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year for archived events ...
2007
Local
Legacy a Success
Written by Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney.
Images (c) Aritsts.
11 December 2007.
Artists
Jo Derbyshire, Rob Davies and George Lund, associate members to
Transvoyeur, have took part in the ‘Local Legacy’
exhibition curated by Peter Worthington. This is currently held
at Liverpool Centre of Arts Development in association with the
South Bohemia Gallery, which Worthington is the Founder, Director
and Curator.
The
exhibition opened on 14 November 2007 with the private on the
15 November. The collection of art displayed included a selection
of diverse talent from the local arts community in the city of
Liverpool and surrounding regions. This has been an ultimate success
with artists selling their art to private and public collectors,
including Lund and Derbyshire.
Derbyshire’s
unique abstract expressionism was bought by the Liverpool Centre
of Arts Development itself for their permanent collection.
Davies
contributed to the exhibition his take on the iconic of American
western cinemagraphics transformed into paint on canvas.
Lund’s
vibrant naïve renditions in figurative and abstraction were
purchased by Prof. Peter Roberts OBE, part of the Academy for
Sustainable Communities, to be displayed in their organisation
premises.
Lund
has further been commissioned by Liverpool Centre of Arts Development
for a series of murals. These are scheduled to commence early
2008 and to tie in the run up to Liverpool European Capital of
Culture 2008. These will be to the external of the company premises
and to advocate art in the urban space.
The
exhibition continues through to February 2008.
For
further information on the artists and organisations:
Artists:
Jo Derbyshire: www.joderbyshire.co.uk
George Lund:
www.lundart.co.uk
Rob Davies: www.robertdandavies.com
Peter
Worthington: www.freewebs.com/southbag
In association with Liverpool Centre for Arts Development:
www.cadt.co.uk
Artists
in affiliation to Transvoyeur: www.transvoyeur.com
Art
by Jo Derbyshire ...
'Simply
Lennon #2' (Mixed media on paper), 2007.
The
Liverpool Academy of Arts
ComeTogether 2007
7th
- 31 August 2007,
Monday - Saturday, 12.00 pm - 5.00 pm.
36
Seel Street, Liverpool, England.
Tel. No.: +44(0)151 709 0735
Email: sales@la-art.co.uk
Website:
www.la-art.co.uk
For
more information on the diverse talent exhibited at the Liverpool
Academy of Arts go to: www.la-art.co.uk
To
view the art of Jo Derbyshire go to:
www.joderbyshire.co.uk
Call
for Submissions ...
When
the City Speaks: The City is a Stage.
Part (3): Paris Brief.
Jo Derbyshire (Curator)
August 2007
Part
(2): Paris Brief.
Cut
off Date: Friday 31 August 2007.
When:
August 2007.
Where:
Paris, France.
Activity:
Independent/group research in Paris (France) and submission to
Curator. Artists to individually or as a group to go out into
city for a two hour period and explore the city. Artists are to
collect and research imagery and objects inspired by the urban
space. The choice of media is optional.
Proposed
Research Themes
Eiffel Tower (Tour Eiffel), Musee du Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, Notre
Dame Cathedral (Cathedrale de Notre Dame de Paris), Arc de Triomphe,
Sacred Heart Basilica of Montmartre (Sacre-Coeur), Pere-Lachaise
Cemetery (Cimetiere du Pere-Lachaise), Sainte-Chapelle, Musee
Rodin, Decorative Arts Museum (Le musee des Arts Decoratifs),
Centre Pompidou, Hotel des Invalides, Musee de l' Orangerie, Quai
Branly Museum (Musee du Quai Branly), Musee Marmottan, Palais
de Tokyo, The Catacombs (Les Catacombs), Le Marais, Opera Garnier,
Musee National du Moyen Age-Thermes et Hotel de Cluny, Hotel de
Ville, Place de la Concorde, Pantheon, Museum of Eroticism (Musee
de l'Erotisme), Musee Nissim de Camondo, Tour Montparnasse, Angelina,
Musee Picasso, Montmartre, Saint-Germain-des-Pres, Shakespeare
and Company Bookstore, French National Library (Bibliotheque Nationale
de France), Musee Carnavalet, Champs-Elysees, Sewers of Paris
(Les Egouts de Paris), Montmartre Cemetery (Cimetiere Montmartre),
La Cite des Sciences et de L'lndustrie, Palais Royal, Musee National
des Arts Asiatiques - Guimet, City Museum of Modern Art (Musee
d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris), Basilique de St-Denis, La
Grande Arche de La Defense, la Conciergerie, Galeries Nationales
du Grand Palais, Ile St.-Louis, Saint-Sulpice, Place Vendome,
La Madeleine, Institut du Monde Arabe, Pont Alexandre III, Place
des Vosges, Musee des Arts et Metiers, Musee de la Musique, Montparnasse
Cemetery (Cimetiere Montparnasse), Place de la Bastille, Musee
Maillol, Eglise Saint-Sulpice, Harry's New York Bar, Museum of
Natural History (Musee d'Histoire Naturelle), Canal St-Martin,
La Cinematheque Francaise, Bercy Village, Maison de Balzac, Maison
de Balzac, Rue Cler and more …
Timetable
August 2007
Creative Research:
To research art in the urban space and produce visual dialogue.
Friday 31 August 2007
Submission:
Final outcome to be sent to Jo Derbyshire, the Curator, no later
than 31 August 2007.
Ensure each piece is clearly market: ‘WTCS Paris’
and include:
-
Name.
- Postal address.
- Email.
- Telephone number/mobile.
- Curriculum Vitae.
- Artists Statement (no more 250 words).
- Title of piece, media, dimensions and date produced.
- Prepaid return packaging.
Send
your submission to:
F.A.O.:
Jo Derbyshire (Curator)
Re: Submission to WTCS Paris
The South Bohemia Art Gallery
196 Smithdown Road
Liverpool
Merseyside
L15 5JT
UK
Outcome
All art produced will be exhibited at an online exhibition at
www.joderbyshire.co.uk
with a gallery exhibition to be announced to show the collection
of submissions.
If
you are interested in participating email Jo Derbyshire at aprilskies1204@aol.com.
For
further information on this project go to either:
www.joderbyshire.co.uk
or www.transvoyeur.com.
This
programme is in three cities:
Liverpool, June 2007.
London, July 2007.
Paris, August 2007.
Review
... When the City Speaks: The City is a Stage - Liverpool Exhibition
at the South Bohemia Gallery, Liverpool, England, Curated by Jo
Derbyshire.
Written
by Tony Knox.
Photographs by Tony Knox.
11 August 2007
‘Due
to the alternative nature of the space explored and removed from
the conventional concepts of a studio or gallery, the spontaneous
nature of urban space with a fusion of activities all on the go,
the project becomes more one of the concept and experience rather
than the end piece produced by each artist. Similar, the art becomes
a residue itself and an annotation of the artists experience in
this research project of urban space’.
This
was the introduction by Jo Derbyshire, the Curator, on the current
exhibition at the South Bohemia Gallery on Smithdown Road, Liverpool,
England.
There
was presented an array of art in eclectic explosion across the
walls of the gallery. Each work merged with next forming one large
installation. It reminded me of sketch book work and conveyed
the experiences of each individual artist through their visual
dialogue on art in the urban space. The amalgamation of art moving
into the next communicated the journey of the flaneur to have
the viewer engaged and explores and dissect each piece of art.
On
the night of the private view, Friday 10 August 2007, George Lund
provoked an impromptu performance and adopted only his yellow
feathery mask, which usually belongs to the rest of Funkadelic
suit. He enticed co-artist, Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney, to spontaneously
join him in a dance to the sounds of Bolero by Bizet. They came
together to waltz and then moved to gesture to the art on the
walls, turning to each other again spun out of the gallery entrance
and took the performance into the streets. Eccentric, bewildering,
enticing and fun, the onlookers laughed bemused and confounded
to the antics of the two artists.
The
exhibition has work from many different creative practictioners,
such as writers, visual artists, musicians and more. The artists
who contributed to this research project were Colin Binns, Claudia
Brookes, Sarah Brookes, Peter Carr, David Chalkey, Ingrid Christie,
Sarah Cox, Jo Derbyshire, Kate Eggleston-Wirtz, Kofi Fosu, June
Rose H, Tony Knox, George Lund, Eddie Lyons, Gaby Malcolm, Steve
McKay, Karen McLeod, Elaine Stapleton, Natalie Russell, Lucia
Andrea Sweeney, Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney, Andrew Taylor and Peter
Worthington.
