Dean Reddick - Urban Net B

Social Advent no.9 - at low tide

Closing in on double figures and we have another returning member of the Collect Connect team. Dean Reddick shares with us his part 2 of urban living with a poignant statement about society today.

Our investigations into finding interesting and relevant places to site our artists Social Advents became increasingly engaging. We also found that these explorations presented us with more and more diversity as our placements began to echo some of the underlying purposes for this project, which is to utilise the spaces around us, just as the dwellers of the original cardboard city had to.

Alban Low - taking a snapshot below
the OXO Gallery

Although Dean and I exhibited together in the first Fridge magnets show at Barnet College it wasn't until a very cold Fridge Magnet trip to Nottingham as part of the Lite Bite event in 2011: http://www.lightbite.blogspot.co.uk that we got to spend some quality time together. It was during this time that I learned more about Dean's considered approach to his art practice and how these qualities are so well applied to his work as a respected art therapist - cast your eyes back to Social Advent no.3 for more information about Deans experience in this field.

Dean Reddick - House Advent 2

The idea of this flat packed society creates a double edged paradox for me, leaving me thinking of a practical realism that we are living in a world of ever decreasing natural space, which leaves us looking more intensely at the more confined spaces in between. The flip side, excuse the pun, is that this could be viewed as a representation of our ability to think creatively when living within a utilitarian society. 

opening the doors on Advent no.9

We've already opened our doors to a great range of artworks already and the diversity with which each artist has interpreted the brief is really exciting. Not yet a third of the way through our releases so lots to look forward to in the Cardboard City stocking!

Back tomorrow with no.10 and artist Alban Low releasing!

SJS

Jill Smith - Together in Peace.

Door #8 on London's Soutbank

Taking the title of today's artwork as an inspiration I had a little lie-in, so sorry for the slow start this morning. Well it is Sunday, the perfect time to open door number #8, which is Jill Smith's 'Together in Peace'. Just a short walk from Bryan Benge's #7 and closer still to St Paul's we find the next Cardboard City door at an angle, with her globe ready to roll out onto London's Southbank.

Jill Smith has been a steady contributor to our shows ever since exhibiting with us on the gates of St Leonards and Hasting's Pier in 2011 for the Rarities Magnet Exhibition. She is like many of our artists, who can find themselves isolated from local creative initiatives (if they exist) but they still want to reach out onto the National and International stage. She wrote this note to me 2 years ago and we have been corresponding ever since,



Opening the World

 "I am living in Lincolnshire, am I too far away to exhibit in Hastings? I hope not as in my town I am not joined to anything art. I hate to say it but even though there is a gallery five minutes away I don't visit as they turn their noses up at Abstract Art. I also need a wheelchair for getting out and they don't make it easy for me to visit. So I am just showing my art on the internet".

Jill Smith - Together in Peace

Although Jill still exhibits much of her work on the Net, she isn't confined or defined by this anymore. Since that first exhibition she continues to produce fresh and colourful work that has been exhibited world wide. Her submission to the Cardboard City is iconic in form, a pink globe in which the world is upside down. Sometimes it seems we need to turn our current thinking on its head. Our attention is centred on South Africa in the painting and at the moment that is true in current affairs too.

It reminds me of a pearl, a treasure that naturally occurs in Nature and yet we covet it even though it is free to pick up and find. Peace too is a precious commodity and we shouldn't let that slip through our fingers either.

AL.

Bryan Benge - Resource Revolution

With another historic London landmark playing backdrop to today's release we are bringing back one of Collect Connect's very own. Social advent no.7 sees us making our way ever closer to the Oxo Gallery and Blackfriars Bridge.

Social Advent no.7 - with St. Pauls Cathedral showing its support

First Show - a twinkle in the
eyes of Collect Connect 

Bryan has been with the Collect Connect group since the very first show: Open Fridge at Gallery 89, Barnet College in 2010 as part of a response to a mental health brief set by curator Alban Low. This was the first showing of the Fridge Magnets movement and also the first time all 4 members, Alban Low, Dean Reddick, Bryan Benge and myself, Stuart Simler exhibited together. From Barnet, we went on to spread the word about inclusive art projects, showing at festivals and shows across the country, representing new themes and initiatives and forging strong collaborations with each other. 

