T’NORTH.
There’s been a glut of articles about artists in the North thriving because of the recession of late.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2011/dec/30/northern-england-art-scene-thrives
Working out of Liverpool,it doesn’t feel as it things have changed too much. I realise Liverpool is at a strange point since the recent closure of A Foundation, CUC and departure of Ceri Hand. Sheffield is the place of choice, and this all sitting on the shoulders of Haroon Mirza (soon to be canonised or somesuch). I can’t help wondering how he feels being cited repeatedly in this way; as proof that the North can still produce good artists. Here’s the thing with Haroon– and I really like his work, for the record – he works out of Sheffield at S1 (still haven’t been to the new place – shame on me–looks gorgeous) but he is represented by Lisson, the daddy of London galleries and most recently showed at Camden, London and currently at Spike Island in Bristol. Artists may have space to develop and produce in the regional cities, but they don’t necessarily have support structures once they start really developing.
Cities like Sheffield and Liverpool have had empty properties and cheap rents since things really went wrong in the Thatcher years. That hasn’t changed has it? Maybe artists can be closer to the centre and are getting better at professionalising those spaces, being more visible etc, but it still feels like a slightly random time to start talking about it.
The other points in the Guardian article are largely about the provision of new galleries and the increase in traffic to these institutions. While this is great and I’m very happy to have such fantastic international art on the doorstep, It’s not the same as the local arts scene. Much of this work is imported and things like MIF (Machester International Festival) aren’t generally connected with artist-led spaces. I’m not saying they should be either; it just never seems to be clarified.
Simplifying things down to this level just doesn’t seem helpful to me. Why not highlight areas where change/ improvement is possible? I think the crux of my problem is the viewpoint that we should be trying to bring the North up to the same standard as London. I’d like to see an art scene in my city that creates its own terms; one that is not reliant on huge buildings or so much public funding and one that is adaptable and can reinvent itself as needed. Castlefield Gallery spending time creating a whole new approach to their programme strikes me as a more meaningful development than a multi million pound building for example.
In this article by Rob Allen
http://www.creativetimes.co.uk/articles/does-liverpool%E2%80%99s-art-scene-need-more-hands
Ceri Hand is cited: “Institutions in Glasgow, for example, buy and sell Scottish artists. In the North West there is a desire to support local artists, but they usually have to be internationally recognised before they are shown. I think there needs to be an adjustment in how people sail those big ships. There are some really good artists here and museums can’t afford to be buying these huge, international biennial stars anymore. They should be looking at local talent and buy more quickly. It’s about having curatorial collecting vision.”
Mark Doyle of the Contemporary Art Society says“Public institutions should be encouraged to look at emerging talent and want to acquire it for their collections…(If) They think that if it’s good enough for a public collection then it’s good enough for them and the ecology develops from there.”
The first purchase CAS made for their new Sculpture Fund in 2011 (to be shared by collections of various Northern institutions) was Haroon Mirza, A Sleek Dry Yell, 2008. A shame this particular purchase couldn’t have been made earlier, after his 2009 solo show at A Foundation perhaps, before he was fully ‘emerged’. But let’s see how it develops, they are a good bridge between artists and institutions, their Starting Point scheme looks promising for Leeds in 2012.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2011/dec/30/northern-england-art-scene-thrives
http://www.thedoublenegative.co.uk/2012/01/liverpool-reawakened/