This
exhibition will run from 10th - 22nd August 2007.
Jo
Derbyshire
(Curator of When the City Speaks Programme and Resident Curator
of South Bohemia Gallery)
Email: APRILSKIES1204@aol.com
The
South Bohemia Art Gallery
196 Smithdown Road
Liverpool
Merseyside
L15 5JT
UK
Peter Worthington
(Director of South Bohemia Art Gallery)
Mobile: +44(0)7791145190
Further
information on the When the City Speaks Programme is available
at:
www.joderbyshire.co.uk
Associate
exhibitions programme:
www.freewebs.com/southbag
Affiliate
to Transvoyeur.
www.transvoyeur.com
When
the City Speaks to Jo Derbyshire.
Written by Lucia Andrea Sweeney.
08 August 2007.
‘When the City Speaks’ has been a cultural research
programme explored by Jo Derbyshire from her earlier and independent
practice as an artist through to opening it up curatorial to other
practitioners.
The impetus has been to creatively explore the concepts of art
in the constructs of the urban space and particularly alternative
spaces of the pubic realm and readdress through a gallery context.
The
current development in this programme is ‘When the City
Speaks: The City is a Stage’ and founded on artistic research
in the city environment and consider in terms of the flaneur (The
term "Flâneur" comes from the French verb flâner,
which means "to stroll". A flâneur is thus a person
who walks the city in order to experience it).
The
initial stage was set in Liverpool (UK), where a collective of
artists entered the city and responded accordingly with their
creative insight from which each derives a piece of art. This
work will be shown as a large installation across the walls of
the South Bohemia Gallery (Liverpool, England), each section interlinking
to convey the lineage of experience from one place to another
and reflect visual dialogue, signs and semiotics of media and
urban cultural annotation we encounter.
Derbyshire
explains in an interview with Lucia Andrea Sweeney more the purpose
and structure of this curatorial intiative from the onset of her
own art to the broader insight of the shared creative expeirence
it has evolved:
Sweeney:
The upcoming exhibition of 'When the City Speaks - The
City is a State' is a programmed for three cities and launches
with art produced on the theme of Liverpool from local and international
artists. Can you explain the concept behind this brief?
Derbyshire:
I chose the three cities Liverpool, London and Paris for the personal
connections to me, but each are cultural beds of a hive activity.
Although random, all have an interesting history in arts and culture.
‘When the City Speaks’ is forms part of my research
into urban culture and hybridity. I use the city environment as
a stage for people to explore, take in and utilise in their work.
Sweeney:
What has been response and level of art produced by the
artists who have contributed to this project?
Derbyshire:
It has been a good response. It is funny, as a lot of people are
choosing to take photographs and paint and collage over the photographs.
So, it will be an interesting turn out. The artists have chosen
different methods, but the fundamental is the creative experience
and not so much as the object of art as the end product, but some
have chosen a more spontaneous approach, while others have initiated
final produced art piece. This will be an interesting turn out,
because there are similarities in how some have expressed there
outcomes and others different.
Sweeney:
You are both Curator to this project and Artist too.
How do the roles differentiate to the objectives of cultural dialogue?
Derbyshire:
I cant really separate the two as the project came from an inherent
thing. Something that has been in my mind to do for the last ten
years. Its like the cities I visited did really speak to me and
I re-interpreted this as an artists in a kind of chaotic way using
a collage of photographs, household paint, city scapes and more.
As a Curator, I used narrative and research to achieve this. It
was going on all at the same time so hard to separate for me.
Sweeney:
What work have you produced and what has been the creative process
to encapsulate your own artistic interpretation to art in or derived
from the urban space?
Derbyshire:
I have produced an array of art around the subject of urban space.
These have ranged from large abstracts of mixed media paints on
canvas to denote sense of fusion, transition and hybridisation
a city space can convey to the senses and on a similar ethos take
these concepts and express through live art project that have
similarly allowed other participants to contribute in the creativity.
Sweeney:
You consider the term 'flaneur'. Can you explain how the term
has been researched and embodied in your work and that of other
artists?
Derbyshire:
I also consider the situationism but in post-modern terms and
what that means today. Particularly, Liverpool is the changing
urban environment and how the buildings are making people react.
I have noticed in a lot of the work that people are more attracted
to the old buildings, sub cultures like that within Quiggins,
graffiti and fly posters. Something not conducive with the public
image of new buildings, Capital of Culture and regeneration, and
more, but I suppose if this is considered as a culture it is an
homogenised version of something the artist don’t consider
worthy or worth mentioning about
Sweeney:
Liverpool in particular has been in a transition with
the regeneration and lead up to the European Capital of Culture
2008. Have these changes influenced your own insight as Curator
and Artist? If so, how? Does this current creative initiative
align to these, whether inspired or reactionary?
Derbyshire:
I have discovered something interesting and the focus has been
on the old, the established and the hidden rather than the new.
Perhaps this is because the old is revered, known and understood.
I think there is a lot of resilience and resistance to the new
as there are areas of Liverpool becoming the forgotten town whilst
the wealthy move in with disregard to people’s history or
community. I am not fully against change. I think Liverpool is
looking a lot better with some redevelopment but if a councillor
suddenly moves into a city apartment whose builders they voted
in favour of at a planning meeting, I’d be asking for an
enquiry.
Its
probably happened in the area I grew up in where a build firm
kind of won the rights to build irrespective of the show the building
will cast and views the high rise block, but again the wealth
derived has something to do with this the individual can be forgotten
when economics come into the equation so can our social and cultural
history – it’s a bit like the 60’s and 70’s
revisited. On the other handm I do like the changing skyline and
Liverpool is moving with the times a bit I just think a bit rapidly
and without much thought.
In
brief, Culture Company, well no surprises there, you cant create
culture and art it exists any way on many levels and with money
or not it will continue. The Tate is brilliant we have one in
the city and the Turner Prize coming up, so that is positive.
Emin and Blake feature in my collage and are very much becoming
iconic figures of Liverpool.
Sweeney:
The next research projects and exhibitions are scheduled for London
(UK) and Paris (France). What do you hope to realise from the
overall programme?
Derbyshire:
How the urban environment is important and influential on not
only my work, but work of others. How the environment is constantly
changing proving that the camera does lie in one sense. I will
have to see how it develops and I think I will have a lot of time
reflecting on this.
Sweeney:
What do you envision for the next stage of development?
Derbyshire:
The project is one that has and allows for an organic
development in how it evolves. From the shared experiences of
this current programme will determine how indeed the next stage
of ‘When the City Speaks’ expands and evolves.
This
exhibition will run from 10th - 22nd August 2007.
Opening: 10th August 2007, 7.00 pm on wards.
Jo
Derbyshire
(Curator of When the City Speaks Programme and Resident Curator
of South Bohemia Gallery)
Email: APRILSKIES1204@aol.com
The
South Bohemia Art Gallery
196 Smithdown Road
Liverpool
Merseyside
L15 5JT
UK
Peter Worthington
(Director of South Bohemia Art Gallery)
Mobile: +44(0)7791145190
Further
information on the When the City Speaks Programme is available
at:
www.joderbyshire.co.uk
Associate
exhibitions programme:
www.freewebs.com/southbag
Affiliate
to Transvoyeur.
www.transvoyeur.com
Call
for Submissions – Mural Artists.
South Bohemia Mural Project.
The South Bohemia Gallery are looking for an artist with creative
talent and talent to produce a large distinct mural for the middle
room of the gallery complex.
The space measures approximately 12 feet in width by 10 feet in
height. The objective of the proposed design by the artist is
to capture the essence of the gallery with its multifaceted identity
as a platform for an array of cultural activies, ranging from
music events, poetry nights, visual arts, live art and more. A
space that is a fulcrum to contemporary arts not only in the city
of Liverpool, but with international interest.
To submit to this initiative for the mural paintings, please email
the following information to:
- Name.
- Email.
- Mobile/telephone number.
- Website.
- Up to date Curriculum Vitae.
- Artist Statement.
- Five jpeg images of previous projects/art.
- A draft design of the proposed mural.
Cut of Date for Submissions: 10 August 2007.
Project proposed to commence early September 2007.
