Review by John Brady..

Last night, after Contagion (Barbara Jones at School of Tropical Medicine), the Transvoyeur Performance Platform and 'Fire & Eurhythmy' - Nicole Bartos (both Mathew Street), I sat in half-way through the “premier developmental performance of a symphonic poem” by Max Eastley at the Art School. Eastley, a serene-looking, white-haired geezer, was bowing a single stringed harp. This ‘ARC’, an invention of the artist’s, supported its string with a 2 metre jointed armature and its output was further modulated by the use of twin wah-wah pedals. Eastley was assisted by a geeky-looking guy on mouse and MacBook plugged into lots of Boys’ stuff.
What a sound! – it opened the door to a new world for me. It were as if they had taken the spacey section of Electric Ladyland (Jimi Hendrix, London and New York, 1967) and expanded it into a fully formed sonic universe complete with its own horizons, chasms and fluid pulse. The experience was not of ‘listening to music’, rather Eastley was working to establish a sonic dimension that an audience could move in or out from.

The artist used both micro- and hydrophones to record his sound sources of polar winds, breaking ice and Bearded Seals during his passage through international waters on an Arctic Survey Ship. This was the third Cape Farewell trip to the High Arctic of artists, writers and educators, at the invitation of David Buckland, to explore and articulate the international issues of Global Change. The multi-site exhibition Cape Farewell: Art and Climate Change runs throughout the Biennial period. Eastley has work at the Art School and the Albert Dock. Audio Research Editions will release the Symphonic Poem on CD. The International Biennial’s curatorial template of inviting foreign artists to create artworks with Liverpool as subject has its triumphs, but it’s refreshing to find something as authentically international as Cape Farewell that isn’t more Scouseland.

John Brady CFO Independents

I really should have posted this earlier, this exhibition finishes tomorrow (Sunday Oct 1st).
11 Wolstenholme Sq is one of the derelict-building-now-art-spaces run by The Art Organisation during the Biennial.

Known as The RE-Evolutionary Gallery, this postgraduate focused project is aimed at shattering the confines of the educational environment by encouraging new artists to tackle inspiration head on and manifest a new reality from dereliction. With three scheduled exhibitions, expect the roofless to the skyscraping.

The first of a series of short shows co-curated by Jamie Torode and Gordon Culshaw is 'Round One Way'. There is some really good stuff in there, sadly I didn't take notes so can't identify the artists associated with these pictures I took except of course John O'Hare's brightly painted furniture which now has more of a Patrick Caulfield influence.
I really enjoyed the cityscape made from old computer hardware and the room on the top floor with black sculptures and a black painting that makes noises.

The artists: adrian pritchard, ailie rutherford, Alan Williams, amanda ferguson, amanda newall, amelia crouch, clare chambers, johann stafford, john o'hare, kaye martindale, martin clark, Michael Whitby, paul matosic, rebecca davy, Richard Proffitt, Richard Whitby, rob delisle, rosie clarke, sarah lawton, sue massey.

Round One Way at 11 Wolstenholme Square September 15 to October 1 2006
 

Just in case you may have thought that Lewis Biggs (biennial) and John Brady (independents) were at war with each other.

I caught them in warm embrace on the opening night

It was late at night though and the drink had been flowing and never mind that John Brady is wearing a pass that says 'Hate It'. I'm sure it says 'Love it' on the reverse side.

I picked up a stack of the new Indies maps this morning. I'll drop a few off here and there as I travel around.

As you can see its a lot different from the old one, its pink.

And, presumably, more accurate and up to date.
I don't have time to check.

Opens at Ikonography, 31 Mathew Street tonight.

'Fire & Eurhythmy' - exhibition organized by Nicole Bartos involves visual artists from the North West, Merseyside, UK and Tokyo, Japan

Exhibiting Artists:
• Nagachoo (performance and mixed media), Tokyo, Japan
• Mieko Noguchi (cosmic glass), Tokyo, Japan
• Nicole Bartos (mixed media and wax), Liverpool, UK
• Sarah Nicholson (mixed media), Liverpool, UK
• Richard Ashworth (drawing, mixed media), Liverpool, UK
• Jayne Hannay (ceramic installation), Liverpool, UK
• Elizabeth Hodgkinson (mixed media/ painting), Liverpool, UK
• Sharon Mutch (photography), Huyton, Merseyside, UK
• Barry Cooper (Glass artist), St. Helens , Merseyside, UK

Private View and Exhibition Party on Friday 29th of September, 17-20.00
Includes poetry reading, acoustic music and performance.
Also open evenings, on the 6th and 13th of October, 17.30-20.30. Exact details about sessions / shows to be announced.
For 6 weeks. September 30 - Nov 10 2006
gallery4allarts.com

Arts in Regeneration (Speke Garston Ltd), have worked collaboratively with PSS city wide funded by Capital Of Culture’s Expanding the Impact Grant and Neighbourhood Learning in Deprived Communities funding over the past two years, to develop a programme

‘The Infinite Sea of Possibilities’ engaging and enabling people with mental health and learning disabilities to develop their creative talents. In the fifteen months since the project began 374 participants have gained 215 accreditations from Open College Network North West in Visual Arts, Drama, Creative Writing and Digital Storytelling.

To celebrate the journey of participants throughout this programme AiR has arranged an exhibition that will be held
4th to 15th of October 2006
at the A Foundation, 67 Greenland Street as part of this year’s Biennial Celebrations.

During this exhibition we will be holding an Open Day on the 11th of October 2006, to celebrate World Mental Health Day, which is on the 10th of October.

Well this sounds nice and easy, I should dig out my old pastels and take a few along...

CALL FOR ARTISTS: Biennial exhibition open to all artists in Liverpool and Cumbria

Do you want to show your work as part of this years Liverpool Biennial of Contemporary Art????

