My Work at Motorcade/FlashParade

                 

Motorcade/FlashParade is an artist run space in Bedminster and I  have been volunteering there since January. I spent every Monday in the office there, working on the Marketing (sending press releases, social media, organising the website) and it is something that I really enjoy doing. There are only three of us who work there and we all do it voluntarily. Any money made in the gallery (such as from our national open) goes straight back into the gallery and, therefore, helps supports the artists who exhibited there. 

Obviously I get a lot out of being part of the team. Not only am I building useful skills that I wouldn't have gained otherwise, but I really feel like the space is a wonderful place for the artistic community in Bristol, and adds to the already vibrant artistic scene. One thing I sometimes find difficult as an artist is sometimes being told that 'London is the place to be'. I find this a little depressing, as I think that there is some really excellent art being shown outside of London in smaller cities and towns. I sometimes get the feeling that cities outside London which display art are viewed as provincial backwaters, when in fact there are some really exciting shows going on. Therefore, it excites me when I know that some of the shows put on at M/FP are of  high quality and are helping to build upon Bristols reputation as a place where innovative art is being produced and shown. 

The big thing which I am helping to work on at the moment is Motorcades National Open. The deadline is not until the 21st of October, but already a lot of work has gone into publicising it. Some (often large, established galleries) charge a lot of money for open competitions. The £15 charge (for up to three works and six images) will go straight back into the gallery space and not into some big void. As a gallery we also really want to build relationships who show are selected for the National Open. The 1st prize includes a solo show at the space (as well as £500). 

Review - Pull Everything Out, Corita Kent and Ciara Phillips

Pull Everything Out

Corita Kent and Ciara Phillips

Spike Island, Bristol

Corita Kent 'E eye love' , 1968

Pull Everything Out is an exhibition showing works by the late artist and educator Corita Kent, and Canadian born Ciara Phillips. Corita Kent (1918-1986) is best known for her screen prints from the 1960’s, taking images and text from popular culture. Ciara Philips is a contemporary artist, who like Kent uses print.

Walking into the main gallery space the viewers eyes are greeted with large day-glo prints embellished with slogans and images from magazines with an often political message. It was surprising for me to discover that Corita Kent spent much of her life as a nun. Alongside this work Ciara Phillips has created her own work in reaction to Kent’s, either in the form of prints or by painting directly onto the walls of the gallery. In this manner, therefore, Phillips has entered into a dialogue with the late artist. Phillips work accentuates the older artists work. Much of her work, such as the abstract marks made upon the walls are often visual quotations from the passages within Kent’s prints, and thus also display a connection to language. The main gallery space is joyous with its colour and excubarance. Despite the amount of work on display the space does not appear overcrowded; instead Kent’s work appears to lead, with Phillips dancing alongside, adding flourishes here and there.

For the first month of the exhibition Ciara Phillips has set up a working studio in the front gallery. However, although there was evidence of Phillips working in the space, it seemed almost staged when I visited. The space was too pristine to appear like a true working studio, and I suppose that it did not help that there were original copies of ‘The Bulletin’  placed under glass in the studio space, making the work shop space seem half like a museum. I think it will be interesting to visit the front gallery at the end of the month, to see more evidence of Phillips having worked in the space.

My favourite part of the exhibition was a film showing Corita Kent teaching her students. It was clear from watching the film what an inspirational teacher the nun was. Dressed in her full habit Kent instructed students on a collaborative project involving images and slogans and magazines which were then printed onto boxes with the boxes then placed upon each other. As I watched the film I wanted to take myself back forty five years and join the kohl rimmed, turtle necked students in their project. I wish there were more educators like Corita Kent in art schools today. 




The exhibition runs until the 26th August 

Bristol Arts Jobs and Opportunities

Last year I set up a page on Facebook where I post any arts jobs and opportunities in and around Bristol that I come across. It now has over 100 members. I try and post jobs on there several times a week which I think other people interested in 'the arts' might be interested. 


So, if you are anything like me, and desperately trying to find a job you can find a link to the page here