Jo Derbyshire
(Curator of When the City Speaks Programme and Resident Curator
of South Bohemia Gallery)
Email: APRILSKIES1204@aol.com
The South Bohemia Art Gallery
196 Smithdown Road
Liverpool
Merseyside
L15 5JT
UK
Peter Worthington
(Director of South Bohemia Art Gallery)
Mobile: +44(0)7791145190
Associate exhibitions programme:
www.freewebs.com/southbag
Red Wire Gallery
The Library Project Launch
Guest Speaker Jo Derbyshire – Artist
Written by June Rose Hobson.
30 July 2007.
On Thursday 26th July 2007 I accompanied artist Jo Derbyshire
to the Red Wire Gallery at the Carlisle Building in Victoria Street,
Liverpool. Jo was guest speaker at the launch of ‘The Library
Project’. At the start of the evening we were treated to
a tour of the artists studios were we viewed many very interesting
works in progress, this is definitely a very talented group.
The gathering was well attended, and the event included a book
swap (bring a book, choose a book), which proved to be very popular.
They had a limited edition of their ‘In Context’ Zine,
including artist profile and more. No doubt this will prove to
be very popular in the future. Later there were introductory talks
by Nic and Nick, who showed an enthusiasm and energy to communicate
which was refreshing and commendable.
Jo then spoke about her artistic influences and motivations, locally,
nationally, and internationally. Also recommending some local
associations such as Transvoyeur, South Bohemia, and Headspace
as worth checking out in the future, with possibility of future
collaboration for exhibitions. Later there was time to socialise
informally, and get an insight into other artists' motivations
and aspirations.
Overall, the Library Project was all about communication, and
as such was very successful. An interesting group of artists,
and an enjoyable evening.
Myspace: www.myspace.com/thelibraryproject
Website: www.redwireredwire.com
When the City Speaks: The City is a Stage - London Exhibition,
at the South Bohemia Gallery, Liverpool, England, Curated by Gaynor
Evelyn and Sweeney and Jo Derbyshire, 14th September 2007 - 26th
September 2007.
Artists from London, across Britain and abroad, have contributed
to a creative research initiative 'When the City Speaks - The
City is a Stage', conceived by Jo Derbyshire. This research and
cultural platform has been co-curated by Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney
and Jo Derbyshire.
This programme is in three stages and commenced with Liverpool
on 30 June 2007 and continued to London on 22 July 2007, where
artists collectively and in their independent practice explored
the urban space of the city. From this cultural enquiry, each
artist derived a piece of art work to denote their experiences
of the city space. The next stage to this creative research is
scheduled for Paris in August 2007.
The art produced now forms a collection and is to be exhibited
at the 'South Bohemia Gallery' (Liverpool, England) to delineate
the artistic perceptions of the urban environment in a gallery
context.
This exhibition will run from 14th - 26th September 2007.
Opening: 14th September 2007, 7.00 pm on wards.
Jo Derbyshire
(Curator of When the City Speaks Programme and Resident Curator
of South Bohemia Gallery)
Email: APRILSKIES1204@aol.com
The South Bohemia Art Gallery
196 Smithdown Road
Liverpool
Merseyside
L15 5JT
UK
Peter Worthington
(Director of South Bohemia Art Gallery)
Mobile: +44(0)7791145190
Further information on the When the City Speaks Programme is available
at:
www.joderbyshire.co.uk
Associate exhibitions programme:
www.freewebs.com/southbag
Affiliate to Transvoyeur.
www.transvoyeur.com
When the City Speaks - The City is a Stage
Concept
Artists will become the flaneur - city walkers for the day - using
the urban space as a stage and the psycho-geographic setting to
create art derived and inspired by it.
Context
To create artefacts of what they have seen, found and experienced
and memorised on the day of the walk. The situation will be an
impromptu one, so the work made on the day will formed from the
urban exploration.
Objective
The focus will be the city as a hybrid culture and the artists
to examine its sub-cultures, such as the graffiti artists, tattoo
artists, city icons and whatever is considered as an underground
scene, the banal everyday things that often goes unnoticed and
more; utilising the visual language and symbolism in the city
space.
Outcome
The cultural examinations by each artist will then be represented
through a chosen mode of expression and media on sections of paper
to convey their experiences. This could be through text, painting,
drawing, collage, photography, etc..
Programme
This programme will run in three cities, starting with Liverpool
(UK) in June 2007 moving to London (UK) and then Paris (France).
Liverpool, June 2007.
London, July 2007.
Paris, August 2007.
Call for Submissions to Summer of Love Exhibition at the
South Bohemia Gallery, Liverpool, England.
The Summer of Love Exhibition is an open call to all artist in
the UK and abroad for submission of art that embodies the theme
in the title of this gallery project. synonymous with 1967, San
Francisco, Hippies, Free Love and more.
The exhibition is managed by Guest Curator, Lis Edgar, in associaiton
with the Resident Curators, Jo Derbyshire, Laura Baxter, Michelle
Campbell and Sarah Cox.
Exhibition Programme
24th August 2007 - 12th September 2007.
Opening Friday 24th August 2007. 7.00 pm onwards.
To submit email the following information to southboho@aol.co.uk:
- Artist name.
- Email, website, address and contact number.
- Title of art, media, dimensions and date produced.
- Artist statement.
The cut off for submission: Saturday 18th August 2007.
If sending your work please post to with the above information:
Jo Derbyshire (Resident Curator of South Bohemia Gallery)
c/o: Lis Edgar (Guest Curator - Summer of Love Exhibition)
The South Bohemia Art Gallery
196 Smithdown Road
Liverpool
Merseyside
L15 5JT
UK
For the return of your art please include a pre-paid self address
envelope/packaging.
The South Bohemia Art Gallery
196 Smithdown Road
Liverpool
Merseyside
L15 5JT
UK
Tel No.: +44(0)151 733 5120
Peter Worthington
(Director/Curator of South Bohemia Art Gallery)
Website: www.freewebs.com/southbag
Research Information:
The Summer of Love was the summer of 1967, particularly in the
Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco, where thousands of young
people loosely and freely united for a new social experience.
As a result, the hippie counterculture movement came into public
awareness.
The beginning of the Summer of Love has popularly been attributed
to the Human Be-In at Golden Gate Park on January 14, 1967. The
size of that event awakened mass media to the hippie counterculture
that was blossoming in the Haight-Ashbury. The movement was fed
by the counterculture's own media, particularly The San Francisco
Oracle, whose pass-around readership topped a half-million at
its peak that year. The grassroots street theater/activism of
The Diggers also garnered media attention.
College and high school students began streaming into the Haight
on their spring break of 1967. City government leaders, determined
to stop the influx of young people once schools let out for summer,
brought added attention to the scene. An ongoing series of articles
in local papers alerted national media to the hippies' growing
momentum. That spring, Haight community leaders responded by forming
the Council of the Summer of Love, giving the word-of-mouth event
an official-sounding name
John Phillips of The Mamas and the Papas took 20 minutes to write
the following lyrics for the song "San Francisco (Be Sure
to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)": If you're going to San Francisco,
be sure to wear some flowers in your hair... If you're going to
San Francisco, Summertime will be a love-in there".
Scott McKenzie's recording of the song was released in May 1967.
The song was designed originally to promote the June 1967 Monterey
Pop Festival, the world's first major rock festival, which was
attended by over 200,000 people. "San Francisco" became
an instant hit (#4 in the U. S., #1 in the U.K.) and quickly transcended
its original purpose.
Album cover, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club BandThe evolution
of The Beatles and their music also contributed to the global
impact of the Summer of Love. The Beatles' album Sgt. Pepper's
Lonely Hearts Club Band was released on June 1, 1967, in Europe
and two days later in the U.S. With its psychedelic influences,
Indian instrumentals, vivid album cover and drug references, it
encapsulated the very essence of the Summer of Love.
The Beatles had moved beyond their "moptop" era, and
on June 25, 1967, their song "All You Need Is Love"
was heard around the world as part of the "Our World"
radio broadcast, further emphasizing the countercultural ideals
of love, freedom, and unity.
Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_of_Love
Jo Derbyshire, Resident Curator and associate colleague from the
South Bohemia Gallery present a talk at the Liverpool Project
Launch.
The Library Project Launch.
Thursday 26th July 2007.
6.30 pm until late.
Artist Talk
Discussion In Context Zine
at Red Wire Gallery
Carlisle Building
67 Victoria Street
Liverpool
Merseyside
L1 8UX
Further information available from:
Also a new website.
www.thelibraryproject.co.uk
Mission statement describing what The Library Project hopes to
achive.
The Library Project is an artist led, artist focused, organisation
founded to encourage and facilitate theoretical and contextual
discourse around creative practice in the North West.
