black don’t crack

Yes we all know that the Coalition are terrible bastards who are going to butt-rape the the innocent little public art sector. But when we read nonsense like this asking us to share our thoughts on intercultural dialogue “with funding from the Cultural Leadership Sector Networks Programme of Arts Council England” you wonder if our friend Jezza Hunt is actually onto something.

We invite you all out there to share your thoughts on intercultural dialogue with Visiting Arts who are now holed up in the back offices of the ICA in some sort of coalition of the losers. Send your thoughts to int.art@btinternet.com

Direct Action Painting

Naughty students (or maybe Wombles?) have taken footage of windows being smashed at Millbank Tower, looped it and presented it on a monitor in the foyer at Wimbledon College of Art. The footage sees a painting by their Dean, George Blacklock, taken from the walls of the reception, and being used to remove a large shattered panel of laminate glass. Around 0:43 here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGr-dV4Mlac&feature=related

music-based art duo…

Time for a bit of light relief (no, not that kind) from across the pond. Whilst we are sitting in and marching and being kettled and doing other such worthy things in the bitter British cold, in the NY there is a stir about news of James Franco’s next project. Now, whilst we admired his turn in Milk, we just aren’t sure about his cosying up with Uncle Jeffrey. Or is it the other way around?

Anyway – no doubt this will be hilarious/tedious:

From Kalup Linzy:
“James Franco and I have decided to form a music based performance art duo under the name Kalup and Franco. In 2011, we will release an album, produce some videos and live performances, more TV, and work on my feature film debut! Your support is always appreciated!!! If you are on Facebook, Like and Join us. We will use many media platforms to keep you informed, but it would be great to see you on Facebook!!!! Check out pics from our performance on Wednesday Night!!!!!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kalup-and-Franco/149585801756361

All the best,
Kalup (Kalup & Franco)”

GOOD LUCK…

…TO EVERYONE MARCHING TODAY FROM THE SLADE TO TRAFALGAR SQUARE…
If you are close by you can join them. Starting at Malet street at noon and walking to Parliament.

Oopsy.

“Education is a privilege, not a right.” Sure about that Susan?

Funny how a bunch of students and their tutors managed to easily get on TV from inside the Tate whilst the Stuckists were stuck outside… in their usual spot.

and more…

At the start of the twentieth century Canon Barnett and his wife Henrietta came up with the then-brilliant idea of the Whitechapel Gallery. Designed by Charles Harrison Townsend and built in 1901, Barnett’s brainchild was founded on the idea that exposure to fine art would help eradicate the widespread local poverty and ignorance. Just over a hundred years later imagine just how delighted he would be to discover the gallery’s latest wheeze is to invite Coalition lapdog and useful idiot Nick Clegg (pithily profiled by Andrew Rawnsley in today’s Observer as the nation’s “hate figure”); Ed Vaizey, Culture Minister overseeing the dismantling of arts through the regions, and our PM’s own gorgeous wife, Sam Cam, to curate hangs of the Government Art Collection. It is all wonderfully ironic – as of course the Collection is tax-payer funded and so is exactly the type of public spending on art that the Coalition is so hell-bent on stopping – unless of course one gets to ‘curate’ a show of the taxpayer-funded stuff that is and attend a lovely opening party in the boho East End. As for the Whitechapel, the exhibition follows on from their showcasing of the private collection of Dimitris Daskalopoulis, the Greek collector who sold his family stake in the company Vivarta in 2007 at around the time the company was facing allegations of anti-competitive practices. Canon Barnett would be very, very proud.

Iwona! Won’t you stop the madness?!

You can cut our money, but you’ll never take our dignity! Oh wait, okay you can have that too.

………………..

Public, political and diplomatic figures select works from the Government
Art Collection for Whitechapel Gallery exhibition

The Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, Prime Minister’s wife Samantha
Cameron, Lord Mandelson and the British Ambassador to Moscow are among the
high profile figures to select work for the first ever public exhibition
of the Government Art Collection, opening at the Whitechapel Gallery on
3rd June 2011.

Highlights from the Collection will be shown in a series of five
successive displays, marking the first time the collection has been shown
in a public gallery in its 113 year history. It is part of the Whitechapel
Gallery’s ongoing programme of opening up collections that are rarely seen
by the public in the UK and will be free to attend.

The diverse nature of the Collection and its role promoting British
culture on the world stage is the subject of a total of five displays at
the Whitechapel Gallery.

The first display from 3 June – 4 September 2011 is chosen by high profile
political figures that have a close connection with the works.

The seven selectors are:  Lord Boateng, former Government Minister and
British High Commissioner to South Africa; the Prime Minister’s wife
Samantha Cameron; Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg; Lord Mandelson, former
Business Secretary; Dame Anne Pringle, British Ambassador to Moscow; Sir
John Sawers, Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service; and Culture
Minister Ed Vaizey.

Key works include Lancashire Fair: Good Friday, Daisy Nook, a masterpiece
by the famous Northern English artist L.S. Lowry, selected by Samantha
Cameron;  Peas are the New Beans by Bob and Roberta Smith, a humorous
comment on accountancy selected by Lord Boateng; and Queen Elizabeth I, an
enticing historical portrait by an unknown artist, selected by Lord
Mandelson.

Staff who carry out a wide range of roles at Downing Street will be
involved in the selection of works for a further display. Their close
proximity to the art on show at the heart of Government will provide a
unique perspective.

The Collection has more than 13,500 works dating from the 16th century to
the present day, shown in over 400 embassies and government buildings
worldwide.

Culture Minister Ed Vaizey said

“The Government Art Collection is a unique cultural resource that has, on
a relatively modest budget, built up a collection that holds its own on
the world art stage.

