Friday, 8 May 2009
The Crypt: The Other Side
The Other Side curated by Erika Winstone has been exhibited in The Crypt Gallery because of its dual history as a place of sanctury for both the living and the dead (the crypt was an air raid shelter in both world wars). It takes its title from the novel written by artist Alfred Kubin who found himself incapable of drawing due to emotional and spiritual trauma. Eighteen artists have been asked to explore the other side through working with real and imagined relationships, exhibiting work with an 'other' across time. Mark Dean's video of St.Pancras church graveyard capsures both 'sides', with the living movement of people and trees made so resonant against the stillness of the head stones.
An 'other' indicates a realm of uncertainty, an area to explore. The nature of relationships vary, but they are reciprocal, and so the artists work explore the influence of their 'other' side. The creative value of this relationship is encompassed throughout the exhibition.
The delicate, small scale paintings by Trevor Jones titled 'remember me' and 'forgotten' explore his relationship with wife and daughter, showing how the fear and uncertainty left in their lives since his recent stroke has influenced his creative work. I love the photograph of Tony Hill's striking 'Broken Shells'. His hands are holding as many shells as possible and the shapes are so harsh against his caring hands. The photograph is influenced by the material qualities of the work produced by his late wife and artist Lynne Davies-Jones. From the present to the past and beyond. Erika's own cross generational work brings film footage from the past into the present and in doing so creates an imaginary happening that could never take place in reality but conveys how relationships sustain through time.
By looking at 'the other side' of relationships the artists have reflected upon their own work from a different perspective and produced an innovative and very personal exhibition. The Other Side is showing at the Crypt Gallery until 17th May, if you can, do pop down into the cavenous space just off Euston Road for a moving and thought provoking exhibition.
Friday, 1 May 2009
The October Gallery, Bloomsbury
It is Friday 1st May and everyone is smiling! With high hopes for the sunny bank holiday weekend ahead I took an enthusiastic stroll through Bloomsbury this lunchtime. After passing packed lunch-box eaters, inspired summer shoppers and the lucky mid-day wine sipping sorts I reached the perfect picnic spot when I stumbled across Queen Square. The surrounding Victorian buildings and carefully gardened square gives this little city haven a peaceful garden like feel.
Just off the square lies the October Gallery, appropriately named after the month it was built, the lovely space represents artists from around the planet, promoting Transvangarde art - the trans-cultural avante-garde. After finishing my sandwich I stepped from the sunny outdoors into its airy and bright atmosphere. With pieces from11 artists the room displays a range of bold canvases, small sculptures and prints.
Rachd Koraichi, an internationally reknowned Arab artist, explores Sufi mysticism (the mythical aspect of Islam) in his work and the detailed lithographic etchings really grasped my attention. All the detailed signs and numerology speak of a dimension quite unknown to myself. Another artist whose work engaged my basic understanding of Islam was Tajammul, whose aim is to give visual expression to the verses in the Quaran, and like Koraichi, bring out its mystical meaning through art. From intricacy to ethereal oversize plastic bags! Huan Xu, a Chinese artist looks at the fragile nature of the contemporary global econony.
Bloomsbury is home to both the British Museum and School of Oriental and African Studies, making the October Gallery the perfect place for the Transvangarde artists. This exhibition is showing until 16th May but it is shortly followed by Beninese artist, Gerard Quenum's 'Stowaways'. His work comprises of whimsical portraits made by recycled objects that speak of a diverse history but also represent individuals observed in Quenum's local environment. - What's more the exhibition space offers a very tempting lunch-ing location!
Friday, 24 April 2009
Only Connect Theatre
The CreateKX team were more than happy to return to the hospitable Only Connect Theatre yesterday evening, but this time it was to see a performance of realistic drama Future Me.The Only Connect Theatre on Cubitt Street is run by a creative arts company working with prisoners and ex-offenders. The old baptist church has been turned into an audience engaging stage set and this unique space makes for a very intimate theatre experience.
