Quarter#2

Contents Page

Introduction

Inside the 2nd issue of the Quarter....

It’s Here!...

The second exciting edition of the

Quarter, North London’s number one place

03 04 06 07

No Quarter: Blurred Line Of Defense

Art is Trash

Chocolate Factory Artists News

Stephen Greenhorn Interview

08 10 12 13

Shape London

Haringey Literature Live

Karamel Illustrated A-Z Music Club of the Chocolate Factory

for news about Haringey’s Cultural Quarter and the artists of the Chocolate Factory. As another year gets underway, we’re proud to present another issue fit to bursting

with music, films, exhibitions, and more. This time around, we’ve got the

manager of one of the country’s brightest young stars imparting his valuable wisdom, an interview with an incognito painter, and some great new evenings of fun to announce, as well as some original artwork from a young new illustrator. We’re always happy to hear your thoughts, so please don’t be shy in letting us know what you liked and didn’t, or any improvements you think we could make. Above all, we hope you get as much from reading the Quarter as we got from putting it together, and we hope you’ll keep reading, because we already can’t wait to bring you another!

Created and distributed by Collage Arts www.collage-arts.org

Editorial Team

Andreas Stylianou Manoj Ambasna Preeti Dasgupta

Design

Evelyn Ofosu

Contributors

Chris Sheehan Kate Pemberton Fiona Slater

14 16 17 18 19

Marc Williams Jazz & Film at Apprenticeships Karamel Interview

2

Booster Cushion/ Perserverance

Exhibitions

Phil Sherman Reem Ghirmay Anam Rahman Sam Clarke Rosie Chomet For any comments or enquiries, or to suggest an article: Andreas@collage-arts.org or 0208 829 1318

| The Quarter | Issue 2 | Chocolate Factory Artists | Collage Arts

No Quarter : Blurred Line of Defense D

o you remember Lily Allen? She’s the daughter of that bloke from ‘Vindaloo’, the one whose unprecedented MySpace success saw 2006 overtaken by a nation of imitators, armed only with their brand new working-class affectations and floralprint-and-trainers outfits.

And how about Robin Thicke? His dad’s a bit famous too, which adds some much needed exposition as to why people like him. Thicke’s ‘Blurred Lines’ and accompanying video was doing the rounds pretty heavily last year, leaving a trail of controversy and Blogspot think-pieces in its wake.

Well, in 2013, Allen came back with a video too; ’Hard Out Here’, a feminist statement on double standards, disguised as derogatory, brash, rap video posturing. Or the other way around. No-one’s really sure, and that’s where the problem lies. It’s a direct reaction to the likes of Thicke, visually chastising the use of overt sexualisation and the obsessive elevation of certain ideas of beauty. But, in doing so, and hiring a bunch of, predominately black, women to gesture towards their genitals for that purpose, she’s created a definite moral quandary for herself and her audience. It’s pretty safe to say Allen’s intention wasn’t racist or sexist, but, ironic or not, that’s how it comes across to most.

In the real world, the backlash has begun, with a number of student unions across the country making the decision to excise ‘Blurred Lines’ from their playlists. Many see it as a positive start, while for many others it’s just censorship, but it does represent young people taking a stand on the issue, and that can’t be discounted. However, while it is an important move for an equally important cause, the fact is that the whole world is on the internet now, and what happens there is what really counts. The casual listener in a student bar isn’t the person being really affected; it’s the one actively, and repeatedly, clicking the play button and that could be anyone of any age. Without the ability or desire to discern why something is potentially damaging, the web audience is just copy/pasting the same ideas in an endless loop.

The ICUD project, undertaken by Collage Arts and a variety of international partners, is the first of its kind that seeks

to creatively unveil discrimination on the internet and provide the tools for young people to combat it effectively. By getting young people to identify and root out discrimination, the project aims to create a new generation of conscious consumers with issues like sexism and homophobia at the forefront of their minds. Without this kind of attitude change, it seems unlikely that there ever will be an effective way to police pop, online or off.

ICUD is funded by EU Justice and Fundamental Rights Programme.

The ICUD project continues with a conference in Barcelona on the 13th and 14th of March 2014. For more information on the project and its aims, please visit www.digitaldiscrimination.eu

Allen’s video (and Robin’s, and Rihanna’s, and Miley’s…) is at the crux of a debate that’s raging on web forums and parliament alike, concerning the appropriate moral governance over what media children can consume. A proposed rating system on music videos, even online, would see some of the world’s biggest pop stars censured for flagrant debauchery, but is unlikely to do anything to stem their popularity or influence. The move has been described as a ‘plaster to cover a deep cut’, and criticised for its implication that sexist or racist material is ok at some level, just not for kids.

However, for all the long-reads and Twitter furore the argument will generate, it’s not the opinions of journalists and politicians that really matter. For those people, caring about how much flesh Lady Gaga is showing off is a necessary step to getting a paycheque, not a visceral reaction to their favourite performer. Far more telling is the public’s perception, particularly the young people actually consuming the media in question. A read through the comments on YouTube under ‘Hard Out Here’ spells out nearly every facet of the debate in internet shorthand. There, Allen is lambasted as racist, championed as feminist, mocked as fat, and objectified as ample in practically equal measure, with little to no filter or explanation. Comments sections and Reddit threads are the new public forums and the anonymity of the internet leaves them with a decreased accountability that, although it creates lively debate, is worrisome in just how far it allows people to go.

Collage Arts | Chocolate Factory Artists | Issue 2 | The Quarter |

3

ART IS TRASH Interview.

It was serendipity that led to the inclusion of Francisco De Pajaro’s vibrant, sarcastic street art in Quarter #1. The work materialised in front of the Chocolate Factory as if from nowhere, forming the ideal accompaniment to an article about the commodification of graffiti. It was fascinating, not only for its originality, but the fact that these pieces seemed to be springing up everywhere, blowing a pretty unequivocal raspberry to the art and graffiti worlds while capturing the attention of both. The Guardian picked up on it, and inspired by their illuminating article, we were able to track down Senor Basura himself for a few words about creating sculptures from scrap.

Do you think of your work as graffiti?

I’ve always thought of Graffiti as being the style or technique, and I don’t come from that background. I come from a fine art background. Of course, my work comes under the umbrella of ‘urban art’ because it is urban, but I don’t know how to label myself or even think I am the right person to.

