Arts & Elbows

Pain in the Arts

noreply@blogger.com (Artyblartfast) — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 16:50:51 -0500

The latest installment courtesy of ECR-TV. Let me be the first to point out that the arson attack was actually in 2004. Doesn't time fly when you're waiting for the county council to do something?

The Last Resort

noreply@blogger.com (Artyblartfast) — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 14:24:39 -0500

As the sharper-eyed readers amongst you may have noticed I've not created entries for a while. Covering what is best opined as the "bright shining lie" that Arts Regeneration has proved to be is a fruitless pursuit. I will rarely make more written entries, but I will make more videos.
You can thank Eastcliff Richard for this new direction, his tax deductable donations to my beard and belly funds means I'll still be expressing a few honest opinions rather than wandering off to find more entertaining activities.

Off Season

noreply@blogger.com (Artyblartfast) — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 17:44:08 -0600

Despite Christmas Margate is as off-season as it can get at the moment with little of artistic merit going on. So time to sit back and watch humble me in a Video Nation short which the BBC invited me to do after that pleasant chap from BBC Kent did a piece on local blogs.
It's been quite edited and runs for under two minutes, but should interest the regular reader.
You can view this documentary gem by clicking here. Should you agree or disagree with the content and tone please leave a message on the BBC site, or here, or the generous could do both.

Revolution Saved

noreply@blogger.com (Artyblartfast) — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 05:28:33 -0600

Good news indeed for a unique facilty in Kent namely Revolution Skatepark, as they and their landlords Thanet Community Development Trust have managed to come to an agreement over the park's future. Regular reader may recall that TCDT originally intended to impose a whopping increase in rent, exceeding 200%, on the park and weren't interested in negotiating it. Meanwhile Dan Chapman, the man behind the park, was verging on stripping out the park and moving on.

With trenches dug deep it seemed just a matter of time before it would close, but thankfully one brave soul stepped into the no-man's land in between, in the shape of councillor Christopher Wells. Refreshingly neutral but also brightly aware of the value of the facility, he worked incredibly hard to overcome numerous hurdles starting with getting two furious sides to start talking again, many in between, but finally to deliver a solution agreeable to both sides.

The final agreement does sound as if it may have originated from the court of King Solomon, both parties had a surveyor in to estimate a rent in line with the current market, and then they split the difference and that is the new rent.

It's self evident to most residents that many councillors don't seem too involved with righting the wrongs we see from day to day, so how brightly brilliant to have Chris Wells show us all just how it should be done, turning disaster into a victory we might all enjoy. Well done him.

Exodus Exits

noreply@blogger.com (Artyblartfast) — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 18:25:03 -0600

Photo: Thierry Bal

They've finished shooting, packed their bags and have trundled off into the sunset, so goodbye to the Artangel team responsible for "Margate Exodus". Next they're off to an editing suite in deepest Soho to put the whole thing together. In the rather cute but unnecessary way that creative folk have they're still a little panicky about getting it to all fit into place, but there's few around here who doubt them.

Artangel co-director Michael Morris dropped me a sweet farewell email and asked me to pass on two things to you all. Firstly he'd like to thank us for having them and secondly more thanks for our support and enthusiasm for what they've endeavoured to do.

In addition he says he misses Margate already, and if you had anything to do with him you, like me, will know he means it. Margate misses them too, given that finally here was a project which was determined to include locals. How rich for A.A Gill to have dared to suggest they parachuted their project in here with no care for the town or it's locals, he obviously got it confused with the Turner debacle but wasn't paying enough attention to notice his mistake.

They'll be back of course, the film is be shown in three venues, namely Margate, London & New York. Good to see us ranked up there where we belong. The shows won't be until late summer next year, with the Channel Four screening some months later. A dreadfully long wait for all of us eager to see it, but there's a little something on the way to quench our cultural thirst. Channel 4 will be screening a documentary about the building and burning of Gormley's "Wasteman" at 8pm on the 2nd of December.

