Thatcheristic exhibition at Gallery Different, 14 Percy Street

A new timely exhibition exploring alternative portraits of the late Baroness Thatcher, opens at London's Gallery Different with a private view on Wednesday 17th April (the day of Lady Thatcher's funeral) The exhibition sponsored by Art Below features 10 artists including Jonny Briggs, Team Beswick & Pye, Paul Tecklenberg, and their depictions of 'The Iron Lady'. The show is open to the public for 10 days, exhibiting 10 artists, tying in with the 'No.10' theme Paul Tecklenberg says: "I was born in Corby, a vibrant steel town with the sounds and smells permitting the atmosphere from the alchemy of making steel from iron ore. This came to an abrupt end in 1981 when the blast furnaces were snuffed out and over 16,000 men lost their jobs and dignity. Unemployment reached 30%. With no jobs, no prospects and no future, Corby became a ghost town. Thatcher brought the industrial revolution to an end with the closure of the pits, the steel works, the ship yards, the train yards and British Leyland. This was the brutal reality of free market economics at work that put millions of people onto the scrap heap and created the culture of living off benefits. Of course to others Thatcher delivered opportunity and prosperity and some might say made Britain great again. This work was made 22 years ago to mark the end of Thatchers leadership and the 10th anniversary of the closure of Corby Steel Works. Her image is printed on steel, the material she is linked to and the industry she killed off." “All the artists in the show have one thing in common, we all grew up as Thatcher’s children” remarks Ben Moore, Director of Art Below (pictured above). “Some of the artists like kennard phillipps whose depiction of Thatcher is part of the Tate collection already have work at hand, however some artists are creating work especially for the show like Carne Griffiths and Matt Small.. Thatcher’s recent death has highlighted the divide in people’s thoughts and feelings towards her and I hope this comes over in the exhibition” (ABOVE: "Great Britain Is Great Again" by Team Beswick and Pye) For press release, high resolution images please email ironlady@artbelow.org.uk Telephone: 0208 948 4491 ‘Thatcheristic’ Private View is on Wednesday 17th April 6 - 9pm Gallery Different 14 Percy Street London W1T 1D if you wish to attend please let them know:rsvp@artbelow.org.uk Below is a photo of Team Beswick & Pye's painting being featured on the BBC 1 News at 6.30pm taken on my Dad's phone)

SECRET 7 (Record Store Day's Best Kept Secret)

Get down to Mother London, 10 Redchurch Street, London E2 7DD on the 13th and 14th of April and see the Secret 7 show. 700 one-of-a-kind 7" sleeves are available to buy for £40 a pop. The event is in association with Record Store Day. In aid of Art Against Knives. You can buy a seven inch single by Elton John (Bernie & The Jets), Public Enemy (Harder Than You Think), Haim (Better Off), Jessie Ware (Still Love Me), Laura Marling (The Beast), Nas (The Don) or Nick Drake (Rider On The Wheel)the sleeve might be designed by Gilbert & George, David Shrigley, Team Beswick & Pye, or even Li Wei - you wont know whose the artist behind the image you've picked until you've handed the £40 over as it's all a secret! (Above: Gordon Beswick) (Above: Harry Pye) Last year the Secret 7 project (organised by Kevin King) raised over £30 grand - let's hope this year's show makes even more. Kevin says: "This year every penny profited is going to youth charity ART AGAINST KNIVES to help fund creative initiatives around London. Making Art Against Knives our charity of choice this year was an easy decision. On top of the money and awareness we generate this year, we will ensure that every aspect of the project provides an opportunity for the young people that they work with."