As part of the Grizedale Arts commission for the new A Foundation buildings in Liverpool we are holding a 2-week salon style showcase of artists from Merseyside and Cumbria.

There is no selection process, anyone can take part, and any work received will be hung in the Grizedale project space however we can fit it!
We can accept work in any media, but all films must be provided as DVD’s that will simply be left in the space for people to play on the TV as they wish.
You will need to arrange for your work to be delivered to and collected from the space.

The exhibition takes place from 1 November – 15 November at A Foundation, 67 Greenland St, Liverpool, L1 0BY
All work must be received by Friday 20 October

To register your interest for the Salon, and to receive a booking form please contact Hilary: hilaryt@afoundation.org.uk
0151 709 4180
http://www.afoundation.org.uk/

Well it was a nice idea, it looks great in the booklet but the real thing was looking very sad indeed when we had look at the Weekend.
Maybe lack of watering or too many people walking on it, whatever, its all dried and cracked and surrounded by ugly fencing. May as well go to Goodison Park.

Priscilla Monge's Untitled work is a small but very hilly football pitch at Mann Island opposite the old car showrooms

She delights in upsetting our expectations, making us think about what is and is not acceptable in our society (and about who makes those unspoken rules).
For International 06, she takes the most familiar of settings – a football pitch – and asks: what do we do when the rules are broken and the ground shifts beneath our feet?

My feet were itching to run around the pitch but they'll have to wait until its repaired and re-opened.

Liverpool artist, Michelle Jones, has been exclusively commissioned by Liverpool City Council to display a mural in St Peters Square as part of The Liverpool Biennial Contemporary Art Festival 2006.

The 5m x 2m mural entitled ‘The Beaten Path’ is the work of up and coming local artist, Michelle Jones and features 200 digital photographs taken throughout Liverpool and hand printed by the artist onto ceramic tiles.

“This piece has been a real journey for me” said Michelle in an interview earlier this week. “I started taking these photos several years ago so it’s a really satisfying conclusion to the project and a real honour to have my work displayed in such a public place, especially in my home city!”

Each image shows the colours, textures and patterns that can be found in the things that most people ignore as they travel through our streets. “I had no desire to produce a work showcasing the more obvious tourist images” says Michelle. “I wanted to present a journey through Liverpool that has a more vibrant and urban feel reflecting the changes I see in the both the city and its people”.

For a chance to meet Michelle in person, The Beaten Path will be unveiled in St Peters Square on 5th October 2006 at 18.30 followed by a launch party opposite the mural in the Revolution bar.

www.myspace.com/thebeatenpath

Nothing Rhymes with Poets are pleased to announce the launch of their second short film featuring performances by a selection of Merseyside Poets in association with the BBC Big Screen.

Funded by the Arts Council and Awards for all, the project aims to promote the work of local performance poets by offering them training and a platform to show case their work. This year’s film breaks down the boundaries of traditional performance poetry using graphics and filmic narrative to explore the meaning of the text.

The film launch will take place at
15.00 on Saturday 30th September, at the base of the Big Screen
in Clayton Square,
Liverpool (outside Tesco).
Further screenings will take place every day until the 27th of October at the following times; 9am, 11am, 13.30, 15.00 and 19.00. Followed by screenings across the country in 2007.

St Nicks Church - Artist Residencies
Exhibition : 29th September – 26th November
Opening Times : 10.00– 13.00
Private View : 28th September, 19-21.00
Artist Discussion : 28th September, 18-19.00

Three artists: Julie Jones, Tabitha Moses and Kevin Hunt, have been producing work in response to St. Nicholas Church. An exhibition of their work will take place at the church as part of the Liverpool Biennial Independents.

Visit www.dyingfrog.co.uk for more information.

Address : Liverpool Parish Church
Old Churchyard
Chapel Street
Liverpool
L2 8TZ

Another review from the Independents website...

Curating the curious On nomadic, necessary, impermanent, collective, obsessive and spontaneous strategies
The sociable art of Adam Nankervis
by Alex Hetherington

Australian-born, Liverpool-based artist Adam Nankervis works with a collision of tactics, an array of tensions and assemblage, a merger of disputations, negotiations and dialogues and a broad wealth of visual art vocabulary that connects his practice within the territories of artists like Maurizio Cattelan, Kurt Schwitters, Marcel Broodthaers, Kyoichi Tsuzuki, Gregor Schneider, curators like Massimiliano Gioni and Ali Subotnick and the strategy of the artist-led project/ curator/ gallery/ space/ publisher.
....
From it’s origins as Another Vacant Space in New York in the early 1990s, where commodity, economic failure and recession and opportunity merged, transforming as a form and function in Berlin (with a stopover in Copenhagen) through transformation to its destination now as residency in Liverpool, for Independents Nankervis, the Museum Man, presents his Blur Prints. Another Vacant Space which represents not a culmination of activity but a slice of it away from his home/space/museum to reinvest and restage its vibrancy in an open arena where it can be shared and experienced....

LINK

‘Contagion’ By BARBARA JONES

EXHIBITION AT THE SCHOOL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE
29th September – 24 November 2006
Liverpool Biennial 2006

Liverpool Biennial will witness an extraordinary art exhibition by an artist whose subject matter draws its inspiration from disease. Artist Barbara Jones will be presenting ‘Contagion’, a site specific installation which uses as a starting point research undertaken at the world famous School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool. At the school pioneering work has been developed into a search for cures for such diseases as Malaria, T.B. and A.I.D.S which in turn has become the platform for Barbara to develop a visual response.

Barbara, through beauty of composition and texture provokes our perceptions of what we should consider as pleasing to the eye. She presents us with subtle and alluring images then entices you into the hidden taboo of disease. When confronted by the very cell formations of killer diseases do we see the work of art in a different light? Can we say it is beautiful? Does it affect our judgment?