Acol Hits the Spot

noreply@blogger.com (Artyblartfast) — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 16:49:38 -0600

They're the friendliest art group around and never fail to stimulate so what a joy to be invited to the private opening of Acol Art Group's "November Show" this evening. The consistency of this group's work never fails to engage, the walls are jam packed with pictures and the prices are simply bargains. There's also the occasional surprise, this year it was Charles Smart who entered a picture of Elvis, very different from his usual and very strong landscapes but a delight none the less.

The atmosphere in the tiny village hall is welcoming verging on the chumly and reflects a way of life, the village way of life, which many villages lost long ago. This might explain why the group is so popular, there's no hint of artistic elitism, any attempt at "artspeak" would most likely be met with an outbreak of giggles, and most surprisingly there's no wordy justification for their existence. They just are, and they just do what they do, and they do it well.

They also know how to put on a good spread. I'm frequently whinging about the distinct lack of tea at art shows, for me there's little more civilised and sophisticated than a collection of good art which can be enjoyed with a cuppa in hand. The AAG not only manage to deliver a great brew, but the cup comes with a saucer too. Just when one might assume it couldn't get any better lo and behold it does in the form of some home baking, a cheesy scone with a magical savoury filling.

Although one of the best shows around it suffers from a short run, it's only open this weekend (18th & 19th November) so get thee there.

The Beat Goes On

noreply@blogger.com (Artyblartfast) — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 17:33:51 -0600

Following the success of his stunning ska night featuring Neville Staples, aka one of the Specials, Eli of the Qubar is following it up with another this time featuring "The Beat" as well the usual non-stop ska sound system. If Christmas wasn't close enough, good old Eli has managed to bring it forward a few days by staging it on the 22nd of December. Tickets are £12 each, limited because it's such a delightfully intimate venue and can be ordered by phoning 01843 571684. See you there.

Giles Goes Solo

noreply@blogger.com (Artyblartfast) — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 04:39:23 -0600

Local palette master and brush waver Anthony Giles has opened his solo show "Big Sky Exhibition" at the The David Burley Gallery in Birchington Library at the end of Alpha Road. It looks extremely promising but Giles is suffering slightly from the jitters, it being his first solo show leaving him feeling nakedly on show.
Can't see that he has much to worry about having, as he does, a good eye, a steady hand and a resulting collection of fine paintings. He'll be present at his show tomorrow (Saturday 18th) from 10.00am to around midday so a good opportunity to see both art and artist.

"Big Sky Exhibition" by Anthony Giles runs until 4th January 2007.

Art Guerillas in the Mist

noreply@blogger.com (Artyblartfast) — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 05:42:03 -0600

Picture the scene; an expensive space devoid of viewers for a few pieces of French art designed to take huge sums of local art funding out of the area for the benefit of anyone but local artists. Ironically the show is entitled "Unite" although that brave cry isn't extended locally, with most alienated from funding rather than united with it.

Suddenly from nowhere there's two musicians filling the space with sound, and a reporter and photographer from the Gazunder watching them. The trumpet player plays an ode to lost opportunities.

The guitarist takes the spotlit but otherwise empty stage. He's clearly breaking all the rules in becoming the first local artist to perform in this space.

He wanders around playing as one of the staff makes a hurried call to management, while the other puts out a priority call on the "shop safe" radio system. Priority calls are meant to be reserved for robberies, assaults or other serious crimes. For some reason musicians playing in a Turner Contemporary venue is rated as criminal, interesting when most locals consider how the millions wasted by the Turner Centre as a greater crime by far.

Ejected onto the street and greeted by the Community Wardens who seem bemused by the whole thing. Although one of them is convinced that for me to take photographs on the public highway is an offence. Despite having been warned I continue to exercise my rights as a free man although apparently this is a serious breach of "Human Rights" and this point is stressed aggressively.

Having surpressed her apoplexy the management find time to talk to a journalist from the Gazette. The reporter was far from impressed with being told her photographer was also breaking the law, and being versed in the legal liabilities of journalism wasn't having any of it.
It did beg the question "What are they trying to hide?".

