Last week our very own hubCAP Gallery Committee launched the first in a series of social media takeovers by selected artists / creatives. First up was current Artist In Residence Shareen Sorour who was in charge of the Gallery’s instagram and twitter feeds for 7 day during which time she shared previous work, current concerns and 2 participatory /collaborative projects.
You can view all of Shareen’s instagram posts here: Shareen Sorour hubCAP Gallery Social Media Takeover
By Alan Holligan, Chris Coatham, Joel Davidson, Victoria Rankin HND Contemporary Art Practice, Edinburgh College.
CAPetc.. Lecturer Alan Holligan with Matt Johnson and Johanna St Michaels at the opening of Radio Cineola, Summerhall Gallery, Edinburgh June 2017
Earlier in the year I was approached by the Edinburgh International Film Festival to manage the install of a major new installation work by the creative team behind the ‘Inertia Variations’ a documentary by Swedish filmmaker Johanna St Michaels about the life and work of THE THE’s Matt Johnson.
As well as giving me the opportunity to brush up on some skills working on a live project three of our HND Contemporary Art Practice students were also able to get involved and gain valuable practical experience working with internationally renowned artists & designers from across the creative industries.
The large scale interactive multi-media work which features multi-screen video projections, sound works and 8m tall Radio Cineola: Radio Tower was developed in collaboration between Johnson, St Michaels, award-winning architect Jacob Sahlqvist, lighting designer Kate Wilkins, and poet John Tottenham is being presented alongside St Michaels documentary as it travels the world.
Before coming to teach at the Granton campus I worked in a dual role as fine art lecturer, and Installation / site manager for the Exhibitions & Events dept of Edinburgh College of Art. The work was always varied and challenging but most importantly it was linked to, and supported my practice as an artist. I met some incredible artists and developed a variety of skills. So, when I was approached by my then manager and now Assistant Director of the EIFF, Diane Henderson, ‘to put the band back together’ I jumped at the chance to get involved and share the experience with students.
As well as gaining work experience the students also received passes to the EIFF and invitations to the opening premier and party. A fine return on a job well done!
“EIFF was delighted to work with students from Edinburgh College on the
Inertia Variations exhibition at Summerhall. The students brought a
wonderful enthusiasm to their role and were an enormous, knowledgeable and
skilled resource. Alan and his students worked extremely hard over a very
short period of time to install this fantastic exhibition, which in the
end, was a brilliant highlight of EIFF in its anniversary year. We
couldn¹t have done it without them!”
Dianne Henderson Assistant Artistic Director Edinburgh International Film Festival
To capture the experience for their Professional Practice Portfolio the students, Victoria, Joel and Chris developed a series of questions and responses to help log the experience.
Alan, Victoria, Chris and Joel at the opening party of EIFF at the National Museum of Scotland.
Summerhall project interview questions:
Briefly describe the exhibition/project you were involved in:
Victoria Rankin: Help setting up an exhibition/installation called Inertia with our lecturer Alan Holligan, the artists and installation crew.
Chris Coatham: The project, named Radio Cineola: The Inertia Variations, was a collaboration between musician Matt Johnson, filmmaker Johanna St Michaels, architect Jacob Sahlqvist, lighting designer Kate Wilkins and poet John Tottenham. The collaboration resulted in a film and interactive installation based on the ideas and imagery featured in the film. The Summerhall gallery/art space in Edinburgh hosted both the exhibition and film as part of the 71st annual Edinburgh International Film Festival.
Joel Davidson: Radio cineola is a unique installation bringing together the work of musician Matt Johnson, filmmaker Johanna St. Michaels and architect Jacob sahlqvist. Michaels film the inertia variations blends into a conceptual multi media installation that spread throughout the dissection room of summer-hall.
What was the role of Edinburgh college students in the project?
V.R: Our role was to help set up the installation manually. We helped by carrying a lot of the necessary equipment to the dissection room & the other connecting rooms. We sealed the windows in every room to prevent light getting in and also helped construct the radio tower. We also set up lighting in one of the connecting rooms.
C.C: College students were on hand to assist with the installation; our duties included moving equipment and materials into the upstairs space, preparing the space itself including hanging blackout curtains, and assisting with the erection of a tall central “radio mast” which was the centerpiece of the exhibition. We also hung three large projector screens and assembled beds and other props, and hung signage to guide visitors to the exhibition.
J.D: Our role mainly consisted of supporting the needs of the artists by setting up parts of the exhibition as well as helping to erect a 8 metre tall radio tower. The work was rewarding but challenging as we approached certain hurdles when setting this exhibition up in a new setting.