Her work is a mixture of paint on canvas and actual modified medical protection clothing. The painted works are eloquently executed white on white compositions which slowly reveal the hidden menace of disease upon their surface. In contrast the printed works are filled with movement and depth which demonstrate activity of cell mutation.

The Liverpool based artist uses electronic microscope images of various bacteria and viruses to inspire her, this then becomes the visual sketchbook which leads her to create works that are unique and beautiful.

Barbara is no stranger to public art and disease. In 2003 Barbara dispersed 1000 diseased printed origami peace cranes from the disused tower of St Luke’s Church in Liverpool and for the 2004 Biennial presented ‘The Smallpox Room’ in a display window at Lewis’s department store, Liverpool.

Barbara says “I consider that the subject of disease is part of a current debate within modern society as demonstrated by the proliferation of media coverage on a daily basis”. Barbara’s work does not aim to provide answers or solutions to common fears of disease but invites an inquiring response from an audience, communicating ideas of beauty versus disgust.

Judge and examine for yourself.

Barbara Jones ‘Contagion’ is at the School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool
2nd October to the 24th November 2006
Mon-Fri 12 noon till 14.00
Tel- 0151 708 9393

Don't miss the Energywise Recycled Glass exhibition as part of the Grizedale recycling exhibition at the Blade Factory in Greenland Street.

Its amazing what they can do with old bottles. The company is based just a couple of roads away in Jordan Street.

Finishes after Sunday October 1st.

www.energywiserecycledglass.co.uk
www.afoundation.org.uk/greenlandstreet

Birgit R Deubner's exhibition...

The Gallerie Vogelfrei has undergone some emergency changes and will now open it’s doors under the name "Atelier Vogelfrei" ..
(We will now show an artist making art, hence 'Atelier' seemed more apt...)

The original line up has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances and the program has now undergone some heavy revision:

1) There will no longer be a private view but instead a CLOSING VIEW on the 19th of October.

2) Birgit R. Deubner (drawing and installation), will begin a project with the title: “Wings of Icarus”; during which she will make wings and related drawings for 3 hours a day, for 5 days a week, from the opening day of the event. There will be fixed opening hours during which you can see the artist at work as well as inspect her progress...

3) “Wings of Icarus” is my working title, a more detailed project description will follow…

The “Atelier Vogelfrei” will begin on Monday the 2nd of October.

At the CLOSING VIEW there will be an opportunity to bid for the artwork on view. Please forward your address details with a reference to “Atelier Vogelfrei Closing View” to bdeubner@gmx.net and you shall receive your bidding tools along with an invitation to the event by post… Alternatively you can pick these up at the Atelier.

Opening times Monday & Wednesday & Friday: 10:00-13:00
Tuesday & Thursday: 16:00-19:00

The contact person for "Atelier Vogelfrei" is Birgit R. Deubner,
for information you can e-mail me at: bdeubner@gmx.net
or call: 07761139340
Directions:
Atelier Vogelfrei
2 Sefton Drive
Liverpool
L8 3SD

2 minutes from Croxteth Road and the 75/80 bus stop which takes you into town within 5-10 minutes. 10 minutes, walking-slowly-distance, from Lark Lane. Sefton Drive connects Sefton Park Road and Ullet Road. Our house is not on the corner but the next one down with a garage and ageing Bluebird Nissan next to the house on the drive way. I will try and draw a map.
(Please call before your visit, if possible. Please ensure that you arrive 30 minutes before the end of viewing time…)

This is actually on Craig's own (excellent) blog where he has included lots of pictures. Too many for me to post here. So here's just a bit of the text.

'We went to Liverpool yesterday, Jo looked for shoes and I looked at art and then we both looked at art!Another trip to the John Moores prize - that I should have been in [!] was worth it. Shit Picnic, my favourite piece, was apparently fought over by the judges to decide who was going to buy it! Is this the reason it didn’t win - the judges would have known the gallery would have bought it and they wanted it for them selves? Hmm, I wonder.'
...
'From the Walker we went over to New Contemporaries. Readers of my newsletter will already know my feelings about this show, so sorry to you both! The show overall is an interesting one. The work is fairly exciting and some is challenging, there is a good mix of styles and types. I can’t help feeling that they have tried to be a bit too clever this time though. It’s certainly better than last years show but I think over 50% of the work this time is inaccessible to most, or just boring.'

Read the full article

Our clever friend Billy (newfolder) has produced this great google map covering most of the Biennial 2006 venues.
He says "It's pretty buggy and makes no attempt to be comprehensive" but we think its interesting and useful.
We like some of his comments too.
Click on the little tabs to bring up details of the exhibitions, some even have pictures and links to reviews.
In google maps you can click and drag the mouse to move the map around, zoom in and out, switch to satellite pictures or hybrid.
He's away on holiday now but would like feedback, you could leave a comment on his blog

Transvoyeur Performance Art Platform 2006 - Part (2)

Venue: View Two Gallery, 23 Mathew Street, Liverpool, L2 6RE, England.

Artists: Sassu Antonio, Jeimy Marisol Martínez Galavíz, Jo Gough and Emma Sweeney, Invigilation Revenge (June Hobson and Etal), Wendalena Kaye, Tony Knox, Mandy LaRomero, George Lund, Tommy McHugh, Ernesto Sarezale, Rita Says, Catherine Shea ('Kitty'), Ross Sutherland and Etal, Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney, Lisa Jane Wrigley, Suzy Walker – Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, Kai-Oi Jay Yung and Neil Campbell.

Friday 29 September 2006, 17.30 pm - 19.00
Kai-Oi Jay Yung and Neil Campbell, Mandy LaRomero, Catherine Shea (‘Kitty’) and Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney.

Friday 06 October 2006, 17.30 - 19.00
Sassu Antonio, Jeimy Marisol Martínez Galavíz, Tony Knox, Ernesto Sarezale and Lisa Jane Wrigley.

