Art in Liverpool Magazine, issue #18, September 2019

Issue #18 - September 2019 News, Reviews & What’s On. Your monthly update on visual art in the Liverpool City Region

Cover image: Terry McDonald, Mother & Child. installed at Liverpool Women’s Hospital. photo by Lorraine Bacchus

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Art in Liverpool magazine is a monthly newspaper promoting visual art across the Liverpool City Region.

Art in Liverpool, issue #18, September 2019

Published by Art in Liverpool C.I.C. and written by contributions from our partners, supporters and most importantly, volunteer writers, who add a unique voice to arts writing in the UK, thinking differently about what actually matters to people visiting galleries.

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image credit: Candice Breitz, Sweat (2018). Featured here, left to right_ Zoe Black, Gabbi, Connie, Jenny and Jowi. Installation view at FACT (c) Rob Battersby

patrick@artinliverpool.com Editorial: From 9th April to 7th June next year, Candice Breitz brings Love Story, an international story of migration and displacement to Tate Liverpool. The exhibition asks ‘if a refugee’s story was told by a celebrity, would you pay more attention?’, and opens with Alec Baldwin and Julianne Moore performing fragments of stories borrowed from people who have fled their countries. issue #18, September 2019 Editor: Patrick Kirk-Smith Contributors: Lorraine Bacchus, Leyla Gurr, Sophia Charuhas Advertising, sponsorship, distribution, stocking & event enquiries should be sent to info@artinliverpool.com Art in Liverpool C.I.C. Company No. 10871320

The subjects are Sarah Ezzat Mardini, who escaped Syria; José Maria João, a former child soldier from Angola; Mamy Maloba Langa, a survivor from the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Shabeena Saveri, an Indian transgender activist; Luis Nava Molero, a political dissident from Venezuela; and Farah Abdi Mohamed, a young atheist from Somalia.

In news and documentary films around the world, stories such as these are told through dubbed voices, or a filter of darkness and voice distortion. In Love Story, these interviews are aired in full, with introductions by two Hollywood celebrities.

I wanted to open this issue of Art in Liverpool with this for two reasons; one: the exhibition evidences a very necessary

shift in this nation’s major galleries to challenge the way we view our neighbours; and two: this will be Candice Breitz’ second exhibition in under a year in Liverpool, following Real Work at FACT. Real Work is open until 6th October, and presents such a different part of Breitz’ practice that it’s not easy to see how they both came from the same place.

An interview with Liz Magic Laser her counterpart for that exhibition follows later in the paper.

Sweat, Breitz’ installation for Real Work, is a journalistic collaboration with ten members of a community of Cape Townbased sex workers. There are similarities, in that both of her visiting installations are built on a series of films, curating interviews into storytelling, and providing a platform for underrepresented groups to tell a story. But With Sweat, the ten parallel films are told by their subjects. Interviews are hosted, and then used to build script. The scripts are read, and we listen to them. The real words of men and women facing gender, race and social hatred on a daily basis. In each film their individuality is clear. Their

struggles with their conscience vividly apparent through rationalisations and the softening of difficult truths.

By no means an easy film to watch, it is a peak of her career to date, sticking to a plan and presenting something unique which uses her voice and status to share the most under-heard stories.

Love Story, coming to Tate in 2020, promises much of this, but with more of the artist’s hand in its production. I’ve yet to see the films, or read most of the stories of Sarah, José, Mamy, Shabeena, Luis or Farah, but I don’t doubt that their experience will resonate with many residents of the city, and hopefully provide a more direct window to find parallels with themselves, or their histories, in a gallery space.

In Conversation: Terry McDonald

Marking 20 years since the inauguration of his Mother & Child sculpture outside the Women’s Hospital The small back garden shed in Crosby that is sculptor Terry McDonald’s studio is bursting with evidence of his eight decades of creativity. It’s impossible not to gasp in surprise and delight when he opens the door: heads, portrait busts and maquettes, populate the shelves, among them a bare-back rider on a shire horse, all jostling for position, all with a story to tell. There is just enough room for two people to be in there at the same time. It is like a miniature Sir John Soane’s London museum, with the same intense gathering together and curious juxtaposition of objects. But in this case they are all the work of one man.

To one side of the shed is the female half-size nude Terry is currently working on. It is wrapped in damp cloths and black plastic to keep the clay from drying out. Terry, now 89, carefully climbs a couple of steps to reach up and remove the rudimentary garments and demonstrate how he works in the round. He’s a born teacher, explaining everything as he goes. He gives me a small lump of clay to feel the precise level of moisture he needs, then rolls and squeezes a fragment of it to the shape he requires before pressing it onto the figure’s right foot. He works in his studio most days, even though he can now only stand for a couple of hours before his knees start bothering him.

They took the strain during the gruelling process of making the huge clay model of the Mother and Child that heralds the entrance to the Women’s Hospital. It is his most well-known piece and this year marks 20 years since

its inauguration. It’s touching to think in all that time how many mothers and babes have passed by Terry’s rendition of such a universal pose, that of a mother cradling her new-born child.

Parkman: “We are thrilled that the sculpture is looking its best again. We also took the opportunity to turn the sculpture around so that the Mother and Child is facing outwards, welcoming people to the Hospital”.

The tenderness of it belies what is needed to bring the 12-foot figure into being – a symbol if ever there was one of the birth process itself! In the sculptor’s case, there is first the construction of an armature that could hold the weight of so much clay, then the layer upon layer of wet clay, requiring Terry to repeatedly climb up a ladder, bearing up to 25lbs of it and then bracing himself against the rungs of the ladder to work on the figure. And all the while he must also focus on retaining the proportions and form of his sculptural vision.

It was another Liverpool artist and sculptor, Phil Garrett, who undertook the restoration. He says he was delighted to do so, crediting Terry with being his mentor: “He was the most important influence for me, more so than any of the formal art training I had, including at the Royal College of Art in London”. He describes how Terry had a direct connection to the 19th century through having been trained by the renowned sculptor, Herbert Tyson Smith (1883-1972): “Because of that I felt like I was tapping into the history of traditional sculpting”. Phil goes on to talk of Terry’s generosity in sharing his knowledge: “Terry has an energy, a passion and a drive for making sculpture and he has always wanted to pass that on. Such was his influence that if he’d had been a ceramicist that’s what I would have done!”

Something of this scale could not have been made in Terry’s own small studio. For this he had use of the docklands workshop belonging to David Webster, whose sculptures of John Lennon and The Beatles are known by people from all over the world. In this huge space, skilled technicians made the mould of Terry’s sculpture so that it could be cast into a more sustainable outdoor material.

“The ideal would have been bronze”, explains Terry, “but that would have cost even back then about £90,000, and there wasn’t a budget for that”. Instead it is made of fibreglass and resin, which requires maintenance and recently had to be restored. The restoration work was financed by the Hospital’s Arts for Health Fund* and overseen by Kim

Terry’s own sculptural apprenticeship began when he was still a teenager at the Bluecoat Studios of Tyson Smith. For ten years until 1956, Terry gleaned all he could about classical sculpture: “I started by sweeping the floor, running errands and stirring huge vats of clay but I didn’t mind. Just to be in the atmosphere of a real sculpture studio was what I’d always wanted”. Prior to being accepted there, Terry had attended evening classes at the Liverpool College of Art and taught himself human

anatomy by endless studying of reference books at the Central Library.

Having been thought of as what he describes as a “duffer” at school, Terry had found his place in the world he had first intuited as a child. One of his brothers gave him a tiny piece of plasticine when he was about four and he recalls how he instantly liked how it felt in his hands, how it became malleable, and how he could make shapes with it: “It was some time before I realised there was such a thing as a sculptor but once I did, I knew that was for me”.

After leaving Tyson Smith’s studio, Terry worked in Lewis’s Art Department where they used to make all the mannequins and objects for the window displays.

“The first thing they asked me to do was construct the armature and sculpt the face and hands for a 16-foot Father Christmas”, explains Terry, laughing at the memory.

