S& ART RE U T L ITH CU NW O I T S T R EDI A NEW MIDS T WES 16 20
CULTURE EDITION CELEBRATING NEW ART WEST MIDLANDS 2016
Editors: kerry@fusedmagazine.com | @kerryfused dave@fusedmagazine.com | @davefused Writers: Gemma Corden, Guy Hirst, Heidi Murphy, David O’Coy, Kerry O’Coy, Kimberely Owen, Stepahnie Potter, Maryam Snape, Helen Stallard. Front Cover: Aaron Sehmar. No Way Home. Content Image: Rosa Denby. Three Rosas part 3 BOTH for New Art West Midlands 2016.
ADVERTISING The Culture Guide is monthly/bimonthly and Adverts cost just £220 for a page. To book call 01384 837 362 today for early bird offers or email kerry@fusedmagazine.com. Full rates can be found at areacultureguide.co.uk.
AREA Culture Guide tel: 01384 837 362 www.areacultureguide.co.uk www.fusedmagazine.com @areaguide / @fusedmagazine Facebook.com/fusedpublications This guide is produced by Fused Media DISCLAIMER Reproduction of all editorial/images in any form is strictly prohibited without prior permission. We cannot be held responsible for breach of copyright arising from any material supplied. While we aim to make sure all listings are correct we can not be held responsible for any incorrect entries. Readers should check venues before arrival. Views expressed are those of the contributors and not necessarily the publishers. This is a Fused Publication © Fused 2016 © Area Culture Guide 2016.
03
T AR ANDS W NE MIDL ST WE
NEW ART WEST MIDLANDS 2016 Waterhall Gallery, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery 12 February - 15 May mac birmingham, 13 February - 10 April Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry, 26 February - 24 April Wolverhampton Art Gallery, 12 March - 15 May Opening times vary newartwm.org | @nawmgradshow If it’s February, it must be time for New Art West Midlands. The annual showcase of contemporary art returns this month with a whopping 43 artists displaying new work in four major galleries across the region. This year mac birmingham join Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, Wolverhampton Art Gallery and the Herbert Gallery & Museum, Coventry, in hosting exhibitions. All the artists who take part in New Art West Midlands have graduated from one of five regional art schools in the past three years: Birmingham City University, University of Wolverhampton, Coventry University, University of Worcester and Staffordshire University. They were selected by a panel of stellar figures from the art world that includes artist and academic Sonia Boyce, artist John Stezaker and Katharine Stout, Head of Programme at ICA, London. New Art West Midlands highlights promising artists right at the start of their careers and in this special edition of Area we reveal the names to look out for. With painting, sculpture, photography, installation, video and audio all getting a look in, New Art West Midlands gives a great insight into what’s hot in the art world right now. New Art West Midlands is organised by Turning Point West Midlands (tpwestmidlands.org.uk), a network that works to promote and develop contemporary art in the region, hosted by Birmingham City University, and is supported with funding from the National Lottery by Arts Council England. 04
Image: Theo Ellison. Heavy Lies the Crown
05
T AR ANDS W NE MIDL ST WE
BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM & ART GALLERY Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery hosts the largest of the New Art West Midlands’ exhibitions, giving up its cavernous Waterhall for this year’s show. A highlight is Laura Haycock’s extraordinary series of self-portrait photographs in which she reclines, nude, in the style of Venus - a reference to Velasquez’s 17th century oil paintings. The images are simultaneously compelling and uncomfortable, a quality also shared in video and installation work by Jack Marder, which examines gluttony in the modern age. Ally Standing’s photographs (pictured right) explore the remains of Birmingham’s Brutalist architectural legacy whilst Jakki Carey’s painterly video work, Ís, captures a glacial lake in Iceland in what appears to be a direct warning from nature about climate change. Painting makes an appearance with Esme Dollow’s depiction of cream cakes, desirable at first but tinged with a sense of uncertainty upon closer viewing. Who wouldn’t want to see a large-scale model plane kit? Rebecca Fellows has created one for NAWM, a wry comment on the power of nostalgia. Frederick Hubble’s installation Harvesting dew to make a cup of coffee with is a warm take on the romantic notion of living amidst nature. BCU graduate Matt Parker’s cunningly-named audio-visual installation, The Imitation Archive, is exhibited across all four NAWM venues. A recent artist-in-residence at The National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park, Parker has traced the history of digital technology from the early computer Colossus at Bletchley Park to the Cloud technology of today. 06
Image: Ally Standing. Untitled.
T AR ANDS W NE MIDLG ST &A WE BM
1
5
9
10
13
2
3
6
7
11
14
8
12
16
4
ARTISTS 1. Emma Byrne 2. Jakki Carey 3. Esme Dollow 4. Rebecca Fellows 5. Kiriaki Hajiloizis 6. Laura Haycock 7. Hannah Honeywill 8. Frederick Hubble 9. Thomas Humphries 10. Jack Marder 11. Ruth Morby 12. Matt Parker 13. Richard Savine 14. Sister 15. Ally Standing 16. Corey Whyte 09
T AR ANDS W NE MIDL ST WE
MAC BIRMINGHAM mac birmingham join New Art West Midlands for the first time, showing the work of 17 across their First Floor, Arena and Terrace Gallery, with Jessica Thornton’s Patience is a virtuality hung externally, facing Cannon Hill Park. Look out for Kyle Cartlidge’s paintings of a featureless-head, a reference to his youth growing up in post-industrial Stoke on Trent. Theo Ellison’s portraits of the Queen will make you do a double-take: Her Majesty’s face has been overlaid with that of David Beckham, a comment on iconography and celebrity in the modern age. Many of the works at mac touch on issues of identity, both personal and cultural. Eleisha Gordon presents a mushroom cloud sculpture made entirely of barber shop hair cuttings, her take on the cultural significance of hair to black identity. Meanwhile Tina Mirsharifi presents a series of photographs and videos that reflect upon the lives and role of women in Iran, her home country. As a trans person, Amber Whittaker uses photography, painting and collage to examine the experience of being socially and sexually disembodied. Lucy Andrews’ images (pictured right) of figures washed up on a beach are laden with emotion and are given extra resonance by the current refugee crisis in Europe. Colour comes from Corey Whyte, whose monumental high-gloss sculptures allude to pop art and the excesses of consumer culture. 010
011
T DS AR W DLAN am E N MI h ng ST rmi WE c bi ma
2
3
7
10
11
14
4
5
8
12
15
9
13
16
6
17
ARTISTS 1. Lucy Andrews 2. Claire Buckerfield 3. Kyle Cartlidge 4. Katie Eccleston 5. Theo Ellison 6. Chervelle Fryer 7. Ali Gibson 8. Eleisha Gordon 9. Hannah Honeywill 10. Frederick Hubble 11. Jack Marder 12. Tina Mirsharifi 13. Matt Parker 14. Luke Pickering 15. Jessica Thornton 16. Amber Whittaker 17. Corey Whyte 013
T AR ANDS W NE MIDL ST WE
HERBERT ART GALLERY & MUSEUM Herbert Art Gallery & Museum hosts 12 artists this year, including small wall-based work as well as striking large-scale sculpture. Sarah Fortes Mayer offers a life-size model of herself precariously balanced on a plinth, a comment on the invisibility of older people in society. The theme of age continues with Nicola Onions’ images of family photographs encased in melting ice, made in response to her grandfather’s struggle with dementia. Jack Foster’s deliberately abstract paintings of pilgrims point to the brains habit of finding pattern or meaning in images. In a similar vein, Georgia Henn’s photographic sculpture uses multiple images to represent a single moment in time, that of her grandfather as a hospital patient. Black hair makes another appearance, this time from Juliana Kasumu, whose photographs of African hairstyles comment on European concepts of beauty. Dan McClane’s still-life photographs of apples are vivid and compelling, as is Lesley Whitehead’s reworking of a large-scale sculpture by Barbara Hepworth. 014
015
T DS AR W DLAN t E r N MI be ST Her E W The
1
3
6
10
4
5
7
8
11
12
ARTISTS 1. Dawn Cope 2. Rosa Denby 3. Sarah Fortes Mayer 4. Jack Foster 5. Georgia Henn 6. Juliana Kasumu 7. Dan McClane 8. Nicola Onions 9. Matt Parker 10. Charlotte Pattinson 11. Richard Savine 12. Lesley Whitehead
T AR ANDS W NE MIDL ST WE
WOLVERHAMPTON ART GALLERY At Wolverhampton Art Gallery visitors can find Rachel Bint’s photographs of Hengistbury Head in Dorset and Aaron Sehmar’s images (pictured right) of lone figures in desolate rural and urban settings, both works tinged with a sense of mystery and drama. Bethany Dartnell presents an installation of tiny, exquisite line drawings and textile works inspired by the urban architecture of Birmingham, and at the other end of the size spectrum are Jessica Thornton’s billboards of mountain tops, a review of how digital imagery has changed our expectations of landscape. Navi Kaur’s images of her grandmother Surinder in obviously British locations – the supermarket, the seaside – are a comment on displacement and heritage. Rosa Denby’s self-portrait paintings deliberately scratched and damaged - are reminiscent of Pop Art images, whilst Aimee Millward references Monet’s famous Water Lily series in fragmented, pixelated form.
