Just a heads up that the NuArt 2011 catalogue is ready to print and available online here. It gives a good run down of the artists invited the program of workshops taking place and the films and talks we have scheduled during the weeks of NuArt. We print 3000 and distribute the paper from the gallery for those of you than can’t make it to Stavanger download the link from above.
So, it’s that time of year again! I’m off for the 6th time to Nuart 2011, this year sees a great line up of friends old and NU. The location is the beer halls at Tou Scene. An old and favorite location in Stavanger. The show opens on the 1st of October, with a wild night of dubstep from Hyperdub in the machine room next door it promises to be an outstanding opening night party. Details of who’s playing at numusic.no
My show production starts from the 18th, although there has been folk who have been hard at it for a long time already! I will of course update here, my take on the proceedings.
This year we release a book Eloquent Vandals with the history of the festival in glorious print, put together by back bone of the festival Victoria & marte (sounds like a song by the fall). Anyhow it will be released at the launch party in the gallery on the last weekend of the show (end of October). Although i am not on the official line up i am sure there will be some Dotmasters stuff up on the streets of Stavanger this year.
Had a great weekend at Shambala festival last weekend. Shame about the weather but it didn’t stop us having a shit load of fun. Thanks to oli and liam and ali for the great production and help with it all. Met some great folk, Karen, Milo and the robots (you know who you were). More pictures at flickr or here at FB
So Debs & Strapper from Wrekon invited us down to Endorse It In Dorset to set up “Old Boney” the High striking test your strength machine. It’s probably its last outing for the year, with the winter providing the time to tweak improvements to its set up and signage. Endorse it was one of the nicest festivals we’ve been to this year, lovely site and a great misx of some of the friendliest people we’ve had swing our hammer. Thanks to all that had a go, we had 48 people win prizes and 37 very strong men ring the bell, with one girl Kattja so close to doing it as well. Sunday is ladies day at the festival where the lads dress as women and with a punk/rockabilly line up there were some stunning outfits as you can see above.
So the project i was working on in Bergen was postponed due to the sad imbecile who decided to try and go down in history through incredible acts of stupidity and cruelty in Oslo last week. I won’t dwell on it but the best thing we can do in reaction is to ignore the sad fuck and commiserate with those affected. Anyhow after a brief stop in Bergen i flew to Stavanger to paint the canvases bought during the Outside in show, luckily the postponement gave me extra time to furfil the mountains of orders placed at the gallery. Thanks Stavanger i feel really loved. Of course because i was stuck in the studio the sun decided to shine, why o why couldn’t done that for the last time when i was stuck up a cherry picker for 60 hours. Today it became too much and i had to get out on the street and put something up (as you can see above). The police even drove past, slowed down waved and continued on their way…you gotta love this town.
Banging them out in the Numusic office.
This week Stavanger was host to the tall ships race, the harbor was chock a block with boats of all shapes and sizes, with the largest tall ship in the world in attendance. Walking along the harbor side was like being transported back to the 1700’s a really cool festival.
Just updated the Unfairground website, with pics and new sections about the venues in the unfairground you can check it out here www.unfairground.org
So back in the land of the toilet, a land far far away from the long drop loo. Muddy dirty and tired with a million things to do before i fly to Norway friday.
Much rain made the going underfoot swampy during the build but thankfully the weather cleared and the sun baked the mud into 2 foot waves by the time the festival started. The unfairground is a late night spot with stuff happening in the field starting at midnight. the sideshows were rammed and Old Boney proved a great hit, if you excuse the pun.
We had over 700 customers test their strength, but to be fair its hard to give it your best shot, off your tits at 4am in the morning in a muddy field. We had about 50 really strong guys who managed against the odds to ring the bell each of them receiving a original and unique art work for their efforts.
As you can see there were plenty of girls who attempted to ring the bell, hats off to them, it was a long way up! Thanks to all those who had a go, and congratulations to those truly strong folk who rang the bell.
More prizes for Old Boney the unfairground striker. All individual, slightly smaller than A4, spray paint on aluminum sheet. There are approximately 80 of these going to Glastonbury festival as the Top prize for the test your strength machine Old Boney.
The best buy of the year for me (i know it’s sad but…) Large 1.1m 6KG rubber paving hammer for the Old Boney stricker for the unfairground at Glastonbury 2011 (shoe added for scale). If your there check it out, going to be dead silly, great fun, super prizes and only £1 a go. Roll up, Roll up. can’t wait to see a load of sad lost its trying to swing a bloody great mallet.
Carrie Reichardt sent me one of these beautiful tag angels in solid brass.