Notes from December FORUM

A huge thanks to all who turned out and made cakes for a wintry Forum on Thursday. We managed to cram in three amazing presentations which prompted a wonderful mix of discussions, from the potential creativity and social politics of interactive, public text messaging, the differences between women in post-soviet Kaliningrad compared to the rest of Europe, to the meaning of the sublime! crikey.

Briony Goffin, Creative Writer and Glenn Davidson of Artstation present Txt2. And taking place as we speak is TXT2 on the BBC big screen on the Hayes, Cardiff, lets hope they come back and tell us how it goes!

Kate Nolan, Photographer presents a work in progress, 'Neither'...
"Neither is an exploration into the hearts of the young women of post-soviet Kaliningrad. Locked into dreams of a future that their homeland cannot recognize or fulfil they look afar.
Living in isolation from both their motherland and the new Europe they must struggle to negotiate their own place in a society in continual flux. The women I have been living with and sharing with have with genorosity, opened up their homes and minds to allow me to better understand this link between place, identity and history."

Kate's project was featured on 1000 Words Photography Magazine in October.
For more pictures and words about Kate's photography visit katenolan.co.uk

Roger Lougher presents works in progress, Sublime Signs and Work Signs
Images to follow shortly!

g39 announces the end of hegemony

It's 'The last days of Empire' folks, or so g39 tells us. In the post-colonial era, g39 is renewing acquaintances with a whole group of artists in Wales, and we are promised amazing prints and 'Santa's grotto' seen through a glass darkly by Casey Raymond..

The Last Days of Empire preview 3 December 2010. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, g39 has embarked on a project with twelve artists to produce new work. Each artist has worked with g39 in the past and have been commissioned to produce a limited edition print for the gallery. The tongue in cheek title is a reference to the changing times that we are in, a time of austerity, re-evaluation, a time of change in the visual arts landscape. It’s the end of the year, a time of change, out with the old and in with the new and it all starts again. The future of g39 is uncertain, but that has been the case throughout the history of the organisation. We are used to adapting to change and re-inventing ourselves, it is a useful survival strategy in uncertain times. This exhibition marks a departure for g39, revisiting a generation of artists that we have supported in the past, in many cases we have represented them – critically and Curatorially – in the early stages of their careers, in other cases they are artists that have developed their careers alongside g39. Given an open brief they have responded with a collection of works that gives a cross section of contemporary practise in Wales Artists include S Mark Gubb, Peter Finnemore, Manon Awst and Benjamin Walther, Pascal-Michel Dubois, Miranda Whall, Bedwyr Williams, Richard Bevan, Simon Holly, Jo Berry, Will Woon and Casey Raymond. In addition to the edition of prints, the project space is being transformed by Casey Raymond into an alternative grotto for the season. Renowned for his graphic work, music videos, zines and design work, Casey creates and invents a world of offbeat characters that inhabit absurd dark worlds or situations. The grotto will be no exception, taking the traditional Christmas store grottos as a starting point, things are mixed up a little. 

g39/WARP present 'Dense Cluster' event

If you have a Chatterton-like romantic vision of yourself as a penniless artist surviving (just) in a garret somewhere - then this event is not for you. However, if you are realistically planning to pursue your artistic vision in 2011 and beyond, then 'Dense Cluster' will give you some of the answers..

DENSE CLUSTER
1 - 8pm
Saturday 4th December 2010

Organised by Alias and g39/WARP in collaboration with Cerbyd, Supersaurus and Surface Arts, Dense Cluster is a knowledge exchange event for self-organsied survival. Coming at a time when arts organisations across the country are being hit by cuts in funding Dense Cluster will bring together a range of examples of ‘what is possible’ through shared endeavour, interest and skills.

Invited groups from across Wales, the South-West and the rest of the UK will present, in the widest sense, a representation of their activity to include discussions, screenings, performance, installation and documentation providing a Dense Cluster of activity. A publication will be produced on the day, marking the events and exchanges that take place as well as creating a document of recommended survival tips for these hard times.

Presenting groups include Hand in Glove, Lombard Method, Redwire, An Endless Supply, Folded Glued and Printed, Project Space 11, Surface Arts, Supersaurus and Cerbyd with More to be confirmed.

The event will be held at the Bristol Diving School in Bristol on Saturday December 4th from 1pm - 8pm.
Coaches will be traveling from Swansea, Cardiff, Exeter and Taunton M5 services to take artists to the event; places can be booked for £5, ticket include a cup of tea/coffee and slice of cake on arrival. To book a place on the bus please contact intern@g39.org <mailto: intern@g39.org>  with the subject header Dense Cluster.