Friday 20 October 2006, 17.30 - 19.00
George Lund, Rita Says, Suzy Walker – Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris and Jo Gough and Emma Sweeney.

Friday 27 October 2006, 17.30 - 19.00
Wendalena Kaye, Tommy McHugh, Ross Sutherland and Etal and Invigilation Revenge (June Hobson and Etal).
Contact details:

Transvoyeur UK
Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney (UK Projects Co-ordinator)
Mobile: +44(0)7944733576
E-mail: transvoyeuruk@hotmail.co.uk
Website: www.transvoyeur.co.uk

View Two Gallery
Ken Martin (Director/Curator)
Tel. No.: Tel: 0151 236 9444
Email: info@viewtwogallery.co.uk
Website: www.viewtwogallery.co.uk

BLOOMBERG NEW CONTEMPORARIES 2006

Written by Jo Raven

Bloomberg New Contemporaries is an annual exhibition currently housed in the Coach Shed at Greenland Street. This national competition is open to all final year undergraduates and current postgraduates of the past 12 months. The 2006 selectors Angus Fairhurst, Paul Nash and Alison Wilding have brought together the 36 finalists, providing a platform for these artists to showcase their work on an international level.

Overall this exhibition shows a balance of different media, opening with the contrasting sculptural work of Jeremy Williett, Douglas White's vandalised recycling bins looming in the background.

Sarah Bridgland's meticulous paper cut-outs manifest in picture and sculptural form in 'Staple Box' and 'Toy Soldier', matching the keen attention to detail of Salvatore Arancio's pencil etchings depicting powerful landscapes of volcanoes, mountains and craters.

This exhibition also features strong work from new Japanese artists; the clever and witty 'Yellow Pages' by Chiho Kato, the delicately carved birthday candle 'Spiral Staircase' and the strong figurative photographs of Akiko Takizawa.

There is also a number of video works dotted throughout the gallery space, the best for me being Holly Antrum's stop motion animation 'Once I Knew a Room, Once I Knew A Forest' and 'Ed's Spiral Piece' by Edwin Li. The abstract style is also prevalent with Katy Moran's textural compositions surpassing the other artists.

Moving into the main exhibition space, Andrea Buttner's donkey woodcut picture and Dafni Barbageorgopoulou sizable floor sculpture 'Space Base' dominate the space. However 'The Genealogy of Suicide' Series 1 - 13 and Robert Rush's card sculptures are particularly worth a closer look, as are the works in the annex rooms - '2nd Floor' the only site specific work in this exhibition and Athanasios Argianas projections, installation and sculpture.

Jo Raven, September 2006
Exhibition runs from 16 September - 22 October 2006 at the Coach Shed, Greenland Street

I didn't go to the party, I'm not comfortable on that boat but it sounds like everyone had a good time.

Dollman Disco End of Summer Fruits Party
Live Art and Laughter for All
24 September 2006
Written by Lucia Andrea Sweeney (and Co-written Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney)

‘Dollman Disco End of Summer Fruits Party’ was an exceptional experience for all to be had last night on Walk the Plank Theatre Production Boat, Liverpool, England. A concept derived and produced by Gary Sollars combines an elaborate and wonderful array of live art in a social atmosphere. Music mixed by the ‘Dollman DJ’ of a diverse taste to suit all, the momentum up beat with a hive of activity.

Catherine Shea, whose alter ego, ‘Kitty O’Shea’, did a wonderful rendition of ‘A Piece of Sky’ by Barbara Streisand. Dollman (aka Sollars) in a duet with Sean Kenny exploded into song ‘You Give a Little Love’ from the Musical Bugsy Malone. The audience encouraged to join in and share in the verse. There was a selection of games for the audience to participate in the performance. Each could select their favourite icon, such as Marilyn Monroe, etc., and in groups compete to win a special Dollman prize. Other familiar characters could be seen Mothman (Tony Knox) dancing the night away and part of Dollman’s entourage, as the Bunny Girl, Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney, mediating as usherette with a selection of merchandise as pork scratchings and crisps for sale.

The concept of Dollman was derived in the series of painting by Sollars several years ago, a character with a dolls head and track suit to imbue the social deprived youth from Park Road in Liverpool, England. His painting style photorealist and high art. The genius in the creative skill of Sollars is one which takes the social realism of a subject and through his immense skill as a painter personifies his vision. As an artist, his work is recognised and exhibited in the National Portraits Gallery, the Whitworth Gallery, etc.. More recently has been short listed in the highly prized John Moores Award this year in the Liverpool Biennial 2006.

His approach of contemporary subjects in the context of his painting is similar to how ‘Dollman Disco’ has evolved. From the character born in the two dimensional surface of his paintings, he first explored in 2004 live art element to become the large scale events of ‘Dollman Disco’. He bridges the gap of the hierarchical canons of art in his creativity by placing the live art events in a social context and enabling art to be shared and experienced by a broader audience. Indeed, the work of Sollars is a social commentary and expands relativity to all; it breaks down and removes the exclusivity and elusiveness of the arts.

More Dollman events are to be announced in the coming months. Go to www.garysollars.co.uk for updates.

From our friends at Mercy...

)BRACKET THIS 3( - Thursday 2 November-Sunday 26 November
---
The third instalment of our successful exhibition programme kicks off, as with the first, at the climax of the Liverpool Biennial. It’s at the Arena Gallery on Duke Street again, all nicely refurbished. Expect the usual mix of cross-cultural and cross-discipline artworks commissioned to reflect on the artists sense of place, plus regular late-night parties and performances by bands, poets, DJs and the rest. Expect to get spammed like no other once it nears...
**WORK PLACEMENTS***
We need people for work placements as exhibition assistants, starting from 25 October til the exhibition end. Duties would include help with invigilation & point of contact with visitors, installation, marketing & promotion, and a whole host of lovely menial tasks. We need 1/2 people per day (expenses covered), so if you are interested it would be really helpful if you could give us an idea of what days you are available when you contact us. Give us an email about it, it’d be a really good experience to have a hand in a very busy and successful show in an international Biennial, whooo!