018
019
T AR ANDS n W NE MIDL pto m ST erha E W olv W
1
4 All New Art WM information is correct at time of going to print.
020
2
5
3
8 ARTISTS 1. Rachael Bint 2. Bethany Dartnell 3. Rosa Denby 4. Navi Kaur 5. Aimee Millward 6. Matt Parker 7. Aaron Sehmar 8. Jessica Thornton 021
ART
JANET MENDELSOHN VARNA ROAD Ikon Gallery Until 3 April ikon-gallery.org | @ikongallery
Almost 50 years ago the Balsall Heath district of Birmingham was about to be transformed. In a state of flux this unique district of the city was to undergo significant change that would include the demolition of entire streets. The working class area was to be cleared of its slums and within two years would become unrecognisable. Before this change was due to take place photographer Janet Mendelsohn enrolled as a student at the newly-established Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies (CCCS). It was here she was encouraged by her tutors to explore ways in which photography could be used in field research. During the late ‘60s Balsall Heath was Birmingham’s largest red light district; a place of work for some 200 prostitutes. During 196769 Mendelsohn captured this extraordinary insight into the lives of some of the women, along with their domestic arrangements and personal relationships, as well as the nature of their profession. During her time as a student Mendelsohn formed a close relationship with one of the women, referred to as Kathleen. Kathleen is photographed in the upstairs bedroom window of her home soliciting passers-by. The photographer’s relationship with the sex worker goes beyond taking images during her work; Kathleen is also seen in private moments with her children and partner giving the viewer an insight in to the trust and understanding Mendlesohn had with her subjects. Janet Mendelsohn took some 3,000 documentary images during this period offering us an important snapshot of the difficult and often hard life of the residents of Balsall Heath during this time in history. 024
Janet Mendelsohn, Kathleen outside the bar (c.1968). Black and white photographic print. Courtesy Cadbury Research Library: Special Collections, University of Birmingham.
ART
JINDRICH STREIT - SOVINEC
Centrala Until 30 March centrala-space.org.uk | @Centrala_space
Czech Documentary photographer and ex-primary school teacher Jindrich Streit has been photographing the people of his home village Sovinec, in the north of the Czech Republic, for over 40 years. Imprisoned in the early 80s by the authorities for taking unsettling images of the brutal living conditions, including photographing a party meeting where people were asleep, he lost his teaching job and had to join his friends who worked on the local collective farm. His photographs reveal the intimate relationship with the villagers and, despite the treatment towards him, he persevered with his photographic work and opened his house to the local community with a  gallery for contemporary art on the first floor. Today it is a remarkable cultural centre that attracts work from around the world. 027
ART
DANNY HOWES Danny Howes is one of Birmingham’s foremost realist painters documenting contemporary life in the region with his retro-tinged oil paintings. From the backstreets of Newtown to Gas Street Basin, he brings beauty to the mundane.
028
How would you describe your style? I can best describe my work as ‘expressive realism’. I like to paint people and things as I see them and often use photographs as reference but I’m not concerned with producing a purely photo-realistic image – I try to communicate emotion and atmosphere by defining and moulding the textures and surfaces I see using paint. Oil paint can be smooth and delicate or thick and lumpy and dragged and manipulated across the canvas, I absolutely love this as the paint itself then becomes as important a part of the process as the subject. Hopefully this texture and impasto engages the viewer and helps communicate the intention of the piece. What attracts you to painting the people and streets of Birmingham? I think of Birmingham as a wonderfully blended city with its huge cultural, economic and social mix of citizens and visitors. Like all big cities there are good and not so good aspects to life here, all of which are a steady source of inspiration. The constantly evolving architecture is also quite fascinating and serves as a backdrop for many of my paintings. What attracts you to your subjects? My main subject matter is people. From a purely physical aspect it’s all about the human form, the lines and shapes of our bodies and faces, the way skin absorbs, reflects and refracts light all at the same time, it’s all fascinating to me. Then from an existential perspective it’s about whom we are, our experiences, 029
how we live and work, even mundane activities, the unguarded moments where we reveal our true selves – this is the vast majority of my subject matter. Any upcoming projects you’d like to tell us about? I’m completing the final piece for the upcoming Nicklin Revisited exhibition at Reuben Colley Fine Art in Colmore Row. This is a group show running until 22nd February. The paintings are inspired by photographs taken by Phyllis Nicklin between 1952 and 1969. The original images are used with the kind permission of the University of Birmingham. This will be a wonderful exhibition providing a fascinating social commentary on the city both then and now. I’m also working on some new portraits and head studies of local people incorporating themes around angels and statues which will be ready in the spring. 030
STEPHEN EARL ROGERS stephenearlrogers.co.uk
Painter Stephen Earl Rogers produces beautiful portraits and is regularly selected for major exhibitions from the BP Portrait Awards to the National Portrait Gallery. Usually working on private commissions in his Custard Factory studio, this year he features in two Birmingham exhibitions: The Nicklin Revisited exhibition at Reuben Colley Fine Arts during February will feature a selection of small paintings, and work for Birmingham People and Change in the Inner City will be on show at BMAG during March. Which is your favourite art gallery in the West Midlands? Barber Institute. Lovely space, world class art from the past and lovely interesting and often intimate temporary exhibitions. What was the best exhibition you have seen in the past year? Janet Mendelsohn at the Ort Cafe. Wonderful, evocative pictures that dealt with inner city poverty without seeming voyeuristic, curated beautifully by Flatpack and exhibited in the heart of Balsall Heath. What cultural highlights are you looking forward to in 2016? I don’t tend to browse and plan ahead these days, I just grab the opportunity when it arises and something appeals. There is always something interesting going on, it’s just a matter of having the time. Are there any events you go to each year? I have been to performances happening as part of the last couple of International Dance Festivals in Birmingham and in 2015 that included the privilege of seeing Sylvie Guillem perform on her final, farewell tour - she was truly stunning!. Who are your favourite artists from the region? Oliver C Jones, worryingly young and talented, and Zoe Hillyard, her work is beautiful, there are obviously others, but these two immediately spring to mind. 032
MY
CU L WM TURE
033
ART
JUNEAU PROJECTS juneauprojects.co.uk
Artist duo Juneau Projects (Ben Sadler and Philip Duckworth) can often be found in a variety of interesting spaces and places producing new works, sound installations and workshops. Their latest commission Artefacting has been produced for a WERK and Centro collaboration and will be installed at Birmingham’s new tram line from Snow Hill to New Street. The pair will install vinyl wrap images which will be put onto junction boxes on the platforms and will trigger augmented reality animations when viewed with a phone app.