What made you choose street art as your medium?

Did you have the idea for ‘Art is Trash’ first or were you already doing street art before you came to the idea?

I didn’t have any preconception of ‘Art is Trash’, and starting working in street art due to circumstance more than anything. I was trying to go the traditional route, and had a few exhibitions, but when the financial crisis hit Spain, there were not many opportunities for an aspiring artist. That was when I started working with garbage, because it was available and it was everywhere.

How far in advance do you plan your pieces?

Not at all. I improvise everything. The way that the trash is already arranged is what inspires the piece, and I try not to change that too much.

4

Now that people are starting to pay attention, is it more difficult for you to make your art?

I have lost some of my anonymity but things are about the same. I have noticed more people taking an interest, but the way I work is to finish a piece and just walk away. I like to let whatever will happen to the work, happen.

What has been your favourite location in London so far?

I like painting in Brick Lane and Shoreditch. In those areas, people respond really well to my work.

Would you say London is the perfect city for the kind of art you make?

Actually no. I can do this anywhere, wherever there is trash, and before I came to London, I worked in Barcelona, Madrid, Sevilla. In a way, London is too private. The rubbish collection is very regular and very complete and things are taken from inside people’s front gardens. In Spain, there is a real variety of garbage, which gets collected from the streets, and the

collection is in stages, so you can know what kind of trash you can find on different days.

When I first started in Barcelona in 2009 it was during the financial crisis and there was rubbish everywhere, hardly being collected at all. I was making new works all the time in the same locations, and people were starting to pay attention, including the police. I was having my money seized to pay fines, but my art was highlighting what a problem the trash was, and that made the authorities finally do something about it.

Do you have plans to take the project further?

The weather has a big impact on my work. I’m always looking for the hot garbage, so I will probably go somewhere warm. If I do return to London, it will be in the summer time. www. depajaro.blogspot.com

| The Quarter | Issue 2 | Chocolate Factory Artists | Collage Arts

Collage Arts | Chocolate Factory Artists | Issue 2 | The Quarter |

5

Chocolate Factory Artists News The Dirty Feel ‘Truth Be Told’ In late 2013, Tummy Touch Records put out the first official release from blues-rockers The Dirty Feel. Recorded at the Chocolate Factory in Pipe Dream Studios, ‘Truth Be Told’ is the result of a decade-long quest to distil the frenetic, funky energy of the band’s live show into a studio album that testifies to their reputation of being London’s grooviest gigging guitar band. www.thedirtyfeel.com www.tummytouch.com

Rebecca Jewell 2014 is set to be another busy and exciting year for print artist Rebecca Jewell, with a variety of chances to see her work, including Art14 at Olympia (Feb 28-March 2), and as part of the Natural History Museum’s ‘Images of Nature’ collection. Not content to please just us Londoners, Rebecca will also be exhibiting at the Rebecca Hossack Gallery in New York at the end of the year. www.rebeccajewell.com www.rebeccahossack.com

6

Lucky Studio Kids Exhibition Kielle ‘Lucky’ Rutland has been teaching a range of artforms to kids of all ages for over 12 years, and now puts on a display of this work each year at her studio in the Chocolate Factory. This year’s exhibition will be on April 26th and will feature sculptures in clay and Papier Mache, as well as drawing, painting, and more, proving that art really is magic. www.luckystudio.co.uk

Liz Collini The recently released ‘Language Art and Material Poetry’ is a new book of essays regarding the Bury Text Festivals, a unique series of events that seeks to bring visual artists and writers together to explore language art in all its forms. The collection includes an essay by Liz Collini on her work, ‘Versions’ which was featured in the 2009 festival, and is used as the book’s cover image. The next iteration of the Bury text festival will be in May 2014. www.lizcollini.com www.textfestival.com

| The Quarter | Issue 2 | Chocolate Factory Artists | Collage Arts

Interview with Stephen Greenhorn

Playwright and author Stephen Greenhorn has written for the stage back in Scotland, penned a drama for Channel Four, and has even supplied words for Dr Who, both on screen and in novel form. As writer of the musical ‘Sunshine on Leith’, featuring the songs of Scottish pop heroes The Proclaimers, Stephen was the natural choice to take the show from stage to cinema, with a Dexter Fletcher directed version hitting UK screens in late 2013.

Sunshine on Leith is your first feature film, how did the experience of writing it differ from writing for TV, or indeed of writing the stage version? Did you have much involvement with the filming process?

Writing Sunshine on Leith as feature film drew on the same skillset I use in my TV work. The main differences were that I wasn’t writing in a 60 minute format, worrying about ad breaks or serialising a story over several episodes. Having said that, I was instructed to keep the running time to 100 mins so there were parameters. The stage production ran at around 140 mins so it inevitably meant that some songs had to be cut and everything else pared back. Apart from this, the main job in adapting it for screen was to focus on rooting the characters in a recognisable world and trying to make sure that they felt real and rounded . There were various elements of the stage show which were just a little too fantastical to work for us on film so we had to find different ways of telling certain parts of the story. Unusually for film, there was a significant rehearsal period scheduled before shooting. This was necessary to let the cast get to grips with the musical elements.

Alongside the musical work we also grabbed the chance to look at the rest of the script too. I made sure I was around for this process and could tweak and rewrite as we went along. When we finally started shooting I was able to leave them to it for the most part, visiting the set just a couple of times to watch some of the set-piece numbers.

Was it something you envisioned when you started writing the musical?

The musical started life at Dundee Rep Theatre in 2007 and I don’t think anyone involved anticipated it becoming the kind of success that it did.

That original production sold out, won awards and was revived twice in the next few years. We were lucky to coincide with an upsurge in interest in The Proclaimers on the back of a their Comic Relief number one and a new record deal they’d signed. Similarly, when I was first approached about adapting it for film, I was excited but wasn’t even sure that anyone

Sunshine on Leith?

I wouldn’t be averse to it. I like working across different genres.

They each have their unique challenges. It keeps you on your toes as a writer. With Doctor Who it wasn’t so much the sci-fi element as that it was action/adventure for a family audience.

