrash out ideas.

But also, in order for ##rank (hashtag rank 2?) to evolve further this inclusion should have more artists from further afield  to air what must be very differing views and circumstances?. Like the hands-on at Miami with those who could travel distances and those who were local.

Art is a wide community who’s only defining definition is that of the name Artist. The only thing we have in common. And by default the only thing we have to focus on and invoke a-give-a-damn about what happens to a catchall term that describes our actions.
 
Actions which can be at once either clipped, censored, chopped and or misrepresented seemingly at whim, or left largely unnoticed - be it good art or bad. While being so unregulated when the cash hits the counter it counts for everything or nothing on a similar whimsical scale.

Regulation in the business of art is sadly lacking and the balance of public opinion is more often than not hoisted upon whichever artist of the day is ruffling enough feathers or causing offense. No doubt the offended would prefer a proposed regulation for the license of artists in order to keep the profession unencumbered by *rogue traders*. An oxymoron for the overall meaning of art.

But a clear indication for artists and those looking to understand its ambiguities would do no harm. Business practice too needs an unambiguous clarity:

Structures for a code of ethics for Art Councils, Galleries (public or private) and the business of art needs clarity in order for the art *community* to feel enthusiasm and confidence to nurture and become wholly involved - to give a damn. And not be divided by the ambiguous carrot and stick of the Art Market.

 

One thing that is screaming out at me from the hashtag events so far is the necessity to lose the inhibitive politeness and speak our minds. Solutions take time but not the attitude to address them, and with that rigorous and informed argument.

And so #class and #rank, overall I found, whether month long, four day or three hours, equates with having a bloody good day in my book! 

Let it grow!        

 

The Understanding of Class (The Frost Report 1966)

 

Substitute any of these?:

Art and business, Art and accessibility, Art and class?

In the context of the above noticed this from Gaping Void,...When *dumb* people make money, *smart* people (who make less) get very resentful.

Back next Thursday !

In the meantime Laura Isaac is performing the Tonglen Project PREVIEW: Friday January 7th, 2011 7:00 - 10:00 PM Eastern : Join in !!! as this project is reaching out far and near by proxy email/tweets with a group based project.

 

The Tonglen Project will be a community-based art event.

At least 3 experienced Tonglen practitioners including myself will assemble in a given space for a minimum of 3 hours to do Tonglen meditation. (The meditators will take breaks as necessary but there will always be at least one practitioner on the cushions at all times.)

  The meditators will wear all white and sit on white cushions.

  All visitors to the space will be provided with a black marker so that they can write those things which are causing them pain directly onto the meditators or cushions.

  Extra cushions will be made available so that anyone who wishes to join in the meditation may do so. These “spontaneous” meditators will not be written on.

The Tonglen Project will debut during the opening of Laura Isaac's January show at VALA Gallery.

 

 

And Platea are starting their Project Vlll Tree-Blogging this Monday 10th ; I recommend all who wish to participate take a peek at the idea!

Schrödinger's Cat

 

 

 

We’ve had a steady stream of end-of-year-best-of, top-ten lists and awards for entertainment from film to tv shows to music. And just as with any list or award process, unless set in a polling booth scenario, the people involved with sorting the list are usually heavily involved and or heavily interested. Polls and figures whether drawn from box office statistics, viewing figures or downloading stats, all attempt to offer a comprehensive overview in shifting patterns of public taste.

Well, one does hope so. This does tend to work for entertainment, because in general, the public are also pretty in tune with what’s going on.

Then there is Art.

In the 80’s the Turner Prize was realised by a group of committee members connected with the Tate; The Friends of The Tate, the PNA. This was post seventies and post Carl Andre's *Pile of Bricks*. When art was entering into a far less conceptual era.

Cartoon as appeared in The Daily Mail in 1979 : interpretation of Equivalent Vlll

The idea of a prize for artistic endeavour though was always headed in the direction of a rocky reception:

 
Aside from all the discussion about the new penchant for expressionist art being manipulated or encouraged to raise a flagging art market. And lifting Turners (sacred) name for a prize not connected with his original concept. Plus it being based on the successful literary prize format, The Booker, which was all about readership and sales. And the worrisome untimely coincidence of a Tate exhibition largely contributed to by *Labour isn’t Working * campaign advertiser Charles Saatchi with his collection of Julian Schnabel (9 out of the 11 pictures shown were Saatchi’s).

The PNA had suggested the idea of a prize and in so were changing the state of play for a Public Art Institution, who were wanting to change style but were still held back from making any firm decisions as to how. By the simple fact the committee had many differing views about which direction to follow or if indeed whether to change at all.

Max Gordon initially suggested the idea of an annual prize, maybe with TV company collaboration like Channel Four. Alan Bowness a founder member of the PNA instigated the idea to follow the lines of The Booker and, later, an anonymous sponsor offered  £10,000 prize money for three years.

The anonymous sponsor, because of the anonymity was then subject to a lot of theories about relevant sponsorship and funding.

The sponsor was in fact Oliver Prenn, who was also a founder member of the PNA and also successful in business. He didn’t want press coverage, and agreed that his name or brand should not be included in the title of the prize.

Giving the cash was enough.

Now, whether the basic idea of ever offering a Prize for art is in your remit of ethics, and it certainly wasn’t with some: The KLF and their K Foundation made a point of showing the Turner Prize in all its glory by creating The Worst Artist of the Year Award, which had the same artist shortlist as that years Turner. I seem to remember Rachel Whiteread sort of forced herself to accept the prize money on offer from the KF, on the grounds that if not Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty were going to burn the cash – she gave it to charity.

One The K Foundation's Adverts

 

 

In short, out of this turbulence of mixed public-private sponsorship funding and change. Especially with the backdrop of monopolistic tendencies from non government sources being leapt upon by critics concerned about the (the very real) complete demise of public funding through the government (a Conservative policy preference for private sector involvement on every level and political hot potato).

 

And whatever your views on what the Turner Prize has become, its beginning was certainly unique for its time:

The dynamics of a few people and the hands off approach to sponsorship created an almost Schrödinger's Cat scenario for the inception of this particular prize for art. It certainly wasn’t without its critics and never was perfect, but it came close.