He is Liverpool born and bred, as they say, and evidence of his artistry can be found in various parts of the city, sometimes in unexpected places. Look up at the façade of what is now Primark, for example, in the city centre and you will see a beautiful example of Terry’s stone carving.

In Liverpool Cathedral he worked on some of the intricate finials of the huge columns after they were damaged in a storm. Also in the Cathedral, the bust of the WW1 hero, Noel Chavasse, is Terry’s work, as is the Coat of Arms he carved for the Lord Lieutenant of Liverpool, Henry Cotton.

Meanwhile, up the road in the Crypt of the Metropolitan Cathedral, Terry worked on the tomb inscription of Archbishop Richard Downey.

Eighty-five years after he first held that piece of plasticine, Terry has not strayed from the sculptor’s path and his passion for modelling and carving, especially of the human form, is as strong as ever … as are his hands, which deliver a bone-crunching shake on meeting him. * The public spaces and corridors of the Women’s Hospital contain an outstanding collection of contemporary art, which anyone is welcome to visit.

-Words & images Lorraine Bacchus

Interview: Liz Magic Laser

image credits: Rob Bettersby

One half of FACT’s latest exhibition, Real Work

Real Work is an exploration of incredibly personal, and incredibly general working practices, and how that plays out with the individual. The exhibition is the culmination of over two year’s work on FACT’s part to answer a question or what the Future World of Work might look like.

The story, told entirely by freelancers highlights one of the hardest structures to keep up, through two entirely different worlds work. On the one hand, Candice Brietz presents a series a films where sex workers tell their stories. Largely undirected, the films are a framed on their mouths, and draw you in to a verbal illustration of their reasonings and justifications of their jobs. Alongside that is an inescapable defensiveness hidden under a tightly controlled confidence and self-awareness that keeps them driven and able to work. On the other, is an equally intimate but far more directed reality show focussed on online gig-workers who keep themselves in work through digital platforms like Fiverr.

The artist behind the latter, Liz Magic Laser, spoke to Art in Liverpool about her experience of making the work, and the reality that lies beneath her reality show.

Can you tell me about future world of work – the project that led to this I was contacted by Anna Botella [Head of Programme at FACT] in 2017 and I invited to submit a proposal. It was a targeted call commissioning around ten artists, a few hundred pounds, to come up with a proposal. FACT had already done quite extensive research in the field, and there was a fascinating write up of the different areas of research. The eight category was the gig economy, which immediately sparked my interest because I’ve used Fiverr and TaskRabbit myself over the last five years to get video transcribed to subtitles. The first time, I was looking for a child’s voice over for a film I had

made about the imposition and the future of the child, and future rhetoric.

So my first engagement over Fiverr was really odd, because it was parents whose amateur actor children I was having to communicate to, with directions about intonation. It became clear pretty quickly that it wasn’t going to work, and this façade of maximum efficiency towards creating creative content wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. But still quite fascinating and bizarre, so I went down rabbit holes of seeing what other services you could buy per unit of labour on the site.

It sparked an uneasy consumer fetish, and I looked at, over the years, for transcription or audio mixing, or documentation of a performance. I just became really interested in these sites and what this was doing to creative professionals work.

So this cross-wired with a pipedream I’ve had of doing a reality show, and I felt like I could relate to this professional freelancing, because I do that, from a more privileged position, but I still have to reckon with the ailments of not having healthcare because I adjunct as a professor, and commission hop.

But then I’m also in the power position in the dynamic of requesting and buying services on these sites, and as the customer you can very easily say you don’t like what someone did and not pay for it.

So on the one hand this is really insidious and exploitative, and of course, there are the workers.

What’s the dynamic then, between you and the other freelancers?

For example, it’s perhaps a cheapening of the craft of say graphic design in some cases because there’s someone who has access to a library of clipart and is appropriating creative components, and in some cases they’re putting a lot of creativity into it, while others are

incorporating a very corporate aesthetic of remixing these existing elements.

For instance, I commissioned some music for the episodes on Fiverr, and he did not make original compositions, he drew on a sound library. And the same is true of these whiteboard animations, they are not original drawings, they’re a montage of existing elements being retooled. But the other freelancers are very goal oriented creative artists. That’s what’s being deployed to allow greater access to online business and becoming an entrepreneur.

So it’s all quite a meta system already. I became interested in looking at people’s platforms where they had commissioned one and other to creative their profile pages and market their skills on the sites.

And there’s a lot of subcontracting that takes place as well.

How much of a part does the lack of human connection play, that digital override? Alabi [one of the film’s subjects] – you look at his response, or the others to an extent, but the support they’re given really excites them, but with him there’s a defensiveness to the human support.

Alabi surprised me in a lot of ways. As I interviewed him more and more, I realised I had preconceptions that this must not be making him happy, to be so atomised and to spend so much time alone at his computer. And the more I pressed him the more I had to check myself and realise I was projecting a lot, saying, ‘you must want to be outside and playing football with your friends.’ You know? And he’s like ‘yeah I go out at night, but I prefer not to see my family as much and I prefer to play real-player video games and use my leisure time to maybe go to the movies now and then.’ He identifies and somewhat of an introvert and this is allowing him to embrace his proclivities.

An what about the others? How important is that lack of human contact with customers?

Well I’m interested in it because I see it as a way of circumventing the accountability and responsibility to others that you get as an employer. There’s not sense of responsibility to one another. These services are being marketed as something that using a very humanesque, utopian, vision of the interweb as the great commons that connect us all and allow us all greater access to upward mobility and wealth. So I came up with a very critical view of it and had to realise that at the end of the day, whilst its quite insidious in many ways, these platforms are more of a leveller between incomes in the first world and second/third world than I had expected, so even with all the exploitative dimensions it is also allowing access to higher incomes and allowing a whole new field of creative professionals to emerge.

In terms of the participants that were working overseas, how important is the platform, or the project even, to them? Was there a lasting impact on the participants from the project?

Well it’s really just so fresh, so only today, I was just replacing some animations upstairs before this interview, you know, thinking ‘that should be in dollars or pounds, it really has to be the currency that’s on their profile page, not the same one for everyone.’ It’s all very fresh and immediate as much as any journalism is.

How important is journalism to it?

For my practice it’s very important.

I’m often looking to journalism as a methodology that I’m drawing on and allowing myself to pervert it and to work with it in another way that doesn’t have to subscribe to the same rules as a journalist does. And the video editor I worked with on this was a French journalist herself so that was a big part of the conversation. Like whether this does or does not subscribe to the ethics of journalism.

Has there been a transformation in the project, since the Future World of Work pitch up to now?

Definitely. I became more allegiant to a

reality show premise than I expected to at first. At first the plan was more loose, for it to be more of a round robin where I was going to have the whiteboard animator paint the portrait of the psychic, and the psychic would paint the portrait of the telecoms voice of someone who records customer services automatic response messages. So each one helps to map it; so everyone would meet with the biohacking coach; everyone would fill out lots of questionnaires and forms and all of this data would be collected; then tracking devices would be given to another gig worker to do the portrait of another.

Aside from that I stuck pretty closely to the original inception, but it became pretty clear that I wanted it to be more of comprehensive portrait of the individuals through the direction and manipulation that a reality show director would use.

However, in this case I was asking the participants to be complicit in that so it wasn’t exactly.

It was collaboration and willing distortion.

And its performance of self, asking them to perform themselves, and that is not always the full story, it’s always a slant.

So as a journalist you have to come up with a clear message. You can’t tell all dimensions of the story. It became clear that I wanted everyone to participate in the portraits of everyone else which was more complicated and ambitious.

The coaching of the host fed into the lives of reality show contestants. And it needed to be gamified a bit more so I came up with the 30 day challenge, so I sent everyone devices really targeted to their issues, that had come up in their life coaching sessions.

And with it being a joint show between you and Candice Breitz, how do you feel about that dynamic between your works?

I was excited to be side by side with her.