Guest Speaker: Jo Derbyshire and others artists.
Associate websites:
www.freewebs.com/southbag
www.joderbyshire.co.uk
When the City Speaks: The City is a Stage - Liverpool
Exhibition, at the South Bohemia Gallery, Liverpool, England,
Curated by Jo Derbyshire, 10th August 2007 - 22nd August 2007.
Artists from Liverpool, across Britain and abroad, have contributed
to a creative research initiative 'When the City Speaks - The
City is a Stage', conceived by the Curator, Jo Derbyshire.
This programme is in three stages and commenced with Liverpool
on 30 June 2007, where artists collectively and in their independent
practice explored the urban space of the city. From this cultural
enquiry, each artist derived a piece of art work to denote their
experiences of the city space.
The art produced now forms a collection and is to be exhibited
at the 'South Bohemia Gallery' (Liverpool, England) to delineate
the artistic perceptions of the urban environment in a gallery
context.
This exhibition will run from 10th - 22nd August 2007.
Opening: 10th August 2007, 7.00 pm on wards.
Jo Derbyshire
(Curator of When the City Speaks Programme and Resident Curator
of South Bohemia Gallery)
Email: APRILSKIES1204@aol.com
The South Bohemia Art Gallery
196 Smithdown Road
Liverpool
Merseyside
L15 5JT
UK
Peter Worthington
(Director of South Bohemia Art Gallery)
Mobile: +44(0)7791145190
Further information on the When the City Speaks Programme is available
at:
www.joderbyshire.co.uk
Associate exhibitions programme:
www.freewebs.com/southbag
Affiliate to Transvoyeur.
www.transvoyeur.com
When the City Speaks - The City is a Stage
Concept
Artists will become the flaneur - city walkers for the day - using
the urban space as a stage and the psycho-geographic setting to
create art derived and inspired by it.
Context
To create artefacts of what they have seen, found and experienced
and memorised on the day of the walk. The situation will be an
impromptu one, so the work made on the day will formed from the
urban exploration.
Objective
The focus will be the city as a hybrid culture and the artists
to examine its sub-cultures, such as the graffiti artists, tattoo
artists, city icons and whatever is considered as an underground
scene, the banal everyday things that often goes unnoticed and
more; utilising the visual language and symbolism in the city
space.
Outcome
The cultural examinations by each artist will then be represented
through a chosen mode of expression and media on sections of paper
to convey their experiences. This could be through text, painting,
drawing, collage, photography, etc..
Programme
This programme will run in three cities, starting with Liverpool
(UK) in June 2007 moving to London (UK) and then Paris (France).
Liverpool, June 2007.
London, July 2007.
Paris, August 2007.
Music Nights at the South Bohemia Cafe Gallery
The
resident band at South Bohemia Cafe Gallery are Jingo.
Group
members are Liverpool lads, John Bridson, Peter Neary, Simon Worthington
and Londoner, Bryan Viner, and others do come along and jam with
the group.
Music
Night
Every Saturday 7 till late.
The space holds a music night and all are welcome to come along
and play (except when there is an exhibition opening, then the
musicians play Friday nights).
For more information on upcoming music events contact:
Peter Worthington
(Director of South Bohemia Art Gallery)
Mobile: +44(0)7791145190
Email: peterworthington1@yahoo.co.uk
The South Bohemia Art Gallery
196 Smithdown Road
Liverpool
Merseyside
L15 5JT
UK
Tel No.: +44(0)151 733 5120
Website: www.freewebs.com/southbag/
'Transvoyeur Legacy', Contemporary Art on Display, Emergency Department
at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Liverpool, England.
Written by Victoria Samantha Smith.
Photographs by Tony Knox.
09 July 2007.
‘Transvoyeur Legacy’ is a diverse collection of contemporary
art work from established professional artists to be donated to
the Royal Liverpool University Hospital by Transvoyeur..
This is to impart a ‘Legacy’ to the city and the hospital
prior to the European Capital of Culture 2008. To be part of the
hospital's permanent collection on display for future generations.
The objective was to work with the frontline of the National Health
Service in terms of the Emergency Department with those professionals
and department that support the infrastructure of the city's health
and wellbeing in terms of forging a relationship between arts
and health. The concept was posed by Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney to
the arts collective Transvoyeur and extended to other likeminded
artists whom have contributed.
The initial launch of the project was to raise the profile of
the Emergency Department and the exceptional work they do combined
with a fund raiser to which local, national and international
artists donated work. The fund raised about £2000.00 that
went direct to the Emergency Department for a wish list of equipment.
Time and resources of Transvoyeur and associate parties were provided
free to enable the event to happen.
The final stage is to bestow the collection of art to improve
the experience of the public spaces and the medical environment,
which are generally not so, due to circumstances members of the
public needing to be there.
Tony Knox, former Freelance Curator to the A Foundation, Egg Space
Gallery and Podgy Curatorial Initiatives is the assigned Curator
to ‘Transvoyeur Legacy’.
The various stages of this overall project between Transvoyeur
and the Royal Liverpool University Hospital have been supported
by the View Two Gallery, Rennies Art Supplies, C3 Imaging Ltd,
South Bohemia Gallery, BBC Radio Merseyside, Art in Liverpool
and local press. The value of the art donated is estimated in
the thousands.
The date will be announced on the presentation of the art for
the Emergency Department at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital.
The professional artists who have kindly donated to this project
are: Pete Clarke, Alex Corina, Rob Davies, Colin Davis, Jo Derbyshire,
Daiva Gauryte, Tracey Hill, Jason Jones, Tony Knox, Laura Lian,
George Lund, Richard Meaghan, Janet Monogue, Neil Morris, Ken
O’Hare, Patrick O'Rourke, Rachel Pearson, Stephen Siwiak,
Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney, Nick Sykes, Cath Wilson, Dave Woods, Alan
Worswick and many others.
This initiative has been formed by Peter Burdett-Smith (Clinical
Director) from the Emergency Department, supporting staff, artists
from Transvoyeur and other like-minded creative professionals
from the UK and abroad.
Further information is available at:
Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney
(UK Projects Co-ordinator)
Email: transvoyeuruk@hotmail.co.uk
Tony Knox
(Curator to Transvoyeur Legacy)
E-mail: tonyknox99@hotmail.com
Website: www.transvoyeur.com
Associated to:
www.transvoyeur.com
Review George Lund 'Summer in the City' Exhibition - A Retrospective
at South Bohemia Art centre/Café, Liverpool, England.
Written by June Rose Hobson and Jo Derbyshire.
Photographs by Tony Knox.
09 July 2007.
To say the 'Summer in the City' of George Lunds art at South Bohemia
Art centre/Café on Friday 6th July was interesting and
well attended would be a serious understatement. There were artists,
poets, musicians, writers, all there for Lund's retrospective.
The whole evening was a happening in the true sense of the word,
with Lunds work as the backdrop to the performance, a key player
in the performance, it seemed to physically participate.
Lunds highly colourful work, included three large canvasses, in
bright Fluorescent colours, are fresh and unique. Packed full
of energy, which repayed close scrutiny, subjects included people,
places, animals, rivers, trees, all packed together, requiring
the viewer to search the paintings. There were also silk screens,
and landscapes, highlighting Lunds versatility of style. There
is a serious side to the work, Lund is concerned about the urbanisation
encroaching on the natural world, and this is addressed in the
larger works.
Most people loved the energy and the humour in the artwork, and
marvelled at the intricacy of the detail. The whole evening was
a visual feast, and the assembled company were treated to Lunds
very funny portrayal of his alta ego the 'Funkadelic Chicken'
a performance which has to be seen to be appreciated.
There was live music by 'Jingo', and Poetry, and song. Representatives
of the North End Writers Group were present, they have a forthcoming
event on 20th July, and who knows, the Funkadelic Chicken may
be immortalised in prose.
South Bohemia plays a central role as an art venue, having recently
hosted a popular MA Exhibition, and is due to host the forthcoming
'When The City Speaks' Exhibition, see details on the website.
During the opening, I had the opportunity to interview Lund. He
explains more indepth on the subject of his art:
'My artwork is about non conformity to conventions and technologies.
A representation of truth, honesty, and similar to Lowry's humbleness.
I never try to look at other art when I paint or think about techniques,
processes, or profit. Just to keep a pureness, individuality about
the artwork. I do create work in black and white that comes easy
to me. But vivid colour, refreshing with energy, movement reaches
out to the spirit. I also like challenge and change'.
