Exhibit A by Harry Lincoln

~ LINCOLN’S PREMIER ART MAGAZINE ~

exhibit

Issue 1 - December

“I’ve always had an obsessive perfectionist streak”

– Our featured artist on his painted self-portrait

TOM MARTIN

Fresh out of university and already snapped up by a prestigious London gallery

Graffiti World Tour |Scott Murray | Lincoln Live Art

Contents

Tom Martin

The brilliant new hyperrealism talent talks galleries, idols and how much art means to him.

8 Pioneers of Graffiti Exhibit A takes a look at the pioneers that have propelled graffiti into the mainstream

Plus

Indie play â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Going Downâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; - Exhibit A review the Drill Hall performance

Out of the Ordinary: Spectacular Craft - Astounding images from the exhibit

22 Scott Murray Making it in the photography business

Lincoln Art Programme - Interview with live art debate panellist and coverage of the event

News The Nottingham Contemporary

photo by Martine Hamilton-Knight

credit: photo by Andy Taylor Smith

ne of the biggest art centres in the UK, The Nottingham Contemporary opens its doors on November 14th with a retrospective of one of Britain’s most famous and successful living artists, David Hockney. The exhibition will include 60 of Hockney’s works from his time in London and Los Angeles between 1960-68.

As well as Hockney, the ﬁrst three months of the gallery being opened to the public will play host to L.A artist Frances Stark. The building of this gallery has taken two years longer than expected and has run millions of pounds over budget, but when it ﬁnally opens this November it will be sure to put Nottingham and the East Midlands on the art map.

Fools and Angels December The Sam Scorer gallery on Drury Lane in the uphill area of Lincoln plays host to two exhibitions in the month of December. Firstly running from the 30th of November to the 13th of December craft group Fools and Angels. With all members previously exhibiting art at the gallery, it is said to be a must-see in the upcoming weeks. Secondly, an exhibition by Les Brown who creates large scale paintings on canvas exploring philosophical and emotional themes. This exhibition starts on the 14th December and runs through to the 27th.

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The up market gallery on Drury Lane

Andy Warhol s Zombie-flick film Brillo-boxes possi made for just £45 Welsh director Marc Price’s Colin is a zombie bly faked in Swedish ﬁlm, shot from the perspective of a zombie.

credit: phot by Micheal Wolchover

t has been revealed that charismatic sixties artist, Andy Warhol, may have had work forged in an attempt to showcase his ‘original’ workings from 1968. The gallery in question is The Moderna Museet, in Stockholm. A well-respected art curator is in the ﬁring line after it has come to the attention of many art dealers and collectors, in connection with the gallery, that the six Brillo-pad boxes may have been made in 1990 – three years after the artist’s death. The recent scandal has sparked great fears amongst people in the art-world who have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on the art-piece. The Andy Warhol Authentication Board is now scrupulously investigating the boxes in question. The work-of-art has since been pulled from the exhibit in the gallery, pending a conclusive, authoritative decision.

It had a good outing at Cannes, has screened at Sci-Fi London, Frightfest and London Raindance and won the Special Jury Award at the Revenant Film Fest 2008. It’s definitely a first in the horror genre but what sets it apart from the massive influx of zombie films that have hoarded the cinemas lately? Well, the entire shoot took around 18 months, had a crew of over 100 people working for nothing, fuelled by cups of tea, the odd biscuit and their unabashed love for film. Price can hardly believe the heights the film has took to. With friends starring in multiple roles to fill the vast number of zombies needed, his work really was cut out for him but the sheer determination to get the film finished and out there has paid off spectacularly. Keep your eyes peeled for Colin starring newbie Alastair Kirton in the lead role as this might, just might, be coming to a cinema near you. Fingers crossed.

Renaissance style painter takes Turner The 25th winner of the most famous prize in British art has been awarded to the painter Richard Wright. Wright wowed both the public and received almost universal critical acclaim for his renaissance style paintings. One of the aspects of Wright’s work that is particularly intriguing is the fact that it’s made to only be temporary. So to catch a glimpse at the work of this years winner who has been described as a modern genius, head down to the Tate Britain.

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Welcome...

A note from the editor...