Also

WE want more writers for 2007’s run: at the moment we’re beating illustrators off with giant pencils from Art Attack, but having to beg for writing. Don’t demean us, send us some samples so we can enlarge our roster for next year. If we get our Arts Council funding then we’ll even pay you all!

Contact: info@showmercy.co.uk
www.showmercy.co.uk

In today's Observer newspaper...

What a turn-up

A sprawling but often inspiring collection has emerged from the beleaguered biennial team in Liverpool

Killian Fox
Sunday September 24, 2006
The Observer

....Sprawling art festivals such as this are by nature hit and miss, damned if they impose overarching themes, damned if they don't. But the Biennial's organisers have cut a reasonable balance and an impressive body of work has been amassed, with a particular emphasis on young Asian and Latin American artists. The next couple of years will pose significant challenges to the city and there will be an obligation for 2008's event to be bigger and better still....

Thanks to Gary Radice for sending further information about the Two Rooms 'public realm' work in the Picton Reading Room, Central Library.

"Each of the chairs was altered to reflect the effect of brain injury on individuals.

The participants are part of Making More Sense - A collaboration between TAG (Steve Rooney and Sue Williams of The Artists' Group) and Mersey Care NHS Trust - I am the community nurse working in the field of brain injury who is the lead for Mersey Care in this instance.

Mario invited TAG and ourselves to contribute to his piece.

We were thrilled to get the chance to work with the artists.

Several of the participants were also involved with Making Sense at The Conservation Centre last year which you reviewed in your 2005 Blog.
http://www.artinliverpool.com/blogarch/2005/03/making_sense.html

Re the chairs:

The brief by Mario to TAG and the participants was that each chair had to have 6 buttons on it, an ash tray and a glass holder. (You may not be able to see these on some of the chairs because of their height from the ground.)

The control room in Chile in the seventies had all these attributes.

A couple of chairs were bought especially but most were found lying idle.

There are roots dangling from one..("After coming out of hospital my wife told me that if I didn't get up from the chair I would take root")

One participant took the chair apart and put it back together with some modifications (It looks OK but if you look closer you will see some imperfections)

One chair has a Beans Tin for an ashtray ("My Warhol 15 mins of fame!")

It's a great example of how Creativity in Health can compliment the work we do."

The Picton Reading Room in Central Library is an amazing space anyway, this installation by Mario Navarro called 'Two Rooms' just adds extra interest. Its a red dome that you can enter, there are 9 different chairs each with a different story attached. I guess the chairs used to belong to the people whose story is attached but I'm not sure. (Update: See next posting for more nfo) Well worth a visit, especially if you have not been round this library before.

Oh god, why did I stay up till 1am to watch this awful programme? The very poorly presented Blast! Friday had feature on the NOISE! festival challenge to present an exhibition. Details in previous posts
The BBC listings and the presenters insisted it was in Manchester. I think it started there but most of it was filmed in Royal Standard where the artist Kevin has his studio and FACT's cafe then Korova and View Two gallery in Mathew street where the exhibition is actually taking place.

They did that awful trick of showing us half the piece up front then making us sit through the rest of the program before showing the conclusion. So I had to endure a film encouraging kids to take up parkour (urban freeflow). 'Yes, I've had a few injuries" "I did serious damage to my knees" "I injured my back" etc. The last thing I want to see as I'm strolling round my urban environment is a load of prats leaping over railings and jumping off roofs to land head first in front of me.
They also reviewed another exhibition which looked quite good. I wonder where / what it was. If they told us I'm afraid I missed it.

I don't know if the artists had any say in the direction or content of the filming but I think someone has been watching too many big-brother type shows. So there was lots of arguments, bitching behind the back, solo talking to camera whilst sitting on the toilet!! No real information about NOISE!, the artists, the artworks or the venues in LIVERPOOL. (not Manchester)
Shame.
I've seen the exhibition in View Two though along with the Chaosmos show and its rather good. I recommend you go and see it. I'll be going back for another look and trying not to picture the artists sitting on the loo. Meanwhile the dust covers are going back on the TV I don't have that much time to waste.

A really good solo show this, shame its only here until Sunday but The Art Organisation who are curating the venue at 34a Slater Street like to keep things moving so there's always something fresh to see over the 10 weeks of the Biennial.

'Microclimates' is an ongoing project by Tomas Cyhitski comprising a series of acrylic paintworks that originate from his travels and take him onto new journeys - both physically and mentally.

Apparently this place used to be a shop selling merchandise related to the Cream nightclub around the corner but its been empty for a long time.
The artist with the help of TAO has done a splendid job of making the place presentable. He paints mostly on to reclaimed wood from things such as tables, there are several painted skateboards and even an old deck chair which looks great.

Take a look while you can. You can see examples of the work on Tomas' website: www.tomascyhitski.com

Pictured here is the artist on the right alongside Gregory Scott-Gurner the curator.

Good to see that Rigo 23's cages around the lions in front of St George's Hall were made by Stanley Steel of Liverpool.

Latest feature on the Independents website...

I’ll Be Your Mirror - Curator David Hancock
by Leo Wood

Since the birth of representational art, people have been painting portraits as a way to represent and understand humanity. And yet as artist David Hancock sees it, our understanding of portraiture is both limited and stifling. Hancock has chosen to explore and challenge the idea of portraiture, claiming that it can be, ‘so much more than a painting of a little kiddie in the living room’. I’ll Be your Mirror, an exhibition curated by David Hancock that features the work of eleven artists, invigorates the idea of portraiture for the 21st Century.