I’d never done that before. With Marchlands it wasn’t the ghost would want to fund such an unusual venture. I hoped that it might which attracted me but the idea of weaving three different get made and, if we were lucky, get into cinemas. I never envisaged it period strands together. Sunshine on Leith, as a musical of would be so warmly received and do so well at the UK Box Office. course, was all about making the songs work within a story.

If you could revisit or readapt one of your other projects, which would you choose and why?

The projects that I’d want to go back to are the ‘bottom drawer’ scripts which for various reasons have never seen the light of day. I wrote a single drama for the BBC a few years about Dr Livingstone and Henry Stanley. I’d love to get the chance to revisit that and finally get it on screen.

Lastly, if your life was a jukebox musical, which band’s music do you think would be most appropriate?

The Proclaimers, of course! A song for every occasion – and with a Scottish accent. www.twitter.com/S_Greenhorn

I noticed from reading your twitter feed that one of your earlier plays, Passing Places, is being revived in 2014, which must be exciting.

What’s it like watching your work being performed? Do you think the lapse in time will change how you feel about it?

With plays, it’s always thrilling watching your work being performed for the first time. But in those first productions I’m usually still working on it – making changes and adjustments – so it’s a very active role. Later, if a play is revived, you get to be much more like a normal member of the audience. That can sometimes be frustrating (when you see things you’d like to fix) but usually it’s a liberating experience, seeing the work go off on a trajectory of its own, separate from you. With Passing Places, I did a rewrite after watching the first production but haven’t touched it since. It’s now about 15 years old.

The last time I watched a production it was a little like re-reading an old diary. It was fun but I was no longer the same person who’d written it.

You’ve written for Dr Who a few times and, even more recently, the series Marchlands. Do you see yourself doing more in that Supernatural/ Science Fiction vein? When you write something like that, does the approach differ than with something like

Recently appointed as a board member of the Director’s Alliance, Yousaf Ali Khan is an Academy Award and BAFTA nominated writer and director whose films include ‘Skin Deep’ (2001), and ‘Talking With Angels’ (2003). His new film ‘Osama Bin Laden’s My Dad’ is currently in the preproduction stages and is set to be released in 2015. www.giantland.co.uk

Wood Green Films have over 20 years’ experience of producing corporate films, promotional films and music videos for clients including MTV, Transport for London, The NHS, The Children’s Society, London Borough of Haringey, London Borough of Hackney, Unison, Mencap, and many more. All this is done from their base of operations at the Chocolate Factory. www.woodgreenfilms.co.uk

Collage Arts | Chocolate Factory Artists | Issue 2 | The Quarter |

7

THE SHAPE OPEN 2013 Can you tell us what you are currently working on?

I

n November 2013, Shape and Collage Arts invited artists, registered on the Shape Artists website, to apply for the opportunity to take up residency in a Chocolate Factory studio space, for three months, free of charge.

We are delighted to announce that Rachel Gadsden was the successful recipient of this exciting opportunity, and she will be beginning her tenure in January 2014. This opportunity is intended to provide time and space for Rachel to work in an open-ended way, towards the research and development of her arts practice.

Rachel Gadsden is a unique artist with 25 years experience of creating dynamic work as both a solo artist and collaborator, as well as leading a range of national and international participative programmes. Gadsden’s work is underpinned by themes of fragility and resilience, a shared and positive sense of survival in the face of chronic health conditions, and the politics and mythologies surrounding disability.

In Sept 2013 Gadsden was awarded the National Diversity Award 2013 – ‘Positive role model for Disability’. The Judges said: “Rachel Gadsden is nothing short of an inspiration and serves as the ideal positive role model for disabled people.

An internationally acclaimed contemporary artist, Rachel has battled successfully against a potentially life limiting illness to produce works of art that are applauded worldwide.”

Shape interviewed Rachel to find out about what she hopes to achieve through this three month residency.

I am currently in the process of creating four paintings for the Houses of Parliament commissioned by The Speaker of the House of Commons, Rt Hon John Bercow and The Speakers Art Fund.

The paintings are due to be completed and presented at Parliament for members of the Houses of Commons and Lords in February. It was very exciting to have the opportunity to paint in Westminster Hall, the Historic atmosphere was thrilling and I am so excited to have been awarded a studio at the Chocolate Factory where I will have a fabulous studio space to complete this commission.

Dancer and Choreographer Marc Brew and I created Cube of Curiosity for National Paralympic Day and Liberty Festival in September 2013, we now have on-going ambitions and plans to develop the piece further to include digital and projection elements. Performance has become an important element of my creative practice during the last few years, my energetic physical expressionistic process lends itself to performance and I have enjoyed the process of working with dancers and choreographers enormously.

You have collaborated on projects all over the world - can you tell us a bit about your work overseas and how these experiences have influenced your practice?

Few people are aware that I spent the first 20 years of my life living in the Middle East (Kuwait & Abu Dhabi). On a number of occasions our Dad and Mum drove the family to Kuwait and back, it really was quite an adventure to witness the World, with my twin sister from the back seat of a bright yellow Ford Zeffa car and particularly so because our parents are hopeless map readers!

Culture beyond my British heritage was therefore part of my experience.

My artistic practice is a consideration of the human condition so it seemed both important and natural for me to seek International opportunities and collaborations as part of my creative practice. Significant commissions included Unlimited Global Alchemy commission for London 2012, which gave me the opportunity to undertake a much more comprehensive artistic collaboration with the Bambanani Group of Khayelitsha Township.

This commission was life changing for all of us and gave each of the collaborators the opportunity to not only present the work we engage with as activists, but also enabled us to share our cultural identities through artistic collaboration.

In March 2013 I was asked to represent the UK at the first ever Art and Disability Festival in the Middle East as part of Qatar - UK Year of Culture. With the support of the Qatari Government and British Council I presented a major solo exhibition of paintings, drawings and films.

The exhibition was formally opened by HRH Prince Charles and HRH the Duchess of Cornwall accompanied by HE the Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage, Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz al-Kuwari and Katara director general, Dr Khalid al-Sulaiti.