The Other Art Fair 4

The Other Art Fair The Other Art Fair is back and it's bigger and more beautiful than ever! The Other Art Fair, London’s leading artist-led fair, is delighted to announce the details for their fourth edition in spring 2013. The fair will take place between 25 - 28 April 2013 at Ambika P3 in Marylebone and will be partnered with leading creative companies including CultureLabel, FAD, Jotta, Aesthetica and Sipsmith to name a few. The fair is unique in its approach of using a selection committee of industry experts to handpick 100 of the most exciting unrepresented artists from across the globe. Participating artists are given the opportunity to curate individual stands from which to sell their work directly to the public providing an open platform for communication between artists, buyers and art-lovers. By encouraging this direct interaction, The Other Art Fair hopes to forge lasting relationships between artists and experienced collectors and first-time buyers alike. The fair has quickly gained a reputation as one of the best locations for collectors to find undiscovered talent who are yet to gain gallery representation. The autumn 2012 fair saw a significant increase in sales as well as numerous artists being commissioned to create new works by commercial and private benefactors. In keeping with these successes The Guardian stated it was the place to “…bag a bargain” and Stylist Magazine commented it was a “…chance to pick up the work of a future Young British Artist”. The Other Art Fair selection committee for spring 2013 includes Turner Prize nominee Yinka Shonibare MBE, art critic and prize-winning journalist Laura McLean-Ferris, and international curator and dealer Mila Askarova. Indeed, since the fair’s inception in 2011 The Other Art Fair has developed from a platform for London-based artists to attracting artists worldwide with applicants from France, Italy, Japan, Brazil, Puerto Rico and beyond. This international focus is expected to grow in 2013 with artists from the Middle East and Africa giving an added dimension to the already buzzing scene found at The Other Art Fair. The inclusive atmosphere which the fair provides is further enhanced by a series of informative and fun activities and entertainment. Seasoned fair-goers and art novices alike can enjoy also live music, film screenings and a cocktail bar. Ryan Stanier comments “As this is our fourth edition of the fair, the caliber of artists is now particularly high. We are matching this standard by launching a whole new look as well as some great new features. There will be something for everyone – from ‘Kids Create’ to live bands playing in the bar. This year promises to be very exciting for both exhibitors and visitors.” Mo Coppoletta tattoos live at TOAF Exclusively for The Other Art Fair, world renowned tattoo artist, Mo Coppoletta has created four brand new designs that will be available to select visitors who would like an elite Mo Coppoletta tattoo designed and inked live at the fair by the man himself. Each of the four new designs can also be bought as limited edition prints at the fair. At the inaugural launch in November 2011, the fair showcased the work of 80 of the UK’s best unrepresented artists. Hosted at the Bargehouse on the South Bank, it was a great success, attracting 4,300 visitors over three days. In May 2012 The Other Art Fair moved to Ambika P3 in Marylebone. After an overwhelming response of over 400 applications from artists, the selection committee chose the best 90 to show their work, to an audience that reached just over 7,000. In November 2012, 100 of the best emerging and unrepresented artists gathered at the Ambika P3 for the third instalment of the fair. Sales totalled at £128,000 seeing a 7% increase from its previous instalment in May. Visitor Information Venue Address: Ambika P3, University of Westminster, 35 Marylebone Road, London, NW1 5LS Tube: Baker Street Private View: Thursday 25th April 2013, 5pm - 9pm Opening Hours: Friday 26th April 2013, 11am - 7pm Saturday 27th April 2013, 11am - 7pm Sunday 28th April 2013, 11am - 6pm Entry: Tickets from £6 in advance http://www.theotherartfair.com/ For more information please contact Paget PR: e: rachel@pagetpr.com t: 020 7323 6963