Dense Cluster is supported by Spike Associates and Bristol Diving School

Bristol Diving School, Albion Dockyard, Hanover Place, BS1 6TZ.

Christmas Social

FORUM on Thursday 9th will be a (kind of) Christmas Social - Fra's banana bread from November's FORUM, has inspired us to have a bit of a cake-off - so you're whole-heartedly encouraged to bring along your very best home-made cakery to share! Starting at 7pm following the Dawn Woolley book launch.

Also on Thursday 9th will be the Dawn Woolley Visual Pleasure book launch. The event is from 6 - 7pm at Turner House.

Visual Pleasure looks at themes of voyeurism and exhibitionism and in particular the female as a photographic object. These visually provocative works encompass elements of fine printmaking, collage and performance and invite the viewer to enter into the process of looking. Dawn Woolley completed her MA at the Royal College of Art in 2008 and currently lives and works in Cardiff. Woolley will be at the event, and copies of the book can be bought at a special price of £10! It is recommended to arrive early! Free Admission.

Notes from November FORUM...

The photograph Jorge was trying to recall whilst we were looking over Liam's new works in progress....was by Catherine Balet, third prize winner from the Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize in 2008. From the series, Strangers in the Light.

image (c) Catherine Balet

Opportunity: Fox Studio to open in Cardiff

Fox Studio is a new artist-run studio initiative opening Mid-November. It aims to support the development of established as well as emerging creative practitioners of all media based in Cardiff, by providing reasonably priced, clean and secure studio workspaces, with good amenities.

Situated just off Crwys Road, in a two-storey Coach house, Fox Studio has up to 8 workspaces currently available in the studio, each being approximately 8ftX8ft.  All workspaces will benefit from good natural light, secure storage and double electric sockets. Wifi internet will also be available in the Studio.  Fox Studio will also have 2 WC’s, a communal kitchen/ lounge area, and a 200sq ft workshop space.

Fox Studio Members it is hoped will collaborate to organise a programme of events and projects throughout the year, as well as in the future, facilitating residency opportunities for local, national and international artists to produce site/ venue specific in and around Cardiff.

Fox Studio will actively work to develop stronger dialogue with other similar national and international initiatives. In doing so, we aim to increase opportunities for local artists as well as bring fresh, innovative ideas and creativity to the city.

Studio rental will range from £60-70 pcm.

If you are interested in being a member of Fox Studio, and would like to view the Studio please email the address below giving a bit of information about your practice (eg. concepts and medium).

fox.studio.cardiff@gmail.com

------

Sam Aldridge

Fox Studio Co-ordinator

Closing this Sunday...Brighton Photo Biennial 2010

Image (c) Stephen Gill 2010, Untitled from the series Outside In - featured in the exhibition, Strange & Familiar

Last chance to see Brighton Photo Biennial 2010: New Documents curated by Martin Parr. All five exhibitions are open on Friday 12, Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 November.
 
This is the final opportunity to visit the exhibitions produced and presented by our partners and to catch the Brighton Photo Fringe. All venues within easy walking distance in the centre of Brighton & Hove. For more information, including opening times, see our website.

(c) Murray Ballard & Gabriella Rizello

Also if you are heading down, don't forget about the Fringe Shows - especially One Week In Moscow, a photographic book & exhibition raising money for Diabetes UK.
Marwood Studios Cafe, 52 Ship Street, Brighton, BN41 1DG
02 OCT - 14 NOV
MON - SAT 08:00 - 20:00, SUN 10:00 - 20:00 

Other exhibitions to see...
New Ways of Looking
The former Co-operative Department Store


- Wout Berger (NLD), Mohamed Bourouissa (DZA), Ju Duoqi (CHN), Oscar Fernando Gomez (MEX), Oumar Ly (SEN), Dhruv Malhotra (IND), Billy Monk (ZAF), Suzanne Opton (USA) and Viviane Sassen (NLD).


Strange and Familiar: Three Views of Brighton
Brighton Museum & Art Gallery
- Rinko Kawauchi (JPN), and Alec Soth (USA), commissioned by Photoworks and Stephen Gill (UK), in association with the Archive of Modern Conflict."


A Night in Argentina
University of Brighton Gallery
- Alejandro Chaskielberg and Esteban Pastorino Diaz (ARG)


Queer Brighton
Lighthouse
- Molly Landreth and Zoe Strauss (USA)


The House of Vernacular
Fabrica

- Archive of Modern Conflict, Josef Heinrich Darchinger (DEU), Nick Gleis, Lee To Sang