Monthly Archive for September, 2009

Stephen Walter’s Map of Liverpool 2008-9

c. Stephen Walter

c. Stephen Walter

STEPHEN WALTER’S MAP OF LIVERPOOL 2008-09

The Map leads on from Stephen Walter’s two-year London project completed in 2008, which mapped London as a whole and each of its boroughs. Informed by insights, knowledge of his native city and its people, combined with further research; the resulting maps touch on the capital’s vastness and tap into its undercurrents.

The map is on display in the Bluecoat hub. For more info email Liz Lacey lizcampus@hotmail.co.uk

The artist’s initial plan was to create something similar for Liverpool, a city with which he was unfamiliar. Originally, he was to spend five days here, following a trail of contacts, and produce a whistle stop ‘warts and all’ tour of the city. The map creation would rely upon the knowledge and views of others, juxtaposed with research of cultural and historical books and on the Internet. However, whilst journeying through the City the artist fell in love with a woman from Liverpool. This and a growing number of personal relationships, and “the pride and energy in which Liverpudlians talk and feel about their city” which Walter experienced; resulted in further visits and a map of Liverpool far larger and more detailed than was initially planned.

The map is geographically accurate and highlights many of Liverpool’s main roads, railway lines, built up areas, monuments and green spaces, with an enlarged section of the city centre added in the bottom left corner. It records several memorable viewpoints from different parts of the city. “I began to translate Liverpool’s character to paper, its snippets of quirks, idiosyncrasies, its stereotypes, places of interest and etymology of place names into a celebration of the masonry and hearts of Liverpool”.

Stephen Walter’s drawn maps ‘Stir the pot of alchemy’ to produce works that illustrate his study into the stories, legends, histories and stereotypes of a city and are ultimately a celebration of place.

Under the guise of traditional techniques, his work reveals a myriad of words and symbols. The fantastical additions, references to history, trivia, personal experiences and local knowledge merge older notions of Romanticism with a fascination in the intricacies and the contradictions of our world.

Stephen Walter London Map entitled ‘The Island’ will be shown at the British Library as part of the ‘Mighty Maps’ exhibition, 2010.

c. Stephen Walter

c. Stephen Walter

Everlution: The Everton Collection – 18,000 items of memorabilia

Joe Royle, Lord Mayor Mike Storey and Andy Burnham MP

Joe Royle, Lord Mayor Mike Storey and Andy Burnham MP

WORLD’S LARGEST COLLECTION OF FOOTBALL MEMORABILIA UNVEILED

Over 18,000 items of football memorabilia are set to be unveiled to the public as part of the world’s most comprehensive football archive.

The oldest Manchester United programme, Alan Ball’s famous white boots and 1966 World Cup memorabilia form part of the collection providing a detailed football archive with items pre-dating the formation of the Football League in 1888.

The collection is supported by a significant grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and supported by Liverpool City Council with the collection housed, conserved and made available at Liverpool Record Office in Central Library.

The collection was launched on Thursday, September 24 2009 with the major new exhibition, ‘Everlution: The Everton Collection’ in conjunction with a ground-breaking website (www.evertoncollection.org.uk) and an extensive learning programme.

The Everton collection is extremely valuable both in a monetary and historical sense as it illustrates and chronicles the formation of the oldest Football League in the world. Featuring some of football’s rarest artefacts, many pre-date the formative years of the League.

The launch of the collection is set to be an event of national interest for all football fans alike as it consists of a plethora of items from most football clubs, such as programmes, season tickets, medals, trophies, shirts, boots, photographs, contracts, handbooks and footballs.

With an unrivalled collection of programmes dating from the 19th century, the catalogue is being digitalised and available to view online. With the Everton Club minute books, which cover the period from 1887 to 1964 and comprise 10,000 newly digitalised pages, this collection will provide an unparalleled resource of searchable information.

The Everton collection is one of the biggest projects Liverpool Central library has worked on – with three full time staff cataloguing the collection since June 2008, supported by a team of 15 volunteers.

* ‘Everlution: The Everton Collection‘ at Picton Reading Room, Liverpool Central Library is scheduled to run until April 2011.

More Art in the Workplace

That's Sophie Green in the middle

That's Sophie Green in the middle

Agent Marketing making an exhibition of themselves

Agent Marketing have added another string to their bow, by turning the walls of their offices into an exhibition space for talented local artists.

Liverpool based Freelance Artist and Illustrator, Sophie Green, brought eight of her wonderful paintings along to adorn the walls of Agent Marketing HQ. All of her pieces are available to purchase and have already raised an interest with a number of Agent Marketing’s clients.

Sophie Green studied art and design to degree level and has over 10 years experience working in the design industry. Sophie has a loose and occasionally simplistic style of painting that uses strong vivid colour and broad striking paint strokes. Her work can be viewed in various galleries and exhibitions around Liverpool city centre.

Paul Corcoran, Director of Agent Marketing said:

“There is so much open wall space at Agents New HQ; it is perfect to show large creative works. We love to support local creative’s, Sophie is such a talented artist and we are delighted to have her work brighten up the walls in our new offices. Our clients have all shown a real appreciation of the way these works have brought a new dimension to our workspace”.