Government funding, private sponsorship; power structures and committees all have their imbalance of favour. Buffers of committees and councils can go some way to halt meddling.

But a couple of people drawn by the dynamics of a situation and the ability not to look into the metaphorical box and alter the outcome, is as close as it gets maybe.

I’m thinking even Bill and Jimmy might agree on that dynamic!.

 

 

Back next Thursday 6th January with a round-up of the #class post #rank  debate livestream from 6pm-9 EST Thursday 30th:  teleconference info here .

You don't have to have previous knowledge nor indeed been involved before, just a passion for art, and a willingness to join in and help offer solutions from wherever you are based.
 

So Glad You Came

Art Basel Miami (A Posh Supermarket Sweep – did I say that?)

 

 

#Rank at Seven

#Rank Miami was with Winkleman Gallery  at Seven

which included :

* Pierogi Gallery
* Hales Gallery
* Ronald Feldman Fine Arts
* BravinLee programs
* Postmasters Gallery
* P·P·O·W
* Winkleman Gallery

I didn’t go, obviously, as I joined in the “Sorry I Couldn’t Be There” video along with many, who, also for various reasons didn’t go either (be it demographics, work, commitments and or cost). In hindsight I wish I had gone!  Reasons: Specifically for #Rank. Explanation below;

Those who did manage to gave a vivid array of tweets, blog posts and photographs all documenting the atmosphere of what seemed to be an incomprehensibly large art fair from where I was, back in chilly UK, with my monitor and a few online-guides to whats-on. But even if you have visited the likes of Frieze etc. I get the idea this is BIG.

The reason I was drawn to finding out about this hitherto (for me) unknown event apart from its name, was #Class. This came onto my radar last February through a chance tweet. A brilliant month long gallery and internet based discussion about art, focused on blowing away the myths of the more delicately avoided subjects within the art world hierarchy, like exclusivity, class, gender, inside-deals and general unaccountability. You name it – it was discussed and may I say very inclusively.

So, this is the atmosphere of Art Basel Miami as seen through the eyes of people predominantly visiting the Seven space. Whom I either *know* through the #Class event, or wider arts in general, like Hales Gallery London, who were also part of this years group of Seven.

 
A teeny bit of context here: The history of Art Basel Miami Beach is relatively recent (2002) compared to its parent 1970’s inception, Art Basel Switzerland. And it also has a more by-the-beach quality, it  has a lot of moneyed visitors, or at least it shows it more by those who would, with things like Rolls Royce and Mercedes (in a high viz ostentation-transport kind of way). I guess a sort of Cannes of the art world but with more emphasis on the Block-Buster, than World-Indie.

And why not, it works to some extent at Cannes, but then they do have a whole host of the unexpected not-your-usual-suspects on their books and it is a nomination event – pre sale if you like, not directly in the queue at the check-out.

Still the image of your average artist mingling at Miami seems a little at odds with all the official online details of exclusively tailored and expensive venues and special events, parties and the like (although busses are apparently offered as an alternative source of transport, so it can’t be totally non-inclusive). No I’m not being a kill-joy here – I like parties as much as anyone – as long as I don’t feel I have to gatecrash, that is.

So errm yes where were we ....  ahhh  yes the parties, the sun (its got to be a draw for northern hemisphere peeps this time of year). A vast structured event-space once a year in December, would I be wrong in thinking it's main purpose is for the shifting of ART. A well organised schedule (and why wouldn’t you want that) which seems to be focused toward privilege-based benefits. For example if you can afford the extra you can travel seamlessly between fairs – preselect works in advance and I assume not have to troll around with the crowds in an IKEA like daze through vast thorough-fares and booths showing increasing signs of ADHD.

I noticed from many photographs on tumblrs and twitpics that there certainly is GOOD art, and some fantastic backdrops for it. So its not that the art shown is not good and that all buyers with money are crass – they are not.

Wealthy Wolfgang Joop the fashion designer, for example (not that I would have a clue if he bought from this fair or not) has been involved with art for years, with an artistic sense rather than just buying to accumulate.

But maybe it’s just a wee bit heavy in veering toward Viva-Las-Vegas-Large, celebrity glitz and the two tier (one for the rich) sales pitches, that is not so much good.

It does seem a win-win shopping situation if you’ve got the bung. Though apparently sales in the high zeros were down this year. With those works priced in the thousands racking up the tills instead.

HOWEVER at Seven the status-quo-rules were reversed somewhat, as this space, didn’t seem to play to quite the same tune.

There looked to be a distinct lack of come-hither booths with dodgy? sales people (I know!, they’re only doing their job) but all that hovering and glancing you up and down (with xray eyes spotting your credit rating at fifty paces) and ignoring/engaging appropriately. The space here looked functional, errm think concrete, with clean lines and had an eye catching frontage. I have no idea how accessible the space was en-route inside the bigger picture of ABMB, but there seemed enough people visiting over the 4-5 day stint.

Outside Seven at Miami

I haven't any photos of the actual art as I didn't go! but here is A VERY PROMINENT LINK to some proper photos taken by some peeps who did! Seven.

Inside Seven it had its walls full and with mid ground space occupied by one giant silver man-thing in a rocking chair ......... and I think a flying fish? You have to excuse my lack of knowledge here as I'm still wishing I had experienced these works first hand......

 

I nabbed these shots of the #Rank space taken-as-it-happened on the Seven twitpic-share:

Man Bartlett: Measure, as The Absurd Tailor

Part of a #Rank discussion

Nic*Rad setting up Taking My talents To South Beach

The #Rank space during Stephen Truax: Project Present

The art seemed the only defining route-map for you to negotiate through the space. Basically it looked like you could literally immerse yourself and drift through, if not drift then at least go at your own pace and not be particularly bothered by anyone, depending of course whether it was rush hour or not.

