THE HARSH WINTER OF THE GLOBAL ECONOMY
I discovered several days ago, that unfortunately the British Antarctic Survey can no longer currently offer their residency program to writers and artists despite it’s importance.
The cause of course is government cut-backs and prioritisation of funding.
However I did manage to find two interesting sounding jobs at the Scott Polar Research Institute at the University of Cambridge.
Despite my probable under-qualification, I applied for both. Polar research fascinates me.
Anywhere in the world that alien to human existence has to provide an interesting context.
Check out Simon Faithfull and his work when resident at the British Antarctic Survey: http://www.simonfaithfull.org/p_frame.html
I don’t know what to paint/draw.
Need to live/read more.
Good time to get on with one of those commissions. They have pretty distinct briefs, specifications.
ON FILM
Who says art cinema has to be roll necks and Parisian cafés?
As cinema is of such inspirational importance to contemporary painters, one of the distinct perks of being un-engaged from dusk till dawn is the chance to cruise by the local picture house as and when the feeling grabs me.
Though mainstream cinema doesn’t always dish out original art works in the tens, this summer has seen two particular pictures worth noting.
The first was the highly anticipated Inception from Christopher Nolan who bought us he mind bending Memento. In this film, Leonardo DiCaprio plays a troubled protagonist who hides truly Wellian-inspired dystopian landscapes within his minds eye whilst the over all feature seems to be a far more successful and coherent love child of Nolan’s Batman Begins/Dark Knight and Scorseses’ Shutter Island.
Of slightly more surprising artistic merit was in fact Scott Pilgrim vs. The World in which comedic hero fights for girl in a series of completely surreal, death defying mortal battles. This might be a light hearted laugh with bizarre characters making witty quips, but the viewers are treated to an incredibly well directed, visually decadent display of retro-futuristic computer game play coupled with fight scenes that far surpass any graphic novel adaptation I’ve ever seen.
Perhaps I was just in a good mood, perhaps I just empathised with the geeky-loser protagonist…I felt inspired Perhaps it’s just a damn good film.
Visual Artist – soon to be employee of a service station/dairy. Interesting social experiments await.
Tomorrow is the opening of the l m n o p shop in Brighton; a new trendy outlet stocking all things hand made…(and my very own artist books)..*cough*. Check out their website at http://www.lmnopshop.com/
and examples of my books at
http://www.againstthelightning.com/
Today I have an appointment at one.
The last ‘appointment’ I attended was one at the job centre, where they quickly scanned the hand-written evidence of what I’d done that week to try and find a job.
Today’s appointment is at a recruitment centre where I’ll enthusiastically dicuss a late night cleaning job at a 24hr service station. After this I intend to get the bus to Cambridge, drink over-priced coffee and visit the one contemporary art gallery I am aware this county has.
Over and out Captain Fantastic.