Finally Turner Centre management face those dastardly criminals, internationally reknowned musicians Mark Hewins and Jim Dvorjack protesting at the one-way flow of arts funding out of the area and the lack of inclusion for local artists.
This gentle protest revealled more than local disaffection, it showed just how much the Turner loathes locals, local talent or anything that might question the construction of their highly profitable, for them, ivory tower.

A cut above the rest

noreply@blogger.com (Artyblartfast) — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 12:37:39 -0600

The scissor-welding wizard above is James making the "Slug" look incredibly smart with seemingly little effort but tons of style. James has opened Harbour Barbers in Market Street a swish looking bastion of Gents styling, and judging by the cut he delivered a fine Barber to boot. He's also pleasantly chatty and without ever resorting to mentioning the footy.
Originally local he's spent the past couple of years touring around the country in a narrowboat which is fascinating to hear about despite him not being too sure who Fred Dibner is. Apparently life on a narrowboat leaves little time for television.
I'm off for a much needed trim this week and I advise you do the same should you need it, it's a welcome addition to the old town and the best of luck to him in this new venture.

Take your pic

noreply@blogger.com (Artyblartfast) — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 14:16:23 -0600

Thanet's most furiously active art gang, the Acol Arts Group, is holding another of their packed to the rafters exhibitions at Acol Village Hall, Acol Near Birchington on Saturday 18th Nov & Sunday 19th Nov, daily from 10am -4pm.
Expect the usual wide range of talent and at prices which means everyone can easily afford to take something away to grace their walls. A must see!

A Dish Fit for a King

noreply@blogger.com (Artyblartfast) — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 12:18:10 -0600

Say hello to Bill and Ildi a delightful couple who've opened a new shop in Market Street in Margate's old town specialising in all things satellite & television related. As well as having the bright new shop they've got a website you can visit to meet all your hi-tech entertainment needs. They got a wealth of well priced goodies, and years of experience so forget those out of town warehouses were no-one knows much about anything they sell and get thee here.
A big Margate welcome to both of them, and the very best of luck with their new venture.

I must go down to the sea again

noreply@blogger.com (Artyblartfast) — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 18:28:23 -0600

There's a cracking new show at the Old Town Gallery, Margate packed with a popular subject around here, namely seascapes by Ramsgate painter Peter Radmall. Although I've seen a few of his paintings before nothing prepared me for the scope of his talent as made obvious by this one man show, there's tight and highly detailed paintings, some with more of an impressionist flavour and others which verge on the abstract.
Radmall really has caught the light well in them all, if you're a local you'll actually be able to tell roughly what time some have been painted because the sunbeams are so incredibly accurate, so a morning caught in Ramsgate Harbour really does scream early morning, and another of Margate Harbour is most clearly a partially cloudy late afternoon.

Unsurprisingly these have already started to fly off the walls, half a dozen sold on the opening night alone. There's something fit here for everyone's walls so I suggest you wander down there and have a butchers, you're likely to be delighted.

"Seaside - Isle of Thanet Seascapes" runs until 23rd December 2006 at the Old Town Gallery, 1-3 Broad Street, Margate. For details of opening times or other information telephone 01843 225565 or email stephenroper@btconnect.com

Keeping it local

noreply@blogger.com (Artyblartfast) — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 03:16:47 -0600

Hardly the latest in news but worth mentioning in case you missed it. The hard working soul above is Tony who's taken over the Harbour Newsagents in Margate Parade following Geoff's departure after the sad loss of his wife.
Tony's been making improvements galore making it a more enjoyable experience to shop there, today I even managed to pick up a copy of "The Chap" to compliment my packet of Camels. It's a vital small local business which would benefit for your support, so consider using it.