8

The exhibition had the title This Breathing World and set about addressing my perennial themes of fragility and hope under four main headings,

| The Quarter | Issue 2 | Chocolate Factory Artists | Collage Arts

namely: Unlimited Global Alchemy, the work that I made during my residency and collaboration in South Africa and focusing upon issues connected with the availability of life-giving medication; In Their Human Gloves, a series of expressionistic paintings which use as their starting point the extremes of the human condition; Power and Glory, images relating to the London 2012 Paralympic Games; You Inhabit My Soul, referencing the influence of my early upbringing in the Middle East upon my adult consciousness.

The Middle East British Council commission also included leading outreach programmes in Qatar and Bahrain, and it was through meeting and collaborating with many young disabled people and their families that I began to formulate the foundations for my 2014 Al Noor ~ Fragile Vision project.

What do you hope to create over the course of your residency at the Chocolate Factory?

I will be creating large-scale artworks and drawings and imagery created through a live-filmed process for a digital animated film (this element to be made in collaboration with filmmaker - Abigail Norris). Norris and I have collaborated for approximately 7 years and have developed creative ways to make my drawings into animations. Norris will be part of my Al Noor - Fragile Vision commission that will see me return to Bahrain and Qatar to collaborate on a major new commission with many disabled young people in collaboration with British Council. The residency will give us not only physical space but also psychological space to be able to creatively experiment in preparation for the start of Al Noor in April 2014.

How will the time spent in the studio space be documented on the Shape Artist website?

At the core of my artistic practice are concerns as to how humankind comes to terms with mortality: by unearthing the unseen, making the invisible visible. Part of that process is about being open about impairment, and working to empower others to find a voice with which to challenge stigma.

MADE IN

To enable me to fulfil my creative ideological objectives, communication at all levels, is a vital element of my practice, whether it be through Twitter and Facebook considered blogs, and artistic collaboration, the sharing of my visual output and creativity is constant. I document

Y E G N HARI

2.

late at the Choco ty n le p ’s re e handmade makers, th gners and meware, to o si h e d ic f h o p e ra g g rom le ran With a who ry taste and budget. F e online. e v ing you lik e th r e fo m so d n Factory fi to ou’re sure jewellery, y

1.

my creativity on a daily basis and welcome public responses and reactions. This process not only enables there to be ongoing visual evidence so that I can constantly communicate my thoughts and ideas with audiences, but also provides a vital two way dialogue with others. This interaction serves as both a stimulus for further artistic enquiry, and also means

that there is the opportunity to engage with a bigger reality and, I believe, enables and encourages a clearly universal objectivity to emerge through the work.

You can check Rachel’s progress at the Chocolate Factory through her blog on the Shape Artist website: www.shapeartists.org.uk/artists/rachel-gadsden/

4.

Marianne Fox Ockinga “Towards the Chocolate Factory” £ 145,- unframed woodcut print www.mariannefoxockinga.co.uk

Lara Harwood

Melismata Blue - Size 120 cm x 76 cm - £150 * This is a very special price for limited period. www.laraharwood.co.uk lara@dircon.co.uk

3.

Lara Harwood

Just do it - Size 50cm x 76 cm : £150 www.laraharwood.co.uk lara@dircon.co.uk Collage Arts | Chocolate Factory Artists | Issue 2 | The Quarter |

Studio 306 Collective CIC Product Name: Untitled Unframed - £80.00 Framed - £120.00 www.studio306.co.uk

9

Join us for lively evening readings of poetry and fiction at the wonderful Karamel Restaurant. Entrance is free, the bar is open from 7pm should you wish to order drinks or delicious gastro tapas, and the readings begin at 8pm sharp. Come and meet writers and editors, ask questions, buy books and soak up the atmosphere. If you’re a writer yourself, you can take part in our open mic spot! These are thoroughly entertaining, thought-provoking and friendly events and we’d love to see you there.

Thursday 6th February 2014, doors 7pm for 8pm start, Karamel Poetry Night with Donald Gardner and Paul Lyalls Donald Gardner lives in Holland where he works as a translator. He is the author of numerous poetry collections, most recently The Glittering Sea (Hearing Eye, 2006). In the 1960s he lived in New York and performed with the likes of Allen Ginsberg. Back in London in 1968, he founded a group of street poets, Guerilla Poets. In 1997 his poetry-performance “How to get the most out of your Jet Lag” had a two-week run at the first New York Fringe Festival. He has translated the poetry of Octavio Paz and Ernesto Cardenal among others. donaldgardner.net. “Donald Gardner is one of the most exciting and surprising poets around.” Bruce Weber “Donald Gardner is an aristocratic madman... rolling in the absurdity of life’s mayhem and rainshine.” Edwin Torres www. donaldgardner.net Paul Lyalls lives in Crouch End and is currently Poet in Residence for The Roald Dahl Museum.

He stars alongside former World Poetry Slam Champion Kat Francois in the BBC2/CBBC TV show The Big Slam Poetry House. He has performed in many diverse settings, from Arsenal FC’s dressing room, to Glastonbury, to audiences at 10 Edinburgh Festivals. In 2008, as Poet for Brent, Paul was the first poet to perform at the New Wembley stadium. His new first full collection, Catching the Cascade (Flipped Eye), was nominated for the 2012 Peoples book prize. He has performed with Will Self, Miranda Hart, John Hegley, Jean ‘Binta’ Breeze, Roger McGough, John Cooper Clarke, Andrea Leavy, George Best, Michael Rosen, Prince Edward and Rasta Mouse. “Lyalls has an unerring and endearing instinct for the absurd. As with all the best comic verse, Lyalls most effectively uses humour to tiptoe across more uncomfortable human realities. (He) is never less than clarity itself.”

