The Endless Descent brings together artists from Birmingham, Bristol and London to exhibit in the distinctive 1930’s Modernist stairwell, lobby, lift and entrance area of Rea Studios. It will playfully explore the potential of a site that exists to be passed through not lingered in, and the potential meanings of either the space or an endless descent itself.
Artists exhibiting include Dylan Atkins, Arlene Burnett, Jamie Fowkes, Gene George Earle, Anne Guest, Adrian Lee, Andrew Mania, David Miller, Paul Newman, Cathy Wade, and Justin Wiggan.
The show takes place at Rea Studios, 90 Floodgate Street, Digbeth, B5 5SR. The private view is on Thursday 3rd December 6-8.30pm. The show is then open Friday 4th – Sunday 6th and Friday 11th – Sunday 13th 12-5pm.
Open is a biennial collaboration between Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
and Wolverhampton Art Gallery, celebrating the West Midlands Art Scene and allowing regional artists the chance to show their work at in the Gas Hall, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery.
Open is welcoming submissions from all artists living in Birmingham and the West Midlands Region. The closing date is 3rd January 2010. The exhibition will take place from 6th March- 2nd May 2010.
Information on how to submit can be found here.
The fourth Flatpack Festival will take place next year from 23rd – 28th March in venues across the city. A wonderous celebration of eclectic, genre-bending cinema where the magic of early film rubs shoulders with the best new animation, graphics, and live music.
If you would like your film to be part of the festival there is still time to submit.
DEADLINE: Friday 4th December.
More information on how to submit and what they are looking for is here.
The full programme will be announced February.
I can’t wait! I look forward to sharing news about it soon.
On Saturday 28th November there will be a launch for Issue 8 of An Endless Supply, Birmingham’s monthly art magazine at The Anchor Inn in Digbeth. There will be music, copies of the latest magazine and inspired by Mark Essen, a special ‘An Endless Supply Ale’ on tap.
The evening is being put on in conjunction with International Project Space who are launching their new exhibition – a solo show by Megan Fraser – earlier in the day in Bournville from 3-5pm.
Free entry. The launch starts at 6pm and runs til late.
Next Saturday Birmingham Friends of the Earth are celebrating Buy Nothing Day, where we are all encouraged to buy nothing for 24 hours.
Everything we buy has an environmental and ethical consequence. The current financial crisis should be an opportunity to re-examine what money is spent on and how resources are managed. To spread the word Birmingham Friends of the Earth are dressing as Father Christmases to remind us that Christmas does not have to be about consumerism. They are encouraging you to join in too! More information is here. The Father Christmases will carry placards with slogans such as ‘Buy more, be happy’ & ‘Spend, don’t think’ and will hand out leaflets to people about the day.
So what is there to do in Birmingham next Saturday, and in general, for free? Here are some suggestions. Please add your own!
- Private view at International Project Space for their Megan Fraser exhibition, 3-5pm.
- In the evening, from 6pm, An Endless Supply launch issue 8 of their free monthly art magazine at the Anchor Inn (I’m sure buying a pint and supporting a local pub is alright…..) More about that later…
- Birmingham Seen in the Gas Hall in Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. A wonderful exhibition on how artists and photographers have portrayed the people and landscape of Birmingham since 1820.
- Ikon Gallery, opening on Tuesday is a show by Norwegian artist and writer Matias Faldbakken. Walls of Marshall amps and towers of video tape. It’s going to be a good’un.
From Saturday 21st November to 28th February Brilliantly Birmingham is showcasing and celebrating the rich tradition of designer making in the city. It celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.
Exhibitions will be held across a range of venues including Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, Symphony Hall, Birmingham City University’s School of Jewellery and the Custard Factory.
At Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery there will be FLUX, the annual selling exhibition which attracts international entries from new and emerging designers. There will be a Pop Up Shop in the Pavilions from 5th December, exhibiting the work of Birmingham-based designer makers. A great opportunity to buy or commission work made in the city. There will also be workshops and talks from designers using recycled materials and new technologies.
There will be tours of the Jewellery Quarter and open workshops which will provide a unique opportunity to see designers and jewellers’ studios.
To download a programme go to the Brilliantly Birmingham website.
(Apologies for cutting off the head of the model, does anyone else find her a scary as me?!)
Creative Open Workshops or COW has been open at the Custard Factory for a few months. They are putting on some great workshops at the moment dealing with crocheting, textiles and paper craft. I was quite miffed that I missed the Yo Yo Fascinators one last week. I hope they do it again soon!
Here are some of the upcoming workshops…
19th November – Crocheting – Beret Style Hats
24th November – Funky Pincushions & Needlebook
30th November – Quick & Simple Christmas Cards
3rd December – Christmas Crochet
10th December – Fingerless Gloves
Workshops are £15 and include all the materials and equipment you will need, drinks and cake. Workshops start at 6.30pm. For more information click here or contact the shop on 0121 224 8445.
In December Capsule celebrate 10 years of bringing some of the most exciting music to the second city. The founders of Supersonic and creators of the Home of Metal project are celebrating with a month of seriously good gigs across the city.
Tuesday 1st December - Monotonix +Beestung Lips + Cum Dogs + Esquilax
VIVID, 140 Heath Mill Lane.
Israel’s garage rocker Monotonix wowed audiences at Supersonic this year and are back. They certainly know how to start a party, rock you senseless and leave you wanting so much more. In celebration of some of the ground breaking local music Capsule have championed, Esquilax will be performing a special one off live performance, alongside Cum Dogs, a new project from Modified Toy Orchestra’s Brian Duffy. Infamous locals Beestung Lips will also be joining the proceedings. read more…
As many of you will know, the vibrant area and culture of Digbeth is currently under threat.
As highlighted by The Stirrer and Digbeth is Good, Birmingham City Council is organising an open meeting to discuss the issue of licensed premises and noise in the area, enabling some of the concerns raised about The Rainbow and The Spotted Dog to be discussed in public.
There will be three presentations – from Environmental Health, Licensing, and the planning department. There will also be the chance to quiz Council officers about future policy. Although the night is mainly focused on publicans, it is open to anyone who cares about the area. Spotted Dog landlord John Tighe commented:
‘This looks like it could be an important meeting. We do not want to let the Council get away with ticking a box saying that they’ve consulted everyone about noise issues, by hosting a meeting that no-one attends.’
If you want to have your voice heard, if you care about the culture of Digbeth this is one meeting not to miss.
The meeting will held by Regulatory Services at the Council House, 6pm on Tuesday 24th November.
UPDATE: Please click here for updated information on the discussion….
Vancouver-based artist Alex MacKenzie has built his own ingenious hand-cranked device called The Wooden Lightbox using bits and pieces from projectors. He presents impressive cinematic performances drawing on ideas from techniques from early film. Tomorrow night from 7-9pm at VIVID, he will perform. 7 inch Cinema will also be on hand with music, cake and a selection of short films.
Earlier in the day, from 1-5pm there will be a workshop, Flashes of Light: 16mm Rayogram Contact Printing Workshop at VIVID. It will explore the potential of moving image rayograms, a technique whereby objects are placed on the surface of the film, exposed to light, and processed to negative.
No prior experience is necessary but places are limited – for more information, and to book call VIVID on 0121 766 7876 or email info@vivid.org.uk.
The afternoon workshop costs £5, and the evening performance £2 on the door.
