Ksubi eyewear

ah meh zing.
and well good styling.

Wool, paints, plastic & the gang : T.A.A. Manchester

The T.A.A. in Manchester was ...

Temporary; the building was a primary school which will be torn down in 2 weeks

Autonomous; strictly speaking it was a squat and well, yeah it was a squat

Arts; in the widest sense going from painting walls to poetry, unicycling, pagans and knitting with plastic-bag-yarn (plarn) for the junk fashion show

Although this was on during my work hours and I could not spend every day all day there; cycling through estates in typical Mancatraz cold drizzle rain after a tiring day was worth seeing how a bunch of creative, enthusiastic people can turn an unused building into whatever they want. In this case there was hardly an inch of wall space without paint, poster or any other colourful material. There was poetry reciting, independent film showings, a junk fashion show (that I missed, boo!) and a big Cabarave to end it with a spectacular bang.

I contributed in Obermaier's Junk fashion and crafts corner, doing origami (erm with a little/lot help from my friends) until being infected by the "but I want to make that .... and that! .... and everything!" - virus... knitting, jewelry making, sock monkey making, and upcyling in every form took place. All materials were donated and all participants volunteers. What felt good was creating things that was the opposite of what virgin products do and did it feel good to be making fashion in that otherwise consumerist and profit driven world.

And was it inspirational. ... to be less conventional in work and life. Knit some plastic! Paint on the walls! I'm no punk or painter but it's strangely liberating.

Forbidden Arts Manchester

>> Inspired by London collective ‘Random Artists’, over the past few years collective groups in Bristol, Manchester, Edinburgh and Brighton have been coming together to create a cultural, interactive, autonomous space where people are free to be, free to create, and free to express themselves.

We want to exhibit all forms of artwork: drawings, paintings, sculptures big and small, photography, installations, designs and more. Showcasing poets and vocalists, films and performance, words and concepts.

Born out of the free party underground movement, these spaces of reclaimed freedom have been making a significant contribution to an alternative art world and Manchester Forbidden Arts are bringing it back to Manchester this NOVEMBER: 4th – 7th 2009!<<

Call 07762 599453 for directions ... it's a pretty awesome space, a school that will be torn down in a few weeks time and easy to get to.

I went there yesterday as I am part of the junk crafts corner; I was appointed to do origami. Janine had seen me make my trademark sail boat and assumed I was a pro... but that is the only one I can do! None the less, I printed out diagrams, collected paper and have already attracted another origami semi-pro at the event who will be my co-origamist. Should be wild.

If you're in Manchester - come, it's well worth popping by and having knit, fold, paint on the wall (so liberating!) or learn to unicycle! Or in the evenings...

THU 5th: Independent film night
FRI 6th: Junk Fashion Show / Interactive Dance & Performance
SAT 7th: Cabaret

Go to the forbidden arts website or T.A.A.R.T. for more info. Photos will follow, will be exciting to witness how the space will grow and develop.