034
MY
Which is your favourite art gallery in the West Midlands? We have a soft spot for a number of galleries in the West Midlands, and are really grateful for the support we’ve received from them over the years: New Art Gallery Walsall, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery and Compton Verney are all firm favourites. Ikon Gallery has a special place in our hearts though – we’ve visited it since we were kids, we were worked there after art college and we were lucky enough to have a solo show there in 2006. It does great exhibitions too! What was the best exhibition you have seen in the past year? Silks by Samara Scott at Eastside Projects was a great exhibition using materials in amazing ways. What cultural highlights are you looking forward to in 2016? New Art West Midlands is good fun. It’s great to see the work of West Midlands graduates being celebrated, and great to see West Midlands galleries working together to host it. Are there any events you go to each year? We’ve been really excited by Digbeth First Friday. It’s great to see so much energy and excitement on a monthly basis!
CU L WM TURE
Where do you feel most creative? We spend most of our days in our studio at Grand Union. That’s where the magic happens for us. When we’re in desperate need of some inspiration though we like to go and wander around Latifs just up the road . If you were taking a visitor to the region on a cultural day out where would you take them? Number one on our list is The MAD Museum in Stratford-Upon-Avon. It’s bonkers! The Barber Institute of Fine Arts is great too – Eugene Boudin’s painting, ‘A Beach Near Trouville’ (1895), is worth the visit alone, although there are so many other good paintings in the collection too. Who is your favourite artist / creative from the region? William Howson Taylor. He ran the Ruskin Pottery in Smethwick and invented a host of incredible glazes, the formulae for which he kept secret and took to his grave.
035
JENNY MOORE howbraveisthewren.com
Once part of Digbeth experimental music/art promoters Capsule, more recently Jenny Moore has taken a slightly different path; converting a beautiful vintage caravan in to a traveling bookstore. Used as both a workshop space and shop, How Brave is the Wren pops up at festivals and events with a fine collection of stunningly-crafted illustration books that appeal to both the young and old at heart. 036
MY
Which is your favourite art gallery in the West Midlands? New Art Gallery Walsall, I love the building, the collection and the changing exhibitions and probably above all the fact that the staff are always so welcoming. They also have a very lovely set of xylophones in the children’s activity area. What was the best exhibition you have seen in the past year? Mat Collishaw at NAGW and at the Library of Birmingham / Grain. I remember being fascinated by Collishaw’s work as a student, particularly his digitally manipulated images. At a time that I was trying to teach myself photoshop on the one mac computer that we had access to at Wolverhampton University, these seemed particularly aweinspiring. I’m glad to say they stood the test of time. What cultural highlights are you looking forward to in 2016? Flatpack Festival celebrating their 10th birthday promises to be something very special indeed. Are there any events you go to each year? Of course there’s the obvious Supersonic, Flatpack Festival, Fierce! Birmingham is very fortunate to have such a wealth of small independent festivals and events, also a little further into the outskirts of the West Midland region this
CU L WM TURE
year Sin Eater Festival will be back in June following a fallow year. It’s not a tribute festival to the 80’s popstar, as is often mistaken with my pronunciation, but a lovely intimate festival that has previously taken place in the beer garden of The Bridges Pub, Ratlinghope, Shropshire. A great line up of experimental, folk, guitar music, in a lovely location. Fantastic campsite near by the venue, amazing beer and to top it all off there’s usually a burning man finale. If you were taking a visitor to the region on a cultural day out where would you take them? I would probably actually opt to take them out of the city to have a picnic in the Inside outside house at Packwood House. Who is your favourite artist / creative from the region? Forgoing family members I would say Lucy McLauchlan. How Brave is the Wren will be at Rowheath Market Day, Rowheath Pavillion, Heath Road, Bournville on 20th February, 10am - 3pm. 037
SOUL FOOD They say art feeds the soul - but for those times when a watercolour just won’t cut it, get inspired with Gemma Corden’s pick of the best foodie spots in Birmingham’s cultural hangouts.
MARMALADE AT THE REP THEATRE Broad Street (pictured above) marmaladebirmingham.co.uk This bustling bar and restaurant courtesy of Bitters N Twisted, the creative team behind a number of the city’s much-loved independent venues, delivers dramatic food in quirky surrounds. Perfect fuel for a night of culture on the Rep’s famous stages. 038
CAFE OPUS AT IKON GALLERY 1 Oozells Square, Brindleyplace cafeopus.co.uk Seasonal British classics are artfully served up by this fiercely independent outfit in the contemporary surrounds of the Ikon. A great All Day Menu at great prices, with al fresco dining available. Perfect after a browse around Ikon’s contemporary galleries. NOMAD AT BIRMINGHAM OPEN MEDIA 1 Dudley Street foodbynomad.com Art and food - is there a better partnership? Experimental culinarians Nomad demonstrate it here to its fullest potential, getting creative with food in a changing menu driven by a philosophy of memory, nature and place. Expect the unexpected in this dynamic gallery and workspace shared by artists, technologists and scientists. EDWARDIAN TEA ROOMS AT BM&AG Chamberlain Square birminghammuseums.org.uk Glorious high ceilings and mad Alice in Wonderland-ish furniture provide a suitably grand setting for the Tearoom’s now famous (and absolutely massive) Afternoon Tea. A range of food and drink offers run throughout the week.