Future Me begins by setting a familar scene; an attractive, young and successful couple (Peter and Jenny) are ready to settle down and begin their future together. This habitual scenario is quickly dashed when an accidental email is sent from Peter's account to his entire address book. The email had an attachment of child pornography. From that moment on, Peter's life and all those closest to him was never going to be the same again.
The physical closeness of actors and audience ensured Future Me was a powerful perfomance, and at times uncomfortable by challenging our understanding of human impulse and desire. From the cell unit of a rehabilitation centre the audience is introduced to Paedophilia from the perspective of the offender and the impact on those who love and trusted them.
The difficulties in supressing human impulse and desire is cleverly explored in relation to the vitual world of the internet and the distortion that this brings to our real lives. When anything you want is avaliable just like that, human impulse and its potential to destroy is ever present. 'Future me' refers to a treatment programme designed for offenders to deal with the consequences of their past and look towards a non-abusing future. Through Peter's very vulnerable cell mate Harry and Jenny's loyalty to Peter, the audience is encouraged to consider the true meaning of forgiveness, and whether the hope for a new future 'me' is possible.
As well as theatre venues, Future Me will be performed in secure hospitals and the themes in the play will be explored through workshops with patient groups.
Friday, 17 April 2009
Little Italy

The exhibition offers a wonderful collection of photographs from the period, and the rather more unique pictures of a young boy with a monkey and craftmen at work really takes you back into a time when ice creams were 'penny-a-lick'. Contemporary quotes and extracts from local press illustrate the impact of the Italian community on Clerkenwell and nicely capture the introduction of ice cream to our culture - with an authentic ice cream machine on show! The exhibition unveils the Italian story and the oral history accounts brings the exhibition to a close with the voices and music of the Italian quarter coming back to life.
Following a speech of gratuity to Camden archives and the support from Friends of the Museum we were all honoured with the playing of the Chiappa family's louder than life, hand made organ - which brought smiles of delight all round!
Little Italy @ The Islington Museum, 245 St John St (below Finsbury Library), London, EC1V 4NB, on show until 31st May.
Friday, 3 April 2009
Madness and Modernity: Mental illness and the visual arts in Vienna 1900
It is in this period that Freud published his first writings on psychoanalysis in Vienna. The Wellcome Collection has brought Vienna 1900 to life with a display of architecture and visual art produced in this exceptional age. The exhibition begins with a film of 'The Tower of Fools' (a purpose built institution for 'dangerous lunatics') which brings to life the reality of medecine and madness in 18th - 19th Century Vienna. Its exploration of the geometric precise building, past skeleton cases and locked doors, is soundtracked by echoing footsteps that chase you through the empty corridors. By highlighting the thought behind developments to mental hospitals of physical beauty and Freud's infamous consulting room this history of medecine really explores the changing perception of the insane and their cure.
The fine line between mental illness and artist is ever present, from Franz-Xaver Messerschmidt's series of grimacing heads - it is believed by some to be self portraiture of his different personalities - to the pathological art exemplified in Egon Schiele's persistent scrutiny of face and body. Much visual art depicted the idyosyncracies and characteristics of indiviudals suffering from mental illness with twitching faces and withered bodies. Such portraits of the mentally ill registered it as a modern condition and highlights the mutual relationship between mental illness and the arts.
This exhibition is showing @ The Wellcome Collection until 28th June but there is also Bobby Baker's Diary Drawings: Mental Illness on show until August and a campaigning workshop is being held on Saturday 18th April.
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
A busy week...