Viddy thee well.

noreply@blogger.com (Artyblartfast) — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 12:34:44 -0600

As if having one stunningly brill film show last week wasn't enough, along comes another in the form of Talent Circle’s "Supershorts" film festival. It's the lads from Community Pharmacy Gallery again this time hosting a touring film show on Firday 3rd November. It's seventy minutes of the best entries for this year's festival, each of which is five minutes long.
Doors open at 7pm, screening starts at 8pm and as per usual entry is totally free.

Two Days Later results

noreply@blogger.com (Artyblartfast) — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 12:22:20 -0600

Was it me or did the old town of Margate have an eerie air of suspense and dread hanging over it on the evening of the 27th? It was as if Dr Frankenstein himself was entering the Bulls head and wasn’t that Count Dracula flapping into the Wig and Pen? Good job the witch finder general or ‘Barnacles Nigel’ as most folk know him was on hand to keep evil sprits at bay. So what could be more fitting than a celebration of all things ghoulish than the finals of the 2 Days Later horror film makers challenge. As I rounded the howling corner opposite the Community Pharmacy Gallery in Margate, for tonight’s tribute to all things George A Romero it was immediately obvious that this was the place to be. A gaggle of rummy young coves were outside eagerly discussing the B movie Matinee films which had been playing in the afternoon, as well they might as such was the popularity of this event that over three hours of films had been submitted. But I was here for the main event, the ever popular audience vote. A wonderful opportunity to watch the very best of the competition entries and cast your vote for a winner, like the X-factor but you get to be Sharon Osborne.

Now in its forth successive year it would be easy to dismiss the 2 Days Later competition event as ‘local’ however nothing could be further from the truth, with entries from as far a field as Newcastle, Portsmouth and Brighton. The prizes on offer covered everything you would expect from a film festival including best screen play, acting and sound design. The prizes themselves reflected the serious intent and ambition of all involved, these included a private screening of your film at a Soho preview theatre, entry to the prestigious ‘Raindance’ filmmaking seminars and a whole host of other goodies.
The marketing for this event was a spot on mix of knowing B movie references and cutting edge graphic design, so much so that the giant ‘film style’ posters advertising the event in the window of the community pharmacy gallery have been snapped up by passersby weeks before the event. A nice touch was the use of the front of the gallery as a comfy viewing zone with the addition of not one but two extra televisions due to the overspill from the main projection area.
In the world of short film festivals we can count ourselves very fortunate to have those Beeping Bush fellows on hand to put something like this together In Jolly old Margate. And you have to doff your cap admiringly to anyone who is able to host the evening while his husky dog, or should that be Cujo? takes a nap under the main screen. A stunning event enjoyed by many so make a date to join me for another spook-tacular evening in twelve months time.

Review courtesy of The 35mil-boy

2DL 2006 Competition Winners

Best Film
"I am a youtube.com snuff video maker" Alan Meades of Broadstairs

Best Popular Film
"I am a youtube.com snuff video maker" Alan Meades of Broadstairs

Most Popular Film "B" Movie
"Macabre" Russel Gomm of Herne Bay

Best Student Film
"9th Flaw" Fran Shine of Margate

Best Screenplay
"Chain Mail" Michael Jenkinson of Canterbury

Best Cinematography
"Crop" Jerome & Isobel Dutton of Nonington

Best Sound
"Sister" Michael Stokes of St. Peters

Best Editor
"Crop" Jerome & Isobel Dutton of Nonington

Best Special Effects
"Sister" Michael Stokes of St. Peters

A day in the life of a film star

noreply@blogger.com (Artyblartfast) — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 04:07:33 -0500

It's not every day you stumble across a man working around a charred skeleton in Margate, but fear not it just happened to be the very first thing seen having turned up to the filming of the "Exodus" project at the Dreamland site. My son, the Slug, had wanted to get involved and was invited to be an extra and him being just nine and three quarters meant I had to tag along to keep an eye on him.

So having parked and signed in at security it was into one of the disused parts of the once great theme park. We could tell we were in the right place by all the costumed and made up folk sitting around including two ragged looking youngsters entertaining themselves on a laptop.