Then there was the #Rank space which was taken up with discussions, films and related events. Like an on-the-road graduation from #Class. My eye into this was a fixed view webcam, this time subject to the whims of technology-on-the-hoof. Some of the live stream I found absolutely riveting. Hearing Diedra Kreiger’s Building Backbones; a group rendering of rejection letters to submissions for art and related funding, which was at once therapeutic, quite sad and also hilariously funny (in a probably only if you were listening to it in this context kind of way, ie, don’t try this home alone).

One reply on twitter quoted as The Best Yet! “Dear XYZ ....I'm sorry to inform you will not be qualifying for ... now you won’t go slashing your wrists will you?”. Quite, who ever came up with the idea artists are thin skinned?. 

 

The #Rank Space

The events overall during #Rank were all about questioning and showing how the art market and the system it trundles along with causes ructions and obstructions for the very people who supply it – the artists. And in that #Rank stood out, as I imagine, there were only a few at Miami doing anything like along these lines.

I am amazed that they got this over in live debate as the practical trips and switches of short term space sharing are never easy.

The whole idea of #Class and #Rank is to include artists and people connected with art who are mainly, by means of social media able to do so. In an otherwise art-centric world that gestates in cities such as New York and London, which then migrate to appealing art centric locations such as Miami for the Fairs. Excluding many – for some of the US artists who had to find the air-fair, hotel bill etc. it was still time off work, out of the studio, out of you own pocket job. Not an expenses paid gallery-funded jaunt, (not that isn’t as dead as a dodo these days - like the book advances of once-upon-a-time), nor indeed artist driven ROI.

So It’s the #Rank idea; the time to join the dots up thing, that I believe is what they aimed to point out here. By showing and discussing the lottery like ethos, purported by these overwhelmingly large fairs toward art and artists aspiration.

The wider event, even from a logistical point seemed pretty intense; one of those three day-hit the ground running (unless you had pre-pre-pre-planned or splashed your dosh around enough to pre-plan without the foot slog). I don’t know exactly how big it is but I imagine if you compare your average troll though any gallery taking a good half day?.

Either way the Fair seems a lot to take in critically. It must be a definite buzz – but also a colossal – and yet time restrict atmosphere of get-it-while-you-can, a posh Supermarket Sweep.

The sense of #Rank and all the wider thoughts it generated was good (with its gremlins and streaming aside - c’est la vie!). If I had been so wholly immersed in those I would have probably missed a number of other things like Laura Isaac informing ranker’s of a tid-bit about her kickstarted project providing (for those who would dare to don) t-shirts to navigate the exhibitions and booths with *where do you rank?* across the front.
A dealer apparently unaware of Laura’s involvement with them, took one look and rolled her eyes at her – brilliant!. Ordinarily that would be a crushing personal(ish) dig – which artists are used to but in these circumstances the whole idea of being privvy to a dealer rolling her eyes at something that you had done, held an inverted if not reversed relevance of importance. Doubly brilliant!.

So for me, the #Rank discussions and events, highlighted, by its very being there the large Art Fair market-bias in bold relief: An antithesis sitting against the backdrop of Art Basel Miami; The next party, The event, The Art (all, I imagine to be mentally-mapped within 30 seconds of landing by some form of clique-osmosis). Plus being in the know of this essential frippery, also seems to be the overriding factor gluing its presence together, to keep the show rolling. With the peripheral gestures of the not so errrrm *The* Art giving The Fair complimentary authenticity.

 

Within all this the #Rank space showed that these are still very necessary things to point out. The high-art, low-art, emperor’s new clothes, star rated this and star rated that. Alongside the fact that artist’s moneyed-recompense are not mutually exclusive – that they are all part of the wider equation that needs discussing. And what better place for #Rank to set up their stall and get to grips with that!

Oh and an aside-tweet-quote during #Rank that gave me cause to say Oh! Yes!
On I think, art, maturity and inclusiveness in an age relevant art world : "It is strange still feeling  *a little wet behind the ears* for someone my age!"


 

 

Back next Thursday 16th with possibly a leeeetle bit more  #Rank-related-art-fest

Opening Up The Debate

 

Nottingham Contemporary is all of One Year Old  – and it’s fair to say it has had all the usual suspects of criticism thrown at it right from its inception with things like ; why do we need an art gallery? no one in Nottingham will be interested, better build another mall or entertainment centre instead (these were pre 2008 sentiments). On digging the foundations; that’s a bloody big hole in the ground it's more like and underground car park than a gallery (it is built on a hill). And right up-to its final and glorious opening ; looks like a shipping container ! – bloody eyesore.

Nottingham Contemporary on its Opening in November 2009

It has of course sailed through all these (not many!) detractors and proved beyond doubt that it is the perfect spot and long overdue for the area as well as the city. And although Nottingham has always had a strong link with London for many reasons, this is a special place for art in the centre ; positioned as it is between the Baltic Newcastle, Liverpool Tate, Glasgow’s GoMA, all the galleries of London and the Tate in Cornwall. A sort of more accessible connect and radial north/south link. Although still not much use for south or mid Wales and, as far as north Wales goes only if you are prepared to travel to Liverpool. Nor indeed to the north of, and to the north east of Glasgow.... Phew!. And of course not forgetting the south east of the country, (though they do have good transport links to London). But there is definitely a more join-the-dots-up feel between these areas across England, Scotland and Wales than there was, say, even ten years ago.

And a special event being held first in Nottingham (though not for the first time) is the British Art Show 7.
This will then follow on to The Hayward, London, Glasgow GoMA and then Plymouth.

I had been really taken by the #Class discussions held at Winkleman Gallery NYC with its critics dealers and curators last March. So I jumped at the chance on-my-own-door-step, to join a critics *circle* at Contemporary – discussing the types of criticism evoked by the BAS7 and critical analysis of art in general – by three leading critics from the UK's Frieze, Art Review and Art Forum magazines.

True that the slant, if any was about the Broadsheet style of art criticism or opinion. But this was a good base for enlarging on what seemed very useful points and one in particular which was also picked up on in the #Class debate. That of opening up your (the critics) view, being a spring board for subsequent debate by engaging people with art through question. While trying to engage as wide an audience as is possible.

Good sentiments! and indeed as one of the critics in the Nottingham debate put it: not just to hold an opinion and lay down the law with that, nor massage possible favourites with un-critical positive reviews, but to “take yourself on your own journey with art – have an opinion – but open that up to a wider debate.”