CENTRALA Unit 4 Minerva Works entrala-space.org.uk/cafe This cosy cafe in a multifunctional gallery space, set up by the Polish Expats Association, to showcase work from across Central, Eastern Europe and the UK, has a homely feel that truly warms the cockles. Hot and cold food available, including the Polish classic, pierogi. DIGBETH FIRST FRIDAY digbethfirstfriday.com On the first Friday of each month Digbeth explodes into life in a series of exhibitions, late-night openings, special events and culture in unexpected spaces across the district. Expect exceptional street food from Digbeth Dining Club regulars and more. WATERSTONES High Street, Birmingham This newly renovated branch of the famous booksellers now houses two independent coffee bars offering local produce from the likes of the Jewellery Quarter’s Peel and Stone Bakery and Mrs Mills Makes Cakes, based in Kings Norton. With customers free to roam the shop’s four floors with their beverage, perhaps curling up with a cappuccino in one of the many Art Deco windows, this really is a haven for the bookish. 039
ART
AN ENCHANTING EVENING
20 February 6-7:30pm & 8-9:30pm Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery Tickets cost £15 per person and can be purchased online via eventbrite. BM&AG are offering art lovers a last chance opportunity to see its preRaphelite exhibition Enchanted Dreams during a specially curated evening. The gallery has partnered with Snow Queen Vodka and The Food & Drink Events Company for the art-inspired night which will see the venue opening its doors after-hours to welcome guests to an immersive evening of art, cocktails and entertainment inspired by the exhibition. The Food & Drink Events Company have created a pop-up bar inside the exhibition space where guests will be able to indulge in an exclusive drink inspired by the event while curator of the exhibition, Victoria Osborne, will be on hand to talk through the collection of world famous masterpieces, many of which have not been seen by the public in the 100 years since the artist’s death.
040
LEE SCRATCH PERRY’S VISION OF PARADISE mac birmingham Screenings 24 & 25 February visionofparadise.de
Nothing about Lee Scratch Perry is ordinary and the same goes for Vision Of Paradise. The filmmakers have created a fairytale fantasy around the visionary reggae and dub record producer’s incredible story using animation and vibrant colours to illustrate his ongoing musical quest for spiritual liberation through the bass vibrations of reggae. Perry’s influence on contemporary music is immense. He has recorded with acts as diverse as The Orb, Keith Richards, The Beastie Boys, George Clinton, David Lynch, Andrew WK, Moby, Ari Up of The Slits, Bill Laswell, Adrian Sherwood and Mad Professor. Filmed over a 15 year period, we get both a glimpse inside his renowned Black Ark studio in Kingston, Jamaica (where Perry recorded the mighty Bob Marley and The Wailers, Junior Byles, Junior Murvin, The Heptones, The Congos and Max Romeo) to his current home in the Swiss Alps. Funny, poetic and frequently mind blowing, Vision Of Paradise is the ultimate portrait of a truly unique musical icon and a rare opportunity to step into the characteristic world of a bona fide free spirit. To celebrate Lee’s 80th birthday milestone, the movie will be in cinemas this February/ March and available on DVD via Cadiz Music from 8th April. 042
MUSIC
10 BIRMINGHAM ARTISTS YOU NEED TO DISCOVER IN 2016 The Birmingham music scene is thriving right now, so dive head first into as many vibrant, eclectic and party-hard gigs as you possibly can. Go explore, rave, rendezvous and fall in love with your local musicians - make that your mission for 2016. From blues, punk, reggae, hip hop, ska and beyond, here are ten emerging and established bands/artists in the city that you must go and discover.
JOHNNY KOWALSKI & THE SEXY WEIRDOS sexyweirdos.co.uk Their ridiculous name is testament to what one can expect from them live. For the brightly-clad, superhyper and wide-eyed festival goertype who relishes the chaotically absurd, The Sexy Weirdos are the answer. Expect breathless ravers grasping onto one another, the punchiest of punchy rhythm sections, guest emcees, a DIY attitude and songs about tequila and living in squats. 2016 also sees the release of their third album, which is yet to be titled. For late night carousing, look no further. Recommended tracks: Klezmer Prayer, What Shall We Do With A Blonde, Kill The Beast. TOM WALKER TRIO tomwalkerofficial.com Tom Walker Trio are definitely contenders for being the best blues band in Birmingham, and it’s easy to see why - their musicianship and chemistry is
044
outstanding. Expect tight, inspired and spontaneous solos, strong Bonamassa-equse vocals and an original style built on an authentic love of Clapton, Leadbelly, BB King, disco and jazz fusion music. The trio celebrate a residency at Stirchley’s legendary rock venue The RoadHouse, where you can catch them on the first thursday of every month - perfect for all guitar and blues aficionados. Recommended tracks: Tell Me Something Good, Can’t Stay Here With You, Hold On I’m Coming.
the two genres, especially in the performance of vocalist Marius Lucas-Antonio Listhrop, who switches powerfully from rapper with swagger to venomous rock vocalist with lungs of steel. It’s a total Jekyll & Hyde situation, aggravated and driven by distorted riffs, head-banging-grooves and phenomenally technical drumming. Watch their 2016 music video Fracture now. Recommended tracks: Call Them In, The Vendetta, Shake.
BAD GIRLFRIEND soundcloud.com/adirlfriend Nothing will quite prepare you for discovering Bad Girlfriend. Frontman Connor Hemming doesn’t quite believe in stages, he’d rather be on top of you - so you have been warned. But it’s this total lack of inhibition and disregard for any type of invisible barrier between band and audience that is so refreshing and admirable. Punk is obscene and confrontational, and Bad Girlfriend are proving this again and again and again and again. Recommended tracks: Where The Birds Fly, Goodbye, Little Black Spider.
MALARKEY facebook.com/MalarkeyBand Birmingham’s original dancehall punks have only been around for a couple of years but they’ve nailed down a sound they can honestly call their own. By fusing the frighteningly powerful dancehall vocals of Tamar Bedward (aka Juggernaut) with a delirious and nightmarish array of oddly timed dub, ska and erratic punk - the six-piece have gained a dedicated following and reputation for playing uncompromising and tempestuous live shows. A must see Birmingham band. Their debut album, Kebabylon, is out now. Recommended tracks: Malarkey Party, Rizla, Unknown Designs.
MYTH CITY facebook.com/Mythcityuk For those with an affinity for hip hop and metal Myth City should be firmly on your radar. Their music is the perfect amalgamation of
JAM TIDY facebook.com/JamTidyMusic Their shows are all about good vibes, mingling with the loveliest people, and of course, skanking with a beer in hand. The music 045
features the lyrical acrobatics of hip hop, the upbeat danceability of ska, the positivity of reggae and the overarching feel of gypsy swing. Take note of the performance of vocalists Stefan Quarry and Morgan Lucas, their impossibly fast emceeing is seamless, both in-sync and in tandem. It would be hard to find a band more authentically positive than Jam Tidy, both musically and in character. 2016 sees this live band finally release their debut EP in the spring. Recommended tracks: Get Funked, Go With The Flo, Do Not Be Afraid. MANOS PA’ARRIBA facebook.com/ManosPaArriba If you have no clue what cumbia music is then Manos Pa’Arriba serve as the perfect introduction. They fuse classic covers from the Latin genre with Balkan sounds to form a totally sexy, infectious, and exotic set of tunes - apt for your most rambunctious and/ or showy dancing. Founded in 2015 by Balkanic Eruption promoter Ellie Midhani, the group have become Birmingham’s only cumbia outfit, making them an incredibly unique spectacle. Manos Pa’Arriba also literally translates to “Hand go up!” in Spanish, which is an awesome indication to the atmosphere that this band inspire, so go discover cumbia!