Important Dates For Your Diary

The photo above of Team Beswick & Pye's tribute to The Fab Four was taken by Deirdre Rusling in Glasgow. This egg and 100 others are part of The Lindt Big Egg Hunt, in support of Action for Children. The 101 decorated eggs have nearly completed their tour of Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool, London and Manchester. For your chance to own your favourite egg, bid in their online auction now! (There's only one week left to go). The Beatles egg is Lot number 82 For more info: http://auction.thebigegghunt.co.uk/ For 4 days only The 100 Mothers exhibition will be part of The Other Art Fair at Ambika P3 (35 Marylebone Rd, NW1) The dates are Thursday 25th of April (5pm till 9pm, Friday 26th and Sat 27th (11am - 7pm) and Sunday 28th of April (11am - 6pm) Artists contributing to the show include: Hugh Mendes, Jessica Voorsanger, Flo Perry, Anj Smith, Kes Richardson, Daisy De Villeneuve, Geraldine Swayne, Guy Allot, Dinos Chapman, Chantal Joffe, Vic Reeves, Grayson Perry, Adam Dant, George Shaw, John Strutton, Richard Wathen, Beverley Daniels, David Shrigley, Peter Harris, Bob & Roberta Smith, Nicola Hicks, Sean O'Connor, Billy Childish, Olivia Plender, Chris Tosic, Lucy Pawlak, Marcus Cope, Michelle Sarah England, Sarah Sparkes, Chris Coombes,Kyle Hawkins, Neil Innes, Sandra Turnbull, Adrian R. Shaw, Catrin Huber, Helen Barff, Mari Sunna, Martin Dukes, August Kunapu, Lee Maelzer, Helen Barff, Eva Bensasson, Josie McCoy, Kay Harwood, Edith Flowers, Cian Quayle, Julian Wakeling, Ed Ward, Mat Humphrey, Francesca Sharkey, Isaac Quaye, Rowland Smith, Caroline List, Matthew Stradling, Mimei Thompson, Dan Kennedy-Martin, Horace Panter, Mark Wigan, and Gordon Beswick And, last but not least, The next issue of The Rebel magazine is an Elvis Presley special that will be launched at an Elvis art exhibition "I Love You Because" at The A Side B Side Gallery, 5-9 Amhurst Terrace London E8 2BT (the gallery is open Thurs till Sun 12 til 6) The private view and launch of Harry Pye's A to Z of Elvis E- Book and The Rebel will be on Thursday the 18th of July. (The show runs until the 11th of Aug. There are plans a foot to have an artist's talk on Sunday the 4th of August.) Artist's contributing to the Elvis exhibition include Rebecca Fontaine Wolf (whose painting is above)Chloe Mortimer, Bob London, Nicole Willis, Cathy Lomax, Emma Coleman, Chris Webster, Paul Hamilton, Rachael Robb, Robin Shaw, Sarah Doyle (Above "El-Buddah" by Sandra Turnbull 2013)