LINK

Transvoyeur Expeditions of the Biennial ... Liverpool and New York Artists
Written by Lucia Andrea Sweeney
22 September 2006

Transvoyeur New York artists Stephan Fowlkers and PJ Cobbs arrived in Liverpool mid last week in the lead up to the launch of the Independents Biennial 2006. However, when the Transvoyeur show was pulled they had more free time on their hands than expected.

In true New Yorker style, they embraced the vibrancy of the city albeit the circumstances of the exhibition not happening and having to sort a new venue. PJ Cobbs seemed to raise to the occasion with the insight the show will go on, a new venue is on the horizon. During their short stay was made memorable. The New Yorkers accompanied the Liverpool Transvoyeur artists to the presentation of the John Moores Painting Prize, which Gary ‘Dollman’ Sollar was short listed. The Transvoyeur artists, family and friends of Sollars’ arrived to encourage him during the announcement of the winner. The entourage wore the trade mark of the Dollman masks. An exceptionally talented artist, but missed out as a prize winner. Nevertheless, Sollars’ and etal were recognisable amongst the immense crowd in the Walker, as there was barely room for standing in the main area where the prizes were announced. He made a distinct impression on the crowds an onlookers, such as Tracey Emin, who eagerly announced the prize winners. Amongst the multiple faces of Dollman within the throng could be seen flitting around was Mothman in his gold lycra suit and antennas peeping through the crowd. Mothman, another Transvoyeur artist, who was in attendance to cheer along Sollars.

During the aftermath, people relaxed and socialised in the Walker. Mothman accompanied by New York artist, Fowlkes, found a new friend Peter Blake, reknowned pop artist. The artists discussed their experiences in their practices and after photograph shoot met up with the rest of the Transvoyeur artists and Dollman group. After the commiserations, this did not diminish Sollar’s, but everyone after the presentation went out to a local pub and the New York artists introduced to Liverpool night life. In merriment everyone cheered regardless of the Transvoyeur show being pulled and those who had heard on the grape vine and spoke to the artists shocked at this news. Furthermore, regardless of Sollars’ not winning it was still an exciting evening with new found energy and impetus.

After the local pub, the Transvoyeur artists went onto the Independents district to continue their celebrations at the A Foundation party. The New York artists, Fowlkes and Cobbs, were left in the safe hands of the Liverpool artists, while Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney and Tony Knox, returned to studio to consolidate future plans for the next stage of Transvoyeur opening.

Another New York artist, Raphaele Shirley, arrived towards the weekend. On Saturday the Transvoyeur Liverpool and New York artists met up at the View Two in Mathew Street to attend the Noise exhibition. This was an evening of various types of digital media projected, which then followed on to an array of musical talent. During this time appeared George Lund, as his alter ego the Funky Chicken, and responded to the projections and music in his own unique improvised performance intervention. He danced his heart out, celebrating the fact he is oldest surviving chicken at youthful age of 59. New Yorker, Shirley, smiled and commented overall on Liverpool and her experiences that it is a ‘party city’. Fowlkes was captivated by the energy and vigour of the city and regardless of the previous days events all of Transvoyeur artists were determined it would be a positive one.

Plans are currently underway to ensure the Transvoyeur programme is presented in the Independents Biennial 2006 with an extraordinary collection of art never seen before.

NEWSFLASH!

NOISE LIVERPOOL BIENNIAL PROJECT TO AIR TONIGHT FRIDAY 22ND ON BBC2, 12.35AM
(aka 00.35 Saturday morning)

The exhibition is the result of a challenge set by top Brit artist and NOISE Curator for Fine Art, Stella Vine to a group of four NOISE artists; Kevin Hunt (23), Chris Rice (21), Chris Boyd (21) all from Liverpool plus Judy Louise Jacob (23), had just £500 and a one month deadline to collate artworks from the NOISE fine art category, find a venue and promote the event.

The team’s trials and tribulations to complete the challenge were filmed throughout (complete with diary room thoughts) and will be broadcast tonight, Friday 22nd September, on BBC 2 after midnight at 12.35am.

Kevin, who co-ordinated all the NOISE artists involved in the project reveals: “It’s been a lot of really hard work, but the end result is amazing. I am really happy to have been a part of it, it has been a great rollercoaster experience for me in all sorts of ways and I’ve learnt so much about a lot of things. Thanks for getting me involved in such a crazy project!”

Ken Martin, owner and curator of View Two said: “This exhibition has been put together by an extremely talented group of young people. I would go so far as to say that this exhibition is one of the most sophisticated installations on display during the biennial period and I expect to see these artists presenting their work at International Biennial Festivals to come.”

Victoria Turnbull from NOISE who over-saw the team adds “This was a fantastic but tough challenge. With only a month, £500, and a lot of blood, sweat and tears they created something rather special, I’m very proud of their achievements and they should be too!.”

The NOISE Festival art exhibition is held at two Liverpool venues: the fine art works will be displayed at the View Two gallery on Mathew Street near the Cavern Club from September 14th till October 21st and digital representations and videos at Korova Bar on Wood Street from September 14th - 21st October.

Opening hours to the gallery are 11am - 6pm and entry is free. For more details, please see
www.noisefestival.com
www.viewtwogallery.co.uk
www.myspace.com/liverpoolbiennial

Dollman Disco 'End of Summer Fruits Party'
Date: 23 September 2006
Times: 8.00 pm until late.
Venue: Walk the Plank Theatre Production Boat, Liverpool's Canny Dock, Albert Dock Complex, Liverpool, Merseyside, England.

Access: Tickets £6.99

For further information please contact:
Gary Sollars (Artist/Director and Producer)
Mobile: 07804955959
E-mail: dollmandisco@hotmail.com
Website: www.garysollars.co.uk

Digby Maass traveled down from Scotland for a 2 day tour of the Biennial and was not impressed...