Bryan Benge - Skip Family

Bryan, is also an active member of The London Group: http://www.thelondongroup.com, which was set up in 1913 by thirty two artists including Robert Bevan, Henri Gaudier Brzeska, Jacob Epstein, Duncan Grant, Wyndham Lewis, Lucien Pissarro and Walter Sickert. Today The London Group is a thriving democratic co-operative of artists practicing in all disciplines, from painting and sculpture to moving image and performance, with a full annual events programme in London and beyond. Adding further to his accolades, Bryan was invited to curate the groups Centennial Show at Pitzhanger House, Ealing at the beginning of the year. 

All of this has been achieved whilst maintaining his role as Course Leader at Epsom College of Art &

Sitting pretty along the Southbank -
'Skip Family'

Design, where his responsibilities include mentoring over 300 full time students across a range of BA and MA courses. His own work depicts a depth of self investigation, which as we discovered on the first day of Christmas is hinged on the understanding of memory based on specific personal events and are then transported into the possible reality of everyday, seeking potential connections with others experiences. 

Fresh off the press from Bryan himself: 
"Most people in work have  a human resource department it used to be personnel, now a resource we are  like an old table or chair to be disposed of at will by the owners when no more of use."

"Skip- Miss Out, Omit,Leave out, Cut"

‘Get thee glass eyes;

‘And, like a scurvy politician, seem

‘To see the things thou dost not.’

 Shakespeare ,King Lear:

Keep 'em peeled for tomorrow's offerings from my compatriot, Alban Low.

SJS

Jovana Mitic - Drawing crowds in London

On a bright and crisp morning in London the latest artwork in the Cardboard City exhibition is causing quite a stir. We're not the only ones who are opening Social Advent door No.6. This one was placed along the south bank of the Thames opposite Temple Underground and beside the London TV Studios.

Jovana Mitic - Social Advent #6

Keen art hunters opening the door



Our artist today is Jovana Mitic, who is not only catching the public's attention here in London but back in her homeland of Serbia and on the international stage too. 2013 has been her year, she exhibited in several group exhibition in her country as well as International Art projects in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania, Hungary, Switzerland, Germany, Ireland.



Jovana Mitic
'New Belgrade Ghetto'

In the past 12 months her accolades include: 1st prize in graphic category, XI International Exhibition "Women painters“, Serbia: 2nd prize at “October Salon” - Cultural Centre in Leskovac, Serbia: Winner of “The Big Draw” - drawing competition, The Beatles Story, Liverpool, United Kingdom: 1st prize at Fifth International exhibition for miniatures, Trag gallery.




Recently she told me "What do I do as an artist? – I destroy form, deal in abstract art. Yet isolation from the outer world is not complete but there is always an association and connection with the outer world. This is less obvious in some paintings but in some connection with reality is obvious. Although I create a new world, it is, still, in a way, inspired by the existing one. Today we cannot renounce the world we leave in...”.

3 recent exhibits

Jovana is a recent discovery for me when she swept in to reach the shortlist for the Art Jazzed Up exhibition at the Shaw Gallery last month. I imagine that this wont be the last time that this tenacious artist will catch the attention of the public in the years to come.

AL.

Ann Kopka - Social Advent 5

Social Advent no.5 - above the
National Theatre

So here we are, at day number 5 and after yesterday's fantastic launch of Angela Malone's cardboard city contribution; Augustine no.9 it's now time to introduce a new artist to the project.

Ann Kopka shares with us her poignantly themed piece; 'Gimme Shelter' which has found refuge on the stairwell of the roof area above the National Theatre.