'I believe in the Chinese culture of red being a positive, happy
glorious colour. I do when I a paint my abstract work leave the
imagery to the imagination rather than waffle on about it myself.
The observer can be free to interpret the artwork without references
to titles'.
'Some of the visitors did have their own versions of what my artwork
is about. Sometimes I don't know myself. To have this individualism
is to show up and coming artists not to be afraid to break conventions
to free up their work with more imagination. To use their spirit
in the work'.
'My artwork I feel will be acknowledged when the funky chicken
falls of its perch. This will be enough for me. There are references
to ecology, culture, humour, music, politics, and history in all
of my artwork. Asian, Latin, African, Indian symbols, signs in
the abstract artwork'.
The exhibition runs until 18 July 2007 with an array of other
exhibitions to follow at the South Bohemia Gallery, Liverpool,
England.
Further information on the work of the artist can be viewed at:
www.lundart.co.uk
and other assocaite websites (below).
Curated by Jo Derbyshire.
E-mail: aprilskies1204@aol.com
Mobile: +44(0)7946353251
The South Bohemia Art Gallery
196 Smithdown Road
Liverpool
Merseyside
L15 5JT
UK
Tel No.: +44(0)151 733 5120
Peter Worthington
(Director/Curator of South Bohemia Art Gallery)
Website: www.freewebs.com/southbag
Curators: Laura Baxter, Natalie Bennett, Michelle Campbell and
Jo Derbyshire.
More information on art of Lund can be viewed at: www.lundart.co.uk
This is the first in a series of exhibition to follow.
Associated to:
www.transvoyeur.com.
Review of When the City Speaks - The City is a Stage on 30 June
2007.
Curated by Jo Derbyshire.
Written by Lucia Andrea Sweeney.
Photographs c/o: Artists Ingrid Christie and etal.
05 July 2007
Saturday 30 June 2007 artists from all around participated in
‘When the City Speaks – The City is a Stage’.
Everyone met at the Fact Centre, Liverpool, England in the morning
and their ventured out into the city to explore art in an urban
context. The Curator, Jo Derbyshire, describes the days events:
‘Artists from around Liverpool and the surrounding districts
came to contribute to the project. This was an open submission
and artists from a range of contemporary art practices turned
to up to engage in a Situationist initiative’.
Derbyshire further explains the objectives of the overall project:
‘When the City Speak’ comes from a series of previous
projects of art in the urban space. This new direction is subthemed
‘The City is a Stage’. It uses the landscape and invites
people to become a flaneur, a city walker, observing the banal
and everyday interactions’.
‘Due to the alternative nature of the space explored and
removed from the conventional concepts of a studio or gallery,
the spontaneous nature of urban space with a fusion of activities
all on the go, the project becomes more one of the concept and
experience rather than the end piece produced by each artist.
Similar, the art becomes a residue itself and an annotation of
the artists experience in this research project of urban space’.
Writers, visual artists, musician and members of the public participated
in the project. From the initial day of the ‘flaneur’
experience and collating research on the theme, the artists then
had another twenty-four hours to finalise and finish their final
piece.
The next stage of this programme is London in July 2007 and then
Paris for August 2007.
An exhibition of the Liverpool collection of art produced will
be from 10th August 2007 - 22nd August 2007 at the South Bohemia
Gallery, Smithdown Road, Liverpool, England (http://www.freewebs.com/southbag).
If you are interested in contributing to the next stage in London
email Derbyshire at aprilskies1204@aol.com.
Further information can be viewed at: www.joderbyshire.co.uk or
www.transvoyeur.co.uk.
New Myspace for Artist Jo Derbyshire.
06 July 2007.
Jo Derbyshire has a new Myspace url:
myspace.com/aprilskies1204
Update you records to link into Derbyshires Myspace.
For further information on the art of Derbyshire go to:
www.joderbyshire.co.uk
Affiliate websites:
www.transvoyeur.com
www.freewebs.com/southbag/
New Website and Email Address for Curatorial Projects at South
Bohemia Gallery
04 July 2007.
The South Bohemia Gallery has a new website link:
www.freewebs.com/southbag/
Please update your web links to the above and also your mailing
list to include the following emails address:
Curatorial Services
southboho@aol.co.uk
Curators: Laura Baxter, Michelle Campbell, Sarah Cox and Jo Derbyshire.
Mobile: +44(0)7946353251 (Jo Derbyshire).
Cafe and Management Events
peterworthington1@yahoo.co.uk
Peter Worthington
(Director of South Bohemia Art Gallery)
Mobile: +44(0)7791145190
The South Bohemia Art Gallery
196 Smithdown Road
Liverpool
Merseyside
L15 5JT
UK
Tel No.: +44(0)151 733 5120
Website: www.freewebs.com/southbag/
When the City Speaks: The City is a Stage
Part (2): London Brief.
Jo Derbyshire and Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney (Co-Curators)
July 2007
Part (2): London Brief.
When: 10.00 am, Sunday 22 July 2007.
Where: Outside the Foundry, 86 Great Eastern Street London EC2A
3JL.
Meet: Jo Derbyshire and Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney (Co-Curators).
Requirements: Bring your own camera, paints, pens, pencils (paper
will be provided).
Activity
Artists to individually or as a group to go out into city for
a two hour period and explore the city on the set theme (refer
below). Artists are to collect and research imagery and objects
inspired by the urban space. The choice of media is optional,
but to be transposed to the paper provided.
Proposed Research Themes
The 100 Club (London’s famous music venue); Abbey Road Studios
(London’s rock ‘n’ roll landmark); 23 Brook
Street, London (Jimi Hendrix’s 1960s residence); 34 Ridgmount
Gardens (Bob Marley’s first London address); 430 Kings Road,
London (The cradle of British Punk); The Astoria (Great, but grungy
London venue); Tate Modern; Tate Britain; Victoria and Albert
Museum; National Portrait Gallery; Hoxton; Shoreditch; The British
Museum; The Science Museum; The Natural Museum; The London Eye;
The Imax Cinema; Madame Tussauds & London Planetarium; Buckingham
Palace; Tower of London; The House of Parliament and Big Ben;
Westminster Abbey; St Pauls Cathedral; London Zoo; Hyde Park;
Hampstead Heath; Charing Cross Road; Chinatown; Commercial Street;
Connaught Square; The Docklands; Elephant and Castle; Fleet Street;
Haymarket; Imperial War Museum; Kensington Gardens; The Maill;
The Millenium Dome; Battersea Power Station; The Monument to the
Great Fire, London; The Old Baily; Oxford Street; Portobello Road;
Regent Street; Royal Bontanic Gardens; Russell Square; Shaftsbury
Avenue; Tottenham Court road; Tower Bridge; Millenium Bridge;
Banksy and similar graffiti art in urban space; tattoos and urban
identity; urban landscape; youth and popular culture; fashion;
historical sites; architecture; mass media logos and symbolism;
city and cultural hybridism; Plus other themes posed during briefing
session.
Timetable
Sunday 22 July 2007
10.00 am Meet outside Foundry.
10.00 am – 10.30 am Briefing session.
11.00 am Collectively or individually go into the city and research
theme set.
1.00 pm Return to Foundry with your research and art completed
and pass to the Curator.
There is the option of completing the task on these dates in your
own time and sending your contribution to the Curators. If you
wish to complete this project in your independent practice, please
aprilskies1204@aol.com or transvoyeuruk@hotmail.co.uk for the
postal address to despatch your complete work to. It must reach
the Curators no later than 25 July 2007.
Outcome
All art produced will be exhibited at an online exhibition at
www.joderbyshire.co.uk.
If you are interested in participating email Jo Derbyshire at
aprilskies1204@aol.com.
For further information on this project go to either:
www.joderbyshire.co.uk or www.transvoyeur.co.uk.
This programme is in three cities:
Liverpool, June 2007.
London, July 2007.
Paris, August 2007.
Review ... Work in Progress Exhibition at South Bohemia
Gallery, Liverpool, England.
South Bohemia Art Gallery, 196 Smithdown Road Liverpool, L15 5JT,
England.
Written by June Rose Hobson.
21 June 2007.
The MA by Creative Practice Interim Show had a busy turn-out.
I had chance to speak to curators Jo Derbyshire and Natalie Bennett
before the opening. The Gallery itself was transformed, instead
of being the usual café bar setting, the tables were all
removed and it looked more like a traditional gallery setting.