"The biennale is a mess.
The official 'find it' guide is a jumble and the independents guide will hardly guide you to anything. If you have a short time to visit, in my case 2 days, you need as clear as possible a guide to base your viewing on. The designers of these guides obviously have never had to use such things to visit a new city before, or if they have then they haven't learnt from their own experience.

Numbered maps are fine but for heavens sake then list the numbers in numerical order because that's how we are going to refer to them to know what is where. The independents guide lists them in alphabetical order with the numbers all over the place. It then perversely, and not always accurately, lists them again - sometimes on the other side of the sheet, sometimes upside down in relation to the map and in a way that does not clearly help you decide what is what.

The official guide is a little more coherent but the numbers on the map should be the primary indexing facility, unbroken by categories that are irrelevant when you are tramping the streets looking for galleries, art in the public realm or whatever.

One wants to know: location, times and what type of activity/exhibition is taking place at the venue. Performances may be hard to catch if you are only around for two days, so you want to be able to easily identify, for example, visual art shows that will be on most of the time.

Its not as if there is even that much on to make the job difficult. It seems much reduced compared with previous biennales. If it weren't for the John Moore's and the A Foundation showing the excellent New Contemporaries and the lovely "The Furnace" there wouldn't be a lot to see of quality. What's happened to the plethora of work of previous years? The artists in the public realm underwhelm and £4 is a lot to pay for a very unconvincing show at the Tate.

With the theme being the regeneration of Liverpool you have to ask whether there is going to be enough provision for sparky and vital contemporary art when the building work is complete? The Greenland Street project is an excellent space but is it enough when so many of the warehouses and similar spaces that housed exhibitions are being lost to development."

A good gathering at the Cornerstone last night for the exhibition of recent works by Hope University's Fine Art and Design Staff.
Entitled 'Do As I Say Not As I Do' it is naturally an eclectic mix of disciplines, styles, techniques etc. and all good. Created by the professionals after all and most of them have exhibited extensively nationwide and internationally.

Art students should make sure they grab a copy of the information sheet as any of the artists statements could easily be applied to any of the works. Do As I say indeed.

A particular favourite of mine is the Independents cone in its display cabinet outside. 'Cornercone' I call it.

Exhibiting artists/designers

Susan Disley, Peter Dover, Janice Egerton, Lizabeth Gatley, Steve Gatley, Lin Holland, Richard Hooper, Jason Jones, Michelle Jones-Hughes, Dan McBride, Callum Moncrieff, Sara Preisler, Li-Sheng Cheng, Tony Smith, Deno Soteriou, Fiona Ward, Alan Whittaker.

Exhibition runs from Saturday 16th September to Friday 1st December
open Monday to Saturday 9.00am to 5.00pm.

Web: www.hope.ac.uk/cornerstonegallery

I like this one. I go past the bombed out St Lukes Church most days, several times some days but I have never been able to see the inside.
But now thanks to Matej Andraz Vogrincic we can walk up a ramp from the Leece St gates and at least peer in through the window at one end.
Here we can see the church floor covered with upturned green boats. It probably wouldn't make much difference what you filled it with I think the overall effect would be the same. I'd like to see Antony Gormley's 'Field' of clay figures in there.
The boats are a nod to Liverpool's maritime history and here's an iteresting fact from the booklet.
"The Nave, the part of the church were the congregation gather to worship, derives from navis, the Latin for 'ship'. "

Another lie, Sorry.
Mrs Prime Minister is obviously a big fan of the Biennial though.
Thanks to Robert Bremner for the photograph.

Cherie Blair was actually on Merseyside to present the Artsmark Gold award to her old school, St Edmund's and St Thomas' in Waterloo, Liverpool on Monday 18 September.

During her time at the school, Cherie Blair was a member of the school choir and took part in many festivals and concerts. She will return to the school to a rousing welcome, with the pupils singing and performing before they are presented with their Artsmark award.

Artsmark is a national award scheme managed by Arts Council England that provides a benchmark for arts opportunities in schools. To receive an award schools must ensure that young people have a wide range of experiences in the arts. Artsmark Gold is the highest level of arts achievement a school can obtain.

LINK

Except I went metric a long time ago so it'll be more like 804.672 kilometers.

Some of you will recall that during the last Biennial 2 years ago (seems like only yesterday) I complained about all the walking I had to do and that next time I would buy a pedometer to see how far I had walked.

Well true to my word as ever I got this handy little device last week and have dutifully clipped it to my belt each day and logged the distance in my note book.

Since the press launch at the Adelphi on Thursday it tells me I have walked over 31 km on biennial-related duties. I had a day off on Sunday just strolling round the Hope Street Festival.
The figure shown here is 4.15 km for this evenings trip to Cornerstone, Bold St and Slater Street.

Busiest day so far, unsurprisingly was Friday when I travelled a total of 13 km though a fair number of those steps were on the dance floor at Carling Academy.

A bit too OTT with vocabulary for my taste this one but still an interesting read.

Real Life, the Private and the Public : On Nina Edge
by Alex Hetherington

....So instead of the usual net curtain, familiar, kitschy, floral and feminine we will see a beautifully made political graphic sown on a machine that is heading for obsolescence, removal, disappearance itself. Edge is not critiquing progress or change; she is though critiquing changes that defy, devalue and fragment what we come to term as “our way of life”: our free speech, our liberties or our ability to debate and protest.
....This work is made from a need to articulate, communicate and inform. It is immediate, tender, desperate, engaging, inviting, social, elaborate, reactive and active. It is finely conceived, in the tiniest of details, inviting inspection and broadly formed, demanding action.

LINK

This Milk Float thing is really popular, more pictures and stuff to follow.

Photograph by Tony Knox

‘Ballet Mechanique’ by Ben Parry and Jacques Chauchat is seen here being pushed by Harriet of the A Foundation and Cath from the Bluecoats last Saturday night who are kindly lending a hand after it momentarily broke down.