As you can tell, we have been winding our way along the Southbank in an Easterly direction this time - this could be setting a trend for the following releases……

More about our artist of the day:

Anne Kopka - Gimme Shelter

Ann Kopka’s current painting practice is inspired by encounters with the architecture of man made and natural urban landscapes. Based on curiosity, research and experimentation with her own digitally manipulated images,

Ann’s paintings are underpinned by a strong visual emphasis on structure, colour and light. Her paintings are built up in multiple layers of saturated colour, giving the finished results vibrant surfaces with distinctive three dimensional qualities. 
Ann is also engaged in researching the properties of discarded ephemera with little or no intrinsic value, drawing attention to the throwaway nature of consumer society and questioning our perception of its value systems. Discarded paper items, packaging, teabags and charity shop finds are subjected to investigative processes and may be transformed into tactile reliefs and wall hangings or used in installations.

Gimme Shelter by Ann Kopka

Ann has exhibited her artwork extensively in London, the UK and also the USA. She has been selected for solo exhibitions at The Barbican Centre Library in the City of London, Harrow’s white cube space The Gallery@HAC and Brent Civic Centre London. Her work has been exhibited in many group shows including exhibitions at the Menier Gallery London, Bankside Gallery London, Espacio Gallery London, RED Gallery London and Coningsby Gallery London. 

With such diverse and engaging artworks being released every day what will Social Advent no.6 offer us tomorrow. Tune in to find out as my co-curator and Collect Connect artist, Alban Low launches the big reveal somewhere along the Southbank. 

SJS

Angela Malone - Social Advent 4

Cardboard City no.4

Another day sees us opening another Social Advent and after Monday's big reveal of 'Ang McDonald we move a little further along the river (west) to the well populated Westminster bridge area to release our 4th artist.

4th Release - along The Queens Walk

Angela was born in Brooklyn, New York, 1957. Having taught and exhibited for a number of years, returning to education when she moved into Sculpture in 2007. Her work is based firmly in the genre of portraiture but looks closely at the Curatorial aspects of displays, referencing her own drawings, particularly the ones from life. Sketchbook and graphic works are central to her practice leading the way to finished works, which usually evolve from sketches into stone carvings plaster works or ceramics, often integrating elements of text within or alongside the piece.

Augustine No.9 by Angela Malone

Angela's career already has many strands to it - ranging from acclaimed accolades such as receiving the Niagara Falls Award in 2009, Thomas Fattorini Award in 2010 and having permanent collections in Germany, the USA and Austria.

That's 4 advents already launched and we've still got many more artworks to come from our global net of selected artists.

I'm back again tomorrow thanks to fellow Collect Connect artist, curator and Fridge Magnet guru; Alban Low, stepping in to help me out with the 3rd Social Advent the other day! Where will we end up this time and who'll be behind advent no.5….?


SJS

Dean Reddick - Flatpack Art Therapy

The good thing about being in a collective is that interesting exhibitions like this one seem to spring up from nowhere but have obviously been gestating for a long period. It is also convenient when there is a change in plan. So while Stuart has been called away on urgent business I've been thrown into the breach and that is where we find our 3rd Social Advent door today.

Queen Elizabeth Hall
Southbank

Nestled in the side of Waterloo Bridge and just behind the Queen Elizabeth Hall we find Dean Reddick's first submission to the Cardboard City exhibition, 'House Advent No.1".

Dean Reddick - House Advent No.1

Dean Reddick has been an integral member of our community since the first magnet exhibition, 'Open Fridge' at Gallery 89 in Barnet, 2010 and he's been a loyal organiser and participant ever since. He has an eclectic portfolio of work for his day job which revolves around his practice as an Art Therapist and tutor at Goldsmiths College. As a curator his Hidebird exhibition is often the talk of Walthamstow when the E17 Art Trail is in full swing. His art practice is usually inspired by nature and he can be found regularly at the foot of the huge trees in Epping Forest.

