A critical review of Stryx Gallery’s SOUP Pt V: BLENDER residency
written by Emily Scarrott
A critical review of Stryx Gallery’s SOUP Pt V: BLENDER residency
For her first show in England at Grand Union in Birmingham, Glasgow-based artist Lauren Gault has produced a new body of sculptural works in glass, metal and welded PVC plastic, complemented by a sound piece. Anneka French finds out more from the artist.
Other News In Brief: Budget U-turns in Birmingham see arts funding cuts scaled back; Venice to move forward with $11 tourist tax in time for this year’s Biennale.
Hosted by Eastside Projects in Birmingham, over two days the recent Artist Run Multiverse Summit brought together artists from a wide range of projects and organisations to consider the past, present and future of the artist-run sphere. Lydia Ashman reports.
In Brief: news briefing featuring national and international stories, including: Birmingham City Council tells arts organisations to prepare for further 30% cut, Nesta launches £3.7m fund offering small repayable loans to arts organisations, plus video suggests Banksy originally planned to shred entire Girl With Balloon artwork.
This week’s selection from a-n’s busy Events section, featuring exhibitions and events posted by a-n members, includes selections from Birmingham, Brighton, Liverpool, London and Manchester.
The second event in a-n’s Assembly series was hosted by Eastside Projects in Birmingham and aimed to address the increasing amount of development taking place across the city region and the opportunities this might offer for artists. Confirmed conference sceptic and Birmingham-based artist Pete Ashton reports.
Last June, Birmingham based arts organisation Eastside Projects unexpectedly closed its gallery space, with rumours circulating as to the reasons why. Director Gavin Wade speaks to Jack Hutchinson about the real reasons for the closure, how it highlighted the support for Eastside Projects from Birmingham’s art scene and the organisation’s plans for the future.
Four projects from a-n members, selected from a-n’s busy Events section and including exhibitions and events in Birmingham, Cheltenham, Eastbourne and Thurrock.
With reference to Edmund Clark’s current Ikon Gallery exhibition ‘In Place of Hate’ – the result of three years as artist in residence at the therapeutic prison HMP Grendon – a recent symposium in Birmingham explored the role of art and its use as a rehabilitative tool. After a day of talks and presentations, Carrie Foulkes finds her belief in socially-engaged practice reaffirmed.
The Birmingham gallery and artists’ studios was added to Arts Council England’s national portfolio this year, marking a new chapter in its development. Programme director Kim McAleese and associate curator Seán Elder map out the before and after of “a pretty incredible year”.
Keep it complex headed up to Birmingham to have some tea and Teressa May cake at Grand Union. Our local supermarket had refused to print Teressa May on a Cake, we’re not sure why, something about not being able to […]
What to expect when you visit us this year
Shocking and curious dance performance art. Warning : this review contains adult themes and a couple of spoilers.
With a solo show at ICA and as part of a group exhibition at Eastside Projects, Sonia Boyce is exploring ideas around play, improvisation and sculpture – including a collaborative project with ukuele-playing skateboarders. Anneka French talks to the artist during the first of two lively, nerve-wracking performances in Birmingham, as skaters fly by and instruments are played.
Birmingham’s Grand Union is developing its programme and making plans for the future having secured £130,000 from Arts Council England and with the appointment of Mac Birmingham’s former director as its new chair.
Best known for Seizure, his 2008 Artangel commission for which he covered the interior of a South London flat with copper sulphate, Roger Hiorns’ current show at Ikon Gallery sees him back in his home city, where he also hopes to soon bury a decommissioned Boeing 737. Fisun Güner talks to the artist.
Five a-n News writers – based in London, Birmingham and Glasgow – pick, in no particular order, their top five exhibitions of the year.
