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.

Cornerhouse: State Legacy, China & Encounters at the End of the World

Screenshot from http://www.cornerhouse.org

Unfortunately I missed the exhibition in the Whitworth gallery that I had blogged about, due to nice weather EVERY weekend since intending to go- just can't waste sunny days in England! Despite the soaked-up rays and the resulted happiness through them, I felt a definite void in the culture department. This was completely spontaneously filled when my boyfriend surprised me and picked me up from work, as he was in the area.

Photos from http://www.cornerhouse.org/art/

We decided to go to the Cornerhouse, even if it was just to grab a post-work beer and ended up in the exhibition "State Legacy" presenting previously unseen works by five prominent contemporary Chinese artists. Although my knowledge about China and its history is nearly nil, the radiance of Zeng Li's photographs were so strong it evoked a deep feeling of discomfort as well as admiration for the artist's talent in photographic composition. His series of photographs entitled The Shuicheng Iron and Steel Works, detailing an abandoned factory that had remained hidden amongst mountains during the cold-war. I could feel the harshness and mercilessness of the derelict looking vast whole landscapes of factories, which were badly cared for, treated as badly as the workers within them; I could feel the dirty toxic fumes enter every capillary of my lung which made me shiver.







The other one that stood out for me personally (and wasn't as discomforting) was Sui Jianguo’s Raising Speed on the Railway, a multi-screened projection of a high-speed train as it travels around a circular testing track. We only noticed this clever train element as were were about to leave the exhibition, thinking merely street scenes were being shown.

Illustration by Thomas Plaskitt from http://www.newthink.co.uk/

Throughout the exhibition we were thinking about a friend who left last week to live in China for a year. We were imagining the lanky, blond, tall Tom who had never even been outside Europe, looking onto a sea of little black heads beneath him -like in the image above drawn by Tom himself? I felt nervous for him. He will be in a "small" town near Beijing, still with a population of 6 million, teaching English. He's a graphic designer who has been working for a almost year since graduating and is also a graphic novel/comic artist. I am intrigued what inspiration this experience will provide him with but also anxious how he will cope (with the isolation of an expat, especially in China).

Afterwards, we watched Werner Herzog's "Encounters at the End of the World" which was released in 2007, as the Cornerhouse does not only show new films. Check out the trailer above! The colours and imagery is inspirational and gave me goosebumps all over. Uniquely beautiful nature and person shots, and a Herzog's commentary adds a dry element of humour. According to one of the interviewed people, these individuals are there because none of the are tied down on this planet, so the all fall down, fall to the most south part of the world- nice thought.

Also, do you know what sounds seals make under water?? They do not sound like they come from any animal in this world, more like synthesizers or lasers!

Subversive Spaces at the Whitworth Art Gallery Manchester

The subversive spaces exhibition at Manchester's Whitworth gallery looks at the relationship between surrealism and contemporary art. It includes work from Sarah Lucas, Douglas Gordon and Gregor Schneider, alongside pieces by surrealist past masters such as Paul Delvaux, Brassaï, Dalí and Magritte. Subversive Spaces runs until 4 May 2009 so I will hurry over before I miss it and as soon as I have a free rainy weekend; I find surrealism fascinating.

Photograph above: Kinderzimmer (2009) by Gregor Schneider; Photograph: Joel Chester Fildes , from http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/gallery/2009/mar/25/subversive-spaces-whitworth-gallery-in-pictures?picture=345030227

... and art, too!

http://www.chorltonartsfestival.com/

Friday 15 May - Saturday 23 May

Chorlton's Green Festival

The Manchester area Chorlton is commonly known to Mancunians as bohemian and alternative. There is a wide variety of charity & independent shops, pubs, bars and restaurants that appeal to the Chorlton scene and beyond which is anything but clean cut. This is not purely posh organic & fair-trade material (which does exist too e.g. restaurant 'Marmalade') but also sweaty, dirty pubs with live bands playing, and (organic) beer is spilled (e.g. Dulcimers).

Bottom line: (eco-)eclectic and friendly. My favourite area of Manchester by far - no, not scary Moss Side or faceless Didsbury; although Withington pubs and Levenshulme antique shops have their charms.

Ooooh how could I forget about the Northern Quarter !? But more on that one another time!

Most likely, I will refer to some Chrolton shops and their offered labels at some point but my main concern after introducing the lovely Chorlton-Cum-Hardy (in full) is to share Chorlton's Big Green Festival! It is taking place on the 4th of April 2009 in St. Clements Church (who are great at hosting e.g. the Chorlton Film Institute). According to their website http://greenchorlton.org.uk/ They have offerings for following categories: crafts & swapshop, organic food&drink, music, film & dance and well being, bicycles. I'm going, that's for sure and will report back if it's as amazing as it sounds.