Dean Reddick

Despite Dean's interest in Nature or quite possibly because of it, he possesses an addiction to mathematics. As a student I remember his work at Coventry School of Art & Design being heavily influenced by mathematical nets and it seems this passion has not left him. When I view the work for Cardboard City, I see the flatpack world of desirability and IKEA. Here is something we all seem to obsess about, quite rightly so when we consider the emotive qualities of a home, but should we be bartering, gambling and gazumping with such zeal. A week doesn't go by at the moment without the News reporting that our society's financial wellbeing is improving because house prices continue to climb.

Maybe the image is something much simpler, a child's view of a house, which we could make with a roll of Sellotape and scissors. I do know that this may be the advent of a new exhibition for Dean Reddick and hopefully one that he will run with CollectConnect in 2014.

Keep 'em peel'd for a double header from Stuart Simler over the next two days, numbers 4 and 5 on the way.

AL.

Andrew 'Ang' McDonald - Social Advent 2

Cardboard City #2 - beside Big Ben

Yesterday we kicked off the Cardboard City exhibition with the work of Bryan Benge beside The London Eye. Today we're taking a walk round the corner to install our second door in the shadow of another national landmark.



'King Lear' by Ang McDonald

Time to open the door!

This is Andrew 'Ang' Mcdonald 's response to the theme of 'Social Advent'.
McDonald has been exhibiting with us since our first ever Street Art exhibition in 2010 and has been a steady contributor ever since. He is best known for his mural work from the early Noughties, which saw the enterprising painter travel the world leaving his modern frescoed calling card on a variety of continents. It seems he hasn't shaken off the travel bug either and now resides in Belgium where amongst other interests he runs language courses for Brussel's NATO glitterati.

Social Advent #2

Literature, History and Storytelling are the cornerstones of Andrew 'Ang' Mcdonald's work, and here he transposes the tragedy of William Shakespeare's 'King Lear' into the modern realm. The themes of Mcdonald's 'Lear' also run parallel to those of the original Cardboard City for this is a play that is famous for its probing observations on the nature of human suffering and kinship.

Tomorrow, curator Stuart Simler opens the third door!
Keep 'em peel'd

AL.

Cardboard City Advent - First Artwork Released!!

The first day of the month sees the official release of our first Christmas Advent Artwork!

The first release - somewhere near the Millennium Eye. (details below)

Congratulations and thank you to all of the artists who have contributed your creative interpretations of the Cardboard City brief to this all inclusive open air exhibition!

We have successfully begun to release the artworks into our society - but this wasn't quite as straight forward as we first thought it would be…

…Having informed Southwark Police of our all embracing community intentions we received a very curt and stern warning of the potential repercussions of our proposed actions. These included; possible arrest for littering, for causing a bomb scare and subsequent evacuations of local schools/businesses, which we would be held accountable with payment for costs incurred….The list goes on!

With this warning in mind and with the even stronger purpose for our inclusive message to be shared with the wider community we set upon re-designing our 'cardboard city' boxes to fulfil our mission statements whilst maintaining the peace, if only until the last minute Christmas shoppers run between the Southbank and shopping heaven on the other side of the river.

Alban and I set about releasing our artists Social Advent messages into the community: 

'On the 1st day of Christmas our cardboard city artist gave us:  'Boxed In' 

Bryan Benge - shares his piece with us:



Boxed In - Bryan Benge

Bryan's current working practice is informed by an investigation into the use of LTM (Long Term Memory), particularly episodic memory/schemata that refer to specific events in time (autobiographical).

My reading is at an early stage but already has introduced me to the concept of MTT ( Mental Time Travel), the ability to mentally project oneself in time to relive past experiences, (or future ones). In somewhat of a paradox It is past experiences/memory that preoccupy me at the present time. MTT is a concept being investigated by Canadian Psychologist Endel Turvig.
 

I think Bryans piece adds an interesting dimension to the original themes, considering how our mind and memory can create its own sense of space or containment. 

 

Keep 'em peel'd for another release tomorrow (Monday 2nd)….

SJS