It’s a bit of a shadow. I was gesturing with my notebook for some reason at the ARTery on Saturday, at a art-show party (it’s not clear if it was an opening or a one-night show—the Facebook event didn’t say). One of the artists didn’t want me to—I sort of understand; there was some terrible stuff. I might be breaking my word; I don’t remember how I responded. I do remember Kristy saying “do it, do it”.
One of the first things I wrote for Vue Weekly back in 2009 was about a show co-curated by Amelia Aspen, whose drawing is up on the wall this week. I didn’t like it very much and I flatter myself with the idea that there were some ruffled feathers about it. Small circles. Lots of people have asked me if I am writing now though. Or planning on it. I tell them I don’t know—that goes for lots of other questions about the moment too. “We’ll see.” It’s nice when they are enthusiastic.
I thought about it a lot when I first got to Glasgow, assumed that that’s what I would be doing. But it didn’t seem as necessary. I spent lots of time at work complaining about The Skinny, being slightly awkward because of small circles that I hadn’t seen all of. I never met the arts editor/main writer for them (their problems go way deeper though—it would have taken some dramatic format changes to improve), I don’t remember if I slagged his writing in conversation with Jac who writes for them sometimes. But there were lots of writers working in different categories, especially all of the “creative” stuff. I miss it.
I still smile when I think about Edmontonian reactions were to Scott Rogers writing in the Glasgow house style for our show. I never saw the show, it was when I was covering at Latitude 53 “for a couple of weeks” from a distance.
This year was going to be different though, that was the plan: I was sort of comfortable with the place, maybe enough to write too. Before I figured out that I was being an artist I was awkwardly trying to find a justification to write, but I think I just needed some time.
This weekend it sounds like I’m missing a lot of good stuff over there.
Edmonton’s dirty spring is in full swing.
At the ARTery I had another conversation. The space is changing, new owners, who knows what. We talked about how it kind of sucked for visual art anyway, I don’t think it’ll be remembered for that. But I fell into talking about my subject two weeks ago: those complaints of inaccessibility in Vancouver. At least it makes people aim high, I said. Because in poor edmonton they just get Curtis Ross to put up some drawings for some reason. There was something in there about the danger of curating your friends too: “We Are The Golden West” is just some people, you know. I don’t know why you would put up a show if you didn’t want people to talk about it. And if they’re talking, why shouldn’t they write?
That post two weeks ago: someone described it as very Edmonton. I don’t know what to say; I’m aware of something about what I’m performing, partly naïveté. I go back and forth about what it means, though. I miss the feeling of having peers who you can see are working on the same stuff as you but are a little bit ahead (this makes me sound like an asshole).
I just don’t feel very attached here right now. I’m waiting for the summer, I guess—that seems silly though, too. I should make up my mind. I procrastinate about sending applications. But it’s hard to put in the investment to write when I know I’m going to be disappointed, like I have been at almost every show I’ve gone to see here this spring. I actually couldn’t bear to write an article about “We Are The Golden West – New Work Art Exhibition”, or any of the stuff I saw tonight at another artist-run centre. It’d be awful. So everybody sort of wanders about without committing to anything except for complaining about how outrageous it is that the Wildrose party seems to be exactly what we all expected it to be what a surprise. Small circles.
The best bit was the part that felt like a secret.
It seemed like a pretty sad way for the ARTery to go out, anyway.
Performances in Woodlands, May–June 2011.
I have just three final events left this week for my residency at Woodlands. If you haven’t gotten a chance to see me performing or participate so far, this is when you can do it.
A Game for Woodlands – Sunday 5 June
This Sunday is the “big lunch” picnic starting at 1:00 in Woodlands Community Garden (91-111 W Prince’s Street) and I’ll be providing some entertainment with a little game. It’s structured around exploring the neighbourhood and in particular entering into the lanes and forgotten spaces. These spaces will sort of be gates to the mythic underworld in a classical questing narrative, but I’ve tried to leave lots up to the players. You’ll be collecting treasures from these places, and it can be as competitive or casual as you like it. With water balloons. I’m finishing my preparations and finalising a couple of details today.
Expect the game to be starting between one and two o’clock. If there’s enough interest, we can hang around and play something else afterwards too, like Manhunt or just board game at the picnic.
In Performance – Tuesday 7 June
Over the month I’ve been playing my violin in random spots in the neighbourhood and inviting the public to come find me, or to stumble across me. But for my last appearance I’d love a bit of an audience. On Tuesday evening I’ll be giving a proper little recital from 7–9 pm in the empty lot on the corner of Great Western Road and Montague Street, to be followed by a drink at the Doublet. Please come along for some of the performance!
Manhunt vs Woodlands IV – Wednesday 8 June
And I’ll be running one last game of Manhunt before I’m done, this Wednesday at 9:30 pm. We’ll meet at the Garden, as we did with the first one back in early May.
After my residency is done I’ll be taking a few weeks on holiday, but Manhunt will continue elsewhere in the city after I return–if you are looking to play some hide and seek later this summer, sign up for the mailing list at http://manhunt-glasgow.tumblr.com
Manhunt is tonight.