Bennett was showing her pre show nerves whilst hanging the work,
Derbyshire was complaining that the gallery needed painting; I
interpreted that as nerves too. However, by 3pm the show seemed
to be coming together nicely.
The title ‘was aimed to present a show in an incomplete
state’ and give the viewer ‘an idea of what work the
MA student is involved in’. I was glad to have the opportunity
to view the work before we opened the door for the private viewing.
When it did open the venue soon became packed out, and within
the first hour of the door opening three offers were made to buy
work from the MA students – Gauryte’s, Bennett’s
and Derbyshire’s.
Daiva Gauryte was born in Lithuania and moved to the UK to study.
Her work consists of graphite pencil and pen drawings. Recently
she had work purchased by the View Two Gallery, during a Charity
Auction co-ordinated by Transvoyeur – the Liverpool and
New York based art collective.
Bennett’s work is influenced by ‘outsider art’
and has a raw feeling to it, as are elements of Derbyshire’s.
However, there is evidence of the city influence, the Urban, and
the spectacle of Performance in the latter’s work. It is
interesting that both curators have similar influences and they
instigated the interim exhibition for their MA class. Both artist
also sold work at the same auction as Gauryte, so perhaps these
are local faces to watch on the art scene.
I was interested to witness the enthusiasm with which both Bennett
and Derbyshire spoke of their plans to ‘turn around’
the South Bohemia Art Gallery, and to this end have been asked
by Peter Worthington, Director of the Gallery, alongside Laura
Baxter - another Hope University student and Michelle Campbell,
to curate the space. As Derbyshire explained “ Peter [Worthington]
has always run the gallery as a Salon style place, I never thought
this really worked well so we are going to divide the café
and the middle room into two exhibiting areas”. As Bennett
explained “the front will be the main rotating exhibiting
area” the middle room will continue to run as a salon.
Laura Baxter’s work is interesting, as a Drama Graduate,
her influences are clearly visible. Baxter has created a scale
model of a series of rooms. Her motivations are things hidden,
things not said, and things not admitted to. Each room portraying
a different scene of what goes on behind closed doors, her main
piece is a black box with a keyhole and relates to domestic violence,
which society accepts as silently going on behind closed doors.
On meeting Derbyshire, Baxter has become more involved in Performance
and Visual Art, after performing with her during Liverpool Biennial
Independents in 2006. Elements of her art and drama are combined
here to give the insight in to this.
Moving on the two film makers and media graduates in the group,
Amanda Jones and Emma Gilmour, who work collaboratively, have
produced images, and given a written insight into their current
work. This is interesting, but would have been a better presentation
if larger images had been used. This would perhaps have portrayed
their work in a different, clearer light. In comparison, Sarah
Lawton’s work generated via computer and from a live link
up to Lawton who was at the time on an Iron Symposium in Salem,
New York USA, was more powerful. Although there were some technical
hitches with the link to start with, it nevertheless was an innovative
and interesting entry.
Maria Bennett’s textile work in black and white relies on
memories and secrets. Written prose on the textile sculptures
gives a dreamy reference to memory and the past. Sarah Cox shows
different coloured dyes in her work and has used an index of colours
made from the many different dyes, which is aesthetically pleasing,
and stands out in contrast to the black and white of Gauryte’s,
and Maria Bennett’s work.
Dave Woods work is heavily influenced by Rothko, and his piece,
on Perspex and is an interesting idea. It works as an example
of colours floating. This may have been better with a bolder choice
of colour. Andy smalls exhibits were again, interesting, and have
a lot of merit, and the images presented were very good, and of
a high standard, if a little on the small side. Interestingly,
there was no reference to his sculpture work.
The curators did have a difficult space to work with, and have
presented the exhibition well, whether it remains that way in
the café environment is another story.
Overall a very good interim show, and a good turn out for the
opening. This is a testament to the effort put in by the group.
They had a bigger turnout than most end of year shows, and I suspect
that this is a good indication for all of the artists involved
in the exhibition, of how their end of year show in 2008 might
turn out.
Transvoyeur Celebrate the Fifth 20/08 Day
Complimentary Limited Edition Artist Postcard Collection
To celebrate the Fifth 20/08 Day, Transvoyeur are offering free
to the first 25 email submissions a collection of limited edition
postcards that depict contemporary art.
To receive this limited edition postcard series please email Transvoyeur
with your name and postal details on Monday 20 August 2007 between
9.00 am and 4.00 pm. We will then despatch out a complimentary
set to you:
e: transvoyeuruk@hotmail.co.uk
w: www.transvoyeur.co.uk
Transvoyeur is an international exchange group in contemporary
arts and culture.
Liverpool Culture Company: www.liverpool08.com
George Lund at South Boheman Gallery, Solo Exhibition and Artist
in Residency Programme.
'Summer in the City' Solo Exhibition
Exhibition Dates: 6th July 2007 - 18th July 2007.
Opening: Friday 6th July 2007, 7.00 pm.
Including performance by George Lund of the Funkadelic Chicken,
7.30 pm.
Come along to the opening to view the solo exhibition of this
extraordinary artist, George Lund, renowned for his exhuberant
art, vivid palette and euphoric abstract compositions. Witness
and experience the idiosyncratic live art of the Funkadelic Chicken!
Artist in Residence Programme
The artist George Lund will be available to discuss his art:
Saturday 7th July 2007, 1.00 p, - 4.00pm.
Saturday 14th July 2007, 1.00 pn - 4.00 pm.
Why not come along during Lund's residency and find out what inspires
him to produce his creative visions. You could even get a one-and-only
Lund portraiture done at a reduced price.
Curated by Jo Derbyshire.
E-mail: aprilskies1204@aol.com
Mobile: +44(0)7946353251
The South Bohemia Art Gallery
196 Smithdown Road
Liverpool
Merseyside
L15 5JT
UK
Tel No.: +44(0)151 733 5120
Peter Worthington
(Director/Curator of South Bohemia Art Gallery)
Curators: Laura Baxter, Natalie Bennett, Michelle Campbell and
Jo Derbyshire.
More information on art of Lund can be viewed at: www.lundart.co.uk
This is the first in a series of exhibition to follow.
Associated to:
www.transvoyeur.co.uk
South Bohemia - Call for Submissions.
South Bohemia Art Gallery are looking for artists to show work
at the space.
Artists should contact Jo Derbyshire in at:
aprilskies1204@aol.com
or 07946353251
South Bohemia Art Gallery
196 Smithdown Road
Liverpool
L15
Director Peter Worthington
Curators: Laura Baxter, Natalie Bennett, Michelle Campbell and
Jo Derbyshire
South Bohemia Gallery Programme 2007
MA by Creative Practice Interim Exhibition, Liverpool Hope University
MA Students.
Curated by Natalie Bennett and Jo Derbyshire.
1st - 30th June 2007.
George Lund: Solo Show 'Summer in the City'.
Curated by Jo Derbyshire.
6th July 2007 - 8th August 2007 (Front Gallery)
John Bridson: Solo Show.
Curated by Jo Derbyshire.
20th July 2007 - 8th August 2007 (Back Gallery).
When the City Speaks: The City is a Stage - Liverpool.
Curated by Jo Derbyshire.
10th August 2007 - 22nd August 2007.
Summer of Love.
Curated by Lis Edgar.
24th August 2007 - 12th September 2007.
Michelle Campbell: Solo Show.
Curated by Laura Baxter.
14th September 2007 - 26th September 2007.
Other upcoming shows:
When the City Speaks: The City is a Stage ; London.
Co-curated by Jo Derbyshire and Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney.
Gaby Malcom: Solo Show.
Natalie Russell: Solo Show.
Associated to:
www.transvoyeur.co.uk
Review of ‘Work in Progress’.
Masters by Creative Practice Interim Exhibition, Students from
Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool, England.
Written by Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney.
Photographs by Tony Knox.
02 June 2007.
‘Work in Progress’ is an interim exhibition at the
South Bohemia Gallery (Liverpool, England), which platforms the
art researched and developed by Masters students in Creative Practice
students from Liverpool Hope University.
The collection of art is not of a finished nature, but to provide
insight in the creative research of each student in their professional
and academic practice.
The students in this exhibition include Laura Baxter, Deb Barber,
Maria Bennett, Natalie Bennett, Sarah Cox, Jo Derbyshire, Richard
Dunbar, Davia Gauryte, Emma Gilmour, Amanda Jones, Sarah Lawton,
Bowei Liand, Andy Small and Dave Woods.
