Ian Jackson's Liverpool Arts and Culture Blog
Videos of the St Helens, Sutton Manor ‘Dream’ Sculpture launch event on Sunday 31 May 2009.
Not my best film work but I’ve uploaded a few videos to give a flavour of the event and an idea of the scale and beauty of this amazing sculpture. It looks great against the blue sky but the artist, Jaume Plensa says its even better against the more usual grey skies in this region as the 20 metre white girl’s head shines even brighter.
More videos here – http://www.youtube.com/user/ianart
An absolutely stunning piece of public art was launched today at the old Sutton Manor colliery site in St Helens. The sculpture titled ‘Dream’ was conceived and designed by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa. It is 20 metres tall and made of concrete and Spanish dolomite which makes it look white and reflects the light.
Today was a lovely event for the local community on a beautiful sunny day people turned out in their thousands to parade up the hill with brass bands playing and the May Queen in a carriage and being crowned later. There were speeches by former miner Gary Conly as well as the artist. Brian Salkeld read his poem about the closing of the mine and the event closed with the crowds singing ‘Dream, Dream, Dream’ along with the Sing Out Choir.
Dream was commissioned and delivered by St Helens Council with support of Channel 4, Arts Council England and the Art Fund.
A lot of credit is due to Liverpool Biennial, especially Laurie Peake, for their project management. Having just watched the final instalment of the Channel 4 Big Art programme it seems that the Sutton Manor Dream was the real success of the project.
I’ve uploaded a few videos of the days events, here’s one
Jim Lambie's floor installation. Photograph: Colin McPherson
Adrian Searle on Liverpool Tate’s new show, Colour Chart | Art and design | The Guardian.
Gentle spots, clashing stripes, and an electric chair bleeding magenta … Liverpool Tate’s new show roars with colour. It’s all a bit too much for Adrian Searle
As one of the final events or the Climate for Change show at FACT there was a Sustainable Fashion show tonight in the gallery. In fact, there were two shows, both fully booked and very good, lots of inventive ideas and not too many bin bags in sight. Its given us a few ideas and Minako’s already sorting through that bag of old clothes thats been waiting to go to the charity shop for ages. All the items were made by local designers from recycled materials and the show was introduced by Kirsty Doyle.
Never seen so many artists in one room working so hard and quietly.
This was the Collage(n) party at A Foundation last night. We went along just to have a look and ended up joining in. It was great fun and it actually kept Mrs J quiet for a couple of hours so I’m well impressed, she created this splendid 3D collage but didn’t win a prize. My pathetic effort didn’t even get a mention but surrounded by all those old magazines and papers I spent too much time reading.
The completed collages were displayed on the walls and artist Jesse Ash was there to choose the winners (Gold, Silver, Bronze and Copper). There was also music, food and drink, so a good party all round, hope there’s more.
Saturday 30th May 2009
A plug for our friends at Liverpool Community College who are putting on this play.
“We Are Englan” by Filter Theatre Company
Friday 5th to Saturday 6th June 2009, 8:00pm
Unity Theatre, 1 Hope Place, Liverpool, L1 9BG
Ticket Office: 0151 709 4988
Email: tickets@unitytheatre.co.uk
Tickets: £6 / £5 concessions and £4 for students of Liverpool Community College.
“We Are Englan is a unique play that has been realised through dedicated research. With an exciting fusion of comedy, physical theatre and verbatim a serious issue is addressed without degradation of entertainment value. The production aims to highlight the intense struggle for survival and freedom that takes place out of sight around the world every day and gives credence to the belief that every person has the right to make a better life for themselves. We Are Englan is a play that shows the human spirit at its best and contempt for human life at its worst.”
A nice new exhibition at the Beatles Story, Albert Dock. always good to discover some fresh images of otherwise very familiar stories. there’s plenty of interesting text too, mostly from the book which accompanies the exhibition I think.
I like the photo of the guys cleaning up the mess after the 8 day bed-in had finished along with the housekeeper’s notes about how the suite was ‘very dirty and littered with flower petals’ .
John Lennon’s Dream of Peace Still Alive 40 Years Later in New Photographic Exhibition ‘Give Peace A Chance’ – opening at the Beatles Story, Liverpool, May 26th 2009.
European Premier for amazing, never-before-seen images of John and Yoko.
May 26th 2009 sees the 40th anniversary of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s famous Montreal Bed-In for Peace and to commemorate this still powerful gesture of love and compassion, Liverpool’s Beatles Story will be hosting the European premiere of a new photo exhibition Give Peace A Chance: John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Bed-in for Peace.
Through stories and unique photographs – many never seen before, the Give Peace A Chance exhibition of over 40 images offers guests a seat on the edge of John and Yoko’s bed in Suite 1742 at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal between May 26 and June 2, 1969.
Photojournalist Gerry Deiter became the eyes and ears in the Lennon’s hotel room – the only one who documented the whole 8 days. He was determined to capture the essence of the happening – in particular the love between the newly wedded John and Yoko. He also candidly caught famous people who dropped in – counterculture icon Timothy Leary, comedian Tommy Smothers and humorist Al Capp, amongst others.
Deiter was originally on an assignment for Life magazine, but the story was bumped in favour of one about Vietnam. Vickie Rehberg, president of ArtVision Exhibitions who organise the exhibition takes up the story: “The photos never ran. Dieter hid them away. This is why many of the images have never been seen before. He captured the celebrity visitors, the action and intimate behind-the-scenes moments between John and Yoko.”
Liverpool Art Critic Art In Liverpool
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