Sophie Green, Artist said:

“I am delighted to have my work in Agent Marketing’s fantastic new offices; it’s an excellent opportunity to connect with a new audience and I am looking forward to receiving positive feedback and comments from Agents clients while perusing any opportunities that may arise.”

www.sophie-green.com

www.agentmarketing.co.uk

Great Northern Craft Fair – Manchester

great-northern

The Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair is back for its second year. The fair showcases the most up-and-coming and leading designer makers. It is held in Manchester city centre at Spinnigfields from October 22 – 25, 2009.

There are 140 exhibitors showcasing the finest works of contemporary craft, including jewellery, interior textiles and fashion accessories, ceramics, glass, metal-work, furniture and more. All of the exhibitors from the established makers and emerging talent have been selected by a panel of experts to ensure work is both inovative and of the highest quality.

www.greatnorthernevents.co.uk

A Year in the Life of the Cornerstone

Kate-soldering

This fine exhibition ends on Friday. Its well worth a visit to see Jane’s excellent drawings showing the life of the Cornerstone building.

Jane Hughes – ‘A year in the life of the Cornerstone’
11 September – 2 October 2009

Since November 2008 Jane Hughes has been involved in a documentary project at the Cornerstone Building, Liverpool Hope University’s Creative and Performing Arts Campus, where she has been Artist in Residence.

Hughes has compiled a record of everyday life at the Cornerstone through the media of drawing and writing. No photographic recording devices are used as Hughes prefers the raw qualities of direct observational drawing. She identifies a viewpoint then simply sits and draws.

Each composition can take up to several hours to complete becoming an organic meditative process of seeing, choice and documentation; committing line to paper incorporating temporal movements within each chosen environment. Listening as part of her experience is also an important element of Hughes’ portfolio. Sounds, smells and snatches of conversation peculiar to each working area being recorded alongside many of the drawings.

Hughes’ documentary-style investigations have been greatly enhanced by her ongoing research into the Mass Observation project set up in Great Britain in 1937.

To date the project has enlisted artists, poets, writers and filmmakers, as well as the general public, to record aspects of everyday life in Britain.

Raising-a-bowl

Art workshop traces the roots of Black music

October is always Black History Month and there’s lots of events on Merseyside especially at the International Slavery Museum and World Museum Liverpool.

Full details for 2009 here

Also there is this art workshop for over 16s..

MUSICAL CONNECTIONS – Art workshop traces the roots of Black music

As part of Black History Month artist Tony Phillips will be hosting some special art workshops tracing and celebrating the history of music of Black origin.

Connecting Threads is a two-day workshop, taking place at Merseyside Maritime Museum from 6 – 8pm on 5/6 or 7/8 October 2009.

Taking inspiration from photographs, illustrations, portraits, musical texts, speeches and  newspapers, participants will be encouraged to explore how to interpret events, ideas and music into a visual narrative using collage techniques.

The culmination of these two-day workshops will be a collection of artwork that will form a ‘scrapbook’. The artworks will be used as a decorative backdrop for the Jiving Lindy Hoppers Dance Event at the Maritime Dining Rooms on 30 October 2009*.

Suitable for those aged over 16, the Connecting Threads workshop is the perfect opportunity to celebrate black culture and get involved with Black History Month, while working with a professional artist to gain some top tips.

To book your tickets for this free event please e-mail bookingsmmm@liverpoolmuseums.org.uk or call 0151 478 4441

*Strictly Come Dancing with the Jiving Lindy Hoppers
Maritime Dining Rooms
30 October 2009
7 –  11 pm
An audience with the Jiving Lindy Hoppers:  Join us for an exhilarating evening of live music and dance.  Bar and refreshments available.  Please book places in advance.
*For tickets to this free event please e-mail bookingsmmm@liverpoolmuseums.org.uk or call (0151) 478 4441

Chester Performs – Up The Wall 2009

Chester is the place to be in late October – all this sounds fascinating…

FREE TWILIGHT WORLD IN CHESTER ROMAN GARDEN

The fall of the Roman Empire has inspired a FREE performance and installation event. For one weekend this October Chester’s Roman Garden and city walls will be transformed into a virtual stage, transporting audiences into a mysterious autumnal world.

Chester Performs’ FREE performance and installation event Up the Wall returns for its third year on Friday 23rd & Saturday 24th October 2009. Over 25 artists will descend onto the city for one of the largest performance and installation events to ever come to Chester.

To find out more visit www.chesterperforms.com

The programme has drawn artists both locally, nationally and internationally, featuring companies from New York, Germany, Bulgaria and Belgium. This year’s highlights include architectural projections, laser shows, slap stick comedy, instrumentals, historical re-enactments, treasure hunts and illuminations.

Up the Wall 2009 is inspired by the fall and decline of the Roman Empire. Chester’s Roman history is world renowned, a walled city, with a castle and the original Roman roads are still intact in the city centre. This inescapable history lead to over 70 professional artists applying to take part in the event. Continue reading ‘Chester Performs – Up The Wall 2009′

Liverpool Biennial 2010 is ‘Touched’

Can Art Touch You?
Can Art Touch a City?

Liverpool Biennial presents Touched, the International 10 exhibition

Dates for your Diary.

Launches 17 September 2010
Runs 18 September – 29 November 2010

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