Having let the right folk know we where there it was time for the main activity of the day for the talent known as extras, sitting around waiting. There was a brief flurry of activity in visiting the wardrobe department, and another when it was suggested that rather than just being a parent I could be an injured teacher in the day's scene, namely the bombing of a school. Well never one to turn down a hint of fun I jumped at the opportunity.

So relatively soon after I was made up by the delightful Sophie and Zoe. Some of the children in the scene were as young as four and five and as the first injured teachers wandered out of make-up there were a few startled and worried young faces. So they were all brought in to watch me being made to look as if I'd suffered from a bomb blast. It started with wide eyed wonder verging on horror from the youngest but eventually as I joked and chatted they soon realised it was just a grisly game.

Then it was the call to the set, where Penny, the highly talented director, set about explaining what was going to happen. She spent most time with the children, probably realising they were the most talented amongst us, and making sure they realised it was all make believe. Some paid more attention than others, the Slug seemingly paying least.

Then it was make-up for the children, with Slug ear-marked for quite extreme make-up as his boyish taste for guns and gore had been noted. Sophie and Zoe spent ages working on him, something he enjoyed, and the first example of just how much effort goes into film production for a relatively few minutes footage.

This handsome looking soul is a runner, so I was lucky to catch him standing still. He basically looked after us humble extras, tucking himself out of camera shot and giving us our cues to start moving. He explained what's going on as well as being a genuinely affable chap. He's working as a runner to fund his training, so one day he will be a fully qualified stuntman.

This is Lucy, it's hard to tell what her job title might be because she seems to have more than one job and actually does more running around than we saw the runner do. She wasn't sure about letting me take her photo because I've taken it before and not used it. Not one to disappoint a lady, here it is.

This is one of my fellow injured teachers, the only difference being he's actually a teacher. So should you know any pupils from the Marlowe Academy let them know there's one of their teachers involved. I can't imagine any of my teachers doing anything similar, shame on them.

The scene is set, the idea being the injured teachers and pupils stagger out of this charred doorway making sure they don't trip over anything. Doesn't look much but with the smoke, lights and acting all going it was a scary scene. Mostly we stood around waiting to be packed inside, then we waited a little longer to hear the cry of action.

On the other side of the camera are piles of production folk. It might look like they do very little but that's far from the case. The amount of effort put in for every second of film is staggering. After a whole day we'd done three takes, all of us staggering out of the school. I lumbered around like a large piece of ham, but Slug went down a storm, showing that watching lots of old war movies is an educational use of time. Director Penny congratulated him on his part and quite genuinely so, she said similar to me but she was just being nice.

Shooting finished and having all been badly injured there was little more to do than pose for a few photos amongst ourselves. Expect to see dear old Ben Kidger in the finished scene quite a bit as he seems to be a natural drama queen, and the cameras love that.

Having finished playing our humble roles we took the opportunity to wander around the Shanty Town set, which was more entertaining than the meagre funfair it contained in the summer.

It was also quite spooky, the level of detail is such as to suggest a real shanty town but there's no one there. Again the amount of work put in is staggering.

This is the main path leading to the immigration control gates, washing hangs from lines, stalls are laid out selling various tat worthless in the real world, and tiny hovels lean against each other.

Having signed our release forms it's time to go home. Slug's acting has been exhausted but he insisted on wearing the make-up home so he might terrify his mother, and who am I to deny him that honest pleasure?

Spooky Pooky

noreply@blogger.com (Artyblartfast) — Sun, 29 Oct 2006 06:55:42 -0600

This Saturday night sees one of Thanet's greatest annual creative events. In it's fourth year the "Two Days Later" film festival is based on a simple competition. Entrants are encouraged to make a short horror film in less than forty-eight hours, hence the title, and the films are all shown in one night with prizes dished out for the best.
This Saturday (28th) is the screening night and I can't recommend it highly enough, there's an incredible packed atmosphere which is rarely found at other art events. It's also a great chance to see just how much talent there is around here.
The whole wonderful thing takes place at the Community Pharmacy Gallery at 16 Market Place in Margate. Doors open at 7pm, with the screening starting at 8pm. For more details visit the 2 Days Later website. If you want a seat get there early.