The first time I saw her work was in 2005, in Venice, and she had this motherfather piece, which I think was two three channel works that appropriated clips from films. It was a masterful, structural, film piece where she re-presented these constructions of gender and parents that really stuck with me, so I was a fan of hers.

I wasn’t familiar with this piece and hadn’t seen it ‘til I was here so I has to just imagine it but it was really different to the work I’d seen of hers, so in a similar way both of us had a foray into a more documentary mode than we generally work in.

I think there’s a really nice dialogue between the works. I had one moment where I read the description when I felt a little uneasy equating sex work with gigwork because it’s not – I don’t think that’s the point of putting these works side by side though. There’s a more nuanced parallel thinking between it. I think there is exploitation in both cases and they’re both equally human, and both struggle with control and their own perception of that.

Review: As Seen on Screen, Walker Art Gallery

Cinema, and the many adornments that come with it, held an important place in my childhood. I remember the seemingly endless drive from my small village to the local picture house, a seven mile trip that took a lifetime through my childish eyes. I remember the ritual of lining up for tickets and picking one snack each at the counter, of handing over my ticket to a bored looking teenager with a flash light and being guided down the rows of other excited children to my seat. The scale of the room and pull of the screen was always such an experience for me. Our local cinema was where I first tasted Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, where a boy first held my hand and the first place I visited when I passed my driving test, friends spilling from the back of my ancient Citroen AX. The movies changed along with me, as they do for everyone, and I think this is what can be so endearingly inspiring about

cinema. Aside from the obvious visual take aways, it is hard not to be influenced by the ritual of moving pictures. This is where a lot of the exhibition ‘As seen on Screen’ currently featuring at the Walker Gallery lands for me, more in the abstract sense of the medium itself rather than with obvious homages to popular films. There are some wonderfully striking pieces that pull directly from immediately recognisable works, Stuart Pearson Wright’s ‘Woman surprised by Werewolf’ is a real highlight and excellent example of this which, as an ‘American Werewolf in London’ fan, I was instantly drawn to. A must see movie with some groundbreaking special effects work, if you haven’t seen it then pop it on a list. It is in the minority though, with the majority of the works on display here sitting much more comfortably as an indirect tribute to the pieces that inspire them. Fiona Banner’s ‘Desert’ is impressive in scale, sitting at the end of the first room

like a cinema screen. It’s dimensional similarities drawing me back to the feeling of anticipation that I had as a child, when the lights dimmed and the screen lit up in front of me to play the latest trailers. You can easily lose yourself in the text here, and it is fascinating to listen to people murmur about which lines are immediately jumping out at them on approach.

Another particularly well thought out part of the exhibition as a whole is the splitting of it into two rooms, one bathed in light and the other in complete darkness. The first room features framed pieces and in the second some film pieces play on projectors. I enjoyed the nod to a traditional picture house layout, lobby and screening room. The heavy blackout curtains leading to the second room acting as a barrier against the light whilst the muffled sounds of the main film playing entice you in.

The balance here certainly tips towards the more obscure corners of cinematic history, which could leave some visitors that are looking for more mainstream cinema references a little out in the cold. It is clear that a lot of care has been taken in the placement and curation of the works, and I have a real appreciation of the use of light in affecting a picture house style set up, it can be little things like this that really elevate a small themed exhibition.

The question that ‘As seen on Screen’ is asking, ‘what inspires artists?’ has an incredibly complex and varied answer. This exhibition goes a few steps in one direction towards answering it with it’s cinematic tributes and it would be fascinating to see a larger collection with the same theme.

But for now this tantalising little glimpse into the creative mind is a lovely appetiser for a rainy afternoon at The Walker.

Review: First Women, Anita Corbin at St George’s Hall

-As Seen on Screen – Walker Art Gallery 31 May – 18 August 2019 Words, Leyla Gurr Images, Gareth Jones

“Since the world began, men and women have held up the sky between them, but men have written the histories, and women have been, by and large, written out.”

This quote from Dame Hilary Mantel is placed at the entrance of Anita Corbin’s solo exhibit, 100 First Women Portraits. The photographic display aims to, in a sense, write women back into the histories by bringing to light many notable women who broke through glass ceilings in their fields. These fields are diverse, ranging from science to sports, among many other areas of expertise.

Over a period of ten years, Corbin built relationships with all 100 women pictured during their 2-hour portrait sessions. The time and energy put forth in such a task is evidenced by the spirit and personality seen in the resulting portraits. Corbin studied at The Royal College of Art, and her work has always focused on the image of women. She has spent much of her career covering human interest stories for magazines including The Sunday Times and The Observer.

Visitors to the exhibition so far have praised it, calling it “excellent,”

“amazing,” and saying that it is inspiring to young photographers and puts a great emphasis on the achievements of the women.

Such an endeavor could easily become an impersonal view of career successes, by Corbin brings a very personal tone to all the portraits, giving the viewer a feeling of insight and connection into that woman’s story, whether it be about chemistry, swimming, or playing poker. The women are as diverse in demographics as they are in skill sets, with ages at the time of portraiture ranging from 18 to 102 years.

The exhibit is inspirational and educational, and highly worth a visit.

Located deep in the basement of St. George’s Hall, this exhibit is free to enter and is open daily, 10:00-5:00 -First Women, Anita Corbin at St George’s Hall, until 31st August Words & images, Sophia Charuhas

Review: Shezad Dawood at Bluecoat

I had only seen stills of Shezad Dawood’s film series ‘Leviathan’ before visiting The Bluecoat this week, but what I had seen and read intrigued me. My personal tastes tend more towards traditional art, being somewhat of an old and curmudgeonly soul trapped in a 30 year old’s body I am unlikely even to have an Andy Warhol print in my living room. But if art is about anything it is about trying new things, so I put my notepad in my bag and headed into town.

The critically acclaimed film series that had the Venice Biennale in a buzz when it premiered there is the main attraction, and something that would be hard to pin down on paper without ruining the effect for a first time viewer. I can say that the film plays on a loop in a darkened room from beginning to credit reel and back again, and that in the end I stayed for two fascinating viewings. With a strong eldritch overtone and intriguing narrative style, it took a few goes around to take it all in. The themes that I took from it; apocalypse, apathy, climate crisis and the madness of man, resonate strongly with the world that we live in today and the inspiration that Dawood is referencing is apparent from the beginning. By itself the visuals are disjointed and in places disturbing, there are viewer discretion advised stickers on the walls all around the entrance, but coupled with a narration that I can only describe as verging on the side of maniacal they take on a whole new

meaning.

In the beginning the ramblings of a distressed man eventually begin to drop tantalising hints of some form of story.

Something subtle and hidden beneath layers of metaphor and memory. Part documentary footage, part purpose shot imagery, this film is as much about the apathy of mankind in the face of overwhelming odds as it is anything else. There is a fascinating apocalypse concept here, the idea that at the end of day’s people decided that it was simply too much effort to even live anymore. A scenario that seems both parts inevitable and terrifying if you have spent any time watching the news recently.

Once the film was over and we left the room, a friend that I had brought with me as someone to bounce ideas off of had a fascinating opinion. As we walked the rest of the supporting rooms and talked the movie over, my comments on climate change and the attitudes of mankind were stopped in their tracks by his one critique, “the film lacks any humility’.

This read on the piece opened a can of worms for me. There is an urgent message in ‘Leviathan’, it

aims to touch upon many crisis’ in its short run-time. I can see how the confident and manic narration could be viewed as an artist in full egotistical flow, Dawood has something to say, and he damn well wants you to pay attention.

It’s not something that everyone wants to hear and it isn’t delivered in a style that sits comfortably with the public. Now so accustomed to twitter apologies and the cancel culture, but maybe that’s not a bad thing. The issues threatening mankind today are about to become apocalyptic in nature, in times like this looking towards art can help people to hear the already deafening alarm bells.

-Bluecoat 06 July – 13 October 2019 Words, Leyla Gurr Images, Rob Battersby

Shezad Dawood, Leviathan (2019), Installation View Courtesy of the artist and Timothy Taylor. Photo: Rob B

w, Bluecoat, 2019.