Q & A with Bruce Thomas

Between the years 1977 and 1986 Elvis Costello & The Attractions knocked out more classic albums than any other British band I can think of. I loved pretty much everything they did from Pump It Up up to I Want You. The contribution Bruce Thomas brought to The Attractions is enormous. In my opinion his performances on songs such Beaten To The Punch, Chelsea, New Lace Sleeves, Shabby Doll, and Shipbuilding, put him up there with the best bass players of all time. He features on a few other Costello albums from more recent times (most notably Brutal Youth) and over the years he's done sessions with various other greats such as Paul McCartney, Billy Bragg, The Pretenders etc but these days his time seems to be taken up writing celebrated, best selling books about the legendary Bruce Lee. Anyone wanting to know about life on the road should get a copy of his very amusing book "The Big Wheel". The Rebel:How well did you know Barney Bubbles? Do you like many of the sleeves he designed? "I knew Barney very well and counted him as a friend. I’d already known Barney for many years before his involvement with Stiff Records. He designed an album cover for one of my earlier bands, Quiver — and modeled his cover for us after the style of a Grateful Dead album sleeve … think ‘inlaid wood, stained glass and floral motifs’. It was later, in the punk/new-wave period, that he began using references from the Constructivists and the likes of Miro and Picasso — as seen in his black, white and red sleeves for Ian Dury or the cover of Imperial Bedroom. I love every piece of work Barney did and he is rightly regarded as perhaps the pre-eminent record cover designer of his era and as both an icon and an inspiration to others. Barney was a lovely man, warm and open and with no side to him. Perhaps he was a bit too open and sensitive — as no-one realized until it was too late that he was subject to bad bouts of depression. He’d have been amused by this blog, though — The Rebel — “the Shapist school of art — all the shapes are different colours”. The Rebel: Various name photographers like David Bailey took snaps of The Attractions - who impressed you the most or flattered you the most? Bruce: "I got the impression at David Bailey’s session that it was very much “business as usual” for him. He sat each of us down in turn in front of the camera and made a snap assessment of us — he took one look at me and decided “mad professor”. I enjoyed our sessions with Keith Morris, more for him as a person than as a photographer — he was another friend who died early, an ironman triathlete and extreme-depth diver who never came up one day. My favourite photographer was Brian Griffin — I think of him and Barney as very much the graphic and photographic equivalents of each other. Brian is a very inventive photographer who did some pioneering shots of business executives for the broadsheets which were some of the best newspaper photographs of their day. His photographs of the Attractions that I really like were taken at a house in Los Angeles and are a pastiche of Hockney’s swimming pool paintings. Brian came up with one of the best comments about creativity I’ve ever heard. I can’t remember the exact figures involved, but you’ll get the idea. Somebody once remarked at a photo shoot: “A thousand pounds for a single photograph! How long did it take you to do that?” Without missing a beat, Brian replied, “Thirty-five years and one five-hundredth of a second.” The Rebel: If the money was right would you reform The Attractions and do a tour in which you play an album in its entirety? (Both Suede and The Cure recently performed each of their albums back to back over different nights) Bruce: "You should be aware that I’m the only one not in that line-up any more, and that Pete, Steve and EC are working happily together with a replacement bass player — presumably someone of a more malleable nature than his predecessor. So no reformation is ever going to come about under my initiative — or under any other circumstances I can foresee." The Rebel: I thought Nick Lowe's last album was really charming do you hold him in high regard either as a person or producer or singer songwriter or bass player? Bruce: "I hold Nick in very high regard as a person and all-round good bloke, as a producer, as a singer and as a songwriter — so four out of five isn’t bad! Nick himself once took Steve Nieve to one side and gently explained to him that his Rachmaninov-like flourishes might not be appropriate for the particular track we were recording. “There are two types of keyboard part,” said Nick, “there are creative keyboards, and there are functional keyboards. What we need is functional.” I think Nick himself would agree that his bass playing never ventured too far from the functional. He was a great catalyst that allowed the band to function in the studio — and came up with many good ideas. He was one of those blokes you could pass an hour or three with bantering about anything, in a very English way. We used to converse in mock Shakespearian — “We must get this bass part right, for even now York’s escutcheons are a-flutter over Richmond’s gates”. We used to say that when we were older one of us would end up wheeling the other along the seafront at Bognor Regis. It hasn’t happened yet, though." (Above: Harry Pye meets The Jesus of Cool in Chelsea School of Art) The Rebel: How much fun were the sessions you did for The Madness album? Bruce: "I did pretty much all of my stuff as overdubs to existing tracks in one or two days — rather than take part in the actual creative process. Madness themselves were going through something of a split at the time but despite that their sessions were very easy going and I got on well with them and even did a couple of TV shows with them. I think at the time they were trying to shake off their cheeky chappie image and make a more mature Roxy Music-type album. I should imagine that, like the Attractions, Madness was fun to be a part of in the glory days." The Rebel: I always had a soft spot for the Steve Nieve song Sad about Girls. Did you have high hopes when The Attractions recorded the Mad about the Wrong Boy album? Bruce: "To be honest, I had no hopes for it at all! In general I don’t think albums of this type have ever worked successfully — except maybe that lot who used to back Bob Dylan, who did quite well for themselves as I recall. All in all though, I’d rather we hadn’t done it — that’s how I felt at the time and I haven’t changed my mind since. Steve’s song is the one redeeming feature." The Rebel:As a bass player would you consider working with cheeky young pups (with no money but lots of dreams and drive) or are you more holding out for legends and international stars? Bruce: "Giving some thought to the possibilities of treading the boards in a manner that wouldn’t rid me of any last remnants of dignity, surprisingly there are a few possibilities. As you say, a band of talented young pups who might embrace me for my great wisdom is one. A chill-out band actually holds some real appeal — or a cool R-and-B band along the lines of Mitchell Froom’s Latin Playboys project of some years ago. A singer-songwriter. Something fun like Status Quo or an Abba tribute band? A band of arty Teutonic babes in nighties playing angle grinders and cement mixers? Though, as you rightly suspect, I wouldn’t refuse a call from Eric Clapton. But at the moment my “play-along with” music of choice isn’t the Cream Reunion DVD but Miles Davis. I think John Paul Jones hit it about right when he took the gig with Seasick Steve — I’d make a good job of something like that." The Rebel: Where would you like to be in 10 years time? Bruce: "Not wheeling Nick Lowe along the seafront at Bognor! Maybe on a beach lounger in the Seychelles — or doing something so interesting and rewarding it would appeal more — hopefully something that’s as much of a surprise to me as it is to everyone else. But whatever the case, it will be with my mental and physical faculties still relatively intact." The Rebel:What's your fave Elvis Presley song and why? Bruce: "My immediate reaction is All Shook Up — and having then looked through the list of all 758 songs that he recorded, I’m not going to change my mind — not even my “Suspicious Mind” or my “You Were Always On My Mind”. All Shook Up has got the best and most effortless groove of any track he ever recorded. But the clincher for me is the lyric — where the usual songs of the day would have said, “There’s only one cure for this heart of mine”, Presley sings, “There’s only one cure for this body of mine, that’s to have that girl and a love so fine.” The Rebel: What's the best thing about being Bruce Thomas? Bruce: "Once you come to any conclusion about yourself … you’re finished!" www.brucethomas.co.uk