Say "Bonjour" to Regeneration

noreply@blogger.com (Artyblartfast) — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 18:52:56 -0600

The reality of the "Continental Market" imposed upon Margate High Street is a less than clever combination of making the lower High Street look like there's a gas leak and the extension of the ghost town feel of the old town a few hundred yards more. Today hundreds of cars turned the corner from Marine Parade, paused at the ugly barrier and then drove away.

Where the parking bays have been suspended for the placing of stalls there's actually a line of white vans. So folks like us who pay both rates and additional fees for parking are forbidden from parking there while traders who make no contribution to the town are given "carte blanche" to park where they choose and free of charge too.

So should you ever try parking illegally, as these vans did because suspension of parking means exactly that, just produce a yellow piece of paper with the words "Continental Market Trader" on it. If it works for them surely it'll work for everyone else?

For some free parking in spacious bays just isn't good enough. So armed with the all powerful scrap of yellow paper some were free to park on double yellow lines. An attractive addition to the High Street I'm sure you'd agree.

A couple of businesses were allowed to have deliveries as usual but if you're not a bank but a trader who doesn't use security firms to move cash around you're stuck. Good to see the crew of one such armoured van find the whole situation hilarious, no where else would they see such a stupid way of doing things.

The lads at Warreners spent the entire day wondering just where all their customers had gone. Suggestions that this scheme was bringing more people into the town were met with responses which I prefer not to quote.

Meanwhile at Domino's they stood around wondering not just how customers are meant to drive up to order a pizza but also how they're meant to run a delivery service when access to their premises is so limited.

So there you have it, a scheme dreamt up to increase trade by closing roads and parking spaces which started on Thursday and looks set to damage trade all the way through to Saturday. Luckily because it's a Margate Town Partnership idea no one at Thanet District Council is lumbered with any responsibility, neither is anyone elected. It won't stop there though, they'll all be grinning inanely and nodding positively when they claim it was a massive success.

Sacre Bleu

noreply@blogger.com (Artyblartfast) — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 14:24:52 -0500

The latest Margate regeneration wheeze really takes the biscuit. As if spending £4.9 million on the old M&S premises to allow French artists to have a exhibition courtesy of the Contemporary Turner Centre wasn't enough, next the lower High Street is to be closed for a French Market.
Here we'll pay French traders to sell overpriced French produce on stalls set in front of local traders' premises, rates free of course. The parking spaces along the lower High Street which the businesses there depend on for both customers and deliveries will be unavailable and every stall holder will be given free parking in the few spaces left, while local traders still have to pay.
Just what is the thinking behind this? Could it be that tortourous schemes like this mean spending money, hiring people, lots of organising and therefore offers jobs for the boys paid rather well from the public purse? And why the French? Maybe fact finding trips to local traders aren't as much fun as continental jaunts and the bottles of wine likely to be picked up along the way.
A genuinely useful idea, such as free short-term parking in all the towns, would be simple to implement, wouldn't require employing people and would be cheaper. Of course it'd be hard to build an empire around simple and economically useful ideas, so it remains unlikely to ever happen.

A nice B&B by the seaside

noreply@blogger.com (Artyblartfast) — Mon, 06 Nov 2006 08:39:59 -0600

It's that time of year again when Britain's finest but most unlikely artistic duo share another show. There's Andy Baldwin who looks half Grizzly Adams and half Bigfoot, and Brian Bushell who's all Harpo Marx who link together the former's sculpture and the latter's painting into the most unlikely side by side show on earth.

Brian Bushell's paintings remain the same as they've always been - disguising themselves as over simplistic strokes on first view, almost childish in their naivity. On further peering they're as accurate as X-rays, as concise as Japanese calligraphy despite their being disguised as near meaningless dark vague forms.