This type of sentiment is being addressed far wider than the arts – from science to policy makers (well sort of!) but the time is ripe and right for this to be re-aired – we do need informed debate about a lot of things. And certainly not to re-enforce that historical elitist convenience of *you need a PHD to understand this* and by the same token not dumbing down so much that only the opinion that seems to matter  is *I’m right – your wrong*.

I did a lot of scribbling while in the discussion (because I only remember the crucial bits randomly later and not when I need them) so was also slightly aware that I was a *writer*/ blogger/ artist in a discussion talking about “writers who dash things off so quickly they haven’t given themselves enough time to do the in-depth research” etc etc. They were talking about broadsheet writers and their deadlines. And all three art magazine critics here agreed they themselves have a time-rich space-poor bite of the cherry. Art magazines having less space but more time to assimilate in-depth information. So their beef wasn’t with that, so much as the general dismissive-ness that sometimes prevails when the opinion of the broadsheet writer has not had time to open up the argument and only time enough to express a view while filling in a more generous word count. So the opinion is at once not relatively in-depth, then dashed out before copy and by default, set to reach a non-specialist audience.

All these sentiments did though have a wider connotation for art and those who document its meaning; that of opening up the debate.

Freeze opening party 1988 : left to right ; Ian Davenport, Damien Hirst, Angela Bulloch, Fiona Rae, Stephen Park, Anya Gallaccio, Sarah Lucas, Gary Hume

When the YBA’s first appeared for example, they had taken the task of self-curating and showing themselves with a kind of “high definition grabbing attitude”. Any critical opinion was also made a lot easier with the type of work shown – a simplified debate emerged – once they had latched on, the broadsheets and a lot of critics loved it for that.

Freeze exhibition Surrey Docks, London August 1988

Images from Sensation: Young British Artists From The Saatchi Collection

This bursting away from insider-clique-full-of-deep-meaning gave way to whatever was the easiest and quickest to grasp. Now, explained one of the BAS7 critics, he believed that Clever Art was on the way (back).

He went on to describe what he saw as the role of art critic. Seeing it as a personal journey with art, including playful scepticism. Unlike the biased attitude mentioned, by massaging fave-raves with *less critical* reviews (not that many would admit to that). Nor to have an idea about art and look to confirm that, rather looking for what the artists are doing.

Recently a lot of critics have basically opted for a listed description – trying not to put a foot wrong – even the galleries themselves are showing reticence on this type of coverage, on the one hand loving the fact but on the other being protectively quiet about saying so.

When the BAS first appeared in 1979 it housed a broad 112 artists from all over Britain, many of whom were abstract artists. Most of which according to the critics here “were crap” and have disappeared. Back then the curating was more of a Survey described as *The Best of* whereas the actual reality of curating BAS now is straddling a line between inclusiveness and un-thematic results but with commonality. The only reference to nationality being its umbrella name of The British Art Show.

Another recent turn for critics in general has been the lack of political or angry art, so the shocking art of 20 years ago has moved from the black and white toward less easily articulated forms of criticism. Although gender has prevailed and gathered momentum, whether within the matured art expressed with one time YBA Sarah Lucas (in the BAS7). Or the fact of one’s gender per-se, as with Grayson Perry (who I noticed got an appalling and veiled article directed at him in The Mail last week – based on the fact of gender alone – and not his actual contribution to art or current affairs) the headline ran on the lines of “Why did BBC use this man as expert on spending cuts ...and why did they spend licence money on his bizarre bike tour of Germany?” complete with this picture just to make things absolutely clear.

Grayson Perry's Bike tour with teddy Alan Measles

Image: BBC Radio Four's Grayson on His Bike

A Red Top also once ran the headline about a Turner Prize winning Antony Gormley back in the mid '90's as "Gormless Gormley" (a friend noting at the time - poor sod he can’t even help his name). Another bash would have been Chris Ofili's work with its much obsessed and bandied elephant dung-isms.

Non of these were critical reviews, and this is still the sort of thing we see a lot of in the sound-bite press. But apart from things like gender, the target-specific, if you like, the obvious ticked boxes of art have not been in great supply in the last few years for critical debate (unless you count the headline grabbing stuff of Hirst, Koons and Murakami and the more established Stars-of-Art who emerged from the 80's and mid 90's).

Even in the insider-world-of-artists many would probably say that the open season criticism that abounds is certainly not for the faint hearted !

  

The overriding ethos or idea that I came away with was the importance of attitude and responsibility as an art critic. To develop an interest in encountering work that doesn’t necessarily show itself immediately and open up dialogue between the self evident and wider more informed (specialist) meaning.

This was eloquently put on how the BAS7 exhibition is being curated. By having a healthy lack of information on the walls explaining blow-by-blow what you’re supposed to be experiencing. And instead an information booklet with which you can choose when (and if) to read the artists essays. Parallel with this an analogy of the music industry was also made: As its critics have no insider audience to speak of, they are much tighter more informed and on the ball – because people *get it*. Art on the other hand still has that intimidating distance which renders it stable to certain biases. Some people still literally feel that walking into an art space is intimidating never mind the anxiety about *getting it*. "We expect not to get it, and so it becomes a form of social exclusion."

And so summing up, the critics saw their role as should be; not “here it is (my opinion)" but ”here are the questions (from my informed, but not static opinion)"........

 

I also took some notes I made during the #Class Critics debate and here are some clips from it taken via the live stream back in March 2010 ........ 
“The demand for popularising art is too broad - that there has to be a place for ‘high art’ or the kind of art that no one knows anything about, meaning some art is so inscrutable there is no translation. Even though some would want or desire it to be layman-ised and made accessible, really, connoisseurship and populism don’t have to be mutually exclusive.”

Absolutely, but I was still picking up in the wider debate; this vague or rather useful way of saying I’m in a (relatively) comfy place here and the need to defend it.
Most were very concerned and defensive that as critics they had a responsibility to history and also to their moral code of ensuring impartiality and detachment, even when reviewing friends or people they had an affiliation or affection with. I did notice from the artists gathered ‘laughter at the thought of ethics and art’.

