Truth and Lies (Part 2) - Certainty and Fallacy....

Part 2 of my series of blog posts, 'Truth and Lies' is now online on the or-bits.com blog.  This post explores ideas of certainty and fallacy in relation to physical and digital architectures.

To read click here.

Home again, home again...

I hope that while I have been away in China that you have managed to follow my blog 'Redirection and Network Timeout', which I am very proud to say was 'a-n's most visited blog for June 2011, who would of thought it! To catch up on my past six weeks in the middle kingdom, please click here.  As mentioned in the previous post, I couldn't access Blogger in China, as it is one of the sites banned by the PRC.

I have had an excellent time in China by all accounts.  YanYan, the director of the 501 Artspace, and all his assistants and friends have been so hospitable and friendly, I feel as if I have made some lovely friends, and hope to return to Chongqing some day.  My project went well, and there were several unexpected outcomes on top of those I had planned in my proposal that I managed to achieve.

The residency culminated with an exhibition, 'Redirection and Network Timeout' at the '501 Other Space' (my studio), a very well attended opening, and a talk given by myself.  The exhibition ran for 10 days whilst I travelled to Chengdu and Xian, undertaking some sightseeing and some more research into historic architecture and town planning in Xian.

I was very sorry to leave Chongqing, but my experiences and work will inform much of my activities for the next few months in a series of talks and presentations and show at the CHRC, Goldsmiths College.  I will also be creating a new map work for a group show at Hatch Space, London in October 2011, with artists Hannah Westwood and Harriet Hill.

Below are some images from the PV in Chongqing, as well as the poster for the exhibition, I will be posting better shots of the works soon so keep your eye out.

With greatest thanks again to Grants for the Arts, Arts Council England and the Chinese Arts Centre, Manchester for making this residency possible.

'Redirection and Network Timeout' exhibition poster

Giving a talk with translation from YanYan and JennBe

Visitors to the PV.

Series of wood block prints on the wall.

One of the 102 Art Loft artists with the installation.

'Attempts to enter the Forbidden City', Paint, KT board, pen on wall, June 2011

'Old habits die hard', Pen and pencil on paper, June 2011

New a-n blog for 'Redirection and Network Time Out' Project

Just to let you know that I have started another online blog for my artists residency at the 501 Artspace in Chongqing, China through the a-n 'artists talking' blog facility.  I will also be posting onto this blog on a daily basis.  Only 20 days until I leave!

To visit the a-n blog, 'Redirection and Network Timeout', please visit here.

Studio Chongqing 2011 Symposium

Next month, I will be travelling to Manchester again to attend the 'Studio Chongqing' Symposium at the Chinese Arts Centre.  The symposium, curated by Nina Chua and Jessica Longmore, will explore and evaluate work made by artists whilst upon the Chonqing residency programme.  Some of my own questions about my upcoming residency will be posed to the previous artists in residence, Johannes Zits and Ed Pien.


Tickets for the symposium are free, but limited. To register, please go to http://chongqing-symposium-auto.eventbrite.com/.


Please see below excerpts from the Press Release:


Studio Chongqing A Live Collection of Work and Experiences from the 501 Residency, Chongqing, China.

Thursday 21st April, 1-4pm
Chinese Art Centre, Market Buildings, Thomas Street, Manchester M4 1EU
Free
Studio Chongqing aims to give a glimpse into the experience of a series of artists who have been resident at the 501 Contemporary Art Space, Chongqing.


In central China lies Chongqing City, virtually unknown to the world, but home to over 32 million people and rising. This restless megalopolis is in a continuous state of construction, demolition and reconstruction to accommodate its burgeoning population.


Within the technicolour district of Huang Jue Ping sits the 501 Contemporary Artspace. Over the last 2 years, the Chinese Art Centre has introduced many artists from Manchester and beyond to the residency programme at the 501. For Studio Chongqing we have brought together, both physically and virtually artists from Manchester and all over the world to present to you an aspect of their experience in Chongqing.


Please join us for this afternoon of performance, presentation and discussion and catch a glimpse through the window of Studio Chongqing.

Eastman Cheng (Hong Kong)
Nina Chua (Manchester)
Philip Davenport (Manchester)
David Hancock (Manchester)
The Chinese Art Centre (Manchester)
Sue Manchoulas (London/Australia)
Hetain Patel (Nottingham)
Ed Pien (Toronto)
Sarah Sanders (Manchester)
Nicola Smith (Manchester)
Johannes Zits (Toronto)


This event has been curated by Nina Chua and Jessica Longmore.  If you require any further information on the event please contact Jessica contact@jessicalongmore.com

Relief Printing

Navigation Structure, Lino cut relief and pen on paper, 8cm x 17cm, 2011

Navigation Structure, Lino cut relief and pen on graph paper, 8cm x 17cm, 2011

Navigation Structure, Lino cut relief on paper, 8cm x 17cm, 2011

Navigation Layout Close up, Lino cut relief on paper, 18cm x 12cm, 2011

Navigation Layout Close up, Lino cut relief on paper, 18cm x 12cm, 2011

This week I have been experimenting again with relief printing, in the above small prints, which are sections of previous drawings.  It has given me a good understanding of the kind of mark making I need to make in consideration with the kind of imagery I am using in relation to Chinese social networking sites and physical architectural layout plans.  I have also been experimeting with oil based and water based inks and pressure levels on the press.  I am now drawing up a larger print, this time in wood, so I will let you know how it goes.

Works in progress...

Recently I have been working on drawings for applications for various exhibitions, and in preparation for the Chongqing Residency.  This week, I have been developing these into relief prints, and printing at college on a lovely Albion Press.  I am thoroughly enjoying it. Images of prints to follow on the next blog post.

Navigation Layout, 2011, Pencil, pen on paper. 17cm x 26cm

Navigation Structure, 2011, Pencil and pen on paper, 10cm x 16cm

EH13 0BD on Google, Pen, pencil on paper, 2011

W14 8XR on google, Pen and pencil on paper, 2011

TW82BQ on google, pen and pencil on paper, 2011

 DD2 on google, pen and pencil on paper, 2011

Map, Pen and pencil on paper, 2011