Andy Bushell's sculpture is similarly perverse and deliberately so. Large hulks of machinery invented to meet a requirement of smaller scale. In an age of microchips designed to manage everything there's a liberating joy in having a half-ton rusting machine six feet tall designed to do nothing but go "tapperty-tap-tap" every ten minutes.

This heady combination results in a show of very enigmatic work, most viewers adore it but aren't sure just why that might be and the perversity behind that is part of it's appeal. Neither would dare to patronise the viewer with an explanation of what they do nor why they do it, and therein lies the appeal. While most contemporary artists are desperate to convey their deep and meaningful intent in the most earnest way Bushell and Baldwin aren't really bothered by any of that. They actually trust the viewer to make up their own mind.

Above is a fine example, it's a Water Megaphone designed to amplify the sound of water. You crank the handle, put your head in the megaphone end and "et voila!" the sound of water is amplified. There's no need to amplify the sound of water though, and least of all for a half ton machine with hand cranked pump to do that, but in the finest tradition of long forgotten Victorian science that's exactly what it does. Isambard K. Brunel would have adored it.

Similarly in paint here's a vaguely circular scrawl, it seems too hurried and simple to portray anything of worth. A closer view reveals the form of a dead cat so microscopically accurate as to defy more modern forms of recording. It's painting disguised as lazy daub, a subtle ploy to allow fans of painting and painters to appear to accept the lazy painting of the post-modernists.

Above is "One Ton Bell", a frankly ludicrous invention lost in the classified advertisements of nineteenth century editions of the "London Gazette". You can wheel it around and ring it, like a portable belfry. Like almost every other modern piece of sculptural art it will having you scratching your head trying to work out just what use this could be to man or beast, bar the woman who bought it. The female buyer lives in Venice and was looking for a way to call her husband home when he's mucking about about on the water in his boat. So unlike every other piece of contemporary sculpture, it has a function most appreciated by it's new owner.

Of course a newly opened show isn't all about the art contained therein. It gives the gallery owner the opportunity to impress everyone with his Bertie Wooster impersonations.

It also gives the gallery staff the chance to run around making sure everyone has a full glass.
As well as giving the local intelligentsia the opportunity to discuss rapid drinking techniques for consuming as much free wine as possible while doing a cracking impersonation of Janis Joplin.
The sole additional joy was meeting someone who played a Vogon in the Hitch-hikers movie, luckily most left before he started reciting poetry.

"Sound & Silence" by Andrew Baldwin and Brian Bushell runs at Gallery IOTA until 29th October. Click on the IOTA link on the left hand side for details.

A Bang and not a Whimper

noreply@blogger.com (Artyblartfast) — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 12:10:52 -0600

It's not often you get to see a piece of sculpture by Antony Gormley unless you're lucky enough to drive past his brilliant "Angel of the North" on the side of the A1. It's even rarer to have him come and build something in the middle of your town. Thanks to the Exodus project that's exactly what we've been treated to, and plenty more besides.

The events of today were part public performance, but also for filming scenes for the Exodus film, a modern retelling of the Exodus story. So happy are we to have them choose dear Margate for their project we willed them incredibly fine weather, and we got a chance to watch how television professionals go about their trade. This is both illuminating and confusing, we've no idea of their script, they film scenes out of sequence, and they rush around a lot and then wait seemingly for nothing. It remains fascinating to watch though.

So there's a Gormley sculpture, fake policemen, a pretend news crew and a rowdy on demand crowd waving placards for a right-wing leader who doesn't exist. It's an odd scenario but one which feels quite agreeable in our humble seaside town. We're used to illusion in the name of entertainment so it doesn't feel out of place to have such a modern version of it on the Dreamland site, in fact it's almost nostalgic.

Here we can see Pharaoh supporters cheering, they're not cheering anything in particular rather they've been instructed to do so for the cameras. Their cheers at directed at a space empty of anything bar a camera crew.