Pathways: King's Cross investigates how we remember and imagine a place and how we document change. Create KX and King's Cross Central commissioned D Fuse to reflect on this process in King's Cross. The group of designers and artists explore the relationship between image and sound. For Pathways they have drawn inspiration from the development underway in the area today as well as through stories and images from the past. Their interesting use of oral history gives the audience a unique and very personal experience of the changes in King's Cross. Its diverse nature is captured by the soundtrack of different voices revealing memories and tales from the past; the old Scala Cinema, now popular music venue, is given a humourous depiction as an old photograph is shown on the transparent screen. Their film of famous King's Cross landmarks taken from still images of old films and photographs is projected on to layers of transparent screen. A mirror image is then shown of the same view but from present time. This crossing of time and the layered visual effect depicts the concept of memory and history itself- as simply a reconstruction of what is rememebered and documented. As a King's Cross resident its fascinating to hear stories from the area, which otherwise would be missing from our understanding of history- Who would have thought Pentonville Road used to be referred to as the river Jordan!
Come and pop in and discover something a bit different about living in King Cross, on show until April 5th, opening times weekend 11am-5pm, Thurs/Fri 12pm - 7.30.
Big Chill House, 257-259 Pentonville Road, King’s Cross, LondonN1 9NL
The shock of summer sun last week meant that the The Big Chill's fun loving crowd all headed out on to their comfy roof balcony last Saturday night. Many a-sipping fruity cocktails whilst trying to convince their goosepimpled arms that this was how March in London IS. That is the great thing about the Big Chill house, its holiday vibe, a care free realm very distant from the grey city streets of King's Cross. Luckily, I ventured indoors in time to hear the amazing Laura J Martin. A very talented flute player who has brought Hip Hop to a different level. Soon to follow were 6ix Toys, a 7 piece funk band currently based and gigging out of Liverpool. Its jazzy beats really worked with the crowd, and their interactive performance enusred the whole room were hanging off every beat. Check out what the house has to offer on: http://www.bigchill.net/house/?site=house
'From Grass Roots To Virtual Worlds', VisitKX @ The Wellcome Collection.
It has been a busy week at CreateKX, with three different events being brought to the creative community of Kings Cross. This seminar looked at communications and the many varied and innovative ways of guaranteeing that your arts organisation/venue stands out in the crowd, particularly when the competition to attract visitors is becoming fiercer then ever. Led by social entrepreneur Jude Habib, founder and Creative Director of Sound Delivery, the very productive morning covered the wide ranging communication techniques available to us today and their essential utility to charities and small organisations. I think it was Jude's interactive approach to the morning's session which ensured we all went away with a practical approach to overcoming a few of our challenges...
1)How do you currently communicate? Websites, Yell.com - funky venues, E-mail existing customers, Advertising, Press Editorial, Leaflets in public places, Social networking sites, Print Marketing.
2)Challenges? Keeping clients, Growing, Content - combining critical interest with commercial viability, Attracting new customers, Footfall - off the beaten track?
Getting local press on board, Saturation of market, Speed of technology development
3)What are the options available to us? Different types of Social Networking: Bebo = for the younger audience, Facebook, mySpace = Music orientated, LinkedIn = Professional, Podcasts, Twitter, Useful approaches to Twitter; following Twitter/Blog's relevant to your work, responding to groups/ organisations who use Twitter in your local area and region in order to communicate with your target audience.
Friday, 20 March 2009
CreateKX Spring Networking Event
Once sustenance was restored Mark McGuiness brought us all to a hush with his mention of the notorious ENNEGGRAM. He had sent us all the personality test to fill out on invitation so many of us felt that unnerving sense of exposure- will my caring nature be seen as cowardly or ruthless ambition a sign of self absorption?! But it was far more constructive than instructive. Guided by his story based on King Charles I himself we were challenged to bring our inner court 'joker' out from within.
For a social evening Mark provided a great starting point, educating the room on how to observe oneself, and most importantly develop compassion for ourselves and others. What's more it was a fantastic opportunity to come and meet the Only Connect team, and find out more about their work and plans for King’s Cross.
Wednesday, 18 March 2009
The pleasures of work...
Instructions:
Write your personal ad, which advertises to the world the kind of person you are and what you care about- include name, personal qualities, talents, values & ambitions plus contact details and send to:info@theschooloflife.com
a walk through the ages...