 
One genuinely helpful comment, that tried to set aside a critic from (just) someone with an opinion, used the word ‘why’, on the lines of.... “as a critic I am passionate, I write about the work I am convinced about by being positive but you have to have or define your base line to say why you think X is bad and Y is good; why there is difference. In my book that is the whole point of having an opinion, not a gut feeling per se but the why.”

 
Money was never far away, in fact I don’t think there was any one particular point in the whole NY discussion which didn’t give a nod to some manifestation of that; not being paid enough (obviously), and one that stood out with its deflector stance; as collectors being the gatekeepers of the art world.
Indeed not the critics then.


Although both discussions were from different angles and indeed countries. I did feel that in the New York debate there were far more crucial questions being directed and answered about impartiality, money and ethics.

Either way the sentiments from both discussions did overall come up with a similar approach to what it should mean to be an art critic: 
To open up debate with questions not affirmations. Why it is, rather than simply, it is.

 

And its 24 hrs into #RankMiami !

Man Bartlett started the proceedings with The Absurd Tailor photographing each measurement

"Measure." Acting as the Absurd Tailor, Man Bartlett will take measurements of fair-goers and relate them to the measurements of the art for sale at SEVEN and other fairs. Based on actual and imagined relationships, the artist will draw conclusions about which work is best suited (or not) for the potential buyers.

If you haven't yet, check out the live stream on the website:

#RankMiami Ustream

Also An Xiao's Studio has some very useful links to the people who actually made it to Art Basel Miami Beach;

(I joined in the video from artists who weren't going to make the Fair in An Xiao and Platea's "Sorry I Couldn't Be There"  - well my feet did!)

Along with Hrag Vartanian's intrepid posting from ABMB on Hyperallergic

Photographs from the Seven Photo Stream

Plus the twitter images of Susi Kenna's

The next post here this coming Thursday 9th, will be taking on board some of the issues and indeed hilarity raised during the events. Including the chalk-board which has been rendered *hot lips* pink (I'm guessing this is not a Farrow & Ball shade). To air the many points raised during the discussions and performances, including the ranked art stereotypes and cliches.

#Rank Miami with Winkleman Gallery is at Seven

which includes :

* Pierogi Gallery
* Hales Gallery
* Ronald Feldman Fine Arts
* BravinLee programs
* Postmasters Gallery
* P·P·O·W
* Winkleman Gallery

A reminder of the event Calendar

 

 

Post it Notes

 

 

With the weekend over (it was my birthday btw !) and with Monday’s postal delivery in the offing I was soooo made-up to receive these prints from artist Man Bartlett.

I spotted Man’s prints a while back when #Class first kicked off in February 2010. Their new project #Rank Miami is also in the offing - and if you haven’t already noticed I’m mentioning this event ever so slightly A LOT; check out the site this time being held at Miami Art Fair 1st-5th December. And Man Bartlett is starting off the whole caboodle on Wednesday 1st with a piece called Measure, I think he mentioned that his recent exhibition within # The Socialgraph event; a two part piece culminating at the end of November, Kith and Kin is somewhat related. #24hKith, the second part, is taking place from 7pm 26th -7pm 27th EST and involves live stream participation

NB: (an after the event update) : A vimeo of stills as it happened.

 
But here is the detail from the #Rank Miami calendar:

"Measure." Acting as the Absurd Tailor, Man Bartlett will take measurements of fair-goers and relate them to the measurements of the art for sale at SEVEN and other fairs. Based on actual and imagined relationships, the artist will draw conclusions about which work is best suited (or not) for the potential buyers.
 

 

It was though back in February, that I noticed he was doing a series of artist prints each month from a block print. And, as they are right up my street art-wise I signed up for a 12 month set.

I waited patiently (no read impatiently!) for a more economical sort-of-bulk-delivery-style (makes more sense shipping from US to UK)  and they arrived this morning!!

Ok, its my coffee table again! and not the best photos in the world! but Man Bartlett has them photographed in much better detail. And also a work in progress video on his tumblr site.

I was very pleased that I was actually able to purchase over the net like this with confidence as ; a) the prints are from a New York artist, who is quite unique and not as widely known in the UK b) receiving something potentially quite fragile and also unique through long distance mail and c) just the fact of buying into an ongoing project. 

I am sure a couple of years ago, literally, without access to things like art-related networks through the net and the rich backdrop of detail that enables. And hearing of, or seeing exhibitions come and go. With groups of artists connected on-line for whatever reason be it demographics, galleries or friendships. That the opportunity to receive a piece of art in this way, would not have emerged quite the same by purely visiting an on-line site even if I had previous wider background information of the artist.

I can only really compare the experience of purchasing art in this way as similar to kind of (although not exactly like) going down to the studio, having a chat, and then one day deciding that I really liked this or that and deciding to buy.

  
Except there were squillions of miles in-between! It was all done on the net....
and of course not forgetting Good Old Postie!!

 

 

Back next Thursday 2nd December Oh ! and it will be 24 hours into #Rank Miami!
 
#Rank Miami with Winkleman Gallery

at Seven 

being:

* Pierogi Gallery
* Hales Gallery
* Ronald Feldman Fine Arts
* BravinLee programs
* Postmasters Gallery
* P·P·O·W
* Winkleman Gallery

 

Hales in Miami

 

Yes! it's here, the #Rank Miami project is coming up in two weeks time. Based at the collective space of Seven on North Miami Avenue, Wynwood District, spanning December 1st-5th with Seven's opening night on November 30th.

Initially this group of galleries started as three sharing a space at the Miami Art Fair back in 2006. And has now grown to seven including Winkleman Gallery from New York, home of the #class project earlier in the year and hosting #Rank in Miami.

Funnily enough when I came to look at the #Rank Miami space at Seven. I noticed that by chance, I'd had a mentor-y-type-meeting a long time ago in ’98 with one of the founders of Hales in London. I’m not entirely sure how to describe this really because I only met him once.... but Paul Hedge from Hales Gallery, located as it was then on Deptford High Street, made a lasting impression on me:

The Guardian had run a tiny-mini-article about a talk Paul was going to do, on galleries and their day-to-day running. And I was an out of town rookie looking for some insight on how galleries were run, so hopped on a train to The Smoke, Deptford, and was not disappointed!.