Battersby

Shezad Dawood, Leviathan Cycle, Episode 1: Ben, (2017), Bluecoat, 2019. Courtesy of the artist. Photo: Rob Battersby.

NEWS

Tate Liverpool to present Don McCullin as major Tate Britain show tours to North West

Tate Liverpool has announced a major retrospective of the legendary British photographer Don McCullin as its summer exhibition in 2020. Following the huge success of Don McCullin at Tate Britain in spring 2019, the exhibition will tour to Tate Liverpool where it will be on display from 5 June 2020. Exclusively for its presentation at Tate Liverpool it will feature a number of additional images, not shown in Tate Britain, of Liverpool and the wider region.

Featuring more than 250 photographs, the exhibition showcases some of his most impactful photographs captured over the last 60 years. It features many of his iconic war photographs – including images from Vietnam, Northern Ireland and more recently Syria. But it also focuses on the work he did at home in the UK, recording scenes of poverty and working-class life in the industrial north and London’s East End, as well as meditative landscapes of his beloved Somerset, where he lives.

Alongside McCullin’s hand-printed silver gelatin prints, the exhibition also includes the photographer’s magazine spreads, contact sheets, his helmet and the Nikon camera which took a bullet for him in Cambodia.

For the presentation at Tate Liverpool the exhibition will show additional photographs further depicting life and industrial scenes of Liverpool and other northern towns and cities during the 1960s and 70s. Having been born into a workingclass family in London, McCullin identified with the most deprived parts of the north of the UK, including areas of Bradford and Liverpool. He recognised his own origins in the conditions of those he photographed and was committed to the practice of ‘reporting back’ and publicly highlighting these areas that were largely unseen by the British middle classes.

Helen Legg, Director, Tate Liverpool, said: ‘The public and critical response to the exhibition at Tate Britain was overwhelmingly positive and we’re thrilled to be bringing this large-scale show to Liverpool. We hope audiences will enjoy this opportunity to see his powerful images which cover the major conflicts of the last half century alongside McCullin’s historic images of Liverpool and the wider north of England.’

Don McCullin said ‘I first visited Liverpool as a boy of fifteen when I worked on a

steam train that went into the city three or four times a week. As a young man I returned as a photojournalist. I spent time with artists and poets including Adrian Henri and Brian Patten for a Telegraph Magazine story written by Roger McGough; documented the police for The Sunday Times in the 1970s; and collaborated with Jonathan Miller on an assignment for The Observer. It was a unique city but felt familiar to me as someone who grew up in an area that was also left impoverished by policies of deindustrialisation. I’m delighted to be showing my work at Tate Liverpool and to have the opportunity to return to the city, a place I love and has played a major part in my life and career.’

Don McCullin was born in 1935 in Finsbury Park, London and became a photographer during National Service in the RAF. He began taking photographs in 1958, documenting his surroundings and local community. In 1959 his photograph The Guvnors, a portrait of a notorious local gang, was published in The Observer, launching his career as a photojournalist.

In 1961, McCullin travelled to Germany on his own initiative, funding the trip himself, to photograph the building of the Berlin

Wall. The images he took won him a British Press Award and a permanent contract with The Observer. He is most famous for his photographs of war, in which he focuses on the effects of conflict on civilians. Many of these images were taken for The Sunday Times Magazine, for which he was a foreign correspondent between 1966 and 1984.

Don McCullin will be presented at Tate Liverpool from 5 June – 27 September 2020. The exhibition tours from Tate Britain where it was on display from 5 February – 6 May 2019. The exhibition was originally conceived by Simon Baker, Director of The Maison Européene de la Photographie, Paris, with Shoair Mavlian, Director of Photoworks, assisted by Aïcha Mehrez, Assistant Curator of Contemporary British Art, Tate Britain. The exhibition at Tate Liverpool is co-curated by Tamar Hemmes, Assistant Curator Tate Liverpool, and Aïcha Mehrez. It is accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue.

Find the latest news & more on these articles at www.artinliverpool.com

Merseyside Dance Initiative invite North West artists to shape the future Coinciding with the announcement of LEAP Festival 2019, MDI are striving to develop talent in the region through a series of commissioning opportunities LEAP 2019, announced in June, already has an overwhelming line up, featuring some of the best performers, dance artists and companies working in the UK. Featuring work by Motionhouse (known for their stunning opening ceremony performance at the London 2012 Olympic Games), Rosie Kay’s Fantasia (following the success of MK Ultra for LEAP 2018) and New Art Club’s physical comedy Cupid’s Revenge, the festival is more varied than ever.

As part of that commitment to variety, aspiring dance artists and performers based in the North West are invited to apply for a series of opportunities to perform in the festival, including a chance to perform as part of LEAP’s

first ever Fringe programme, created in partnership with LIPA to support dance in the curriculum.

MDI are looking for performers for three distinct opportunities:

Following the recent news that Dance Manchester will pass the torch to Company Chameleon after 27 years of nurturing dance in Greater Manchester, it seems apt that MDI is thinking about their future with fresh eyes. Now settled in her new post, MDI Director Martina Murphy is keen to reestablish MDI as a sector leader in the North West, and supporting and nurturing the stars of the future.

• Experienced dance artists are invited to apply for grants of us to £2000 to support new work, so be performed at LEAP’s first ever fringe event

Martina Murphy said “Dance Manchester has done incredible things for dance in the region, and its an incredible legacy to leave, as well as a huge honour for Company Chameleon to inherit. We’re excited to see how our colleagues at Company Chameleon develop, and are keen to work more closely with our northern neighbours moving forwards.”

• Aspiring performers aged 18-30, looking to test out new and experimental work as part of LEAP’s Fringe Festival

• BAME performers from all disciplines to perform at a scratch event curated by industry experts Seke Chimutengwende and Alexandrina Hemsley

Tickets for LEAP 2019 are now on sale.

NEWS

‘Developing Your Creative Practice Fund’ awards first Liverpool grant to Gabriella Warren-Smith

Keynote speakers announced for Storyhouse’s Educating Creatively Conference A stellar line-up of speakers has been announced for the first ever Educating Creatively Conference at Storyhouse.

Gabriella Warren-Smith became the first successful candidate in Liverpool for the Developing Your Creative Practice Fund by Arts Council England. The fund is designed to support independent creative practitioners to ensure excellence is thriving in the arts and culture sector.

Gabriella will begin her research journey at the Visual Science of Art conference in Belgium, focusing on the intersection between art and science through a special edition of her blog.

This award will enable Gabriella to extend her curatorial practice investigating the impact of the digital age on society, through research trips to Europe, North West England, Glasgow and London. This activity will act as a platform for Gabriella to extend her blog ‘Cognitive Sensations’, through a multi-disciplinary approach including artist interviews, exhibition reviews, creative collaborations and commissioned essays.

Gabriella Warren-Smith, Project Director: “It’s been quite an experience leading the Cognitive Sensations public engagement programme. From talks by international neuroscientists, to artworks exploring sensory experience in a digital era, I have personally learnt a lot. I can’t wait to move onto this next phase of my Cognitive Sensations journey, and dive into the research which made this programme thrive. Stay in tune for more essays and developments if you’d like to hear more.”

Cognitive Sensations combines a wide spectrum of opinions exploring the impact of the digital age on human behaviour, culture and society. Contributors to the blog span scientists, educators, cultural theorists, artists and creative practitioners, reflecting the relevance of these issues across different disciplines.

The blog was born through Gabriella’s wider project Cognitive Sensations, an exhibition and events programme investigating the impact of digital technology engagement through neuroscience and art.

https://www.cognitivesensations.com/

The conference programmed by Storyhouse – Chester’s multi awardwinning theatre, cinema and library, taking place 4 – 7 September is the first ever annual gathering of a creative educator, artist and academic network.