What new skills/experience did you gain?
V.R: I gained work experience in terms of setting up for an exhibition – experience which will be vital in my career as an artist. It was also a pleasure to meet everyone involved. It was definitely a good way to make connections with fellows in the same industry.
C.C: This was our first time helping to install an exhibition that a) was not of our own work and b) was outwith the college. Therefore it was very much a new experience for all of us and it was great to meet the Summerhall and Film Festival staff and work with them.
J.D: This opportunity to work in an exhibition like this was a first for me but hopefully not the last. It gave us an opportunity to learn new skills working in a team along side musicians, filmmakers and designers to help realise an ambitious installation.
What challenges/problems did you face and how did you resolve them?
V.R: There were various challenges when setting up but only minor issues – miscalculations in measurements when we were sealing up all the windows with light-tight fabric. We also had to move a few tonnes of volcanic sand up one floor but we didn’t have the right equipment for the job so it took longer than we expected. These were only minor issues in an otherwise smoothly running operation, I think.
C.C: At times it was hard work to get a task finished on time; for example where a lot of manual handling was involved or where it was difficult to continue without direction from a supervisor, however with initiative and teamwork we overcame these small obstacles to get the job done.
Was the experience what you expected it to be? Why/why not?
V.R: It was tougher physically than I thought it would be but overall I was very pleased with the time I spent there. As mentioned, it was really nice to meet the people involved – the artists and the installation crew. It was such an insight into what goes on behind the scenes of setting up installations. A lot of work goes in – more than I realised. I have definitely benefited from the experience.
C.C: I think I went in to the project expecting it to be quite stressful, and though it was hard work at times, it was not stressful at all and in fact was very rewarding and fun to be involved in.
J.D: The experience overall was what I expected and more. I did not expect to be working as close to the artists as we did. Helping them tailor the exhibition to a new space and overcome the challenges that this presented will be valuable in the future and was a welcomed break from any heavy lifting.
How did it feel to see the finished exhibition knowing that you had been involved?
V.R: It was an extremely proud moment as the exhibition was extremely interesting in itself.
C.C: At first I found it difficult to visualise how the exhibition would look once it was finished, but as the week progressed and we got closer to being finished it really came together and it was great to see the fruit of our labours (and that of many other people) resulting in such an impressive installation.
J.D: Seeing the final exhibition was a satisfying experience as I believe the work we all put in was vital to the show being ready on time for its opening.
Do you feel that the experience has been a valuable one in terms of gaining work experience? Would you do it again?
V.R: I definitely feel that it has been very valuable and I am so happy to have been involved. I most definitely would do it again, because there is so much to experience and learn from helping to set up an exhibition. It the kind of thing that would be different each time as well, which i find very intriguing and beneficial to my growth as an artist.
C.C: The experience was definitely a positive one and I would certainly do it again. The experience of working together under pressure to achieve a common goal was really rewarding and I would encourage any current or future students to get involved in any similar projects, should the opportunity arise.
J.D: This experience has given me valuable knowledge when it comes to working behind the scenes in a exhibition. The overall process of helping alongside artists, architects etc was a new experience and one that will serve me well in the future if the chance to work in similar conditions comes up again. The free lunches and party was a nice treat too.
New exhibition curated by CAP guest lecturer Benjamin Fallon opens at IMPAKT Festival in Utrecht.
To the reader is a new exhibition curated by #CAPetc guest lecturer and ex-student Benjamin Fallon. Forming part of the 2013 IMPAKT Festival the exhibition deals with issues around capital and the lack of cohesive responses since the crisis that emerged in 2008. IMPAKT is a major European media art festival, which has taken place annually in Utrect, Netherlands since 1988. Each year IMPAKT deals with a single theme, which is examined through various media, including an extensive film programme, talks, events and exhibition. The theme of this year’s festival is CAPITALISM CATCH-22 posing the question of how to solve the dilemma, which exists between capitalisms place as the dominant and seemingly most workable economic system and its failures and the apparent inevitability of it being a dead end.
“The work in the show understands the limits of a moral critique that suggests that capital should just act nicely. Curator Benjamin Fallon points out that asking an inhuman system that is fundamentally interested in its own progress and growth, to behave in the interest of humans, is ultimately futile.”
To The Reader emerges from the understanding that capitalism is, first and foremost, a social relation that defines our behaviour. The exhibition is grounded in our current historical period. The basis for capitalism as a mode of organization has never been weaker, but paradoxically has seen almost no credible articulations of dissent. Perhaps there have been some fairly weak moral pleas for it to behave more pleasantly, and vague ideas that a return to Fordism and Keynesianism might be a good idea.