Patrick Neate www.paul-lyalls.com

Thursday 6th March 2014, doors 7pm for 8pm start, Karamel AMBIT magazine in focus, with Editor Briony Bax and readers TBA Come and meet the editors and hear readings from one of the UK’s longest standing literary quarterlies, hailing from the heart of Haringey! Started by Dr Martin Bax in 1959 from a tiny flat in Hornsey, and later edited from a house in Highgate by the likes of JG Ballard, Carol Ann Duffy and Geoff Nicholson, Ambit magazine is the borough’s very own, internationally reknowned great literary journal, going out to avid subscribers all over the world. Recently taken over

by Briony Bax, daughter of Adrian Mitchell and poet in her own right, the magazine has entered an exciting new era of publishing. New and established voices from Ambit will entertain you, amazing archival issues will be on sale, and the editors will love to answer any of your questions. www.ambitmagazine.co.uk

10

GET ON THE WAITING LIST FOR WRITING WORKSHOPS AT KARAMEL! If you’ve always wondered if there’s a writer in you, or if you’re a developing poet or fiction writer who relishes the opportunity to work with superb tutors, watch out for our morning workshops at Karamel, starting in March. Workshops will be affordably priced and spaces will be at a premium so email Haringey Literature Live Programme Co-ordinator, Kate Pemberton at kate@collage-arts.org to register your interest - she will keep you posted! | The Quarter | Issue 2 | Chocolate Factory Artists | Collage Arts

WRITING WORKSHOPS AT KARAMEL, N22 Ever wondered if there’s a poet or a novelist in you?

Are you a writer in need of inspiration?

Perhaps you want to write, but you’re afraid you have nothing to say?

Perhaps you think about how much you used to love writing, and it makes you sad?

Perhaps you love the idea of writing, but feel you’re too old, or too young, or you’re not educated enough, or... or something!

If any of these apply to you (and even if none do), come along and join our Haringey Literature Live Writing Workshops! From March 2014 we are offering mini-courses in Creative Writing, on Wednesday mornings in the Long Lounge at Karamel, N22.

Courses will run in three-week blocks, bookable in advance, and are aimed both at people who are completely new to writing, and also at more experienced writers who may wish to develop their ideas in a friendly and relaxed, small-group setting.

Time: 10am to 12.30pm, Wednesdays Place: Long Lounge, Karamel Restaurant, Chocolate Factory 2, Coburg Road, N22 6UJ Price: £45 for a three-Wednesdays course (includes hot drinks & biscuits in the break!)

SPACES LIMITED! To book email kate@collage-arts.org or telephone Karamel 020 8829 8989

The Nuts and Bolts of Poetry, with Jehane Markham -12th, 19th and 26th March, 10am12.30pm, Karamel How does form effect meaning? In these workshops we will endeavour to find out by looking at different forms such as the prose poem or the sonnet to see how they might suit a particular theme or idea. Using gentle writing exercises, we will look in some detail at different aspects of poetic writing, including rhythm, metaphor, line length and sound. With contemporary poets as our guides, we will navigate some of the bear-traps that await the would-be poet and go forward unafraid of expressing our ideas freely through poetry.

Life-Writing in Fiction, with Rebecca Swirsky - 7th, 14th, 21st May, 10am-12.30pm, Karamel Together through these workshops we will consider how writing about our lives can help us capture people and places, the ordinary and the extraordinary – experiences which are unique and which make us who we are. How do we write about ourselves without becoming too confessional, and what are the ethics of writing about those we know? Is there ever a clear line between fact and fiction? Using texts from contemporary fiction writers and from participants we will begin several life-writing pieces, using prompts that may then be added to our writing ‘tool kit’.

Free-wheeling Poetry, with Jehane Markham - 4th, 11th, 18th June 2014, 10am-12.30pm, Karamel In these workshops we will focus on some key Russian and American poets to stimulate our creativity and help release ourselves from self-censorship. Reading, exercises and group discussion will combine in an exciting exploration of poetic writing. We will aim to forget almost everything we have been told that we should expect from poetry and find instead our true feelings and reactions to it, creating free-wheeling poems of our own along the way.

Art meets Flash Fiction, with Rebecca Swirsky - 25th June, 2nd, 9th July, 10am-12.30pm, Karamel Many paintings have successfully represented complex events with economy. Flash fiction similarly conveys sweeps of information in compressed time frames. A well-told micro story invites participation and connection, just as when a picture is created, viewers fill in the gaps with their own inner world. During our three sessions, we will explore how crossovers between art and literature can spark creativity. We will consider how to achieve the goal of maximum engagement between reader or viewer. By studying writers such as George Saunders, we will consider the art of brevity, and the idea that saying things as efficiently as possible is a form of respect for your readers.

Karamel Restaurant, Chocolate Factory 2, Coburg Road, Wood Green, London N22 6UJ. 020 8829 8989. www.karamelrestaurant.com Haringey Literature Live is sponsored by Collage Arts and Karamel Restaurant.

Collage Arts | Chocolate Factory Artists | Issue 2 | The Quarter |

11

KARAMEL MUSIC CLUB It’s been another thriving season for the Karamel Music Club. Autumn was rounded off with a sell out showcase in collaboration with online music blog giants ‘Songs From The Shed’ who introduced the locals of N22 to Mary Spender, Hunter & The Bear, Hot Feet - and our old friends the Dunwells. Picking a highlight is nigh on impossible: Tom Baxter was extraordinary - as you would expect from a man who signed to two majors and performed onstage at the BBC Electric proms with Dame Shirley Bassey (a song he wrote for her, Almost There) - and Boho Dancer illuminated like human lanterns what can only be described as an extraordinary bill. Matt Woosey’s EP launch was vaunted by a couple of our proud regulars as ‘astonishing’ and ‘volcanic’ - if there is a more exciting, bellicose herald of blues folk out there, we’ll eat our hats.

December also sees sets by Et Tu Brucé and the incomparable Matt Deighton; and after Christmas we’ll be back with performances from a host of favourites as well as the usual flow of exciting, undiscovered talent. Keep your eyes on the facebook page (facebook.com/ karamelmusicclub) and on www.karamelmusic.co.uk for information on what’s coming up. The Karamel Music Club is a family affair, welcome to all. The best free, fortnightly showcase anywhere in London. We’re looking forward to welcoming friends - new and old.

