ARTISTS TALKING

# 29 [8 May 2008]

PRIMARY PUPILS ENTER THE ART WORLD

Nottingham-based installation artist Chris Lewis-Jones feels that he has struck artistic gold working with 52 Year 2 pupils at Forest Park Primary School in Cobridge. Using contemporary art to enhance learning across the curriculum has been ‘outstandingly successful’ – so much so that examples of the children’s work are to be exhibited at Airspace Gallery, in Broad Street (Stoke on Trent) in May. Chris, who has worked and exhibited across the UK and beyond explained:

‘This is without doubt one of the most enjoyable commissions I’ve undertaken. As their work shows, the children at Forest Park have been creatively incandescent!’

The project has been funded by Creative Partnerships. Creative Agent Wayne Thexton said: 

‘Working with Chris has presented teachers and pupils with many new ideas. Their responses have been fantastic. Pupils aged 6 and 7 have been using the kinds of professional artistic language that many adults would struggle to keep up with. This speaks highly of what is possible with the right kind of challenge’.

David Bethell, founder member of AirSpace Gallery added, ‘It has been really great to bring these kids into the gallery, their work highlights and develops the outreach aspect to our venue’. Forest Park’s Deputy Head Pat Macbeth added, ‘Working with Chris has brought a whole new dimension to the children’s experience and perception of art and artists. The children have found this project to be inspirational in terms of both language and art.’

The exhibition, ‘A Series of Unlikely Urban Texts’, previews on May 8^th (7:00-8:30pm) and runs from May 9^th-13^th.

for further information contact

Chris Lewis-Jones/ Oldknows Studio Group

# 28 [8 May 2008]

With a bombardment of art exhibitions, public art interventions and music and video events across the city Axis and AirSpace have given Stoke on Trent a glimpse of how fun and inspiring art in the city can be.

Matt Robinson’t ‘Ultra Seimans’ may upon first sight appear to be a random collage of landscapes, limbs and religious icons, and upon reflection it is just that. A representation of a city where green land blends with cityscape, different cultures and people meet and mix: dance and rock music exist side by side as well as the old and new. Stoke on Trent is just this kind of city and it should be recognised and celebrated that we can all exist alongside each other; a growing city that looks forward to the future.

Alongside these snippets of the future we are offered a glance at the past, with Liz Wroe and Stuart Porter’s ‘Super Tramps1975-1986.’ A jacket is hung up and put to rest. We are further distanced from the memory by only being shown a photograph, as if this is a recollection of a story rather that an event. The jacket image is repeated on fly posters hidden within the shops in Hanley, taking the artwork out of the gallery. People can be seen to be excitedly pointing out gig tickets to bands they have heard of, others choose to peel the posters, either a protest or an attempt to gain a souvenir, and then there are those that simply walk by, not having noticed the work at all.

There are other works hidden in the city; postcards that highlight the importance of everyday scenes and wrapped lamp posts that rekindle an appreciation for the practical aspects of city life. Rebecca Huxley encourages us to look high with her bright and bold geometric images scattered over windows in the city.

After dark David Bethell and Andrew Branscombe brought Infinities to life with ‘Tetris’; a bold projection commenting on the reconstruction of the city around them.

And Manchester based Spearfish, gave the city a demonstration in Graffiti art, I like to think as an invitation for Stoke based Graffiti artists to show them how it’s done.

The visual arts programme for the Axis Festival runs further with AirVideo at the Victoria Hall, Hanley.

Another retail venue was overtaken by creativity when Dazed hosted a day of live music and performance art. While visitors to Fat Cats were treated to live music and video art.

The magnitude of this event is impossible to reduce to one review, but that these events are taking place in Stoke on Trent gives you a sense that the city is really growing. Art is becoming part of people’s lives here and we hope that this can continue and grow.

# 27 [14 April 2008]

AirSpace and the Axis Festival: 

This Year the AirSpace Team will be blessing you with eight exciting events from the 18^th of April to the 4^th May.  This includes some Stoke on Trent’s most exciting venues that have been flying the flag for both the city and their own genres, the Axis Festival are pleased to be working in partnership with the Sugarmill, Victoria Hall, Dazed and  Fat Cats, AirSpace are also using unconventional spaces to showcase Contemporary Art and Music such as Infinities and various locations within the City Centre.  AirSpace will also be hosting an exhibition and window display that will showcase some of new and freshest artists working on a national level.