The exhibition itself is a tightly packed constellation of existing, newly commissioned and extended works, thinking through some of the contradictions we find ourselves entangled within. Whilst some of the information and ideas dealt with are necessarily complex, the exhibition will maintains a level of humour, understanding the importance for a certain lightness of touch when dealing with complexity.
The exhibition includes works by: Daniel Andújar; Bureau d’études; Liam Gillick; Goldin+Senneby; Hiwa K; Mierle Laderman Ukeles; Learning Site; Huw Lemmey and Ben Vickers; The Bureau of Melodramatic Research; Capital Drawing Group (Andrew Cooper, Enda Deburka, Dean Kenning, and John Russell); Paul Sullivan; and Marika Troili.
http://impakt.nl/headquarters/news/festival-exhibition-to-the-reader/
Opening on Friday 18 October from 17.00 to 20.00 hrs at BAK, with a performance by The Bureau of Melodramatic Research titled Lovegold – Contemporary Alchemy at 18.30 hrs.
On Saturday 2 November 2013 at 15.00 hrs, Fallon and participating artists will introduce the project through a guided tour.
The Impakt Festival takes place from 30 October to 3 November 2013 at various locations throughout Utrecht. For more information on the Impakt Festival exhibition To The Reader, please visit www.impakt.nl.
Benjamin Fallon is an independent curator, writer and designer currently based in Brussels. Since leaving the HND Public Art (now Contemporary Art Practice) at Edinburgh College Granton (formally Edinburgh’s Telford College) he has participated in Curatorlab, Konstfack Stockholm 2012/13, served as co-director of Embassy Gallery between 2008 and 2010 and prior to this he worked in various capacities at Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop and ONEZERO. Benjamin is visiting lecturer at both Edinburgh College of Art and Edinburgh College.
Recent projects include You are just in the middle of the beginning various locations around Stockholm, 2013-ongoing; The Exhibition and its Histories the University of Edinburgh, 2013; Banal Inferno CCA Glasgow, 2010; Hello World Embassy Gallery, 2010; Warehouse of Horrors +44 141/ Studio Warehouse, Glasgow, 2009.
Benjamin is instigator of the working group Let’s get together and call ourselves an institute. researching the possibilities for new forms of institutional practice.
AH 18-10-13
Video produced by the Edinburgh College Granton Learning Resources Video Production Unit.
Thanks to David McLachlan & Mike Chalmers
AH
There is little doubt that 2012 was among the most eventful years for us at #cap_etc. Multiple highs have been followed by occasional but necessary lows, necessary in so much that they help us recognize and appreciate the highs.
Here There; Exhibition by AIRetc… Paul Diamond at ESW. Click on Image for more details
In January the year began with the mixed emotions due to the departure after an extremely successful 4 months of Artist in Residence Paul Diamond who ended his time with us with a fantastic site specific project with students and an excellent exhibition of work developed and produced during the residency at Telford college. The exhibition at Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop was very well received. Since completing the residency Paul has gone on to even better things but more of that later.
As January turned over to February the devastating news of Mike Kelleys untimely departure filtered through the studios promoting gasps of disbelief and sadness, we had so enjoyed his exhibition at Baltic during a field trip just a few months before. CAP student Charlie Wilkie-Sullivan who was a particular admirer of Kelleys work wrote a piece for this blog in response to the news. https://contemporaryartetc.com/?s=mike+kelley
Spirits were soon lifted however with the arrival of our next AIR resident Natalie Wilson who began her occupation of ‘the studio next door’.
AIRetc… Natalie Wilson Setting in to studio. Click on Image for more details.
Natalie’s impact was immediate as she struck up conversations with students and staff, always inquisitive and helpful Natalie had a significant impact on the
course sharing her enthusiasm, knowledge and occasional frustration for all things digital.
Spring saw us embark on the annual CAP trip to a foreign city beginning with the letter B. So far we have only managed Berlin and Basel and until Berlin stops being; the centre off the european if not world contemporary art scene, almost, unbearably cool and wonderfully inexpensive it is doubtful we will revisit Basel or see Budapest, Barcelona, Boston, or Bogota any time soon. Highlights of the trip included, finally getting more than one member of the CAP team on the trip and once again the Boros Bunker.
Diploma Exhibition: Image by and of Natalie Doyle.
Spring is always a tense time in the studios as both years are working on their Graded Units and expectant applicants are hammering away at the refresh button on the UCAS website as news of interviews and offers start to permeate the building. The stress although unavoidable, was misplaced however as 2012 will go down in the CAP history books as the most successful year ever as 100% of those applying got an unconditional offer for 1 of their top 2 choices. All applicants got places on degree courses in Glasgow, Edinburgh or Dundee. 1 applicant who already had a degree in a non art related subject was offered and is doing very well on a combined master course in Art & Philosophy in Dundee.