“Thousands of works are already on display around the world and are
regularly seen by the numerous visitors to Government buildings, but this
is the first time that some of the many highlights have been brought
together in one place for the benefit of the wider public.

“I have no doubt that this will be a must-see exhibition, and the
carefully choreographed series of displays at the Whitechapel Gallery is
sure to draw art lovers from around the world.”

The Government Art Collection and the Whitechapel Gallery will present
four further displays on the following themes:

·         A leading contemporary artist presents their personal take on
the Collection. 16 September – 4 December 2011.

·         A cultural and political commentator makes a selection
highlighting the role of the Collection in cultural diplomacy. 16 December
2011 – 26 February 2012

·         Staff from10 Downing Street choose their favourite works. 9
March – 5 June 2012

·         The Government Art Collection commissions a new work of art for
the Whitechapel Gallery exhibition to be displayed alongside previous
commissions during the Cultural Olympiad. 21 June – 2 September 2012.

High profile selectors for each of these displays will be announced in the
coming months.

The displays will be shown in the dedicated Collections Gallery.

Notes to editors

   * The Government Art Collection showcases British art in Government
buildings including Downing Street, the Home Office and British
Embassies and Residences in nearly every capital city across the
world.  The Collection promotes British art and culture to the world
and facilitates diplomatic and cultural links by selecting works of
art with connections between the host country and the UK.

   * The Government Art Collection exhibition is a collaboration between
the Government Art Collection and the Whitechapel Gallery. The
presentation of the Government Art Collection is part of the
Whitechapel Gallery’s ongoing programme of opening up collections that
are rarely seen by the public in the UK.   It follows the presentation
of five displays from the British Council Collection from April 2009 –
May 2010, and four displays from The D. Daskalopoulos Collection,
Greece, from June 2010 – May 2011.
   * Following the end of its run at the Whitechapel Gallery the
exhibition will tour Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery and Ulster
Museum in late 2012 and 2013.
   * The Whitechapel Gallery’s programme of collection displays is
supported by specialist insurer Hiscox.

Visitor Information

The Government Art Collection

3 June 2011 – 2 September 2012. Admission free. Opening times: Tuesday –
Sunday, 11am – 6pm, Thursdays, 11am – 9pm. Whitechapel Gallery, 77 – 82
Whitechapel High Street, London E1 7QX. Nearest London Underground
Station: Aldgate East, Liverpool Street, Tower Gateway DLR. T + 44 (0) 20
7522 7888 info@whitechapelgallery.org whitechapelgallery.org

Press Information

For further press information regarding the exhibitions please contact the
Whitechapel Gallery press office:

Rachel Mapplebeck on 020 7522 7880, 07811 456 806 or email

RachelMapplebeck@whitechapelgallery.org

Elizabeth Flanagan on 020 7522 7871 or email
ElizabethFlanagan@whitechapelgallery.org

For press enquiries about the Collection please contact the DCMS press
office:

Simon Oliver on 020 7211 6269 or email simon.oliver@culture.gsi.gov.uk

Sandra McKay on 020 7211 6267 or email Sandra.mckay@culture.gsi.gov.uk

We Were NOT Imagining This

I feel we may have posted this before? It’s like someone turned up at a party, went straight to the uncomfortable blokes in the kitchen, stopped their conversation about real ale, and asked them to make a music video.Hmmm.

Not me, guv.

I imagine that you may be tired of hearing about Ekow Eshun’s adventures at the ICA, but stay with us a moment…
Here’s an extraordinary piece of attempted sympathy-gathering.

It contains a rather unbelievable paragraph:

“…He became executive director in November 2009, but the ‘perfect storm’ blew up well before then. ‘Did you have financial responsibility for the ICA when everything went wrong, from October 2008 to October 2009?’ … Eventually he says, ‘No.’ Was it you who hired 110 people to work for the ICA? ‘No.’ Well, I ask, why are you getting the blame?…”

It is basically saying that while he was co-directing the ICA with the Managing Director (Guy Perricone, who left in October 2009) he had no responsibility for the budgets or hiring at the organisation. This is an extraordinary claim, and simply not true.

Interestingly though, it seems that when Ekow gave this interview he broke the terms of his ‘negotiated exit’ agreement with the board, which included a clause about consulting with them about statements to the press. So he has now been given his marching orders by the new chair, and it sounds like he will now be leaving much earlier than the March date that had been agreed as part of the golden handshake.

Bye Ekow! Thanks for the memories!

It’s Chriiiiiiistmas!

And what could be more festive that a student sit in?

We heartily support you, Slade Students.

Follow them here:

http://twitter.com/#!/SladeOccupation
Our Statement
THE OCCUPATION OF THE SLADE SCHOOL OF FINE ART

We believe that the current proposed cuts to university funding threaten the existence of arts and humanities education in England and Wales. It is for this reason that we have made the decision to occupy the Slade School of Art building. We demand that the government provide the same protection for arts and humanities in universities as is provided for the sciences. We vehemently oppose the transformation of the university system into market based model; education should be a public debate, not a private economy.
Therefore we the students of the Slade are offering a space for the assembly of all art colleges in England in order to organise non-violent direct action against what we view as an attack by the government on the arts. This is not a virtual exchange, this is a physical assembly. We are demonstrating the value of physical space for art education through the continuation of our day-to-day activity, as well as by inviting other colleges to participate in open events, lectures and workshops. Our occupation is not designed to be disruptive, nor will it engender any damage to the building. Rather, we want to highlight the value of intellectual and cultural exchange within art courses. This is not a boycott, it is an act of support.