Storyhouse, also hosting the event, will see leading thinkers, celebrated artists and practitioners from across the world come together to discuss, debate and celebrate the importance of creative education.

Speakers from the USA, Australia, Spain and Bethlehem are on the bill.

Alex Clifton, artistic director Storyhouse said: Times are changing for cultural organisations and places of learning; and arts-based thinking is increasingly gaining ground in numerous disciplines across academia. The way we respond as thinkers, creators and practitioners needs a space for reflection and the sharing of ideas. Storyhouse and the conference hopes to provide such a space, where opportunities, new ideas and challenges can be discussed.

Keynote speakers include Dame Evelyn Glennie one of the world’s most celebrated solo percussionist and frontman of Britpop band Space, Tommy Scott, they join the conference line-up on Saturday 7 and Thursday 5 September, respectively.

Other speakers include: founder and director of Alrowwad Cultural and Arts Society, established in a refugee camp in Bethlehem, Abdelfattah Abusrour teaches Storytelling and Drama in Education in Bethlehem University. He will discuss his philosophy for teaching that uses performing and visual arts as a means of educating by developing peaceful selfexpression; and building peace within individuals.

Charmaine Pollard is a counsellor, life coach and a certified poetry therapist with the USA-based International Federation for Biblio-Poetry Therapy (IFBT). She has facilitated poetry therapy groups in: schools, prisons, clinical settings and in the community.

Rabia Saleemi will be undertaking a practical workshop exploring processes for children to be free to ‘mark-make’ and what can be done to encourage and engage artistic creation.

From the Federation University in Australia, Rob Davis will be sharing research carried out on primary school aged children.

Also appearing at the conference Principal Kelsall Primary School, Director Cheshire Leadership & Teaching Alliance, David Waring will be giving a presentation on a broad and balanced curriculum.

Tickets for the conference are on sale now, find out more at storyhouse.com

Find the latest news & more on these articles at www.artinliverpool.com

Important work by post-war artist, Peter Lanyon, acquired by the University of Liverpool

A large goache by Peter Lanyon (1918 – 1964) has been acquired for the nation and allocated to the Victoria Gallery & Museum, University of Liverpool, through the Acceptance in Lieu (AIL) scheme. A second goache and an oil painting have been allocated to the University of Birmingham’s Research and Cultural Collection and Tate.

They have been accepted from the estate of his widow, Sheila Lanyon.

The two gouaches were studies for murals the artist was to paint at Liverpool and Birmingham universities.

The Birmingham mural was to be painted on board, and the Liverpool mural on an arrangement of ceramic tiles.

These studies are full-size and differ considerably from the completed murals. As such they are both key works in themselves and important in tracing the development of Lanyon’s artistic thought when undertaking large public commissions. These gouaches are the first works allocated to Liverpool and Birmingham universities through the AIL scheme.

Dame Professor Janet Beer, Vice-Chancellor, University of Liverpool, said: “As well as being an internationally important and original painter, Peter Lanyon holds a particular place in the University of Liverpool’s heritage,

having been first commissioned in 1959 to create a mural for the new Civil Engineering Building. Without the AIL scheme, the acquisition of The Conflict of Man with Tides and Sands – a notable and unique sketch of the mural he created – would not have been possible. Through the Victoria Gallery & Museum we will make it as accessible to as wide an audience as possible.”

Clevedon Bandstand, 1964, allocated to Tate, is an abstract landscape painting executed in the last year of Lanyon’s life, before his tragic early death resulting from complications from a gliding accident. It is one of a handful of paintings that indicate a striking new direction in his work, showing how his earlier use of heavily worked layers of paint had given way to thin washes of oil of a brighter and more primary palette.

Peter Lanyon was a Cornish painter, and part of the second generation of St Ives artists. His landscapes were heavily abstracted, though remained concerned with figural depiction.

The acceptance of the paintings settled just under £900,000 of tax. While their tax value exceeded the tax liability of the offerors, the Sheila Lanyon Estate waived

some of the value of the three works and both the Tate and Victoria Gallery & Museum, Liverpool, generously contributed £72,000 and £8,000 each from their own resources.

Edward Harley OBE, Chair, Acceptance in Lieu Panel, said: “I am delighted that two institutions which have never been allocated anything through AIL have received such significant works by Peter Lanyon, and that Tate should be allocated Clevedon Bandstand, one of his most celebrated works. Tate’s significant contribution and willingness in storing the artworks during the consideration of their offer, has meant that two regional institutions have been able to acquire works of great significance to them. As preparatory designs for public murals at these universities, it seems fitting that they should be allocated to Liverpool and Birmingham. This example of a national museum aiding those in the regions sets an admirable model for others to follow.”

NEWS Japan’s hidden gem – rare archive of paintings comes to World Museum, Liverpool

This autumn, World Museum will display the first ever exhibition of Taki Katei’s work outside Japan as part of the UK-Japan Season of Culture.

Once a celebrated artist in Tokyo, Taki Katei (1830–1901) had the honour of his paintings being displayed in the imperial court, and his impressive works travelled to international expositions. After his death, one of his pupils, Ishibashi Kazunori (1876–1928), took charge of a large group of sketches and brought them to Britain when he came here to study in 1907. Drawing on Nature will show a selection from Katei’s collection of drawings that he used for teaching, for preparing some of his major commissions, and as aides-mémoire.

Born in Edo (today’s Tokyo) in 1830, Katei was one of the most successful artists of his generation and a master of the genre of bird-and-flower painting. In 1893, in recognition of his service to the imperial court, Katei was awarded the title “Imperial Household Artist.”

He produced a large body of work in various formats, including hanging scrolls, albums, sliding doors, ceiling paintings and folding screens. Some of his designs were made into lacquerwares and metalwork.

Despite Katei’s fame during his lifetime, after the early 1920s, he largely disappeared from art history until the recent research of guest curator, Dr Rosina Buckland.

“Taki Katei was a fascinating figure, straddling the divide between traditional and modern in late 19th-century Japan.

It is remarkable that the archive of such an important artist is available to us in Liverpool. We can learn so much about his process of making, and also about the role of his student, Ishibashi Kazunori, in bringing these drawing

to Britain.”

Revealing the techniques of this great artist, the exhibition will examine Katei’s unparalleled ability to represent nature, landscape and – most commonly – close-up views of birds and flowers. The works on show will demonstrate his skill and creativity, while also revealing how centuriesold Chinese culture shaped his artistic vision. The focus of the exhibition will be Katei’s ‘preparatory’ drawings, transporting the visitor to his studio and giving a first-hand exposé of how he created his paintings. Invoking a serene atmosphere through his natural depictions of foliage, mountains, and winding river valleys, the exhibition invites visitors to view an assortment of drawings and paintings on silk.

Emma Martin, Senior Curator, World Museum, said: “We are excited to be showing the highlights of this important collection for the first time. We hope visitors have the same reaction as we did as we unrolled each piece for the first time, and full, flouncy peonies in blushing pinks and strutting cockerels with iridescent feathers suddenly unfurled before our eyes. There were gasps of amazement and smiles of delight from members of the team who were unfamiliar with Katei’s work and we knew straight away that these works would make an incredible exhibition.”

Central to the exhibition will be a consideration of Katei’s teaching activities. Separated into five themes, the exhibition looks at the hidden meanings and the symbolism that were prevalent in his works, the techniques he used, and his practice towards perfection. At first glance, his

works seem modest, yet on further examination the visual sophistication becomes apparent. The stunning scenes of blossoming trees, bamboos and orchids, or landscapes populated with animals, birds and figures are executed in various styles, from ornate and detailed to rapid and whimsical, with pops of glorious psychedelic colour.

Often, the composition includes a calligraphic inscription.

With its remarkable Japanese collections of fine swords, decorative metalwork of the Meiji period (1868–1912), lacquerware, carvings and wooden objects,World Museum is uniquely placed to take visitors on a journey through Taki Katei’s stunning work for the first time.

