Happy Birthday Julian Cope

I've been a fan of Julian Cope since his days in The Teardrop Explodes. Today is his 62nd birthday so I hope he's celebrating in style. In March 1991 I went to see him sign records at a Virgin Mega store. He was promoting Peggy Suicide - which is an album I've always loved.

I remember Mr Cope was interviewed in store. He was asked about being prolific. They mentioned his books, tours, double albums etc. And Cope said, "It's not about me being prolific, it's more that everyone else is a lazy turd."

The artist Sarah Sparkes and I once collaborated on a Julian Cope painting called, Citizen Cain'ed. I hope we do another Cope painting together one day soon.

Cope his written so many great songs, my personal Top 5 is; World Shut Your Mouth, Crazy Farmyard Animal, Out of My Mind on Dope and Speed, Sunspots. And... (Read It In) Books. Have a listen: here

Corey Samuel's film of You Know More Than I Know at The Art Academy

Film maker Corey Samuel has documented the You Know More Than I Know exhibition that took place at The Art Academy this Summer. See Corey's film: here

Above: The flier for, You Know More Than I know featured a painting by James Johnston

Above: painting by Harry Pye and Rowland Smith.

Above: Photograph by Steve Gillick

Above: Aleks Wojcik holds one of her photos aloft

Above: Nick Cave sculpture by Corin Johnson

Corey Samuel works for Renaissance who are a specialist London based charity, starting from a grassroots approach. They have developed an award winning programme over the last 11 years, supporting young people living with significant life challenges aged 13-19. Have a look at the Renaissance charity You Tube channel: here

Through the Large Glass (October 2006)

Looking back at a show curated by Stephanie Moran and Marcus Cope that took place at Bethnal Green's Three Colts Gallery in October 2006.

"A group exhibition of about twenty artists on the theme of 'Marcel Duchamp meets Lewis Carroll' or 'Rrose Selavy meets Alice' - the first meeting point being games, particularly chess, through Duchamp's love of chess and punning word games and the importance of playing cards and chess in Carroll's Alice books. The other juncture is invention - Rrose Selavy as Duchamp's female alter ego and in herself a pun, connects with Alice's favourite phrase - 'let's pretend'. From the makers of "The Circus Show" comes a surreal extravaganza of make-believe, fantasy, invention and role play.The exhibition will feature opening night performances, paintings, installations, sculptures and more.Dare you step "Through The Large Glass"?"

Players: Jonathan Baldock, Alex Bowen, Dana Brintz, Ruth Calland, Toby Clarkson, Marcus Cope, Sohrab Crews, The Crisps, Sarah Doyle (pictured below)

Martin Dukes, Tom Eastop, Jennifer Harding, Jackson Webb, Kate Lyddon,

Stephanie Moran, Oscillatorial Binnage, Klarita Pandolfi, (standing next to Harry Pye's Magician painting)

Elaine Parry, Harry Pye, Kes Richardson, Geoff Ridgen, Dai Roberts, Mimei Thompson, Jonathan Waller, Chris Weaver, Dan Wilson

Above: photo of Barry Thompson and Marenka Gabeler

Above: photo of Marcus Cope taking a photo of me taking a photo of him

Above Tom Eastop wearing a green top.

Above: Two lovely people - Russell Walker and Tom Scott give the thumbs up to a painting by Harry Pye & Rowland Smith called, 'You Lose Again Pye'

Above: The Little Artists who were big on talent

Above: First bad photo of Tom Eastop's impressive sculpture

Above: My second bad photo of Tom Eastop's impressive sculpture

Above: Geoff Lucas, Harry Pye, Eilidh Crumlish

Above: Claire Smithson

Above: Kes Richardson and Chris Coombes lurk in the background

Above: Julian Wakeling and Chris Coombes

Above: An unflattering photo of Russell Herron

Above: Mark Jackson

Enough or Too Much curated by Harry Pye in November 2000

Around the time I was doing my A level in art I had an idea for a project based around William Blake's Proverbs of Hell. I was introduced to the work of Blake by father who loved Blake's writing and ideas but wasn't a fan of his images. I probably liked the fact that Blake was a South londoner like myself. I remember being amused by observations like, "the road to hell is paved with good intentions". My friend Rowland Smith and I joined a printmaking club in Deptford and told them our desire to make a poster for each of Blake's proverbs. We both made one poster each but when we returned to club (which I think was held at the Albany Empire) a week later, we were told someone had broken in and stolen all the printmaking equipment and therefor the club was closed. A few years later, when I was doing my printmaking degree at Winchester School of Art, I began working on the project again but there were too many distractions - although, in 1995, when they made a book featuring a photo and quote of each student that graduated, the quote I picked was Blake's "if the fool would persist in his folly, he would become wise." A college friend called Gemma Shedden invited me to curate an exhibition at a space she co-ran in Paris. At the tail end of 2000, inspired by Mark Francis's fig-1 project (which involved 50 different art shows in 50 weeks), artist Mat Humphrey asked me to curate two of four shows that he wanted to put on in a disused shop Marlborough Court (off Carnaby Street.) The show I was most keen to put on was, 'Enough or Too Much?'

Above: Part of the flier for the show

Above: "The bird, a nest, the spider a web, man friendship" by Adrian R. Shaw

Above: "he who desires by acts not, breeds pestilence" by Ben Spires

Above: wall one

Above: wall two xxxx more images soon