KMC 19 February, 5 March, 2 April 2014 www.facebook.com/KaramelMusicClub, www.twitter.com/karamelmusic, www.karamelmusiccollective.tumblr.com

We continue to proudly gift the local community an unrivalled standard of national and international acts, giving opportunities to the best emerging talent while mixing it up with some established legends. Icelandic songwriter Snorri Helgason is relatively unknown here in the UK but has had a song at the top of the charts at home for 27 weeks, as well as having gone multiplatinum there… we loved him. And we like to keep sneaking in the odd wildcard event amongst the sets too: December’s Christmas party not only sees our best artist and session musician friends combining for the the most fun, feel-good Christmas singalong anywhere in London; we also have a very special interview with Chris Difford and Jenny Boyd Phd. Jenny will be talking to Chris about her book It’s Not Only Rock ‘N’ Roll which saw her interviewing some of the great icons of rock about their creativity and creative processes. For the book Jenny talked to - among others - Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Julian Lennon, Jackson Browne, David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, Don Henley, Hank Marvin, Keith Richards, Ravi Shankar, Ringo Starr, Steve Winwood, Stevie Nicks and Joni Mitchell. It promises to be a wonderful night. Expect stories and insights from being married to Mick Fleetwood; tales of visiting India and the Maharishi with the Beatles (her sister was married to George Harrison at the time) and many more besides - undoubtedly the most unique rock’n’roll Christmas party of the year!

12

| The Quarter | Issue 2 | Chocolate Factory Artists | Collage Arts

Y

oung artist and graphic designer Rosie Chomet has been a regular visitor to the Chocolate Factory for many years, completing work experience days with many of the artists and picking up a range of new techniques along the way. This illustration shows the Chocolate Factory through Rosie’s eyes, colourful, fun, and exciting, and drawn in a style that is entirely her own. All the usual players are there, from your faithful editors to the students of MountView Theatre Academy, and even the building gets a look in, astutely identified as a ‘Hub of Creativity’.

As Rosie’s passion and skill for illustration continue to grow, we can only anticipate what else her imagination will conjure up for the future pages of the Quarter. We can only recommend you watch this space!

Illustrated a-z of the chocolate factory

www.rosiechomet.blogspot.co.uk

Collage Arts | Chocolate Factory Artists | Issue 2 | The Quarter |

13

Interview As self-proclaimed

ETTA BOND

14

‘Grande Fromage’ of Milmark Music, Marc Williams works with some of the UK’s hottest artists and future musical icons, including chart topper Labrinth.

Some may remember him from his rapping days as the homeboy contingent of A Homeboy, a Hippie and a Funki Dredd, whose 1990 track ‘Total Confusion’ is still considered something of an old school classic.

Now, he takes a behind the scenes role, overseeing his expanding musical empire from his studios in The Chocolate Factory, and drawing from its pool of fresh, new talent.

| The Quarter | Issue 2 | Chocolate Factory Artists | Collage Arts

“The Chocolate Factory literally turned my life around.”

Did you ever see yourself going into management when you were just starting out? Do you ever see yourself going back to recording/performing?

No. I saw management as the devil. But, Labrinth started to get popular and I was acting as his mentor, and just carried on in that role. That’s how I see myself really; as more of a mentor than a manager. I think I’m too old to start performing again, but I do sometimes like to sit in the studio for a couple of hours and think about making a tune.

You’ve kind of re-entered the music business with Labrinth, does it feel like déjà vu in some ways?

In some ways. Things have changed quite a bit, though. Live performances were a lot less professional, coming from the illegal rave scene, and that’s not there anymore. Everything these days is more legitimate and a lot slicker.

What do you look for in an artist? What makes you want to manage someone?

Two things; drive and talent. I don’t look for artists, drive and passion jump out at me. And I still don’t really see myself as a manager, so if someone likes me and wants to be involved with what I do, and I can see they’re passionate, that inspires me to work with them.

Do you think it’s fair to say that British music in general is having a bit of resurgence right now in the global market/ the states in particular? Or do you think that British Urban music is finally being taken seriously?

There’s definitely a resurgence, that’s not even debatable.

Critically and in terms of sales, British music is doing really well right now; you only have to look at One Direction and Adele to see that. In terms of ‘Urban’ music, it feels like a bit of a flare up that is already starting to dip. Ultimately, the UK is not really a very Urban place, and that’s why we’ve never been that successful in that market globally.

How important do you think it is now in 2014 for an artist to ‘break’ America?

It’s still crucial, depending on what kind of artist you want to be. If you want to be a global superstar, it is essential. Success in America pretty much equals worldwide recognition. Saying that, look at someone like Tinie Tempah. He’s not that well known outside of the UK, but he’s still a platinum-selling artist and can still fill a stadium over here. And then you have people like Lorde, who had a massive viral hit this year. Someone played it on the radio in New Zealand; one of the guys who run Spotify put it on his playlist, and from there it went everywhere.

What up and coming acts have you been listening to right now?

Raf Riley and Etta Bond, obviously! Other than them, London Grammar. Kwabs is someone to watch, and I really like Sohn.

What can we look forward to next from Milmark music?

There’s definitely more to come from Labrinth, and we’ve got a new producer named Chris Loco. Etta’s album is being worked on right now and Raf Riley will be bringing out something too.

What does it mean to you to have a place like this to work from?

The Chocolate Factory literally turned my life around. Before I came here, I was working on my own, at the end of a block of 4 or 5 studios behind a petrol station. It was isolated, and the business rates were crushing. Basically, I was surviving, producing music for TV. Then, I started teaching with Collage Arts, which is how I met Lab, and met other producers in the building. I’m really not exaggerating when I say how important that was, and how important it is to have a place like this to give people that essential leg up.Honestly, I could have moved over to some bougie studio in West London, but I don’t want that. I like staying here because I want the Chocolate Factory to do well, and I like bringing superstars like Usher down for lunch in the restaurant.

Why do you think that might be? Or why do you think it might not have been before?

I think the US market has gotten bored of the over produced sound of a lot of Hip Hop and RnB. Over here, you get bedroom producers who are doing it all for themselves and making innovations. The American way is more go with what works, which does produce world beating records, but I think we have more concentrated creativity. Basically, they have the head, we have the heart. We’re the best on the planet for creating new sounds. There are so many genres that have started in the UK and been game changers, Jungle, Trip Hop, Grime, the list goes on, and we’re innovating all the time.

You’ve personally worked in a lot of different genres, which do you think has the most impact and staying power?

Definitely House music. House has so many different elements, Funky, Deep, Hard, and it can sit on anything.

Collage Arts | Chocolate Factory Artists | Issue 2 | The Quarter |

RAF RILEY

15

JAZZ AT KARAMEL

In keeping with Collage Arts’ long standing

tradition of bringing top quality entertainment to the borough, there’s a brand new event set to join the already brimming roster for 2014.