Tickets for this exhibition will be available to purchase online from 22 July and from the World Museum on 4 October, priced at £6 for adults, £5 for concessions and £2 for 6-17 year olds. Free for under 5s. Members and Patrons of National Museums Liverpool receive free entry to the exhibition and can purchase tickets online or over the phone from 17 July. http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/ wml/exhibitions/taki-katei/index.aspx

Find the latest news & more on these articles at www.artinliverpool.com

IDLE WOMEN launches POWER TOOLS: a new online series of D.I.Y. video tutorials made for women everywhere

IDLE WOMEN launches POWER TOOLS: a new online series of D.I.Y. video tutorials made by women artists women activists, and tradeswomen for women everywhere Award-winning arts and social justice organisation IDLE WOMEN launched POWER TOOLS, a series of 14 DIY videos made by and for women on 24 July 2019.

IDLE WOMEN’s fun, accessible videos star fourteen inspiring women and girls, some as young as 7 years old, who give instructions on basic DIY tasks such as changing a light bulb, smashing a window, painting a wall, and using a drill; as well as longer more in-depth tutorials giving guidance on jobs like putting up a shelf and bricklaying.

POWER TOOLS was conceived, developed and produced in its entirety by women from St Helens on Merseyside and elsewhere in the UK. The presenters include professional tradeswomen, women artists, and women campaigners: award winning playwright Natasha Gordon (Nine Nights) and her 12

year old daughter Ella Anderson; 7 year old Arooj and her mother Parveen Butt; writer Crin Claxton; actor Deni Francis; electrical engineer Diane Mills; domestic violence campaigner Geraldine Wolstenholme and her daughter Verity; Hattie Hasan, founder of Stopcocks, the all-female plumbing franchise; lighting designer Nao Nagai; artist Raksha Patel; writer-artist Sheree Angela Matthews, and artist Uzma Kazi.

The soundtrack for POWER TOOLS was created by Manchester’s WAST Choir (Women Asylum Seekers Together), and every element of the project from building the set to filming and graphic design, was carried out by a woman.

Co-caretakers of IDLE WOMEN, Rachel Anderson and Cis O’Boyle said, “What we want to communicate above all else is that women can ‘have a go’. We don’t have to be professionals to put up a curtain rail and if we make a mess of it, there is always Polyfilla. We want women to find themselves in these videos, working it out as they go along, and sharing concerns or hesitations as part of a learning process

that encourages others.” POWER TOOLS is part of HELEN, a three-year programme of DIY-led art projects by women for women, based in St Helens on Merseyside. HELEN grew from the desire to dismantle a house and build a home, and also established the IDLE WOMEN INSTITUTE, a temporary dedicated space, which was stripped back, and renovated throughout the project.

Since their inception in 2015, IDLE WOMEN have worked to create spaces where all women can belong, through a process of workshops and partnerships with women who face the most complex barriers; living in refuges or seeking specialist support following domestic violence or other harmful traditional practices. IDLE WOMEN have created permanent safe spaces, on the Selina Cooper, a narrow boat they designed and built to provide workshops and a social space for women; and in the Physic Garden, the UK’s first medicinal herb garden dedicated to women and girls, which won IDLE WOMEN a £50,000 award from the 2019 National Lottery Fund’s The People’s Project.

The women who made POWER TOOLS: Cis O’Boyle (art direction, project delivery), Rachel Anderson (art direction, project delivery), Liv Proctor (Producer, Luca Films), Posy Dixon (Director, Luca Films), Laura Healey (director of photography, editor), Charmian Griffin (digital producer, art direction), Uzma Kazi (art direction, tutorial host), Candice Purwin (Illustrator), Sara Nesteruk (graphic designer), Emma Blackburn(production assistant), Shazia Khan (production assistant) Misbha Khan (production assistant), WAST Choir, Janette Scott and Morayo Sodipo (press), and the 14 tutorial hosts: Arooj andParveen Butt, Crin Claxton, Deni Francis, Diane Mills, Geraldine and Verity Wolstenholme, Hattie Hasan, Nao Nagai, Natasha Gordon and Ella Anderson, Raksha Patel, and Sheree Angela Matthews.

You can find POWER TOOLS at www.everywomanpower.tools

WHAT’S ON > CURRENT EXHIBITIONS Real Work FACT

Grace Ndiritu: The Ark Bluecoat

Shezad Dawood: Leviathan Bluecoat

A Portrait Of… Open Eye Gallery

Current Exhibitions Rise Up! Children & Young People’s Gallery Bluecoat, until 29 September Children and young people across the world are taking action to protect their futures and the environment they inhabit.

-Grace Ndiritu: The Ark Bluecoat, until 13 October The Ark: A Historic Archive Show is an exhibition based on the Grace Ndiritu’s research created before, during and after her ambitious post-internet living research/live art project, The Ark -Shezad Dawood: Leviathan Bluecoat, until 13 October Shezad Dawood’s epic film series Leviathan comes to Bluecoat this summer as part of a season examining society and migration.

-RE:Collected Bluecoat Display Centre, until 14 September Roger Morris co-curates this exhibition which explores themes around collecting including the pleasures of collecting --

Carol Emmas and Ruth White: Two Photographers Fathoming Time Dark Side Art Lab, until 6 September Carol focuses on creating abstract photographic works and imaginary landscapes; Ruth White has spent the last four years carrying out a practice led investigation into the role of the photobook.

Rembrandt in Print Lady Lever Art Gallery, until 15 September The Ashmolean Museum holds a world class collection of over 200 prints made by Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn (1606-1669). 50 of them are on display at Lady Lever.

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Uncovering the Archive of April Ashley MBE and Trans Lives in Liverpool Liverpool Central Library, until 25 September The exhibition centres on April Ashley MBE model, actress and gender pioneer, who was one of the first people in the world to undergo gender reassignment surgery.

Metropolis dot-art, until 12 October Susan Finch and John Charles focus on depicting urban landscapes. The metropolis serves as a centre for work, play and education; it is a site of continuous growth and destruction.

-Real Work FACT, until 6 October Liz Magic Laser and Candice Breitz highlight the often unheard voices of real people working in precarious situations across the globe.

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Sixteen Ropes & Twines, until 15 September Using video, photography, writing, audio recordings, and social media this collaboration gives prominence to voices rarely heard.

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-Sol Calero: El Autobús Tate Liverpool, until 10 November Inspired by a recent journey through Latin America. Visitors are invited to travel through the floor-to-ceiling mural which overwhelms the space with a landscape of patterns and panoramic views.

--A Portrait Of… Open Eye Gallery, until 29 September Portraits change the way we understand one another. Whether this is professional photos, selfies on Instagram or snapshots of our friends, the photos that we take of ourselves and each other speak volumes about who we are and who we want to be.

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Keith Haring Tate Liverpool, until, 10 November The first institutional, solo exhibition in the UK of American artist Keith Haring.

-Southport: Double Take (Old Southport Through a Modern Lens) The Atkinson, until 1 December Local photographer Matt Dodd has blended historical photographs of Southport with images from the present.

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Find FULL listings and events information at www.artinliverpool.com Liz Hingley – Shanghai Sacred Victoria Gallery & Museum

Pauline Rowe & Dave Lockwood - The Allotments, Victoria Gallery & Museum

Sol Calero: El Autobús Tate Liverpool

Our Vision Through Art Williamson Art Gallery & Museum

Inspired by Alice The Atkinson, until 7 September Step into the immersive world of Alice, with art, collectables and craft all inspired by the legacy of Alice in Wonderland.

Before Egypt Victoria Gallery & Museum, until 31 October Discover life in Egypt before the pyramids at this new exhibition, featuring internationally important collections of Predynastic Egyptian and Nubian artefacts.

NINE Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, until 15 September Wirral Society of Arts 9th Open Exhibition

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Our Vision Through Art Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, until 22 September An exhibition of work by members of Wirral Society for the Blind and Partially Sighted.

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-Scarlett Woman The Gallery Liverpool, until 15 September DuoVision presents Scarlett Woman, an exhibition exploring the model and muse Scarlett Cannon and her influence on popular culture and London’s 1980s club scene.