Uliana Apatina at St Mark's Church in South London

Yesterday was the opening of Uliana Apatina's show in The Crypt of St Mark's Church in South London. The show is called "That Side Where Real Is". Getting in was a bit like doing an assault course but once I had climbed through all the ropes and wires she had put up, I witnessed an impressive series of interactive installations. You can find out more about Uliana's work by going here: http://uliana-apatina.blogspot.co.uk/ The Crypt is directly opposite Oval Tube. You can make an appointment to see the show any time that is comfortable for you including evenings and weekends, please, contact the artist directly: uliana.apatina@gmail.com or 07944401310 Here's the press release... 'That Side Where Real Is' - a series of physically constructed, site-specific, inter-connected installations challenging our perception of space and the idea of the space as such built from ephemeral materials or materials that become ephemeral when being constructed into the space. Components of 'That Side Where Real Is': Cracking [Room1] Transparent Invisibility [Room2] Suspended Dreams to Eat the Time [Room3] There Is No One In Here [Room4] Vertical Immersion [Room5] All How It Was [Open Room] Black Penetration Into and Through Horizontal Dimension [Corridor] Red Gloss One String [Entry Hall] The exhibition's title, 'That Side Where Real Is' refers both to the visual challenges conveyed through the materials used and the way they trick the mind by disorienting the body, making it to squeeze in-between something that seems to be impossible to enter, perceive something that human eyes cannot simply see unless they are positioned at certain angles or fixed at the points of the space where the light is reflected. Emotionally and intellectually challenging chameleonic geometry that constantly changes into hallucinational spaces while your body is moving. It is a division between physical and abstract, rational and intuitive – with a big question mark on which of them is real. A peculiarity of the site is echoed in here – being in an underground crypt, empty and dark, with the whole universe of life happening on the upper layer inside the building of the church itself; and, then, beyond the point of the church – in a real life on the streets. Due to the very nature of the crypt 'That Side Where Real Is' deals with a notion of a death/life duality. All components of the installation are process-based constructions - having been built by the artist in a process of inhabiting the site and creating the artwork directly there without a preliminary plan or scaled model.