Here's Bernard Hill as the Pharaoh, a frightening role made even more worrying by his resemblance to George Galloway. He oozed charisma to the point of seeming to be exactly what he was playing. Oustanding especially as a lot of folk fondly remember him as Yosser Hughes in "Boys from the Blackstuff" way back in the eighties. He's the only professional actor in the cast though, everyone else has been recruited locally.

As evening fell there was an explosion at the very heart of the "Angel of the South".

A pall of smoke drifts across the thousands assembled to watch.

Our Angel burns brightly as the sun sets.

Until only the RSJs remain, then everyone wanders off to the pub. A bizarre once in a lifetime event widely enjoyed. By far the most engaging large scale arts project we've ever enjoyed here.

The French are Coming, and taking all the funding.

noreply@blogger.com (Artyblartfast) — Thu, 05 Oct 2006 12:02:34 -0500

The latest offering from the Turner Contemporary Centre; "Unite, IV Projects by French Artists" has a very simple premise, the French are much better at culture than us, so it's perfectly alright to use more Kentish funds to promote French culture over English culture at at no small expense. This includes a number of purile banners along the High Street cunningly disguised as high intellect, and at no small cost to Thanet ratepayers despite no similar promotion of anything else, especially not local culture.

So using the empty space that is the old Marks and Sparks for a show is an absolute wheeze, even if it means the council having to spend a fortune buying the place, and it becoming expensive venue number three for the Turner Contemporary Centre ten million quid down the line. The simple fact that the art on show is piss-poor in comparison to local talent is best not mentioned.

Sure its moody, and aye it's contemporary but it's also rather boring despite it's gallic flavour.

So it's time to wander off to the second expensive venue, the substation, surprisingly the art here is better. Not much but it's better.

However it remains foreign, and the talent therein is no greater than the local talent if it might ever be given the level of funding enjoyed by the French in Margate.

Look out there's a VIP venue. It's the Droit House, the original expensive venue , which has devolved to a simple buffet of outstanding food. Although the proles aren't meant to know of it, there's an incredible spread of great grub and little art. Watch Sam Thomas stuff his face, a great excuse for him to not answer any valid questions, and get well paid for it.

Outside Margate continues to go about it's business, unaware that after ten million quid the Turner managed to eventually lay on a great buffet.

Meanwhile in the pubs the art intelligensia discuss the nights proceeding in an up beat manner. They're hoping that the Turner might finally set it's sights on local talent, because French talent is dangerously close to being local despite the Turner crews' taste for anything but. Given the enormous funds from local pockets it might happen eventually, but if it doesn't could they have more of that ham and cheese please.

TOPs a Spinning

noreply@blogger.com (Artyblartfast) — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 20:39:25 -0500

Season of mists, dusky fruitfulness, and folk getting grumpy.
Oh to be in the Brown Jug with poets drunk on scrumpy.
They're busy writing and arranging more poetry events,
most live in houses, some bungalows, but they prefer to be intense.

Poetry Appreciation
Mrs Corby's Tearooms, York Street, Ramsgate
Saturdays, 11.00-13.00
7th October, 4th November, 2nd December, 6th January 2007, 3rd February 2007.

Poems Over the Sea
Smiths Court Hotel, 21-27 Eastern Esplanade, Cliftonville
Wednesdays, 19.30-21.30
20th September, 18th October, 15th November, no December event, 17th January 2007, 21st February 2007.

Poetry Workshops
Mrs Corby's Tearooms, York Street, Ramsgate
Saturdays, 11.00-13.00
21st October, 18th November, 16th December, 20th January 2007, 17th February 2007.

Poems & Pints
Brown Jug, Dumpton Park, Ramsgate
Thursdays, 20.30-22.30
28th September, 26th October, 23rd November, no December event, 25th January 2007, 22nd February 2007.

Exodus in the news

noreply@blogger.com (Artyblartfast) — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 11:01:02 -0500

A piece about the Exodus project by Margate's greatest living writer Iain Aitch features in the Guardian today. It paints a rather grim portrait of the town as a whole, but sadly is reasonably accurate in doing so. Rather than have to buy a copy of the paper you can read it online by clicking here.