Something Borrowed, Something New – Ian Irvine vs the VG&M Victoria Gallery & Museum, until 19 October Artist Ian Irvine applies a subversive, contemporary twist to the VG&M’s collection of historic paintings.

--Look Photo Biennial: Pauline Rowe & Dave Lockwood Victoria Gallery & Museum, until 28 September Allotments are spaces in the heart of a city that feel removed from it — places that celebrate and respect the cycle of life, offer escape from the everyday, and provide the opportunity to work alongside others to make things grow.

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Liz Hingley – Shanghai Sacred Victoria Gallery & Museum, until 25 September LOOK Photo Biennial: In the innovative installation, photographer and anthropologist Liz Hingley uncovers the spiritual landscape of China’s largest city.

-Cycling Through Time Williamson Art Gallery, 11 May-22 Sept A display of historic bicycles from the collection of National Museums Liverpool.

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-Vessels Williamson Art Gallery, until 22 Sept Models and rarely seen historic artefacts feature alongside much-loved and new artwork. .

WHAT’S ON > COMING SOON Who Wants to Live Forever?

Tate Exchange

BlackFest: Launch & Scratch Night Unity Theatre

Look Photo Biennial: Distinctly Williamson Art Gallery & Museum

Women of Iron Williamson Art Gallery & Museum

Exhibitions

The Maiden Voyage by Jenny Steele George’s Dock Plaza, 8-22 September A bold new site-specific installation on Liverpool’s Georges Dock Plaza that will highlight Liverpool’s historically important transatlantic links to North America.

-Nahem Shoa: Black Presence The Atkinson, 21 Sep – 23 Nov Artist Nahem Shoa has curated a selection of his striking portrait paintings alongside key historic and contemporary paintings of black portrait sitters.

-Jane Adam Bluecoat Display Centre, 21 Sep – 26 Oct Jane’s distinctive anodised aluminium jewellery has been available to buy at the bdc for decades and over that time her reputation has grown and her work included in many museums and public collections.

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Made on Merseyside Kirkby Gallery, 23 Sep – 16 Nov This original new exhibition has been developed from Prescot Museum’s collection, with additions from the ARK at Knowsley Archives, National Museums Liverpool, and the personal collections of local individuals.

Christian Furr: A Retrospective Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, 28 Sep – 24 Nov Internationally Renowned, Wirral Born, Christian Furr returns to the borough for the first retrospective of his career.

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Who Wants to Live Forever?

Tate Exchange, Tate Liverpool, 30 Sep – 6 Oct Who Wants to Live Forever? tells the incredible story of Henrietta Lacks through art, science, storytelling and documentation

Look Photo Biennial: Distinctly Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, 27 Sep – 24 Nov A bridge between chapter one and chapter two of LOOK Photo Biennial 2019: this exhibition was first shown in China, at Pingyao Photography Festival. It will now be shown in Liverpool.

-Women of Iron Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, 28 Sep – 24 Nov This project, commissioned during the Wirral’s Borough of Cultureprogramme, has captured the female workforce in Cammell Laird Shipyard during the summer of 2019.

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Talks, Tours & CONFERENCE: Educating Creatively Conference Storyhouse, 4-7 Sep The first ever annual gathering of a creative educator, artist and academic network.

-TALK: The Liquid Club #8: The Fisherwoman’s Daughter by Ursula Le Guin Liverpool Biennial Office, 4 Sep, 18:30pm A monthly discussion group which invites collective thinking and drives the development of Liverpool Biennial 2020.

-TALK: Collector Event Bluecoat Display Centre, 5 September, 6pm Join curator Roger Morris and Trustee of the Display Centre, Peter Woods in conversation with ceramicist Emma Rodgers.

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Find FULL listings and events information at www.artinliverpool.com Blackfest: Spoken Word Live Theatre Performances, Bluecoat

In Conversation: Sol Calero Tate Liverpool

The Liverpool Complaints Choir FACT

Coast to Coast to Coast publication launch, Open Eye Gallery

Performance

FAIR: Zine & Photobook Fair 2019 Open Eye Gallery, 7 September, 11am-4pm Independent, commercial and self published photobooks and zines from the North West and beyond – including limited prints

FILM: Short Focus Film Festival 2019 FACT, 16 September, 7:30pm An annual short film festival that takes place on the third weekend of September in selected cities.

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WORKSHOP: Blackfest: Healing Day / Hit the Ground Workshop with Lateisha Davine Blackburne House, 24 September, 2-7pm A chance for the community to come together, network, view and shop local businesses at our stalls.

TALK: BlackFest: Arts Council Presentation Venue TBC, 27 September, 1-4pm Arts Council England are providing a presentation and open surgeries for artists of colour exploring development and funding opportunities.

-NETWORK: Group Crit OUTPUT gallery, 11 September, 6-8pm If you want to push your work further, it’s best to hear from a wider group of people and have a good conversation about it.

TALK: Blood in the Veins: Poetry & Prose Williamson Art Gallery & Museum, 21 September, 1:30pm An afternoon of poetry and prose inspired by the Six Vessels exhibition.

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MUSIC: Blackfest: Rhythms 24 Kitchen Street, 25 September, 6pm A night of music and rhythms from up and coming artists from Liverpool.

TALK: BlackFest: Diversity Dialogues – Part Two International Slavery Museum, 29 September, 10am-12pm Blackfest invite you to come and have an open dialogue about the arts scene in Liverpool, particularly around Black and ethnic minority visibility and engagement.

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TALK & FILM: The Liverpool Complaints Choir FACT, 12 September, 7pm Meet the artist duo Tellervo Kalleinen and Oliver Kochta-Kalleinen plus the singers from The Liverpool Complaints Choir.

LAUNCH: BlackFest: Launch & Scratch Night Unity Theatre, 23 September, 7pm BlackFest is a grassroots Liverpool Black arts festival founded in 2018, providing a platform and showcasing an eclectic mix of work from Black creatives.

PERFORMANCE: Blackfest: Spoken Word Live Theatre Performances Bluecoat, 26 September, 6:30pm Five spoken word artists take you on a journey through Black British experiences.

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FILM: BlackFest: Independent Film FACT, 24 September, 10am-2pm First Take’s Pink: Past and Present – An independent film celebrating the heritage of Liverpool’s LGBT scene.

TOUR: Objects in Focus: Shanghai Sacred Victoria Gallery & Museum, 26 September, 3:30pm Find out more about the VG&M’s amazing collections and join the conversation.

LAUNCH: Coast to Coast to Coast publication launch Open Eye Gallery, 14 September, 6pm Each cover of the journal is unique and stitched by Maria Isakova Bennett.

-TALK: In Conversation: Sol Calero Tate Liverpool, 30 September, 6-7pm Join artist Sol Calero in conversation with Kasia Redzisz, senior curator, about her new comission, El Autobús 2019 at Tate Liverpool. .

JOBS & OPPORTUNITIES For more details on all opportunities, including links on how to apply, head to www.artinliverpool.com/opportunities To send us details on jobs or opportunities for artists, email info@artinliverpool.com

CALLS Outdoor Arts Commission, Spot On Lancashire Premiering at Fairhaven Lake in Lytham Saint Annes, this work will then tour to a minimum of two other outdoor settings/ events/festivals in Lancashire.

DEADLINE: 4th September -Young Artist in Residence, Miss The Whitworth is looking for two emerging artists from any discipline, aged 24 or under, to help us shape our work with young people and local communities.

DEADLINE: 17th September --

LightNight 2020 Commissions – Home For LightNight 2020, Open Culture are looking to commission several new works responding to our theme of ‘Home’.

DEADLINE: 3rd November -Rowan View art commission – Artist brief and application, Mersey Care Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust (Mersey Care) is calling for applications from experienced and suitably qualified artists/artist teams for the commission of a coherent series of artistic pieces at a new mental health facility, Rowan View in Maghull, Merseyside.