The Launch for the visual arts event will be on the 18^th April at 7pm at AirSpace Gallery. With the exhibition There and Then the exhibition looks at artwork that examines nostalgia of music and festivals, the memory of life and light and the how these can be brought into the future. The exhibition also questions how the future visions can affect our memory or show how important our memories our. The exhibition features, automatic robots by Alex Pearl, futuristic vision our Matthew Hahn and Matthew Robinson and artefacts of the past by Liz Wroe and Stuart Porter and the light and time of David Knowles.  Is there an overload of information to the contrast of simply imagery. The gallery is open Tuesday – Saturday 11am – 5pm.

Check out the axis festival website for details of more events

www.axisfestival.co.uk

# 26 [8 April 2008]

AirSpace have started workshops! 

We have now completed two workshop sessions:

A Series of Unlikely Events:

with Creative Partnerships at Grove Junior School, Northwood, Stoke on Trent.

We had a great time teaching year 5 at Grove junior school about animations. They learnt about flick books, animation techniques and we held an awards ceremony at the end with presentation of photographs to the school.

RT8 Arts and Consultation:

At Kings Hall, Stoke.

Along similar lines we gave young people a chance to try out their plasticene model making techniques and shoot an animation.

The RT8 animation is available to see online check out www.airspacegallery.org and follow the ‘services’ link.

The Grove Junior School workshop was covered by The Sentinel, the local newspaper and hopefully the animation will be available on their website for viewing.

# 25 [4 March 2008]

Play: 7^th March - 15^th April 

The exhibition will run between the 7^th March and 15^th of April, it will also break with the usual format of exhibitions with the show and the works in it being split into three smaller exhibitions, making for a vibrant and changing environment for the viewer.

 Play: scene 1 Friday 7^th March

Play: scene 2  Friday 21^st March

Play: scene 3  Friday 4^th April

 Artists Include: David Bethell, Karen Boulton, Andrew Branscombe, Bernard Charnley, Anna Francis, Brain Holdcroft, Samantha Knight,Chris Parks, Katie Shipley. 

 This exhibition brings together artists who have become associated with the AirSpace gallery. It includes work from studio artists and other artist who have been involved with the project since it’s inception.The works included in the show come from a diverse range of artists practices, and is the second members show, following on from the success of 2007s ‘Shortcuts’  exhibition.The show itself has been curated by the gallery and Sam Knight, an exhibiting artist who is currently in the final year of her degree at Staffordshire University. Sam has been working on the ‘Play’ exhibition with AirSpace for a chance to experience working in a gallery environment and in the role of a curator.The ideas behind the theme of the exhibition have allowed for the artists to take, what otherwise be a common place word and activity, and put their own unique slant on the subject. ‘Play’ today is such a commonplace activity, when thinking of the amount of leisure pursuits that take place, that it has in many ways lost the magic that it might once have held, especially as a child. Chris Parks’ work looks at a more adult and sexual idea of the word play, choosing to use sex toys as an element of the work. Brian Holdcroft takes an approach of playing with the medium he is using. The work makes use of Super8 film and through playing with the pace of the film creates a disorientating environment for the viewer. David Bethell takes a whimsical look at the idea of childhood play activities through animation and a childlike ‘Den’ Installation. Katie Shipley has looked at another aspect of theme, choosing to create an interactive piece in the form of a giant Newton’s Cradle, the ubiquitous executive desk accessory reproduced on a massive scale.  

# 24 [11 February 2008]

AirSpace are looking for artist to submit works of all formats for this years Axis Festival.

Following the success of last year's festival, the Axis team are looking to widen its programme of events by including a range of Contemporary Art displays within the City. It is offering artists a chance to exhibit during the festival throughout a variety of venues from 18^th April - 4^th May.  We are requesting artists to produce works of art that are focused around the broad theme of place, movement and sound.

To find out more information please see the  Artists Brief  and an application form attached with this email.

ALL PROPOSALS SHOULD INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

1.    A statement about the work and how it investigates the theme. (max. 500 Words)

2.    Two images of the work - or mock-up images of the proposed work. (JPEGs)

3.    Detailed costing for the production of the work.

4.    Two examples of previous work that best suits your practice (JPEGs)

5.    Application form

6.    Description of your work for press releases and PR material (max 60 words).

Please send proposal to the AirSpace Gallery either by post or email, the address at the bottom of the page or our email is airspaceinfo@btinternet.com. Please state in the subject box 'Axis Proposal'. Images can be sent by email (each image no bigger than 1 mb) or on a clearly labelled CD, with artists name and list of works.