I will be performing in Woodlands tomorrow afternoon, about 1:00, in the sunshine.
Sunday is game time.
manhunt-glasgow:
WEDNESDAY 1 JUNE 2011, 9:30 PM
MEET AT WOODLANDS ROAD AND ST GEORGES ROAD
LOOK AT THE MAP
BRING A VISIBLE ARMBAND / DON’T BE LATE
MANHUNT RETURNS FOR JUNE
A GAME FOR WOODLANDS
SUNDAY 5 JUNE, 1:00 PM
MEET AT WOODLANDS COMMUNITY GARDEN
A VERY SPECIAL SITE-SPECIFIC GAME
DESIGNED BY THE WOODLAND ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE
BRING YR PICNIC SUPPLIES FOR A “BIG LUNCH”
BRING YRSELF FOR A SPECIAL MYSTERY GAME
I will be performing in Woodlands on Tuesday afternoon from 1:00, subject to weather conditions.
Then, I’m off to the South to do some visiting and exploration and ultimately to stage three big waterfights over the weekend in Bristol. We will return to regularly scheduled Manhunt-and-performance next week, and I’ll have more information on my Game for Woodlands which will be happening the afternoon of Sunday 5 June, in tandem with a big picnic lunch at Woodlands Community Garden. It’ll be good, promise.
I’ve got my thinking cap on.
manhunt-glasgow:
WEDNESDAY 18 MAY, 9:30 PM
MEET AT PARK ROAD & W PRINCE’S STREET
WOODLANDS EXPLORATION CONTINUES A FEW BLOCKS WEST OF LAST WEEK
(BIGGER MAP)
WEAR A HIGHLY VISIBLE ARMBAND
DON’T BE LATE / TELL YR FRIENDS
My performance regimen for the month began this weekend. Friday I put in about two hours in a small grassy enclosure housing some kind of utility substation before being defeated by hail and rain. Today I performed for a more respectable three hours in a rubbish-filled alleyway. It was very beautiful, yet unrepeatable. I felt the power of the sublime.
This week I’ll be performing in the afternoon on Tuesday 17 May and Thursday 19 May, starting about 1:00 pm. I’ll be somewhere in a similar space in Woodlands. On Wednesday we meet for Manhunt at 9:30, details on the site.
As well as Manhunt tonight, I’m getting ready for some performances over the weekend. It’s possible that I’ll be out there tomorrow, but you’re more likely to catch me Friday 13 May and Sunday 15 May between 13:00–18:00. You’ll have to come find me somewhere in Woodlands.
I’ll also be giving an artist talk on Saturday at 13:00 at the Community Garden (91–111 W Princes Street, and I might be performing afterwards, if you’re looking for an easy-to-find chance.
If you’re wondering what my work is going to be like, I can point you towards the text I wrote about it a few weeks ago.
This week I’m starting up as Artist In Residence in the Woodlands neighbourhood, as part of the Lanes project of the Woodlands Community Development Trust. What does that mean? Means we’re going to play Manhunt there all month!
Also, I’ll be working on my solo performance project with the violin, exploring the spaces, making some music, and creating tensions about political and aesthetic boundaries in relation to avant-garde performance, games, class and location.
Finally I’ll be hosting a special one-off game based on my experiences in the space at the community picnic event on Sunday 5 June.
This Saturday I’ll also be giving an artist talk at 1:00 at the Garden (same location as below).
If that wasn’t enough, I’m also taking International Espionage, the water-fight game I ran in Edmonton last summer, to Bristol on 28 May for igFest. Busy!
manhunt-glasgow:
MANHUNT VS WOODLANDS I
WEDNESDAY, 11 MAY 2011, 9:00 PM
MEET AT WOODLANDS COMMUNITY GARDEN
91-111 WEST PRINCES STREET (MAP)
BRING YOUR FRIENDS AND A HIGHLY-VISIBLE ARMBAND
THIS MAY MANHUNT IS EXPLORING WOODLANDS, HOSTED BY THE WOODLANDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TRUST ARTIST IN RESIDENCE. MANHUNT WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A SPECIAL EXPERIMENTAL GAME ON SUNDAY 5 JUNE!
Fencing is being put around the Stewart Memorial Fountain, for fear it would be the focal point for the water fight.
The council believes Facebook suggestions for both the party and fight were hoaxes. However, 10,000 people signed up to attend the bin Laden party, posted by William Brown, 20.
The water fight was seen as the more likely to take place and is the main reason for the park being closed.
Glasgow closes Kelvingrove park because they are afraid that some kids are organising a water fight there
WTF
The council will only allow appropriate events to take place in its parks and only after proper planning has taken place. We need to be given assurances that organisers have public liability insurance and have made necessary arrangements for things like clean-up, stewarding and dealing with emergencies.
The unsafe and unauthorised event that took place in Kelvingrove last week, and which the council advised people not to attend, was clearly not an appropriate use of our park and we do not want to see a repeat of that.
