Editorial

In the last month or so we have received a number of complaints from our German readers about the lack of humour in recent newsletters. Aghast at the idea of our Hannoverian compatriots questioning our ‘colourlessness,’ we seek in this month’s journal to redress the balance. It should, however, be noted that our muted tone has been somewhat forced by economic climate, requiring us to feign a more humour-lite approach to blend in, like how you say ‘a turbot on a sandy bottom’ (or its close cousin the Brill, Ed.).  In this edition we will endeavour - if only to keep the Germans chipper - to move away from black and white clarity and return to a humour that hopefully doesn’t offend any but the strong.

...or No Sneezing Mr Schwitters

Laura Provost and Adam Chodzko have commenced work in earnest on a joint project with the curatorial team at Tate Britain and to work with both artists to unpack, park, un-park and repack ideas around the role of the artist and the rural as cultural former. The ultimate aim being to show the over ripe fruits as part of the Schwitters in Britain exhibition at Tate Britain in February 2013.

Nota Bene: For those previously not interested in Schwitters, he is somehow relevant to the Lake District on the basis that he died here miserably - isolated from his friends and culture, drinking flat beer and running off portraits of locals like a sneezing, smoking monkey. (Many thanks to our neighbours at the Merzbarn for all their co-operation). More news on this soon.

Jeremy Deller's The Joy of People

Hayward Gallery, London until May 13

Now showing at the Hayward Art Gallery Jeremy has managed to escape the clutches of being labelled the good boy of the new feelgood art (the bad boy of feel bad art opens down river soon) with a resoundingly popular retrospective of his wares, in fact possibly more popular than the last popular Joy, the Joy of Sex – for our younger readers this was an important sex manual of the 1970’s depicting German couples with beards making super slow sex in uncomfortable positions).  The Hayward show offers a first UK showing of ‘So Many Ways to Hurt You’ (I see the connection. Ed.) the biopic documentary of the life of miner turned glam rock transvestite wrestler Adrian Street. This film was originally made with Grizedale Arts for the Sao Paulo Bienal and worth watching for the Rolf Harris show footage alone.

Yangjiang Group: After Dinner Shu Fa at Cricket Pavilion at Eastside Projects Birmingham until May 5

Yangjiang Group – the bad boy Chinese collective - and fellow farmer Zhang Wei of Vitamin Creative Space, Guangzhou, descended on Lawson Park recently to research nature, cricket and cricket pavilions as part of our joint commission with Eastside Projects now showing in Birmingham. Combining calligraphy, cricket and a Chinese restaurant (how does that work? Ed.) Put out the fag bins.

NB: Eastside Projects is run by art enthusiast Gavin Wade, who was recently described by a leading international artist (no it’s true, not press release language) as the “Finest person running a semi-autonomous space in the Central Birmingham area at the very least”

Liam Gillick at the Coniston Mechanics Institute Library, Coniston, Cumbria, LA21 8DU

The dot dab, dot dot merchants have dotted and dabbed, the joiners have joined the dots and dabs, the worlds most retentive painter and decorator has spread a fine film and Liam Gillick’s new library design for the Coniston Mechanics Institute is almost ready for some hot readers action. The library will become the new Cumbria County Council unmanned lending library, but will also offer a one to one space for the likes of MP surgeries and health activities from chiropody to trephination therapy. A veritable new model for rural libraries. One of the added ‘Joys of Moving’ the library is that we can now develop the historic Reading Room as a combination community museum, classroom, café, chill, learning, relaxing, meeting, thinking, surfing type space  - otherwise known as a Reading Room. Look forward to showcase displays, wood floors, chesterfield armchairs, cake, humidor, thermidor, etc.

...discussing the imporatance of design

Dominic Stevens at the Coniston Institute April 4th

The first talk in the Cultural Olympiad programme to rebuild the Coniston Cricket pavilion is by special Irish architect Dominic Stevens. On April 4^th from 2.00 until 5.00pm in the Coniston Institute, Dominic will focus on community value and investment in buildings and will lead the development of a design brief for the new cricket pavilion. Contact info@grizedale.org or call the umpire’s office on 015394 41050 for more details.

Lawson Park Collection at the Modern Institute, Glasgow

The Lawson Park Collection has taken a little preamble into a ‘vitrine’ at the Modern Institute, showing its wide wings to a ‘Joy of Design’ fixated Weegee audience – they bloody love it up there. Design – it’s all about innuendo isn’t it? 

...for some other news.....

Other than the Joy of Our New Duck Chicks (see our webcam), Adam has just returned from joining Anne Barlow, Yusaku Imamura, Khalil Abdul Wahid, and Lu Jie on a discussion panel re residencies and what are they good for at the Sharjah Biennial March Meeting (The Joy of Chat).

He has also just returned from a research trip to Finland or more specifically Hailuoto an island off Finland. Hai Arts a recently established arts programme led by AGF.  The Joy of Finland is that it is all about a straight line dividing Finland from the sky.

Alistair hot foots it to the Whitechapel Art Gallery this Friday the 30th to take part in a symposium going under the name of The Gallery As Community.

And finally, we’ve just secured a big funding gig with Greggs (yes, as in bread) to work with a group from Mind on the development of new food products – a ‘field to fork’ initiative to develop viable farm products – the pilot project produced the very desirable Damson Worms, a Haribo influenced sour sweet that should make it’s way to the nearest organic pick and mix counter with all possible haste (sounds like the kind of thing that could make a child cry long salty tears of disappointment. Ed.).