Fresh from world famous London venues The Vortex and Ronnie Scott’s, Jazz at Karamel will be hosting the hottest talents from all ends of the Jazz spectrum. Kicking off with the raucous and formidable Pigfoot on January 29th there’s a truly delectable menu of treats on offer throughout the year. There’s something scheduled for every jazz fan’s tastes, from the airy piano and alto sax compositions of Allison Neale and Kate Williams, to the fiery tenor of up-and-coming saxophonist Vasilis Xenopoulos and his band. Presided over

by Stu Butterfield, a mainstay of the scene who’s been drumming for four decades, Jazz at Karamel is set to be a great addition to the Karamel

calendar. Add to that the unbeatably low entry price of no pounds, and we’re on to a sure-fire winner.

With Stu at the helm, we’re guaranteed to have the best and brightest in store, with a list of acclaim between them longer than this article, from as diverse and respected sources as The Times newspaper and the late, great Humph himself. It’s a mixed bag of delights on offer, promising updates of timeless classics and brand new compositions, old players and newbies, sharing the spotlight and the stage. So if Brubeck’s your bag and Hines is your hobby, in 2014 Karamel is the place to be.

Jazz at Karamel kicks off with Pigfoot on January 29th. Doors at 7:30, advanced booking highly recommended. For more info please visit www.karamelrestaurant.com.

FILM AT KARAMEL In late November 2013, Haringey’s disparate and independent film clubs got together for the first Haringey Film Group Festival, convening across the borough to screen a variety of filmic treats. Dubbed ‘Visions of Home’, a number of groups took part, each lending their own perspective and specialty to the mix. With contemporary Indian cinema from Wood Green’s Asian Centre, to rarelyseen gems from the likes of Haringey Independent Cinema, it was a party pack of pleasure and a roaring success all round. Collage Arts decided to join in the fun too, commencing the festival with a screening of Leo Carax’s powerful, provocative masterpiece ‘Les Amants du Pont Neuf’, introduced by Oscar nominated writer and director Yousaf Ali Khan. It was fantastic to see Karamel lit up by the screen flickering over a captivated audience, eager to take it in. So wonderful was it that we couldn’t help but turn it into a regular occurrence.

16

Film at Karamel is the newest addition to Collage Arts’ thrilling line-up of free events, taking in a range of classics both old and new from all corners of the globe, and governed only by one steadfast rule; No Hollywood Allowed! Already scheduled in are the inventive and visually stunning French treasure ‘Micmacs’, Almodovar’s seminal ‘Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown’, and haunting, tense Australian drama ‘Jindabyne’. ‘Les Amants…’ set the tone and theme for what’s to come, with each film in the programme further exploring the difficulties of male/female relationships, and of living in a society fraught with moral dilemma. Each has their own language, both spoken and visual, and uses it to tackle the subjects distinctly. Whether exposing the absurdity of the arms trade, the rage of infidelity, or the strain beneath the surface of a dispassionate marriage, Film at Karamel promises to enrapture audiences throughout the year with some truly substantial food for thought, and that’s just the start…

More information about Film at Karamel can be found at www.karamelrestaurant.com, and www.collage-arts.org.

Screenings: February 20, March 20, April 17 2014

| The Quarter | Issue 2 | Chocolate Factory Artists | Collage Arts

Apprenticeships Review: David Christie’s Knife and Gun Crime London

screens we so readily ignore. They are permanently etched experiences you can’t escape, demons you have to face head on. The pain of the subjects is essentially captured in a poetic, storytelling manner. These pieces show the faces and bodies behind these statistics; they are people, like us. The lighting however shows they have become hardened, iron and cold, as we neglect them.

The one visual art piece I question is the self portrait of David Christie himself; the same lighting and harsh blue upon his face, in-between these two victims. No knife mark, no gunshot wound. Does he really feel he had felt what they have endured? The lay out suggests that, even though physically he hasn’t faced the same adversities, he has mentally and emotionally been scarred. However the light in his eyes represent hope for the youth, as they connote optimism and a way out.

Black silhouettes upon a white background, a tally, a school kid, sportsman, hoodlum, young mother, a ‘regular’ person, just like me or you; five dead. An unassuming piece of modern art that questions our morality. This exhibition represents all of us and our obligation to help deter the youth from carrying weapons, as these people are all our children. As I stare at the black space of white on the right side, it acts as a metaphor for what everyone is thinking, a question mark - who next?

This is David Christie’s first exhibition, an eye opening and inspiring look into the mind of a new visual artist, fighting to be noticed.

Anam Rahman

David Christie remembers the hardships of just getting through life growing up. He was raised in an area where, behind the shopping mall and the everyday people getting on with their lives, blood and negligence lies. With numbers constantly coming in on knife and gun crime within London, he questions whether we are being desensitised by statistics. Do we care enough? This is David Christie’s query as he brings the cold, harsh, and alarming truths to light, through his graphic ideals.

Upon walking into this brave and bold perspective at Open Studios 2013, I found myself stumbling unintentionally across the first piece, even before I had entered the main room. This piece caught my eyes – well, dead between my eyes. As the hallway light beckoned below, the metallic silver object was pointed right at me; a gun. Luckily, this was just David Christie’s work of art, cleverly sitting on a plinth for passers-by to stumble across and very hard to ignore. “Wrong place, wrong time” That’s how I felt as, relating to a victim, imagining them shaking as the barrel of the gun tempts fate, their life flickering, as it is suddenly not in their control.

I begin to notice the other viewers drawn into a world they hadn’t been able to access before, as their eyes lay still looking at Victims 1 and 2. With the marked truth staring you directly in the face, it’s impossible to turn away, unlike the television Collage Arts | Chocolate Factory Artists | Issue 2 | The Quarter |

Moving Foward Leaving school can be quite a daunting experience.

The pressure applied to the vast majority of 16 year olds to continue within academic education is beyond measurable, with only the two main options of work and sixth form being offered.

