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THE DECKED PROJECT: 27/08/09




I was part of a group exhibition at Stolen Space Galley called THE DECKED PROJECT. (View their blog there for elaboration). Opening was on Thursday 27th August. 52 artists were involved which is an excellent idea- variety is good. All the work there was stunning!


















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DOUNT CRACKULA

It has been a delicious and productive summer! And what kind of summer, no matter how delicious and productive would be complete if not graced by a deliciously necessary summer task?:

1) Choose a book to read from the reading list
2) From life create 60 relevant drawings concerned with characters, places, scenes, related objects etc....(So no sourced imagery, except if sourced from our 3D reality)

I chose Bram Stoker's DRACULA. Ive always wanted to read it and have never read a fiction novel that's made me nervous on the underground, it is a wonderful book. I didn't go to Prague this year, that would have been useful. Similarly, I used to go to the University of Aberdeen but dont any more. Slains Castle (where Bram Stoker's inspiration for Dracula was eligibly conceived) is located in Aberdeenshire. There was a converted church called Slain's Castle on Belmont Street in Aberdeen town which was a 'themed bar' (from which I got banned for taking too many photos of the 'decor' and of security guards/bouncers). Unfortunately, I never visited the real Slain's, only the crappy bar on Belmont Street.
There is some use in recolections though, as I DID visited Dunnottar Castle for a few picnics and beach fires. So Ill rummage for photos. The Scottish coast and land scape is astounding. Somehow......... this is all relevant.
Actually many things have occurred in these last three months that I have been able to associate with Stoker's Dracula but thats just what our brains do, make associations, which is useful.


Any way moving swiftly on for September is drawing nigh...This is my itinerary:

1) Natural History Museum
2) Huntarian Museum

(for creatures, teeth, anatomy, illness and death)

3) Isle of White (I should go to Whitby- I guess I could go to Whitby but its off my radar of arrangements and I went to the Isle of White after Paris. Which was an excellent coastal substitute. I got to draw some coastal plants, rocks and play rounders/drink loads which was research for the show- but I am deeming it relevant to this too. I guess this shouldn't really be on my itinerary as its been and done but as I write this in jenist-RealTime it is getting late and so I wont correct it.)

4) Hamsptead Heath (for the cemetery in the book)
5) That park/cemetery place in Stoke Newington (cant remember its name but its massive and wild)
6) V&A (for baltic patterns and christian charms and things)
7) British Museum for objects related to superstitions.
8) Various Markets: Mainly Brixton Market (to look at dried foods and meats and especially for that jesus shop, the one what sells all the fluorescent light up superstitious crazy voodoo stuff- stuff being the most appropriate noun for it all. Do you know the place!? I dont know the real name of it but its next to that nice wee pizza restaurant opposite one of the many fish stalls, but this one has a large model sword fish hanging from the ceiling.)



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ELECTIVE: Digital Environments

My elective is digital environments. The progressive emergence of digital technologies over the course of the 20th century and into the 21st is one of exponential growth. If we look back to the 1930's we happen across George Stibitze, researcher at Bell Labs and mathematician (who today is internationally known as one of the fathers of digital computers, but Im sure had he not figured it out, some one else definitely would have.) He devised Boolean logic digital circuits using electromechanical relays as the switching element. (Switching element being the word coined for the component and/or element which is responsible for the transfer of data within or across a network/s. For example, using the electron.) We could probably claim that the work Samuel Morse and his creation of Morse Code were also partly responsible. Similar code related contributions by other mathematicians and logic derived by philosophers and physicists could also be relevant. We could say that they are also collectively responsible for the emergence of the computer.

(Link to Bell Laboratories)












This topic is going to be a very interesting part of my course. Digital information is transfered, stored and understood through the interpretation of two states of an electron: positive and non-positive. Read as 1 and 0 respectively. Thats It!.

Everything in the computer, on the internet, programs, games, digital cameras, mobile phones, other small processors e.g; found in microwaves, washing machines and DVD players. All the information; images and sounds in your lap top/computer/ipod/MP3/any digital device, is just the translation of one of these two states in a sequence (or instruction?) that is interpreted and translated into understandable or meaningful information.

As it stands, I already find it flabbergasting to say the least that the elementary, ordinary matter (such as electrons) that our world is built from can and does exhibit such extraordinary behavior in living plants and beasts.

Down to the functioning of all the bodily systems that make us alive, from the mechanical and chemical digestion of food to the complexity of the nervous system and the consciousness of the brain, charge movement/shift is responsible.

Generally, what we do and what occurs naturally with electrons in the environment is astounding. Of course the creation of the digital environment that we are vaguely familiar with is not apart from this. I needn't elaborate when I remind myself (and yourself) that all things have a bad side as we can expand networks, share data, create and edit music, art and film within digital environments but it is a predominantly tremendous boon to our understanding of the world and the development of the modern culture and creativity that emerges in response to it.
















I look forward to what I will be doing later on this year. Another reason why seeing the work of Field on the opening of the exhibition was so interesting. Ill be looking up some of what other people have been up to once October begins.


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Marble- Metamorphosism of Sedimentary Carbonate rocks (Carrera- White/blue/grey marble quarry in Italy)

This quarry in Carrera, Italy looks amazing. I think it would be a fancy place to visit. Calcite- calcium carbonate (CaCO3) metomorphosises into Marble under hight pressure and temperature.





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Ooponing nigh

On the evening of the opening reception of the exhibit at the Pebbledash Gallery (EXHIBIT X), were two very wonderful instillation/performances.

A wondrous due from Germany who through the power or their patience programed and animated this wonderful place (click for HD)

Poor visibility; weather again unsettled today. Surreal rocks and riven lowlands, valleys fog-shrouded. Frightening depths, and emptiness. Rarity of air is noticeable. What are you looking for in this hostile stretch?

www.field.io/projects/interim-camp





'Traum' enters the derelict landscape of the Lee Valley, London, UK, the site of the 2012 Olympics. Cut to a complex score by Isambard Khroustaliov the film proposes a way of looking through the surface of banal things to find new and surprising territories.

Music by Isambard Khroustaliov, film by Martin Hampton.
Made as part as part of the Not-Applicable project. 2008.
http://www.not-applicable.org/


I found both FIELD and DIFFERANCE very inspirational. I was very glad to be associated with them.


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The Vague Inventory of Ailments and States: Things from showe






















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Fo Gorth! Exhibition on 15th of August 2009


All the lande called flaxelandes..ande all the lande of the landys been of lore

On the 15th of August, I have an exhibition if you would like to come you are welcome ande I warn you it shall be an evening of mirth and merry making with many other delights aboot to bewilder youre beautiful heads.


clickedy click!
https://exhibitx.co.uk/index.php/blog/jenism