046
TOM PEEL tompeel.co.uk He’s been performing and running events for ten years, but if you haven’t already, you must discover Tom Peel. He’s a true entertainer whose act features an absurd mix of comic lyricism, storytelling, loss of equilibrium and dancing with a vintage television and reel-to-reel tape recorder strapped to his chest. His artistic concept revolves around his manifesto of “Holding a mirror up to fame and the struggle of trying to make it as a musician, adjusting his hair and thinking ‘boy do I look good.’” It’s 100 percent guaranteed that you will never seen anything quite like Tom Peel. Recommended tracks: When I Die, Sometimes I Want Bad Things To Happen, Laura Half French. YOUTH MAN facebook.com/youthmanband It’s exciting to watch this home-grown punk trio make their breakthrough. They recently signed to Venn Records, received recognition from Rolling Stone, completed UK, EU tours and major festival spots in 2015, and now they’re gearing up for their 4th EP, due this spring. If their 2016 output is anything like last year’s highly recommended EP release Hill Of Knives, Youth Man will continue to put Birmingham on the map. For gnarled punk riffs, abrasive tunes and unpredictable and riotous live shows, Youth Man have got you covered. Recommended tracks: Skin, Pigs, Joy, Wide Awake. CALL ME UNIQUE facebook.com/callmeeunique Having made her breakthrough with the overwhelming support from BBC 1Xtra and BBC Introducing, Call Me Unique’s soulful brand of hip hop has gained her recognition in Birmingham and beyond. She’s gained support slots for Rihanna, Jessie J and Jools Holland, and 2016 has already seen her perform in and travel to Budapest, where she continues her collaborative relationship with Hungarian producer Monkeyneck, whose track that features Unique, Time For Love, has gained international renown. This year also sees the release her second album Urban Gypsy 2. Recommended tracks: MoneyMoneyMoney, Bombs & Wars, Stranger, Time To Love. GH 047
HINDS
048
You often hear the phrase ‘like a breath of fresh air’ bandied about when it comes to new bands, when Madrid based Hinds come to mind though, that phrase really fits.
Whether you’re listening to their breezy petulant sounding songs, or watching them floating around in one of their videos; there’s a really joyous sense of youthful abandonment. A truly teenage feeling band, even though some of their fans might have left school a good few years ago. Starting off life as duo Deers featuring Carlotta Cosials and Ana Perrote (both on guitar and vocals), Bass player Ade Martin and drummer Amber Grimbergen joined later. “I first became friends with the band Parrots, and we all would hang around together at different shows around Madrid,” comments Ade. “I soon heard their music and we all became like a big family. We all really love music and hanging out.” Their new album Leave Me Alone has just been released and in the lead up a videogame appeared on the Hinds website. The game involves playing as a hind, jumping over band members and avoiding chilli’s and sangria. Perfect. The new album itself is all you could have hoped for. Delicious delinquent fuzzy garage pop perfection with duelling vocals and kooky harmonies. The songs are infectious and melodic but have the rebellious feel of Riot Grrrl acts such as Bikini Kill.
“The album has been ready for over six months, it’s been a long wait and we can’t wait to get it out there. I think we all really love the first song Garden, but just for me I really really love the last song, Walking Home. We were influenced by being in Madrid and by bands like Black Lips, Only Real, Amy Winehouse, lots more. Also we tend to play with bands we like, then we really like them.” Hinds are still relatively unknown in their home country of Spain, with UK and American press and fans seeming to ‘get’ and appreciate what they have to offer a lot more. “We are really looking forward to playing in the UK again next month. We LOVE UK audiences, they are actually much bigger than at home too. The scene here is not very big, but with lots happening at just three or four really good venues.” Leave Me Alone is out now on Lucky Number/Mom & Pop and the band embark on a UK tour in February hitting the Hare & Hounds in Kings Heath on February 23rd with support from Public Access TV. Don’t do your homework kids, listen to Hinds. MS 049
FESTIVALS Whether it’s dance, music or art that floats your boat there’s certainly more festivals to choose from than our poor wallets can cope with. If spending a day travelling and then sleeping in a muddy field isn’t your idea of heaven - then check out these gems taking place right on your doorstep this year. 050
COMA’S CONTEMPORARY MUSIC FOR ALL FESTIVAL 5-6 March University of Wolverhampton, Walsall Campus, CBSO Centre, Birmingham Weekend ticket: £15 full price / £10 concession coma.org Fancy something a little more participative? Well this is the festival for you. A celebration of COMA’s innovative open-score project this festival features contemporary music with a participative approach. Join musicians from Birmingham’s Contemporary Music Group, the CoMA East Midlands and CoMA West Midlands ensembles, and contemporary choir Via Nova to rehearse, workshop and perform pieces by composers with strong CoMA associations. Anyone aged 18+ is invited to play or sing – all participants must be able to confidently read music; experience in a choir or band/ orchestra is desirable but certainly not essential to join in the fun. WHISKEY FESTIVAL 12 March, 12-5pm The Bond, Digbeth Tickets: £35 general admission & £75 VIP admission whiskybirmingham.co.uk Now in its fourth year (pictured left) - expect hundreds of whiskeys to choose from for your sampling pleasure - please pace yourself (responsible drinking of course).