Attending sixth form was a great intellectually stimulating experience for me, however, when the higher education workshops began, I found that I was not the only young person who was unsure of which path to take. Not only did I feel obligated to apply to University, but, choosing the one course, which will potentially shape my career, left me feeling the anxiety of it all. During this time, my best friend began a Creative and Digital Media course at Collage Arts and told me that she had been working, learning, and earning at the same time. My parents detested the thought of me leaving education and feared I wouldn’t return, despite this, I made a well thought out and firm decision to take a gap year as an apprentice at Collage Arts. My main reason for making this decision was very simple; academic and practical work are two very different fields. In the real world, my career would entail a mixture of the two; however, without really experiencing it, it appeared to be a bigger risk to waste three years, or more importantly £27,000.

I gained skills from Collage Arts that have contributed majorly into making me the strong, self-motivated and independent woman I am today. I was able to manage and work alongside talented film makers, photographers, graphic designers and producers in such an inspirational environment. Moreover, I was given the opportunity to work with different employers, from Factory 21, situated in The Chocolate Factory, to Mulab which required me to work in Italy for three weeks; an experience I am extremely proud of. I also began running my own events company with two of my colleagues, Evelyn and Tania.

Now, 6 months later, we are still running MXXV; a modern experience for events and multi-media. The three of us, who were in very similar situations when we began, all successfully applied to University.

Sadly, I am no longer an apprentice at Collage Arts; however, was offered an amazing opportunity to continue as a part-time employee, assisting with marketing and events. Evelyn has even landed her self the role of designing the Quarter! I am also a student at The University of East London studying BA Events Management with Advertising, and have more experience and knowledge than the majority of my peers. The experience and knowledge I have attained from the apprenticeship has enabled me to excel in productivity and confidence as an undergraduate student.

Most importantly, Collage Arts has enabled me to gain entrepreneurial knowledge and a self-governing mind-set that I previously lacked. Apprenticeships are an extremely positive option that I believe every young person should be exposed to.

Reem Ghirmay

17

Booster Cushion

Perseverance “Many Indian music collaboration projects in the past have looked towards bridging cultural gaps while not focusing on development within the genre. We are looking at specific Indian classical elements to see how we can create new material”. - Jonathan Mayer ‘Perseverance’, a new work composed by The Jonathan Mayer Ensemble was commissioned as part of the zerOclassikal Project with Collage Arts over a series of month long workshops collaborating with diverse musicians such as Mitel Purohit, Steve Tromans and Andrew Bratt.

‘Perseverance’ explores the vulnerability of hope –in a world embroiled in harsh severity, where beautifying is its only hope to survive it. Jonathan Mayer picks this important theme as way of claiming south Asian classical music is very much a contemporary musical genre which can be used to create new material about important issues and subjects. “Music should allow you think about the world around you, not just sound pretty.”

Jonathan hopes the work pioneers progression within Indian Classical Music and more musicians step forward to explore expression through this music genre with its rich tradition and heritage.

‘Perseverance’ will be at Karamel on April 9 2014, www.zeroclassikal.co.uk.

Alan in Wonderland and the 3 Goats Plus…

This show is a mixture of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and a generous helping of ‘The 3 Billy Goats Gruff’. We follow Alan (Alice’s brother) as he goes into the story to rescue his sister who has got stuck at a Tea Party. Alice has eaten so much that she has grown into a troll and is eating everything. The only way to help Alice is to get the goats to save her.

This comical performance shows the fun to be had from playing with traditional tales and joining them together. The audience will eagerly want to help and get involved by miming teacups, teapots and even one becoming a Troll (belly provided).

April 26 2014

Hansel, Gretal and You….Who?

Image Source: Courtesy zer0classikal

Hansel and Gretal are oven gloves and go on a journey around the world to find food. They become fit trying out all the sports that the woodland animals teach them. But they give into the Candy House and are trapped by the Ginger Witch.

Can the Ginger Bread Man save them?

This is a fast funny show with lots of opportunities to help. The audience carry out a relay race, learn how to say ‘hello’ in other languages, discover a map of the world and mime some of the sports that were featured in the London Olympics in 2012.

The animals are bags that are worn by the children and the Witch, Hansel and Gretal are oven gloves. The trainer in charge is the Ginger Bread Man, also an oven glove, for safety reasons.

There is lots of participation, more than other Booster shows, and a big book shaped as a box that turns into a colourful cottage kitchen with a selection of wipe boards to write on.

January 18 2014

18

| The Quarter | Issue 2 | Chocolate Factory Artists | Collage Arts

Exhibitions Yana Stajno Working from the Chocolate Factory since 2010, Yana Stajno is an artist with many strings to her bow. Originally a student of English and Drama, Stajno has written a number of plays and short stories, including ‘A Flash in the Park’ with renowned illustrator Oscar Zarate, which appeared in the 2012 graphic story collection ‘It’s Dark in London’. Not one to be content with just one art form, she has also exhibited her expressionist paintings and sketches all over Britain, and occasionally takes some time out to further her studies in drawing. In addition, she’s also an acupuncturist and practitioner of Chinese medicine, with a novel on the way!

On display in Karamel during February and March will be a number of recent works, many of which are brand new for 2014 and have never been shown elsewhere. Utilising a mix of pastels, charcoal, watercolours, oils, and acrylics, Yana Stajno portrays narratives that are, in her own words, “strange funny, and seductive, yet provoke disquiet”. This perfectly describes a collection of work that can either be resplendent or monochrome, but always have a sense of underlying urgency in their visceral, abstract strokes. www.yana-art.com Exhibition opens February 3 2014.

Delfin Ortiz Djian International artist and designer Delfin Ortiz Djian is a newcomer to the Chocolate Factory, but no stranger to exhibiting in the UK. As part of Kinetica Museum, Djian’s been involved in some of the most enthralling and dynamic exhibitions of multi-disciplinary art in the country, taking in sculptors and performers of all talents.

For his first ever solo show, Karamel will be hosting a selection of Djian’s creations, ranging from multimedia installation to vivid painted glass sculptures, and geometric prints. Influenced by minimal and kinetic art, the pieces on show focus on space, light, and repetition, playing with the viewer’s perception of motion and physical space. He uses a range of techniques to great effect, drawing from design and architectural practices to craft impermanent structures that captivate the audience, using moving lights and reflection to bring them to a place that is both beautiful, and disorientating. www.delfinortiz.com Exhibition opens April 7 2014.

Collage Arts | Chocolate Factory Artists | Issue 2 | The Quarter |

19