As the tension of anticipated futures subsided thoughts turned to the end of year exhibition. Unfortunately due to the transition between the old and new buildings it wasn’t possible to hold the CAP2 Diploma Show at our usual venue of the Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop. Instead the show opened at the Old Ambulance Depot in late May to excellent reviews and record attendances.
Natalie Wilson: Installation View of ‘Extract at ESW. Click on Image for more details.
The OA Depot is a great venue that has some really strong shows throughout the year, is affordable, well supported and we would certainly recommend to anyone looking for a mid sized exhibition space in the city.
Soon after the show however the disappointment that we couldn’t exhibit in what had become something of a spiritual second home faded as staff and studio reps were invited to the opening of the brand new Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop and it was announced that after a 7 year informal partnership with the CAP course at Edinburgh’s Telford College the 2 organisations had signed a formal partnership agreement which would establish ESW as an Employability Centre for CAP students studying at Edinburgh College guaranteeing students full professional membership, supported access to the workshops facilities, exhibition and professional practice workshops and opportunities. This milestone deal with the course will last for 10 years! Not a bad way to end the 2011/12 academic session!
More good news followed as we attended the fantastic degree shows of many former CAPers throughout June.
CAP1 Growth Project Collaborative Construction & Exhibition at ESW . Click on Image for more Info
In July and August things took a slower pace but soon picked up again with the influx of a new CAP1 group who were madesuitably welcome by the CAP2 devised and executed induction week project! Billed as a tea party it turned into a something more akin to riot in a charity shop! Excellent!
It wasnt long before we were taking advantage of our new parnership with ESW as AIRetc… Natalie Wilson exhibited the work she had developed and produced during her residency with us. The show, only the second ever in the ESW Eduardo Paolozzi Project Space was beautiful and articulate. A very fitting outcome to very successful residency.
Talking of fitting outcomes, I did say we would come back to our previous AIRetc… Artist, Paul Diamond, who started work as the Graduate Studio Assistant at the University of Edinburgh’s world renowned School of Architecture in October.
Gregor Morrison; Development Detail. Click on Image for more Info.
October was also the month in which CAP1 started their 7 week project at ESW. After 7 years of working with successive CAP1 groups in the old ESW building, which wasnot without its charms, you can be assure it was an absolute pleasure to be in a building with floods of natural light and heating. The outcomes which were exhibited in a staff student collaborative exhibition and review by 2 of the CAP1 participants can be found in the post immediately below this one or by clicking HERE
The third and final AIRetc… Participant for 2012 Gregor Morrison arrived at the the start of October and has been vigorously carving, drawing and printing away in the studio next door ever since. His energy and enthusiasm for printmaking with the the FAD12 students has been infectious providing group and 1-1 support to a range of students. We hope to have news of an exhibition of Gregor’s work very soon.
If anyone is wondering why no mention has been made of the momentus October 1st event that was the merger of the 3 colleges into the newly formed Edinburgh College.
North Edinburgh History Group and CAP2 discussing the work produced for LOCAL. Click on Image for more info.
The truth is that other than the momentary consideration being given changing the name from CAPetc to CAPec the truth is that so far at least the course has been unaffected. Whether that remains the case or not, remains to be seen.
The final months of the the year were packed full of activity in and out of the studio particularly particularly for the CAP2 students who participated in an new LOCAL
project. The premise of the project was to engage with the Political, social and geographical history of the area local to the Granton Campus of the college and to produce artwork in response to the engagement and subsequent research. The, ongoing project involved meetings and presentations for and by the North Edinburgh Local History Group at the North Edinburgh Art centre in Muirhouse. News on the next phase of the LOCAL project will be announced very soon!
Rachael, Kirsty & Rhona at the opening of their exhibition ‘Crit’. Click on the image for more info!
Not satisfied with the with the already significant demands of Year 2 of the course the CAP2 group took it upon themselves to initiate an exhibition of their work entirely unsupported by the college or the staff. Having been inspired by the previous CAP2 group who graduated in June the show, entitled ‘Crit’, took place once again at the Old Ambulance Depot. The show was a genuine triumph and testimony to the groups talents and ambition.
So, thats about it really in terms of the high points of the 2012, there have been many, indeed the only thing missing has been a wedding! Perhaps this year…………?
Alan Holligan, Edinburgh, Jan 2013
contemporaryartetc.com 