The organisers promise the most ‘creative masterclasses at any festival’, street food and lots of entertainment to shake your whiskey filled glass in the air along to. Birmingham Whisky Club members can also score VIP tickets for £31.50 (plus booking), so if you’re partial to a dram or two it might be worth investing in a year long membership. INSOMNIA 57 - GAMING FESTIVAL 25-28 March NEC, Birmingham Tickets: Day visitor £27, Weekend Visitor: £57, Bring Your Own Console (BYOC): £99 insomniagamingfestival.com Obsessed with Call of Duty, giddy about Battlefront or spend your work breaks searching Youtube for gaming hints and tips to bust out out when you get home? Well you better pencil this date in your diary. As the UK’s biggest gaming festival it features a hitlist of special guests plus LAN gaming areas, Q&A sessions, esports tournaments and an exhibition hall to spend all your hard earned cash. With a BYOC ticket you’ll be granted access to the event for the whole weekend, 24 hours a day; with a guaranteed seat in the LAN halls to plug your gaming device into, plus access to all other areas of the event. 051
FLATPACK FILM FESTIVAL 19-24 April Various venues, Birmingham flatpackfestival.org.uk A real highlight in the festival calendar (pictured) and this year marks its tenth anniversary. Having carved itself a respected place in the UK’s film scene over the last decade you’ll see an eclectic lineup of new features and shorts, with a sprinkling of special guests. There’s also an array of installations, walking tours and popup screenings o’plenty taking place throughout the city. BIRMINGHAM COMIC FESTIVAL 23 April Edgbaston Stadium, Birmingham Tickets: £10 standard entry ticket thecomicfestival.com A brand new event with over 100 exhibitors showcasing a range of publications, books, original art and of course - convention exclusives. There’ll be panels, cosplay and rare appearances from creators of DC, Marvel, 200AD and Beano.. A great excuse to order a costume from amazon, dust off your workwear and take on the persona of your favourite superhero for the day. INTERNATIONAL DANCE FESTIVAL (IDFB) 1-22 May Birmingham Tickets: various £££ depending on venue, also free performances idfb.co.uk Produced by DanceXchange and
052
Birmingham Hippodrome IFDB is a major biennial festival that will provide a rare opportunity to watch world-class performances: from ballet to neoclassical, contemporary to physical theatre, hip hop to flamenco and circus all taking place in theatres and public spaces across Birmingham and the West Midlands. A festival of UK and World exclusives, one being the world premiere of The Machine Show (Centenary Square, 11-14 May) a brand new dance and circus spectacular, with dancer and choreographer Melanie Lomoff (France) and hip-hop dance icon Salah (France), headlined with live music by the French band Rinôçérôse. SLAM DUNK FESTIVAL 29 May NEC, Birmingham Tickets: General admission £46.20, including afterparty £51.70 slamdunkmusic.com Another festival celebrating its tenth birthday in 2016 and this year promises to be its biggest yet. With over 50 artists across 7 stages including: Panic at the Disco, New Found Glory and Four Year Strong, the organisers have this year incorporated the Genting Arena, Forum Live, Pavilions 1 & 2, plus outdoor stages. Guest DJ’s, exclusive singings from your favourite acts, and what will promise to be a memorable afterparty. BIRMINGHAM BEER BASH 21-23 July Bond Co. Digbeth, Birmingham birminghambeerbash.co.uk If like us you enjoy a craft beer or two then you’ll raise your glass in appreciation of this festival. This year sees the introduction of the first Birmingham Beer Week with the Beer Bash as the pinnacle of the event. Interestingly the focus has shifted to keg beers and there’ll be a smaller number of breweries showcased at it’s 2016 event - pushing for quality over quantity. Don’t fret there’ll definitely be a beer there to tickle your tastebuds with five sessions over three days even the biggest hopheads amongst you will rejoice. Masterclasses, fringe events and entertainment are all part of the bash, not forgetting a range of street food to ensure you line your stomach! KO 053
PIER REVIEW Jon Bounds & Danny Smith decided to drive around the coast to visit all the piers in England and Wales. Documenting the journey for their book Pier Review they tell us about their unusual and quirky fascination with the British seaside... The seaside is odd. People are different when they are closer to water. They’ll dress differently, play stupid little games of golf that are designed to be pointlessly bloody hard (who put that windmill there!). They’ll even pay money to watch Jim Davidson. But most oddly of all, they’ll be happy to sit, stare into space and do nothing. And they eat so, so many chips. Like most good things, this started with us drunk and laughing at a silly pun. Neither of us had cared about piers much before, but the more we thought about it, piers are an integral part of the memories and oddness of the seaside we wanted to explore. So we decided to see them: all of them, and write a book. Each beach, we found, was a cultural Madagascar evolving its own unique pier species. And we would get to eat a lot of chips. I suppose it’s interesting to us because we’re from the midlands and the region is exceptional in its isolation from the sea. We have no real affection for the canals despite every few years the council trying to re-brand them as exciting redevelopment potential or inner city resort. If you believe the hype the canal system in Birmingham is a cross between a corporate open air gym
and cosmopolitan café culture paradise. But people in Birmingham rarely think of the canals, to us they’re a quirk of our industrial past that everybody half suspects are full of shopping trolleys and near sentient fungal diseases. In Birmingham we’re divorced from nature almost completely, most of us are third generation inhabitants of dark factories, as far from the sea as the population of gulls that live on our rooftops near our high streets and concrete school playgrounds. In Southport (home to the second longest pier, even though it rarely sees the see), during a second lunchtime drink, we ended up pondering how it was probably the most normal place we’d visited since we set off. Normal to us that is, and a semi deserted pub in the daytime is fairly par for our course. We visited no cities; Southport and Southend are the closest we got. They’re big enough places to have the chain store, chain pub, chains of drudgery vibe, but they’re not big enough to offer anonymity in quite the same way as Birmingham does. It was the only time we were homesick. In 55 piers, in two weeks, across two thousand miles,we discovered piers that were falling apart and that had burnt down but were still loved by the people that lived by and worked on them. We found history that was far more comfortable with itself than our culture usually seems to be. Even when it’s things like slavery, roller discos, and slipping into a diabetic coma due to the amount of sugar you’re stuffing yourself with, it was able to coexist in a confined space: often on those rotting boards atop the waves. The seaside is odd because it reflects us: albeit in one of its funhouse mirrors. Pier Review is available from Summerdale books at Amazon, Guardian Books, and all good bookshops from 11th of February.
ON GOING EXHIBITIONS
FAITH IN BIRMINGHAM GALLERY 5 February onwards Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery Discover the many faiths that make up Birmingham’s rich and diverse communities. Uncover sacred objects used in religious practice and explore the role of faith in places of worship, at home and within our journey through life. Take a rare opportunity to see the Birmingham Qu’ran – recently identified as one of the oldest surviving copies of the Qur’an in the world (on display 5 February until 3 August 2016). Representing six different faiths, other highlights include the Sultanganj Buddha, a historic Sikh temple token and personal objects from people of faith from across the city.
056
RICHARD WOODS: DUCK WEAVE Until 9 April Eastside Projects Richard Woods’ ‘Duck Weave’ is the development of an ancient building technology recently rediscovered by the Internationally renowned artist. “Scientists believe that the days were busy for the group of 25 to 30 early humans. Top priorities were hunting and food-gathering, but there was time to weave cloth and fashion tools that would make living easier. Archaeologists were excited to discover complexly woven cloth made of plant fibre, probably palm. The fronds would have been rubbed back and forth until they, became twinelike, then woven, using bone awls to pack the weave tightly. Duck Weave is the oldest fabric recovered in the Western Hemisphere and possibly in the world.” Eastside Projects presents the first research stages of Woods’ redeploying of a local ‘Digbeth’ version of this construction technique.
FEBRUARY
EXHIBITION Until 22 February NICKLIN REVISITED Reuben Colley Fine Art During the 1950s & ‘60s University of Birmingham Geography tutor Phyllis Nicklin captured Birmingham at a time of massive change. Not only was the urban environment being significantly transformed but new communities were changing the city’s demographic profile too. In collaboration with Brumpic Reuben Colley Fine Art have invited a number of artists to produce work inspired by Nicklin’s photographs. The exhibition will feature paintings & drawings by Reuben Colley, Mark Godwin, Danny Howes, Rick Garland, Horace Panter, Mark Lippett, Stephen Earl Rogers, Annette Pugh and Kevin Line. 058
EXHIBITION 5 February – 10 April WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2015 Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry This world-renowned exhibition showcases 100 awe-inspiring images, featuring fascinating animal behaviour and breathtaking wild landscapes. Dive deep into the oceans, fly amongst the tree tops and journey across sand dunes discovering the variety of life this world has to offer.