DEADLINE: 11th October

Design the Alumni Awards – University of Liverpool University of Liverpool are looking for an artist to design 20 identical awards that can be personalised with the name of the winner and their graduation details.

DEADLINE: 6th September

The Atkinson, The Landing Space: Exhibition opportunities The Landing gallery is a wonderful selling space within The Atkinson. Well-lit and offering a variety of display opportunities it can be found at the top of a magnificent Victorian staircase.

DEADLINE: Ongoing

--Artist Call – Waste of Our World, Rathbone Studio Artists are invited to exhibit pieces of artwork that reflects the consequence of not addressing the exploitation and use of the World’s resources.

DEADLINE: 21st September

Open Eye Gallery, Open Source Open Source is a rolling submissionbased open call, giving developing and early-career artists the opportunity to showcase their work digitally on the gallery’s exterior screen.

DEADLINE: Ongoing

-Call for artists & makers : ‘A Very Eco Christmas 2019’ Following a successful launch event ‘eARTh’, The Social Butterfly are now holding a series of 100% eco Christmas Markets in November & December 2019.

DEADLINE: 15th September -Two Artist Residencies – Kick Down the Barriers, Blackburn Museum & Art Gallery Two artist residency opportunities (2x£4000 fees) to work as part of the first phase to the recently funded Arts Council England project in conjunction with Blackburn Museum & Art Gallery titled ‘Kick Down the Barriers’.

DEADLINE: 6th September -Four Writer/Researcher Commissions – Kick Down the Barriers, Blackburn Museum & Art Gallery Four writer/researcher opportunities to work on the recently funded Arts Council England project in conjunction with Blackburn Museum & Art Gallery titled ‘Kick Down the Barriers’.

DEADLINE: 6th September

-Artist-in-Residence, Great Northern Events and The Oasis Centre Great Northern Events are seeking an artist to undertake an involved residency with the Centre’s service users. This needs to be more than a tokenistic gesture; rather a process to explore, support and offer meaningful outcomes.

DEADLINE: 6th September -North Wales Contemporary Craft Fair – Winter 2019 Applications for stallholders are now open to makers, designers, artists, studios, collectives or businesses using traditional or contemporary craft methods. £75 per table.

DEADLINE: 20th September -MOSTYN Christmas Window Commission Calling All Creatives!! MOSTYN are inviting proposals for their seventh Christmas window display.

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Calling all makers – Winter Art Fair, Hopeful and Glorious Applications are now open for maker stalls at the Hopeful and Glorious Winter Art Fair at Lytham Hall on Lancashire’s Fylde Coast.

DEADLINE: 14th September -VIA Arts Prize 2019 Call For Entries The VIA Arts Prize, the UK’s only IberoAmerican themed arts award, has launched its 2019 Call for Entries, and is celebrating the fifth edition of the respected Prize.

DEADLINE: 30th September -Time and Space Residencies 2019, Metal Metal’s Time and Space Residencies are open opportunities for artists working in all disciplines to access Metal’s spaces, the support of its staff and its local, national and international networks.

DEADLINE: 20th September --

JOBS Projects Manager, Metal: Liverpool As a key member of Metal’s team, we are looking for an experienced Project Manager to lead on the delivery of our core programme in Liverpool, as well as a range of really exciting additional projects with local, national and international scope.

DEADLINE: 4th September -Administrator, Metal: Liverpool Metal are looking for a bright, motivated and hard-working administrator for our Liverpool office. You will join a small, committed and highly motivated team based at Edge Hill railway station on the edge of Liverpool city centre.

DEADLINE: 4th September -Production Manager, Liverpool Biennial Liverpool Biennial is seeking a dynamic and experienced Production Manager to join the team and lead on all aspects of production, installation and deinstallation of Liverpool Biennial 2020, as well as its public programmes.

DEADLINE: 11th September -Marketing and Communications Coordinator, Liverpool Biennial Liverpool Biennial is seeking an enthusiastic and efficient Marketing and Communications Coordinator to support the Head of Marketing and work with the wider Biennial team, our partners and collaborators on the delivery of impactful audience-focused campaigns.

DEADLINE: 4th September -Children and Young People’s Producer, Heart of Glass We are looking for an Children and Young People’s Producer who will work with the Director and Head of Programme to develop a unique and distinctive programme that will engage young people in rich and diverse cultural opportunities DEADLINE: 16th September

Online Shop Officer, Art UK In this exciting role you will contribute to Art UK’s important work by working with collections to generate revenue from their artworks through the Art UK Shop.

DEADLINE: 17th September

Technology Manager, The Reader and Head of Technology, The Reader As part of the award of National Lottery Funding, the digital infrastructure for the charity is being reviewed.

DEADLINE: 2nd September

--Event Managers, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic There are 3 positions available and the role is primarily focused on duty management of events and the management of our stewarding team.

DEADLINE: 13th September -Facilities Coordinator, The Reader Calderstones Mansion House is a beautiful Grade II Listed building sitting quietly in one of Liverpool’s best loved parks for families and the local community.

DEADLINE: 2nd September

VFX Editor, Flipbook Flipbook studio are an award winning, multi-disciplinary production company with a focus on providing animation and CGI to enhance visual content for commercials, dramas, film, video games and digital branding.

DEADLINE: 10th September -Stewards, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic These positions with Liverpool Philharmonic offer a unique opportunity to work with one of the UK’s premier music organisations.

DEADLINE: 13th September

--Youth Theatre Leader – 11-13 year olds, Storyhouse As Youth Theatre Leader, you will plan, deliver and evaluate Youth Theatre sessions to 11-13 year olds on a weekly basis.

DEADLINE: 2nd September -Children & Young People Coordinator, Royal Exchange Theatre The Coordinator reports to the Children & Young People Manager and will coordinate a diverse programme of activity at the Royal Exchange Theatre and across Greater Manchester for children and young people.

DEADLINE: 2nd September -Visitor Fundraiser Part Time, Science Museum Group Across Science Museum Group, we are committed to developing our collections and audience experience, truly inspiring futures with the science that shapes the modern world.

DEADLINE: 1st September

Independent Evaluator and Critical Friend, Writing on the Wall Writing on the Wall (WoW) are seeking to employ an Independent Evaluator and Critical Friend for the next phase of our hugely successful schools project, Super Heroes: Words are our Power.

DEADLINE: 20th September -Communications Manager, Action Transport Theatre Action Transport Theatre is currently recruiting a part time Communications Manager to play a key role in promoting the work of the company and engaging audiences and participants with its programme.

DEADLINE: 6th September --

Journeys Community Film Programmer – Paid Development Opportunity, ArtReach We are seeking a Community Film Programmer to join our team on a development contract, to work on our new community film programme, running from September 2019 – March 2020 in Manchester.

DEADLINE: 6th September -Freelance Arts Award Adviser, Liverpool Learning Partnership This role is for a freelance, trained Arts Award Adviser with experience of involving young people in arts, cultural learning & Arts Award.

DEADLINE: 3rd September -Digital Arts Action Research Project, St Helens Library Service We are interested in developing an ‘action research’ approach to developing digital engagement within St Helens Library Service through the question: ‘What might a digital arts programme look like in St Helens?’

DEADLINE: 4th September 2019 -Project Manager – Abbot Hall, Lakeland Arts As Project Manager you’ll be experienced in all aspects of capital developments, and will have a sound track record of delivering multi-million pound projects.

DEADLINE: 3rd September .

Second or Other Language An informal ESOL group discovering art and creative practices in Liverpool.

SOL (Second or Other Language) is a programme of language learning and visual art, aimed at refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants in Liverpool.

The course:

The project:

- informal English language sessions - creative workshops - gallery trips - exhibition opportunities - getting to know Liverpool’s art

- Listening to Seldom Heard Voices - Exhibitions, publications, and uncovering new cultural links

Weekly sessions, every Monday from 2-5pm at Tate Liverpool

Register for a free place: email sol@artinliverpool.com Project produced by

Funded by: in partnership with: