Arent Artists Busy 2
I hear that Simon Grennan and Chris Sperrandio have held a meeting with the Geographic workers – who I discover have just a month to work their notice. Sounds as if funding for CN4M, in its current form, is collapsing as new agendas kick in through local Government. As CN4M embark on their re-branding, Simon and Chris set out alone to experience the CN4M geographic hotspots.
Jo Lewington has gained trust at one or two factories. Its surprising that not all manufacturing has gone east. Manchester is still home to a number of textile manufacturers and Jo is exploring these environments in her research into physical repetitive actions and movement and how these echo all our lives’ patterns. So a different approach to the theme of economy than the new Learning Skills and Employment network of CN4M might be taking, but possibly one that will resonate with the workers of the factories and wider, as Jo’s durational work evolves.
William Titley meanwhile has attended umpteen meetings with the Sustainable communities networks. Some of the meetings are poorly attended, and he identifies “heroes” – the volunteers who turn up time after time and are so committed to making it work. I say maybe it’s a kind of dying breed and he sees them as warriors, specially the people who have worked all their lives in community projects. There’s nostalgia there as well from some participants – a wish for things to be as they once were. For more solidarity, more trust, less change – he’s brought these thoughts together in an object – the old fashioned dustbin, with a lid – and he’s focusing on this as a sculptural work. But for now he’s taking part in a mountain marathon and is thinking as he runs………