CRAFT MARKET 7 February, 6 March, 11am – 5pm (and first Sunday of the month onwards) MAC CRAFT MARKET mac birmingham An exclusive selection of products from local designer makers offering ceramics, jewellery, paintings and much more - it’s a great place to pick up original home and gift items.
DANCE 9 & 10 February MOTIONHOUSE: BROKEN mac birmingham Broken erupts onto the stage in an adrenalinefilled spectacle. Athletic contact work, spectacular acrobatics and a gripping narrative combine with a revolutionary set design and digital imagery that melds with the performers as they move. Tickets £22.
ART EVENT 12 February, 11 March, 15 April, 7.30pm – 10.30pm COVENTRY LATES Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry One night a month the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry opens their doors for an exciting evening of art, music, drinks, talks, performance and history inspired fun.
Coventry artist Jo Gane will curate the activities area in the Mead Gallery.
WORKSHOP 13 February, 12 March, 9 April, Saturdays 10.30am – 3.30pm SKETCH COVENTRY Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry Join local urban sketchers in the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry Café for a day of sketching around Coventry city centre DANCE at this informal and 16 & 17 February 20 STORIES HIGH: supportive event. THE BROKE N BEAT COLLECTIVE FILM mac birmingham 14 February VALENTINE MATINEE: 20 Stories High and Theatre-Rites join forces BRIEF ENCOUNTER to create a unique The Lighthouse mash up of hip-hop, Tickets £6.70 / £6.20 theatre and puppetry concessions £4.50 bringing together 4 under 25s/students amazing artists: beatWORKSHOPS boxer Hobbit, b-boy 15-20 February LoGisTics, puppeteer CREATIVE WEEK IN Mohsen and, from THE MEAD GALLERY the Midlands, singer/ Mead Gallery, Warwick rapper Elektric, to form In response to Gerard The Broke ‘N’ Beat Byrne’s new exhibition, Collective. Tickets £12. 059
WORKSHOPS 16 February, 12–5pm CAMERA OBSCURA FAMILY DROP-IN Mead Gallery, Warwick Arts Centre FREE drop in event Birmingham Obscura will be installed at Warwick Arts Centre, allowing participants a chance to explore a mechanical camera obscura with artists Pete Ashton and Jenny Duffin. WORKSHOPS 17 February, 1-3.30pm PINHOLE PHOTOGRAPHY FAMILY WORKSHOP Mead Gallery, Warwick Arts Centre Use recycled materials to construct a working pinhole camera in this workshop led by Jo Gane. £3, book in advance. 060
COMEDY 19 February CHRIS MARTIN: THIS SHOW HAS A SOUNDTRACK mac birmingham Movies always have a soundtrack… so why can’t a stand up show? Join ‘one of the UK’s best observationalists’ (The Guardian) for a brand new stand-up show accompanied by its own original soundtrack. Tickets £10.
THEATRE 25 February NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE: AS YOU LIKE IT The Lighthouse & mac birmingham
DANCE 25 February DENADA DANCE: HAM & PASSION mac birmingham A gender-bending evening of seductive and provocative dance. Three short narrative works form this kitschy and filmic bill of contemporary dance with a very Spanish flavour - a true feast of meaty dance soaked in a salsa of passion. Tickets £11 (£9).
COMEDY 26 February AUSTENTATIOUS: AN IMPROVISED JANE AUSTEN NOVEL mac birmingham Undoubtedly one of the most talkedabout shows on the UK comedy scene, Austentatious: is a comedy play spun in the inimitable style of Jane Austen – and based entirely on audience suggestions. Tickets £15 (£13).
MARCH
ARTS & SCIENCE FESTIVAL University of Birmingham 14-20 March birmingham.ac.uk/artsandsciencefestival Professor Alice Roberts will headline this year’s festival which includes seven days of free talks, events, exhibitions and performances from leading artists, thinkers and scientists. The author, broadcaster and anatomist will discuss her latest BBC series The Celts, revealing the origins, life and legacy of this enduringly fascinating people. Professor Roberts will take audiences on a journey across Europe, telling the story of a multicultural civilisation linked by a common language, and how pre-historic technology and art spread across the continent over many hundreds of years. The Festival also includes presentations by leading arts organisations around the city including Ikon Gallery, Vivid Projects, Grand Union, Birmingham Open Media and mac birmingham. For 2016, the Festival will focus on the theme of Memory and Forgetting, looking at the idea of memory in our culture and of the social significance of remembrance and memorialisation. 061
MARCH
WORKSHOP 1 March, 6:30 – 9:00pm (and 3 May, 6:30 – 9:00pm) PICK UP STICKS – BEGINNERS KNITTING CLASS Cherry Reds, John Bright Street, Birmingham Stitches and Hos are a motley crew of enthusiasts for all things knitted, crocheted and stitched. For nearly 10 years they have been creating stitched chaos at festivals, galleries and shindigs. Anywhere they can get out their needles. This class is designed for those who are new to knitting or those who would like to reacquaint themselves with the basics. You will learn how to cast on (using the knit stitch method), knit stitch, purl stitch and casting off. £30 includes all materials along with a hot drink and a slice of cake. stitchesandhos.co.uk
062
MUSIC 4-18 March FRONTIERS FESTIVAL frontiersmusic.org Gavin Bryars, Errollyn Wallen, Project Instrumental, Decibel, Anna Palmer, Hans Koller with BCMG, and works by some of the emerging talent from Birmingham Conservatoire’s composition students: these are just some of the experimental, creative and boundarypushing artists headlining Birmingham’s Frontiers festival of new music (4-18 March). The twoweek Festival, presented by Birmingham Conservatoire, brings together some of contemporary music’s most forward-thinking artists and exciting new projects in venues across the city.
CRAFT FAIR 11 March 7.30pm – 10.30pm 12 March 10.00am – 4.00pm SPRING MAKES ART & CRAFT FAIR Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry Brush off the snow from your boots and step into spring with our spectacular arts and craft fair. Join us to meet a host of fantastic local artists and makers to help brighten your home ready for the start of a new season. EXHIBITION 11 March – 19 June DEGAS’ DANCERS - A COURTAULD MASTERPIECE Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry A unique opportunity to see one of the masterpieces of The Courtauld Gallery’s collection in Coventry. The Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry will be showing Edgar Degas’ famous painting, Two dancers on a stage, alongside three other works by the artist. A
founding member of the Impressionist group of artists, Degas was fascinated with the ballet, painting dancers at rest, practicing and performing. EXHIBITION Until 12 March GERARD BYRNE 1/125 OF A SECOND Mead Gallery, Warwick Arts Centre Renowned for his film installations which reenact conversations from specific historic moments, Irish artist Gerard Byrne works with photography, video and live art to explore the way we understand the present, through revisiting the past.