The Other Art Fair 2013 featuring The 100 Mothers Show

Ryan Stainer's Other Art Fair is London’s leading artist-led fair. It connects art lovers of all tastes and experience directly with the most talented emerging artists before they are signed. From the 25th to the 28th of April you can buy direct from 100 of the best unrepresented artists. All artists chosen by their selection committee of experts (Yinka Shonibare, Mila Askarova, Laura McLean-Ferris) The address is: "AMBIKA P3" 35 Marylebone Road, London NW1. Works are on sale from as little as fifty quid. If all that wasn't already reason enough to go to the fair - it's just been announced that, as an added bonus, visitors to T.O.A.F will now also get to see 100 Mother paintings. This collection of paintings of artist's mums was put together by Harry Pye with help from Mat Humphrey, Jasper Joffe, Emma Ridgway and also vital support from Eilidh Crumlish, Edward Ward, Gordon Beswick, and Elizabeth Haarala. The paintings have been exhibited at Chester Uni, The Oh Art Gallery at The Oxford House, The North Edinburgh Arts Centre, The Sartorial Gallery in Notting Hill, and The Festival of Firsts in The Wirral. Mat Humphrey: "For me, the notion of painting my mother was very difficult, and also extremely rewarding. It forced me to sit down and think harder and more specifically about her than at any other time in my life. It also made me look harder at her face than perhaps I had before. I photographed her many different times, with the portrait in mind, and spent time watching her different expressions. I saw how the years had affected her skin and the way it creased and folded as different emotions took shape in the muscles around her eyes and mouth. I waited until I felt like I had captured some of the glint in her eyes that betrayed her impish humour. The colours I used were emotionally triggered. I used browns for her skin tones, as it felt right. Earthy and permanent. I gave her eyes a turquoise that belied the power, not the true colour of her gaze, and I gave her iconic gold radiations, as she is my creator, not god. I found it hard to end the painting. I didn’t want an end. It takes no psychologist to work out why. She was moved when she saw the result, and I was relieved at that. It felt like an honest and emotional thing to do, and I believe that everyone, whether they consider themselves to be an artist or not, should paint a picture of their mother." Rowland Smith:"The portrait is a picture of my mum at a party with my dad from the time before they were married and long before I was born. It’s copied from a small black and white picture which I had to enlarge to fill the canvas. My mum likes it because it is not a present day portrait. My mum compares herself unfavourably to A Grotesque Old Woman by Quinten Massys. I disagree and so do most other people who meet her but I guess mum is comparing herself now to the young woman she once was. This brings me back to the questions that were going round in my mind while I painted, making me think about who ‘my mum’ is. Is the young woman in the photo my mum or is my mum the woman who brought me up? Did she have any idea that she would be my mother when the photo was taken? What was she thinking of back then? What were the things that were important to her? It made me more aware of my mum being a person independent of me, with a past and a future, how much more of life she has seen.” Sean O'Connor:"I made this painting whilst I was studying at Chelsea college of art and design. I think that I was supposed to be using my time more constructively rather than painting a picture of my dear mother Barbara. The painting depicts my mother, naked in a mountain landscape with her cat Nelson (1991-2006) draped around her neck, scarf like, for warmth and security. Babs is painted without clothes to show her vulnerability, the mountains ( perhaps her homeland Snowdonia ) are there to enhance this feeling. My mother is a dangerously committed smoker, so I painted Nelson, her companion and confidant, taking a drag to help Babs shoulder the harmful effects of nicotine addiction. I am very fond of this painting and I felt that the portrait did her justice as a caring, loving , sensitive lady, that gives more time to others than she does to herself. When I showed Mum the painting I don’t think she really liked it, firstly it is not in a painterly style that she favours and secondly she would rather have seen herself clothed and minus the fag. My Dad liked it though and I think he knew what my intentions were, he was proud to see it in print and showed the exhibition publication to friends and family members." (Please note: It costs £6 for a ticket to see The Other Art Fair although obviously Mum artists and their mums can get in free. The 100 paintings in the collection are not available to buy individually. A list of the artists in the collection whose work is being displayed will be online soon.) Geraldine Swayne: Bula Chakravarty Agbo: Bula: "She taught me how to read, she taught me how to write. On sunny days we sat in the shade on the veranda cutting green beans and pealing tangerines; two for you, one for me. We watched dragonfly's hover above bright pink zinnias and chased butterflies into the marrigold borders. "Oh look Ma! there's that baby elephant again; Is it going to work with her Ma?" I would ask as they walked past our home every morning. Looking back now I knew it was Ma who taught me grace and beauty, good manners and gentility. And Oh! Girls don't climb windows, or else they might turn into boys! She still shares her wisdom with me, even now...but it's mostly over the phone. As she's in Assam and I in London. How I miss my Ma." < The Other Art Fair's p.v is Thursday 25th 5pm till 9pm, on Friday the 26th and Saturday the 27th it's open 11am till 7pm, on Sunday the 28th it's open 11am until 6pm)