As with all gallery owners who have deep enthusiasm and encouragement for artists, Paul was no exception in showing us exactly how they had started out and any of our questions were answered diligently and humorously. So, after a welcoming and warming-on-a-cold-November-day cup of tea and really, really good cake!.......

This was my impression of the Saturday afternoon open-meeting and tour of the gallery that Paul Hedge gave way back then :

 
Paul explained he and his business partner had the idea of creating a space for art after leaving Goldsmiths, and so acquired a building on Deptford High Street with a basement which had doors to an accessible back yard. And a ground floor facing the high street, directly opposite Deptford Street Market.
 
They created a cafe (vegetarian) on the ground floor and kept everything open plan so the kitchen had a counter and the cooking and service went on in tandem. Downstairs were the loos and the gallery - this was just how it was, because the gallery space was not part of the money making business equation at that point as they aimed to get the cafe earning its keep.

Deptford Street Market

So they opened and served what the stall holders wanted - large mugs of tea (to take out and return) hot sustaining foods, the same eat in take out - bring plates back etc -even if some stall holders sometimes complained of lack of sausage rolls and meat pasties!.

They made sure they were open when the market was – early - and on other days of the week the traffic from passing shops also dropped by. All the while building up their artist’s events and all the while market traders and shoppers getting a firsthand view – on the way to the loo – of people like Tomoko Takahashi’s pile of tv screens alongside artists who had thrown a lump of clay at a wall – and Paul said, expressing their opinions on both.

The gallery also had it's none fruit and veg market visitors including people like Saatchi a few years on. And it can’t have gone without notice that although not in the London arty square mile it was on the same turf as the salubrious Goldsmiths College of Art – so dragging interested parties away from art-central can't have been that difficult. They were in a good spot – built it up slowly with the emphasis on the cafe as bread and butter.

 

 

Deptford Town Hall Building Goldsmiths College

 
The after-hours use of the cafe came into its own as exhibition launches and special nights became more the norm. These days around 18 years on Hales has long since moved to a more time relevant location North of the river to Bethnal Green Lane, Shoreditch.



Hales Gallery,Tea Building, Shoreditch

North and South of the River

 
I truly believed Paul Hedge back then when he said you can do it and I do even more now, on seeing how they (Hales) have also kept their mojo – especially when so many have flown the nest, packed up their art catalogues and ventured to business pastures new.
 
He wished me well when I re-introduced myself in an email a couple of weeks ago mentioning #Rank Miami – I think he thought I was actually going ! 'cos his parting words were see you there!. Alas no! but I am doing my own bit with the Stereotype/Cliche Tally, watching out for the events on twitter and through the #Rank site. Which, if it emerges anything like the last time, as did with #class it will have some sort of live feed so people can interact with that too. Either way it’s going to be good!!

 

Here is a snapshot of the calendar of events as posted on the #Rank website....(click to enlarge) 

Seven  

#Rank Miami

.....Check for updates and Tune In!

 

 

Back next Thursday 25th....

Future Retro Show Plus !! #Rank Survey

 

 

HA!! Missed the Show!!

 

Dang ! I know this already!. Measure twice cut once. Huge note to self; don’t cut it fine with venue times – check the times and turn up!!

I did most of these but in the wrong order ; in other words I missed the fashion show at Gatecrasher which has now taken place this Saturday – Along with Nottingham Makers it included Future Retro and was part of the wider annual Hockley Hustle festival held in 30 venues around Nottingham Centre over the weekend.

But I did get to speak with the people involved.... and more importantly with Chloe the organiser, who, very kindly is supplying me with video footage of the actual event. Ironically I was already geared up for taking some myself – having just acquired a new Canon IXUS  - which I was lovingly admiring an hour before, as I read the online manual on how-to-use-my-ixy-in-night-club-lighting. So I’m not blaming myself for reading the manual too late – but for just NOT BEING PREPARED IN TIME tut!!

So anyway lateness aside, Neil Echo from my fave shop (Xample in Hockley) at the mo with his Future Retro label was very pleased with how the designs went. And I will be trotting down to the shop this week to check out the finished results and get some images!.

 

Photos of The Girls after the event!

Close-Up

And winding down !

Future Retro Xample FB Pages for more images here

 

The Actual Clothes and video of the show in a couple.........

 

 

The mini survey I mentioned a couple of posts ago in Top Ranking; to find art and artist stereotype clichés is well under way.

The idea is due to be posted on Hrag Vartanian's tumblelog when he very kindly came to the rescue as my twitter data collecting gathered momentum, (errrrm - came in considerably quicker than my twitter gathering skills could handle).

The idea goes pretty much like this:

 

Calling All Artists (or not!) for #Rank !!

This is the email I recieved from artist Jennifer Dalton and William Powhida a few weeks ago:

“#Rank Miami is taking place during the Miami art fairs this December 1-4.
Building on the ideas and energy of the #Class events last winter (if
you don't know what we're talking about see
http://www.hashtagclass.com/class/class-statement/), we will host three
days of non-gala events, non-curated performances and non-hierarchical
discussions on the topic of the class structures of the art world, with
a super-special focus on the art fair experience. Events will be held at
Ed Winkleman's space at SEVEN, in the Wynwood district of Miami (more
info at seven-miami.blogspot.com). #Rank Miami will be just three short
days, but we're going to cram as much art fair antimatter in there as
possible.”

So with the general idea of #Rank in mind I decided to ask as many as possible to participate by giving ideas of art stereotypes:

We hear them all the time, but we are so used to them (or irritated by them!) that maybe we switch off. But as long as they are still doing the rounds, does the perception keep re-kindling the myth? – or is it really true?!

This is a mini survey gathering people’s top 3 (or the ones that spring to mind) art/artist stereotype clichés.