EXHIBITION 13 March - 2 May WILLARD WIGAN HOMECOMING EXHIBITION The Lighthouse, Wolverhampton
THEATRE 17 & 18 March VAMOS THEATRE: THE BEST THING mac birmingham The year is 1966. Sheila is 17, unmarried and pregnant. She is given no choice but to give up her child for a ‘better life.’ Based on true experiences, The Best Thing is a poignant, humorous and gritty story of mistaken morals and the power of unconditional love from Vamous Theatre, the UK’s leading full mask theatre company. Tickets £14 (£12)
THEATRE 23 March – 2 April TRAINSPOTTING mac birmingham This punchy, immersive production recaptures the passion and controversy of Irvine Welsh’s cult generationdefining novel. For this 21st anniversary production, the Scottish cast have created a
snappy, vibrant retelling capturing the power and humour of the piece. Tickets £15 RESIDENCY Until 27 March 2016 CAGLAR KIMYONCU Artists’ Studio, New Art Gallery Walsall Kimyoncu’s residency is informed by his perspective as a disabled person and background as the son of a professional soldier. Previous works have focused on the subject of conscientious objection and ‘being different’ in conflict zones. During his residency, Caglar will extend his research into the issue of the militarisation of youth, and seek to provide a space for those voices he identifies to be excluded or marginalised in society.
063
APRIL
WORKSHOP 5 April, 10.30am – 3.30pm DEGAS DAY FOR FAMILIES Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry Join Herbert Art Gallery & Museum for a fun filled family day inspired by the exhibition, Degas’ Dancers, by Edgar Degas. As part of their Art Masters week, take part in this day of special activities including drawing to music and creating artworks with moving machines. WORKSHOP 5 April, 6:30 – 9:00pm (and 7 June, 6:30 – 9:00pm) HOOK ME UP – BEGINNERS 064
CROCHET CLASS stitchesandhos.co.uk Cherry Reds, John Bright Street, Birmingham, B1 1BN £30 includes all materials along with a hot drink and a slice of cake. This class is designed for those who are new to crochet or those wanting to brush up on basic skills. You will learn how to start and finish your crochet and how to produce a chain. You will also learn how to crochet flat and in the round.
DANCE 6 April GISELLE: LIVE FROM THE ROYAL BALLET The Lighthouse & mac birmingham Tickets between £15-18
SPOKEN WORD 7 April A PLAY BY TREVOR PITT: YARNING mac birmingham Taking a road trip across the UK artist/curator Trevor Pitt collected remarkable stories from women about their lifelong relationship with wool - knitting, spinning, felting and weaving. Through spoken word, music, image and sound their fascinating yarns will be told on a flock of knitted benches made by groups in different parts of the country. Tickets £7 (£5). ART EVENT 8 April, 6pm & 7.30pm LED BY THE NOSE: A SCENTED TOUR OF PRE-RAPHAELITE ART BM&AG £16.50 per person. Booking essential on 0121 348 8038 or online. An afterhours ‘olfactory’ tour of the museum’s
world renowned PreRaphaelite collection with Fine Art Curator, Victoria Osborne, and scent expert, Lizzie Ostrom (aka Odette Toilette).
EXHIBITION 22 April – 3 July GRAYSON PERRY: THE VANITY OF SMALL DIFFERENCES Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry EXHIBITION 13 April – 26 June DAN FLAVIN - IT IS WHAT IT IS AND IT AIN’T NOTHING ELSE Ikon Gallery Ikon presents a major exhibition of fluorescent light works by Dan Flavin, one of the most important post-war American artists. Ikon’s exhibition spaces will be bathed in radiant light, exemplifying Flavin’s interest in the possibility of “infinite specific expression in relation to specific space.”
The Vanity of Small Differences is a series of six large-scale tapestries by the Turner-Prize winning artist Grayson Perry, which explore the British fascination with taste and class. Inspired by the 18th century painter William Hogarth’s moral tale, A Rake’s Progress, Perry’s tapestries follow the life of a fictional character called Tim Rakewell, as he develops from infancy through his teenage and middle years, to his untimely death in a bloody car accident. The tapestries are rich in both content and colour and depict many of the eccentricities and peculiarities associated with life in the UK, from interior design to British cuisine, political protest and celebrity gossip. The composition of each tapestry also recalls early Renaissance religious painting, drawing us in to an art historical, as well as a socio-political exploration. 065
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
THE ELECTRIC’S CINEMATIC TIME MACHINE SEASON WITH BFI The Electric theelectric.co.uk
The UK’s oldest working cinema, The Electric, has announced the launch of its brand new film season, The Cinematic Time Machine in association with the BFI. This year long celebration of classic cinema will see The Electric screen films from around the world which have either been made or set in a specific decade every month. February will see the screening of 30’s classics such as King Kong, Tod Browning’s Dracula from 1931, Fritz Lang’s M, Gone With The Wind, Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps and Bugsy Malone. While films such as the Robert De Nero boxing epic Raging Bull and the Stanley Kubrick masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey and Breathless will be screened later on in the year. The Cinematic Time Machine season will take viewers on a journey through the history of cinema from the early days of the silver screen in the roaring twenties right thorough to the modern day. The films screened will range from Hollywood classics, modern day blockbusters and art house indie’s. So there’s sure to be something for everyone regardless of tastes or ages. The films will be revealed on a monthly basis on The Electric’s website, where film fans will also be able to book tickets. SP 066
VENUE DIRECTORY BARBER INSTITUTE Univeristy of Birmingham Edgbaston, B15 2TS barber.org.uk BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME Hurst Street 0844 338 5000 birminghamhippodrome. com
BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM & ART GALLERY Chamberlain Square, B3 3DH birminghammuseums. org.uk | @BM_AG BIRMINGHAM REPERTORY THEATRE Broad St, Birmingham, B1 2EP 0121 236 4455 birmingham-rep.co.uk BIRMINGHAM TOWN HALL Victoria Square thsh.co.uk CHERRY REDS 92 John Bright St cherryreds.com CENTRALA Unit 4 Minerva Works, 158 Fazeley St, B5 5RT centrala-space.org.uk
EASTSIDE PROJECTS 86 Heath Mill Lane, B9 4AR eastsideprojects.org | @eprjcts GRAND UNION Fazeley Street, B5 5RS grand-union.org.uk | @grandunionltd HARE & HOUNDS 106 High Street, B14 7JZ hareandhoundskingsheath. co.uk
HERBERT Jordan Well, Coventry, CV1 5QP 024 7683 2386 theherbert.org IKON GALLERY Oozells Square, B1 2HS ikon-gallery.co.uk | @ikongallery LIBRARY OF BIRMINGHAM Broad St, B1 2EP libraryofbirmingham. com THE LIGHTHOUSE The Chubb Buildings, Fryer St, Wolverhampton, WV1 1HT light-house.co.uk
MAC BIRMINGHAM Cannon Hill Park macarts.co.uk @mac_birmingham NEW ART GALLERY WALSALL Gallery Square, Walsall, WS2 8LG thenewartgallerywalsall. org.uk | @NewArtGallery REUBEN COLLEY FINE ART 85 – 89 Colmore Row, Birmingham B3 2BB reubencolleyfineart.co.uk RSC Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Waterside, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6BB rsc.org.uk WARWICK ARTS CENTRE University of Warwick Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry CV4 7AL warwickartscentre.co.uk WOLVERHAMPTON ART GALLERY Lichfield St, WV1 1DU wolverhamptonart.org.uk @WolvArtGallery CIVIC & WULFRUN HALLS North Street, WV1 1RD wolvescivic.co.uk