Although artists are not expected to visit the site but it is advised that they do so.

Proposals to be submitted by Friday the 22^nd of February.

Successful applicants will be notified within 2 weeks of the submission deadline.

Budgets are limited, but they are available to help with cost of proposals.

www.axisfestival.co.uk

# 23 [21 January 2008]

Phil Rawle

Graphic Designer

'Proposal for an empty window' was my response to being asked to produce some work to go in the AirSpace window between exhibitions in October 2007. The initial concept was to install a tree to fill the window and challenge passers by with its presence. Issues around timescale and physical installation modified the concept to be come a log. This naturally split into 2 phases, firstly the 'proposal' which was a drawing of the inside of the window and proposed log in blue masking tape applied to the inside of the glass. The inside of the window married up with the drawing from one specific viewpoint. Moving past the window created a series of changing perspective relationships between the drawing and the interior. The second phase was the 'installation' on 18th December 2007. Again a drawing of the interior of the window space was drawn, this time in black but on the actual elements being drawn. A drawing of itself. The log was then installed in situ. Due to limited access into the window space and the size of the log, the log had to be placed from top left to bottom right rather than as it had been originally proposed. The piece will be dismantled at the end of January 2008.'
Phil Rawle

# 22 [8 January 2008]

AirTrade

With more than 70 great pieces of art work, lots of preparation and one night of fun: the AirSpace auction was a success. The auction raising over £5000! 25% of which will go to the artists that donated their work. The money raised will go towards running the gallery for the following months, allowing us to hold further exhibitions and keep the AirSpace name alive in Stoke on Trent.

Mike Wolfe delivered a great performance as auctioneer, persuading most of the audience to trade generous amounts of cash for original artworks. AirSpace’s first contemporary auction allowed local art collectors to get there hands on great artwork at a price they could afford. The Pavillion at Staffordshire University was full of people eager to take advantage of the opportunity.

Most of the artwork at the auction sold; local artist Rachel Grant raised a brilliant sum of money for the gallery, her artwork ‘untitled’ sold for £270. Adam James a past exhibitor at the gallery sold three pieces ’70 Famous Psychiatrists’ ‘Entrance’ and ‘Earthbound’ totalling £445. Other works, such as Martina Mullany and Common Culture were snapped up at the end, having not reached their reserve prices during the auction. There are still some artworks for sale on the AirSpace website www.airspacegallery.org.

Thank you to everyone involved!

The support of the artists, the organisers and the buyers has helped to keep AirSpace running, it is great to know that the passion to keep AirSpace here is still strong and we endeavour to return the favour by continuing to provide Stoke on Trent with exciting and new exhibitions.

# 21 [28 November 2007]

AirSpace with Urban Vision Art and Architect Club

27th November 2007 at Burslem School of Art

Dave and Andy were invited to give a presentation as part of the Art and Architecture Club talks, hosted by Urban Vision.

Wanting to steer away from the usual power point presentation they delivered a presentation with a difference; involving scripts, props, guest speakers and aptly timed photographs. Alongside the presentation two artists were given the task of producing a piece of artwork and on another screen was a live projection of the work being created. The artists were Rob Pointon, a local artist currently exhibiting at the Burslem School of Art and Brian Holdcroft and AirSpace Studio artist, whose work will remain in the School of Art for a further two weeks.

The presentation went well and a successful question time followed. Networking events like this are really important to spread the word about the Gallery and it is really important to us to be able to give AirSpace Studio artists opportunities to show their work.

http://www.schoolofart.co.uk/

http://www.uvns.org/

# 20 [28 November 2007]

Keeping Up Appearences 

The window project at 4, Broad Street continues to give Stoke on Trent a glimpse into what is happening within the gallery walls. Phil Rawle, AirSpace's Graphic Designer installed a proposal for his window piece for a few days before the Parallax View; a line drawing with blue tape showing how the work will look upon realisation, the first of a two part piece. An intriguing cross of white tape on the pavement outside the gallery marked the optimum position for viewing the work, although you were required to be a little taller than 5'4" to appreciate it fully.

For the Parallax View passers by were confronted with a more minimal window piece, a white weather balloon pressed between the windows and the beginning of a line of umbrellas that encouraged you to enter the show, where the line of umbrellas continued into an installation by Mozal and Joaquim.

The latest and current piece is the work of AirSpace studio artist Brian Holdcroft, a small series of clay and straw blocks linked with a line of bright blue ribbon. The eye catching colour and striking work will hopefully continue to generate interest in the gallery.