What's more, for those of you who take an avid interest in your local urban landscape and its changing face, King's Cross Railway Lands Group is going to be taking a walk through the ages this Saturday 21st March. Departing from The British Library at 2.30pm guided by Linda Clarke, who has a PHD in social and economic history, you will be taken on an informative and intersting amble in and around the old Kings Cross railway lands.To really appreciate present developments and their future prospects it is often useful to get to grips with the past. So why not catch some rays this weekend and take away something new from the fascinating history of your locality.
Friday, 13 March 2009
Radical Roots - Education Workshop
Islington Museum
243 St John Street,
Islington,
London, EC1V 4NB
Contact details: alex.smith@islington.gov.uk
Book now for FREE workshops and courses run by award-winning music college Point Blank. Point Blank is the most innovative music, media and arts training centre in the UK, voted 'Best Music Production and DJ College' for six years running by the readers of DJ Magazine. Islington Museum have teamed up with Point Blank to offer free courses in Radio Production, Music Production or Digital Art.
Your tutors will be highly experienced industry professionals who have worked with major recording artists such as Leona Lewis, Sugababes, Oasis, Natasha Bedingfield and Massive Attack. This is your chance to learn the skills you need to get ahead in the media industry.Come along to a taster session to get an idea of what it’s all about. Courses are free, open to anyone aged between 14 and 19, and will run throughout school holidays in spring 2009. You will receive an accredited award, and – if you’re determined – could be awarded a scholarship to study at Point Blank Music College in Hoxton. What’s more, the work that you create will go on public display for 3 months as part of an exhibition in Islington Museum.
So if you’re aged between 14 and 19, don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to get creative, produce your own work, and be noticed!
Taster Sessions:
Thursday 19th March 4pm – 7pm
Thursday 7th May 4pm -7pm
Courses:
6 – 9 April 2009 Music Production
14 – 17 April 2009 Radio Production
26 – 29 May 2009 Digital Art
Friday, 6 March 2009
The Art of Lost Words
The Art of Lost Words is an exhibition of design, typography and illustration inspired by forgotten words. The German Gymnasium is hosting the unique exhibition until Monday 9th March, so this coming weekend is a great opportunity to rediscover some of the obscure words which have been hiding within the depths of our language's long history. Through the exploration of language and image 41 artists have brought back to life obsolete words, exploring their mystery and meaning in witty and innovative ways - "There is...no word...which does not have a multiplicity of meanings" Nietzsche.Here are a few of my favourite words, and their inspired works:
Morsicant – producing the sensation of repeated biting or pricking, Viviane Schwarz has humorously depicted the adjective and ingeniously grasped the element of repetition in a series of four pictures involving both biting and pricking; from a drawing of a Granny knitting in the dark to a larger than life, ‘here is one I made earlier’, coloufully crocheted biting creature.
Innocciduous – adj. a star never setting. Russell Mills work uses paper and acrylic producing a dark and mysterious expanse of emptiness, he has also used coal dust - quite fitting for a star that resists its glowing form.
Embrangle - confuse or entangle. Alan Dye/ NB: Studio designed a visual global message. Through the inspiration of this single word the artist explores Iraq on a map. The very detailed piece suggets Iraq's meaning as a country and as an area of entanglement, within itself and in relation to the rest of the world, and the confusion and entanglement that the rest of the world have brought on the country.
Benthonic is one of more surprising words meaning living on the bottom of the sea. Ellie Curtis displays an amazing ink illustration of sea creatures within a sea creature. Similarly creature inspired, Audrey Niffenegger’s piece inspired from the word Murklins meaning, stumbling through darkness, tells a 'cycle of life' tale of little murklin beings stumbling through unending darkness, they seem as lost as their very host word!
Work (and the words that inspired them) will be on display at the German Gym and available online for purchase from 6 March. Proceeds from sales will go towards the National Literacy Trust.