These will then be pooled and used in a tally mark-up to gain an anecdotal idea of the relevance of these during #Rank:

I'm thinking that they will go towards a chalk-up where Jennifer Dalton and William Powhida will chalk the stereotype keywords gathered and attendees at the gallery space will be asked to *vote* by adding a tally to each keyword, as they perceive. In order of relevance, semi relevance or obsolete.

The diagram below shows roughly how it should work;

Stereotype                                      Relevant           Semi relevant     Obsolete
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Depressed & broke Schmuck           1111                 111                   11
                                                      11       
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dreamer, out of touch with reality      111                  1111                  1111

                                                                             1                       1111
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hopefully this will put paid to the duff ones and shed some anecdotal evidence as to the ones that still bane our lives and are true!?!

Either way this can’t be done without your thoughts !!

Send Away ........!

email     me  : Debbie.ainscoe@gmail.com (Email Subject #Rank Survey)
 

Twitter   me  : @wendyhan

Back Next Thursday 4th November

Top Ranking

 

 

 

There is a new event coming up after the successful #Class held earlier in the year, for Jennifer Dalton and William Powhida when Winkleman Gallery joins Seven at Miami Art Fair this December for a three day event entitled #Rank:

 In Jennifer's words;

"William Powhida and I have received the green light to host #Rank
Miami, taking place during the Miami art fairs this December 1-4.
Building on the ideas and energy of the #Class events last winter (if
you don't know what we're talking about see
http://www.hashtagclass.com/class/class-statement/), we will host three
days of non-gala events, non-curated performances and non-hierarchical
discussions on the topic of the class structures of the art world, with
a super-special focus on the art fair experience. Events will be held at
Ed Winkleman's space at SEVEN, in the Wynwood district of Miami (more
info at seven-miami.blogspot.com). #Rank Miami will be just three short
days, but we're going to cram as much art fair antimatter in there as
possible."

 

 

This, and a few other things like the huge public funding cuts to the Arts in the UK which are about to happen, got me thinking about rank and stereotypical assumptions which sort the pecking order of society's relevant needs.

 

 

Oxford Definition of Rank:

Arrange in rank; Classify, give certain grade to, take precedence of, have rank or place, have senior position among members of hierarchy. Place in scale; position in hierarchy, grade of advancement; distinct social class, grade of dignity. High social position, members of nobility or gentry; to pull rank, to make unfair use of one’s seniority. Rank and Fashion; high society.
(a necessary definition cliché here, not a filler!)

 

 

And Stereotypes as addressed in my last post I Paid My Taxes For That?! ;

 
Art has its myths and lies that are perpetuated as facts.
 

Public perception of three broad categories of say, Science, Money (the art of dealing with it; Socially through Public Spending, through Banking, Accounting, to Hedge Funds) and The Arts. Are seen through a simplified public lens and ranked accordingly.

Science has made itself universally tangible. It is needed and the majority of people get that. Even if it isn't clear what science does exactly. The *mad professor* image still exists but we know he does exciting things and we get to use them. Stuff doesn't get made without it - even rockets.

Money is universally tangible as either a necessity or a necessary evil, a thing that we need in order to do stuff. We are hooked, if not totally sold. The banker until recently was stereotypically envisaged as a suited, trustworthy methodical man (if not nickel and dime, penny pinching with it). Now they are propped up by the taxpayer their image is slightly different.

Art is seemingly still dispensable, except by those who *get it*. Art is not wholly accepted as a necessity whether evil or not. The typical image of an artist is probably paint spattered, disorganised, otherwise-occupied, even with an air of self indulgent narcissism and getting paid extortionate amounts for putting cows in tanks (is always a good one). Never mind the extortionate amounts coming from tax-payers money.



So........

I have been trying to fathom ranking in general with regard to how we as society rank certain things in order of importance and again within those categories.
 

Philosophically without having an order of things I suppose we have freefall or can make no sense of our surroundings, no benchmarks. But also in tandem with it is a mechanism for segregation, and places for elitism to flourish as an overriding factor.
 

Rank is there in the personal everyday from what takes pride of place to what goes into the recycling bin.
 

Rank or Order is there in the expanded universe ; stuff gets bigger, stuff explodes, stuff gets smaller. Even if it’s randomly happening.
 

How do we engage a sense of order or priority of importance without that tipping point of exclusivity?
 

Is the meaning of equal epitomised in a word only? Is it destined for the psychobabble-loony-bin of happy bunny idealism? 

 

We all have a want of things, to aspire to things :
.........Ever renewing desires ; not an entitlement to have or to own. Deserving of yes, but not getting pissed off if you don’t get that desire........ A semi-quote from the film Before Sunset – which was chock full of aspirational ethical type equality lines, which made a brilliant feel good film; and really everything about it was brilliantly written and acted. But looking at it from the angle of rank and class, and with the backdrop of near the perfect lifestyle choices of middle class arty-boho stereotypes, was a tad removed from reality - but then it was a film and one a lot would aspire to the notion of !.

Before Sunset - all ranked out - near perfect matching of the minds, and they are given a second chance

 
Aspirational is also an expression of taking pleasure in something.

 Non-aspirational can be a sign of indifference to, or lack of pleasure from something.

Also to have once aspired and then to lose that through being denied can be frustrating.

 
Mainly, a sense of worth becomes the benchmark of rank – so however that is apportioned – through money value or through societies general acknowledgment seems to become the order of acceptance.
 

Can one thing become more acceptable than another just with demand?.

Without going too deep, the XFactor format gives a clue; society is given a democratic notion helped along by a few simple pointers which in turn = votes.
 

Which can then be turned into stuff of practical worth = trade and making money as the general rule of thumb.

But equally things evolve and become liked or accepted by general absorption and so they become of general worth = fashion or zeitgeist.
 

This can also be turned to stuff of practical worth = trade and making money.

 

No real insight there then, or perhaps when these things are aired there always seems a sense of ever decreasing circles.

 

 

But.... rank and order can be so easily turned into an exclusion mechanism, that while the stuff of inclusion has a perceived sense of worth, the stuff of exclusion is alienated or not good enough. And by the same token this can also be an aspirational trigger, provided that the opportunity is there.