Laura Baxter produced a constructed image on the theme of domestic
violence. This is viewed through a keyhole in a black box to convey
the shame and surreptitious nature of this subject. This piece
is both sculptural and an installation where the audience can
view and interact in this work.
Maria Bennett created sculptures from white fabric twisted into
cone shapes. This was titled ‘Twin Sisters’ and each
one has visible printed text, which when read seem like deconstructed
poems.
Natalie Bennett presented four framed abstract pieces.. Each of
these are formed by areas of abstract colours and layers with
mark making techniques, some with fragmented phrases and others
with naïve commentary. These denote ambiguous and autobiographical
expressions by the artist.
Sarah Cox’s works are made with different media and explores
tonality and texture. On one there is an array of mixed yarn with
the words ‘Copper Mordanted’, meaning each section
of yarn has been treated with fixed dyes. The other piece similarly
shows a palette of various treatments of media. This collection
is an exploration of the artists’ interests in the diversification
of colour in different materials.
Jo Derbyshire’s has explored the concepts of gestural painting
in her abstract expressions. There is a large white canvas with
intricate layers of paint dripped across the surface. She refers
to her other research of live art, which considers the innate
relationship of time, space and human intervention in the series
‘When the City Speaks’.
Davia Gauryte shows mono-tonal abstractions formed by intrinsic
marks to reference architectural constructs. The layers of marks
in tonality reference to the temporal experience of spatiality.
Emma Gilmour and Amanda Jones have researched collaboratively
in their art. These are digital modified photographic stills,
which relate to their video work. The transformations are adapted
with satirical notations on culture in the urban space.
Sarah Lawton's art is a computer that transmitted form Salem NY,
which she herself is participating in the Iron Symposium.
Andy Small’s took iconic imagery of the canons in art of
portraiture and landscapes and fused the two. He changed the spatial
relationship of each original source to re-contextualise in contemporary
arts and culture.
Dave Woods’ abstractions are present a synthesis of colour
investigated through transparent surfaces. This places the art
in the space it occupies, but the grades and texture of paint
are reside in the picture plane and determines the apparent space
it occupies as the linear perspective.
Barber, Dunbar and Liand provided support to the student collective
in the curatorial management of the exhibition.
The art in this exhibition is only an investigatory platform of
the work in progress. However, it provides an interesting preview
of the diverse contemporary art currently being researched and
developed by the students.
The exhibition runs from 01 June 2007 - 30 June 2007 at the South
Bohemia Gallery.
Venue: South Bohemia Gallery, 196 Smithdown Road, Liverpool, L15
5JT, Merseyside, England.
Tel. No.: +44(0)151 733 5120, E-mail: : peterworthington1@yahoo.co.uk
(Peter Worthington (Director))
(>>Directions and Map)
Title:
Work in Progress
Curators: Natalie Bennett and Jo Derbyshire.
For further information contact:
Sarah Cox (Events Co-ordinator (Student))
E-mail: sarah.cox1976@virgin.net
Sarah
Lawton (Press and Media (Student))
E-mail: moltenliquid@hotmail.com
Liverpool
Hope University
Deanery of Arts and Humanities
Liverpool Hope University
The Cornerstone Campus
Haigh Street
Liverpool
L3 8QB
Merseyside
UK
General
Enquiries:
Deanery of Arts and Humanities Office:
Tel. No.: +44 (0)151 291 3457
Fax. No.: +44 (0)151 291 3191
Academic
Contact:
Dr Fiona Ward (Course Leader)
Tel. No.: +44(01)151 291 3676
E- mail: wardf@hope.ac.uk
Website: www.hope.ac.uk/artsandhumanities/everton/index.htm
When the City Speaks: The City is a Stage
Part (1): Liverpool Brief.
Jo Derbyshireshire (Curator/Project Co-ordinator)
June 2007
Part (1): Liverpool Brief.
When:
Saturday 30 June 2007, 10.00 am.
Where:
Café (Ground Floor), Fact Centre, Wood Street, Liverpool.
Meet:
Jo Derbyshire (Curator/Projects Co-ordinator for When the City
Speaks)
Requirements:
Bring with your own camera, paints, pens, pencils (paper will
be provided by Jo Derbyshire).
Activity
Artists to individually or as a group to go out into city for
a two hour period and explore the city on the set theme (refer
below). Artists are to collect and research imagery and objects
inspired by the urban space. The choice of media is optional,
but to be transposed to the paper provided.
Proposed Research Themes
China Town; graffiti Art in urban space; The World in One City
(media phrase for Culture Company); tattoos and urban identity;
urban landscape; youth and popular culture; fashion; historical
sites; architecture; mass media logos and symbolism; city and
cultural hybridism; plus other themes posed during briefing session.
Timetable
Saturday
30 June 2007
10.00 am Meet at Fact Centre.
10.00 am – 10.30 am Briefing session.
11.00 am Collectively or individually go into the city and research
theme set.
1.00 pm Return to Fact Centre.
Sunday
01July 2007
10.00 am Meet with Jo Derbyshire’s to drop off finished
work.
Outcome
All art produced will be exhibited at an online exhibition at
www.joderbyshire.co.uk.
If you are interested in participating email Jo Derbyshire at
aprilskies1204@aol.com.
For further information on this project go to either:
www.joderbyshire.co.uk or www.transvoyeur.co.uk.
This programme will run in three cities, starting with Liverpool
(UK) in June 2007 moving to London (UK) and then Paris (France).
Liverpool, June 2007.
London, July 2007.
Paris, August 2007.
When the City Speaks: The City is a Stage … Open
Submission.
Concept
Artists will become the flaneur - city walkers for the day - using
the urban space as a stage and the psycho-geographic setting to
create art derived and inspired by it.
Context
To create artefacts of what they have seen, found and experienced
and memorised on the day of the walk. The situation will be an
impromptu one, so the work made on the day will formed from the
urban exploration.
Objective
The focus will be the city as a hybrid culture and the artists
to examine its sub-cultures, such as the graffiti artists, tattoo
artists, city icons and whatever is considered as an underground
scene, the banal everyday things that often goes unnoticed and
more; utilising the visual language and symbolism in the city
space.
Outcome
The cultural examinations by each artist will then be represented
through a chosen mode of expression and media on sections of paper
to convey their experiences. This could be through text, painting,
drawing, collage, photography, etc..
Programme
This programme will run in three cities, starting with Liverpool
(UK) in June 2007 moving to London (UK) and then Paris (France).
Liverpool, June 2007.
London, July 2007.
Paris, August 2007.
If you are interested in participating email Jo Derbyshire at
aprilskies1204@aol.com.
For further information on this project go to either:
www.joderbyshire.co.uk or www.transvoyeur.co.uk.
Review of From New York to Liverpool and Back Again (Femmes
du Futur) by Kofi Fosu at Loft Space Programme (15 April 2007
- 28 April 2007), Curated by Jo Derbyshire.
Written by June Rose Hobson.
Photographs © Tony Knox 2007.
23 April 2007.
From New York to Liverpool and Back Again (Femmes du Futur) by
Kofi Fosu is the last in the curatorial programme of the Loft
Space, conceived and managed by Jo Derbyshire (15 April 2007 -
21 April 2007 (Extended 28 April 2007)).
Fosu is an artist working and living in New York (US). He describes
himself as a philosopher, artist and writer. He is originally
from Ghana, but settled in New York with his family, as a child.
He is an established visual artist and writer and featured artist
at the Eickholt Gallery in New York, as well as exhibiting in
many other venues. He has a penchant for philosophical discourse
on the subject of gender politics and sexual relations in contemporary
society.
In the exhibition there are a series of paintings in a naïve
style, which imbue the essence of the subject, rather than realistic
portrayal. The palette is vibrant on each and the forms are composed
in vigourous brush strokes. These depictions are vivacious, but
raw, to embody quintessence of the subject. Each one fascinating
and unique. They pose a curiosity to the subjects captured in
each painting, as if under the microscope, each an intrinsic analysis.
They have a quality of the work by the artist Modigliani.
There is a collection of paintng reproductions amalgamated to
form the enclosure of the sound installation. One can sit within
the confines of the explosion of the array of portraits and be
absorbed into the philosophic texts orated by the artist.
In the main area of the exhibition space are presented a collection
of digital shorts by the artist. These combine his interest as
a writer and the visual dialogue of gender and sexual politics,
significantly in terms of the constructs of ethnicity and relationships.