“Welsh Streets” (Solid Futures - 59 Powis Street) by Moira Kenny is well worth seeing. You have the opportunity to enter a terraced house cum shop in Mostin Street Powis Street Toxteth before its demolition. Moira takes you on an apparent sentimental journey through its pristine rooms to a video room. The video confronts you with the last inhabitants of these streets, streets with Welsh names.

Her restrained camera work shows each of the inhabitants standing for what seems like a long time outside their soon to be demolished home. The background sound track is a recording of “a sentimental journey” but the video has more to it than that. Each of the residents, closely framed by their front door simply looks at the camera, straight through the lens and with very little to say they stand alone or in small family groups, isolated, there is an honesty that draws you in.

Its an unsettling experience and one that reignites in you the reason for the show, to bring to your attention the plight of many of these people as they are moved out.

Its Art, Culture, Community and Politics, a precursor to 2008.

Terry Duffy

Another in the series of features on the Independents website...

Asylum’s Turnstile / The Protective Procession
by Alex Hetherington

...The parade and the protest are signifiers in our society which express notions of free speech, celebration, dissent, ritual, memorial, occasion. With mirrored banners and placards Saccone’s Turnstile will be a procession of the protective and personal and will feature a group of asylum seekers taking to the streets of Liverpool reflecting back their immediate surroundings, reflecting back their immediate condition and inviting a truth to be manifest, shared and enjoyed. Saccone describes an inventory of injustice, human fears and terrible experiences tempered with a desire for an encounter of assumption, meeting, contact and revelation....

LINK

My recent complaint that there is nothing controversial in this year's Biennial has elicited some response.
Tomas Harold who is involved in the China Pavilion exhibition at 55 New Bird Street sent me this item..

There was one truly controversial incident!
Part of the China Pavilion exhibition involved an installation of four dead bodies floating on the surface of Salthouse dock. These were life like figures dressed to depict class divisions in society. After months of negotiations with the emergency services and British Waterways I was told at the last minute that they weren't going to allow it.
So we did it anyway! The bodies lasted for 3 hours on Thursday afternoon before the authorities noticed and made us remove them. They were then driven around the city during the weekend on the back of a flat backed van. You can see them now in the main venue. This is 55 New Bird Street - just off Jamaica Street.

I actually saw those bodies on the back of the truck near the Pier Head on Saturday, they drove past too fast to get a clear look or photo but they certainly looked life-like and rather scary.

Also, the Daily Post obviously agree with me that the Teresa Margolles piece in the Tate is a good candidate for stirring things up a bit. As ever, they managed to find a religious spokesperson to declare that the work is 'Appalling'

The festival's contentious offering for 2006 is a piece by a Mexican artist that drips water used to wash dead bodies after post mortem examinations on to a hotplate.

As the droplets sizzle when they hit the heated metal, which represents the pathologist's examination table, they release a pungent smell for visitors to inhale.

And Stephen Kenny has posted some contentious opinions on the organisation of The Welcoming at the Albert Dock on Saturday.

Responding to your call for controversy (and moaners?), I have to say that 'The Welcoming' was the worst of the Biennial events I attended over the weekend. While no blame should be attached to the performers themselves, the organisation of the event was appalling and uncoordinated.

Thank you, thats more like it.

59 Powis Street, the Welsh Streets Project 'Solid Futures' opens today (19/09/06) at 1.00pm
They are looking for volunteers who would be interested in working a couple of hours Tues Thursday and two Sats. Contact Moira Kenny moirakenny1@hotmail.com

Not true of course. I am just attempting to make this more appealing to readers of the Echo. Apparently when someone rang up our local paper to complain about the lack of coverage of the Biennial, he was told that the festival was too high-brow for their readership!

Well if this stuff is too high brow, god help us when we are Capital of Culture in 2008 and how insulting to its readers.

I took this picture from the Daily Post's two-page spread on Sir Cliff and Our Cilla and other, erm, 'celebrities' at some 'night of glamour'. Its adjacent to another in a long running series of totally negative two-page spreads of the 'Culture Projects Falling Behind' variety. This from an '08 Official Partner'

To be fair, the Post is a lot better than the Echo. Must be a more high-brow readership I guess.

'Artisers' at Almiro Gallery
Text by Amanda DeAngeles

15/09/06 to 08/10/06

Featured artists: COLIN SERJENT & SUE MILBURN

A stark, brick end-terraced, sits blandly, next to the opulence of The Barbacoa, (one of many drinkerie-eateries) which serves the Sefton area of Merseyside, giving a warm, safe-haven away from the city centre. It has special advantage of being close to beach reserves of beauty - whatever the weather.

My destination tonight is the stark, brick building: ALMIRO GALLERY has been a pioneering, contemporary gallery in this area since October 2005. Brave enough to recognize that gallery spaces are needed outside of the city-centre and close to areas of outstanding natural beauty, which some out-of-towners may not know exist. Inside, Almiro walls are white and brightly lit. I’m offered a glass of wine and my daughter, aged six, lights-up with a lollipop.

The famous exhibition ‘ANOTHER PLACE’ by Anthony Gormley will move on soon, but you can buy some ‘Iron Men’ merchandise from Almiro Gallery to help you remember him, and him, and him too, in years to come when the joints will be stiff and the creaky gate will have rusted more.

Works by Sue Milburn and Colin Serjent are the current display. Initially, their artistic differences will strike you as harshly contrasting, although some themes repeat in markedly different ways. Personally, I think it is fitting that these artists exhibit together.

The link at the top of the page will provide more information about each artist. I will tell you what I have learned:

Sue has a slightly zany, self-effacing, bubbly personality, which opposes her meticulous, time-consuming love for something bright and beautiful. She uses a vibrant colour-palette and most of her works are variations on the theme of spectrum colours, light and waves. A trio of blended skies resembles irresistible, eye-shadow cosmetics.