The kind of stuff politicians will wax lyrical about for eons, but then completely miss the mark in policy.

 

 

So I set myself down a few clichéd assumptions that can possibly colour our sense of rank and order in an attempt to eliminate the myths and lies surrounding rank specifically in the art world. Which can give them added kudos by sometimes backing them up :
 

Convenient half-truths or clichéd *facts* that perpetuate a possible confused or false idea of arts worth through public image.

The Worth of Art as Ranked Through Stereotype Clichés

 

( and just as a taster for the idea - I have to include this clip of ohhh so many cliched art moments in Ab-Fab's wonderful take on the art world when Edina goes to Buy Some Art - I know I'm posting this vid again! - but so true - couldn't resist it! )

 

 

In your view how do you see these ideas as held true in the wider public imagination ; in order of Relevance, Quasi-Relevance and Obsolete.
       

 

In Clichés, Stereotypes, Assumption, and Images

       
Artists are seen as:

 

• Victim            

• Overpaid celebrity              

• Narcissistic               

• Famous/infamous attention seekers

• Sensationalists

• The tortured soul

• Suffering for art

• Tragic/romantic                           

• Artists as an amoral bunch

• Ego-driven

• Artists are lefty-liberal softies

• Artists are weird

• Art and artists have a psychological cause

• Artists are suffering some sort of trauma

• Bohemian-Hipsters

• Black sheep

• Gifted

• Genius

• Misogynist /fail at interpersonal relationships

• Attract *immoral* relationships

• Self aggrandising

• Introvert

• Talent level only starts with ability to paint/draw reality

• Artist ability to show a *truth* has been compromised by the art market

 

Art is seen as :

• Full of *creative* celebrities who cannot produce true art

• Full of Art magazines that are more like hot-topic-picks of Dazed or Vogue

• Not true when having an idea and delegating

• Not true when using technology

• Not true when using CAD

• Not true when manifested into another practice

• Modern Art is a folly

• Full of things a five year old could do

• Arty crafty art is not art

• Not a proper job

• Offensive

• A Private Club

• Full of art-speak-babble

• True art is only affordable by the wealthy

• True art is only appreciated by those in the know

• Beauty is lost in Contemporary Art

• Owning art is a statement of worth

• A Fashion accessory

• Owning art is a self indulgent pastime

• Art for art’s sake is a narcissistic luxury

• Not an educational subject of worth

• For the people

• Not for the people

• Art market rules are run by a clique few

• Art patronage = subjugated art

• Subjugated art is compliant with *the system*

• Costly public art is overrated

• Public art is underrated

• Art patronage is a manipulator of image and fact

• Festivals are touting/business sponsorship events and are not about art

• Art fairs as touting/business sponsorship events are not about art

 

Would be interesting to do a mini survey /cross section just to see which of these actually seem to define art and artists image today.

Would be even better if it could include other ideas of cliche and stereotype !

Perhaps with some feed back from this I will be able to post a more interactive survey later !

 

more on this....

 

 

And Stop Press!

 

Soon to be arriving is The British Art Show at Nottingham Contemporary ! :

 

British Art Show 7

In the Days of the Comet

23 Oct 2010 - 09 Jan 2011

Charles Avery, Karla Black, Becky Beasley, Juliette Blightman, Duncan Campbell, Varda Caivano, Spartacus Chetwynd, Steven Claydon, Matthew Darbyshire, Milena Dragicevic, Luke Fowler, Michael Fullerton, Alasdair Gray, Brian Griffiths, Ian Kiaer, Anja Kirschner and David Panos, Sarah Lucas, Christian Marclay, Simon Martin Nathaniel Mellors, Haroon Mirza, David Noonan, Otolith Group, Mick Peter, Gail Pickering, Olivia Plender, Elizabeth Price, Cullinan Richards, Karin Ruggaber, Edgar Schmitz, Maaike Schoorel, George Shaw, Wolfgang Tillmans, Sue Tompkins, Phoebe Unwin, Tris Vonna-Michell, Emily Wardill, Keith Wilson

The British Art Show is held every five years, presenting new and recent works by contemporary artists based in Britain. This major exhibition is a unique opportunity for an overview of the concerns of art today. A Hayward Touring exhibition, it is opening for the first time in Nottingham and will be shown in three venues – Nottingham Contemporary, New Art Exchange and Nottingham Castle.

British Art Show 7 pays particular attention to the ways that artists use history to illuminate the present. Thirty nine artists have been invited for their significant contribution to British (and often international) art since 2005. More than half of the selected artists are showing new works, including painting, sculpture, drawing, installation, video, film and performance.

 

And!.................

I have been down to see my old friend Neil again at his shop Xample in Hockley. Always with a smile and  always with plenty to tell he is currently involved so intensely "I may self combust" he told me. With his very own designs from a special group nurtured under Xample’s wing, now featured in a show coming at the end of October held amid the pretty neat architecture of The Elite Building, Nottingham courtesy of Gatecrasher Club.

 

Xample Future Retro, Stoney Street, Nottingham ( down in Hockley Village )

The designs are based around feminine and sensuous ideas and shapes, and so subtly highlighting a feeling for shape and form that also by default shows how far down the ragged road to *ruin* women’s identity and fashion has taken of late; Neil touched on the idea of turn-of-the-last-century and the empowering shapes and forms that took hold with women’s emancipation as the base for his designs, to the present with its seemingly dried out remnants of a natural feminine allure, alluded to only by the base credentials of sexy = tart (not that there is anything wrong with a bit of sexy). But Neil pointed out it is more the saturated nature of this which is the norm that kinda equates with a one dimensional licentiousness. Blanded out by its uniformity and so has become a sort of lapdancer-chic meets its nemesis.

   
And these designs are soooooo different, ahhhhh ! the enigma of it all........!

Sneak Preview details; get there early Saturday 23rd October from 6.30pm onwards at The Elite Building, Nottingham. The music's going to be a bit different from the normal gatecrasher sound - bit of an enigma there too! but if anything is to go by whats played in the shop then It Will Be Good!

View Larger Map  

Will be posting from the event !

 

 

And back next Thursday 21st