Moreover, an autobiographical analysis of the artist and the muse
in the underlining concepts. Each of these digital video shorts
are supported by associate artists and actresses from New York:
Dawn Cherie, Carolyn Day and Nadja Hoyer-Booth.
Derbyshire invited Fosu to conclude the series of exhibitions,
performances and projects during the course of the Loft Space,
where arts and culture are placed within an socio-urban context.
This has ran from January and will finalise in early May 2007.
This final exhibition by Fosu is intriguing and provocative on
the subjects of relationships. Derbsyhire interviews the artist
to understand more his influences that shape his work:
Derbyshire: What interested you in the project?
Fosu: The project originated with a suggestion by a former professor
and friend. She suggested I paint the women from my past. I acted
accordingly, but in doing so I examined my over all feelings about
the female gender. It brought me closer emotionally to women I
had known. I proceeded to reflect on our relationships. I took
on the role of the female, intellectually, and explored the emotional
voice of the female. This then led to my project, Horatio High-Wire
Acts, a theatrical venture which featured monologues of mostly
women talking about their experiences with men.
Derbyshire: Do New York and Liverpool share a sense of similarity
do you think?
Fosu: A sense of similarity, yes, since they are both major cities
and historically there's that certain bond. But I haven't been
to Liverpool and so it would be unfair to fully explore whatever
similarities both cities share. Liverpool as I've always known
was the city where the members of The Beatles grew up. I had also
been aware of Liverpool as a major city for the sport of football.
Other than that it was Transvoyeur and my correspondence with
Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney that brought Liverpool into my conscience.
New York has a tone for me which I can't compare to Liverpool
unless I lived there. People in New York have a street-wise sophistication
and there's always that immediacy to get somewhere. Transvoyeur
was in fact what connected me with Liverpool. In a broader and
philosophical sense, I don't think Liverpool and New York share
the same intellectual language. By corresponding with Liverpool
I have found a means of inspiration that started decades ago in
college. Language as expressed through communication has always
been a part of my life, whether as an artist or writer. I've never
had the chance to encourage this kind of activity here in New
York. Liverpool made it possible.
Overall, living in New York is a thrill but I find it important
to correspond intellectually with others from different parts
of the world, much like Liverpool.
Derbyshire: How does your city speak to you?
Fosu: My city speaks to me the moment I wake up. After having
lived in New York all these years, I have acquired a hardened
approach to life and yet having that unique sense of sensitivity
as an artist, I am able to pay attention to the smells of the
city, everything from the smells particular to every neighborhood,
from the Dominicans in Washington Heights to the Chinese in China
Town. The city can be analyzed through different forms of art.
Once you enter the outside world, one could potentially be in
a film. If bargaining for produce, it could be a theatrical play.
Quietly listening to the subway trains going by can be music to
the ears. It's also possible to watch the many different fashion
statements which indeed inspire many designers. Standing alone
at attention in a meditative state, one can imagine to be a painting.
The city of New York intellectually feeds into my notion of Roland
Barthe's ‘Image, Music and Text’.
Derbyshire: Can you tell me more about you film and involvement
with the actors?
Fosu: Making the digital films were a conclusion drawn from having
been a fan of cinema. In the past I've admired film makers with
an edge that pursued the precepts of art. Filmmakers like Bunuel,
Cassavettes, Scorcese, Goddard, Jarmusch and Spike Lee have all
inspired me to attempt to make a film of my own. Then again, during
my experience in theater, many people thought my theatrical texts
were like screenplays. The overall production and direction of
these plays felt like a film. Having endured painting and experienced
some success as a writer and director, film was the next challenge.
I had always benefited from working with either a model or muse.
This was encouraged in my fine art work and the theatrical process.
As a film, Cushion Pill, originally a play, was the best choice
since it featured two characters. I liked the idea of working
opposite an actress, not only as a director but also as an actor.
The idea of communicating with other artists is and has always
been an important part of my philosophy. Working with Carolyn
Day was extremely challenging because we were the only ones involved
in the production.
History of Flesh was my collaboration with Dawn Cherie. It was
based on our discourses on sexuality and art. It was truly an
organic process. I had known Dawn Cherie from an earlier production,
Black Birds in Leather Pants. In both productions she expressed
not only her fierce talent as an actress but also her ability
to sing. In-between her trips to Israel, she and I met over the
course of two years to rehearse the project.
The collaboration with Nadja Hoyer-Booth was taken from the monologue
German Mistress: A Self-Portrait. It was part of the monologues
in Horatio High-Wire Acts. Her mastering of German and Russian
accents made her the obvious choice for the part. Much like the
other monologues, this monologue was an exploration into a love
relationship.
Derbyshire: How would you define your art?
Fosu: I love the dialogue between two points. This is acquired
philosophically as an artist between the artist and the bare canvas.
Much the same is achieved as a writer between the writer and a
blank space. What then happens are the ideas that are translated
onto the surface. Within the realms of my art are the ideas of
intellectualizing beauty and sex. There are issues of race and
gender. In my fine art, the male is almost genderless. He's a
spirit. The woman are rendered more so multi-dimensionally. This
is much the case in my philosophies. I find it abominable the
circumstances under which men are supposed to exist. It forces
me not to speculate on what is man and what is woman? I basically
concentrate on one's existence. These existences are made up of
the artist versus the muse, image, music, text, Femmes du Futur
and the intellectualizing of love, sex and art.
The Loft Space Programme finishes with a publication currently
being researched by Derbyshire and the release date to be announced.
For further information on the artist, Kofi Fosu, go to: http://kofosu.blogspot.com
For insight on the concept and programme of the Loft Space Derbyshire
go to: www.joderbyshire.co.uk
Exhibition of Kofi Fosu at Loft Space, Curated by Jo Derbyshire
is extended another week by popular demand ...
15 April 2007 - 21 April 2007 (Extended 28 April 2007)
From New York to Liverpool and Back Again (Femmes du Futur) by
Kofi Fosu with collaborations from Dawn Cherie, Carolyn Day and
Nadja Hoyer-Booth.
Art ... A collection of art by Fosu, which explores, gender,sexual
and ethnic politics of concepts of the body, relationships, the
artist and the muse in post modern art, society and culture. This
is presented in various media of photographic installation of
portrait studies from his naive paintings, some of his abstracted
figurative studies and digital media recording in collaboration
with Dawn Cherie, Carolyn Day and Nadja Hoyer-Booth.
Kofi Fosu Forson
(Photographs by Kobina Annan, Jr. '07)
kofuzzy@yahoo.com
kofosu@hotmail.com
http://kofosu.blogspot.com
Further information on the upcoming projects at the Loft Space,
contact Jo Derbyshire (Curator of Loft Space Project) on aprilskies1204@aol.com
or 07946353251. Viewing is by appointment (www.joderbyshire.co.uk).
Publication Research by Jo Derbyshire: From When the City
Speaks to the Loft Space Programme.
16 April 2007.
Written by Lucia Andrea Sweeney.
Photograph by Tony Knox (edited by Gaynor Evelyn Sweeney).
Since January 2007 and soon to conclude in April 2007, Jo Derbyshire,
as Curator, has platformed many different local and international
artists in the Loft Space Programme.
This was a research initiative to examine art and culture in the
constructs of an urban space in Liverpool, England. The impetus
to this curatorial project was inspired by her own previous creativity
in live art interventions in a gallery context and extended to
different locales in the public arena. These concepts of time,
space and transition have formed an strong element in the ideologies,
theories and practices of her art, including her abstract expressions
through gestural mark making in paint.
The philosophies extended to live art and other visual dialogue.
Moreover, how socio-cultural parameters shift and influence the
art produced and consider factors of an intrinsic and extrinsic
nature of shared cultural experience.
The culmination of the Loft Space Programme was born from the
live art of When the City Speaks. A collaborative performance
piece, which allows for artist and audience participation. This
has been presented in Liverpool and London in various urban and
cultural spatial structures and evolved to allow for creative
diversity and development.
The publication being compiled and drafted by Derbyshire is formulated
from the dialogue with associate artists from Transvoyeur (Gaynor
Evelyn Sweeney (Associate Writer) and Tony Knox (Photograph Editor)
and many other professionals, including contributions from Kof
Fosu Forson (Writer, Artist and Philosopher in New York, US).
It is proposed to be published in collaboration with Erbacce and
editorial support by Andrew Taylor, who is Editor for Erbacce
and the Artist in Residence to the Loft Space Programme. The proposed
end publication is an archival source and critique from When the
City Speaks to the Lo