Tom Martin’s self portrait; ever seen anything for local enthusiasts and for people who enjoy Ever seenWell, anything like that?have... Well, you couldn’t have. mostculture art, hyper-realism also and unique. like that? you couldn’t the Like arts and to be able toisread get However, our front-man of this first issue of Exhibit A, Tom Martin, shows us how to paint essenLike most art, hyperrealism is also unique. an insight into what is going on in their area. tially what is a photograph. While later on in the issue; we have exclusive interviews with the curators, However, our front-man of this first issue of ExIn this first issue we aim to give you, a six-page the graffiti world tour and competition. But first a little bit about hibit A, Tomfeature Martin,on shows us how to paint es- a poetry reader, a taste of everything. A chance for ourus to selves… sentially what is a photograph. While later on in put our feelers out, perhaps get some feedthe issue; we have exclusive interviews with cu- back from you, the reader. Perhaps help us diExhibit was bornfeature out of the ideagraffiti of representation. Representation independent in the rators, aA six-page on the world rect our content infor later issues. Forart example, local surrounding area ofcompetition. Lincolnshire.But first a you may have a private exhibition you want tour and a photography little bit about ourselves… publicised, are you an independent artist wantThe team here, being enthusiasts of art themselves, there should publicationinfor Exhibit A was born out of the idea of represeningthought to advertise; so whybe nota advertise ourlocal enthusiasts and for people who enjoy the culture to be able to read and get an insight into tation. Representation for independent artarts in and magazine? what is going on in their area. the local surrounding area of Lincolnshire. The team here, being enthusiasts of art them- Contact exhibit A at editor@exhibita.co.uk for In this first issuethere we aim to give the reader, a taste everything. A chanceadvertising for us to put our selves, thought should be you, a publication more of information regarding and feelers out, perhaps get some feedback from you, the reader. Perhaps help us direct our content in later issues. For example, you may have a private exhibition you want publicised, are you an independent artist wanting to advertise; so why not advertise in our magazine?

> Harry Lincoln

As a deputy editor of one of the best student websites in the country, The Linc, Harry is able to make use of his print subbing skills, time management and attention to detail to make Exhibit A the best it can possibly be. Working closely with The Guardian and Le Monde this professional journalist’s print prowess is unmatched.

> Jackson Jones Jackson is a revered independent artist in his own right. Working on various publications as a freelance illustrator, Jackson’s back-catalogue of caricatures and majoring in graffiti criticism, his role in Exhibit A as the art director couldn’t have been more apt. Jackson is solely responsible for the layout of Exhibit A.

> Kevin Lee Jones Currently studying and in his third year of a Journalism degree at the University of Lincoln, Kevin has honed his reporting skills to an industry standard level. His unparalleled scope for a sensational story is what carries this publication. We are happy to have this NME alumnus on board.

>?Mark Bowery A mutual friend of all on the team, Mark’s professionalism and writing style has seen him write fantastic reviews for university publications, as well as having his work showcased on local radio. These two completely different writing mediums allows for Exhibit A to host compelling work produced by Mark, in more than one section of the magazine.

Hugh Dichmond Exclusive Independent artist and currartor speaks to Exhibit A; 1. Tell us a little bit about yourself; I curated a show at the Bonnington Gallery in Nottingham in May. I am one of four Curators running 'The Wasp Room' in Nottingham. I am also an artist and the reviews editor for a-n Magazine. We have shown work which could be considered live art, but we don't put on shows based on artists proposals: we look for artists we like and create shows that way. So work with a performative element is possible. 2. In an art debate hosted by the Lincoln Art Programme, you were asked where each panel member stood on whether they thought that live art was

wouldn't describe themselves as an art

empowering or just simply alienating.

historian.

Where do you stand on this? 4. One of the other panelists seemed to I think good art is empowering, full stop.

think that by 'getting into trouble'

Bad art doesn't engage with its audience,

things would be helped along and more

whilst some people just aren't interested

people would be drawn to it. Is this the

in contemporary art, so will probably not

right way to go about it? But would that

engage with any of it, even if it is good. I

make it something else rather than live

personally find a lot of live art alienating,

art?

but that is just my personal experience, and isn't always the case.

I think this is an over-used and juvenile

3. Could live art operate without a

police is a shock tactic used for publicity or

tactic, and sometimes antagonising the political motive?

a sense of moral/political pride. I think in the right context being arrested is a worth-

Yes, it could. It's like any other art form, in

while act, but not for artistic reasons, only

that it has the potential to express any-

political ones. If the artist is making a valid

I don't think most serious and interesting artists

thing, and can be born of any motive.

political point and is arrested for an absurd

care too much about whether the

I think live art is a more valid form of "pub-

reason, then that is appropriate. But no

average granny on the street thinks their art-

lic art" than many corporate-funded metal

artist should go out seeking to demonise

work, live art or otherwise, is "pretty" or not. I

sculptures. Performances which engage

the police because they have authority.

think beauty has an important role to play in

the public have more potential to actually

Without law everything would crumble, so

art, but not in every piece of art. Maybe people

affect engagement and perhaps have

a lot of thought needs to go into the tactics

who think something is not beautiful in artistic

more than a decorative effect. So I would

artists employ to engage with authority.

sense should question why the artist has cho-

though galleries can house

6. Do you think that the overall societal

and not just think of it as "bad art" because

performances too; they would just have a

pressure to have nice things is linked

they couldn't imagine buying it and hanging it

more suspecting audience. I couldn't

to art in general? Aesthetic assimila-

up in their house.

comment on liver art's shelf life, as I am

tion, in live art, is arguably quite mini-

as ignorant to art's trends as anyone who

mal...

say live art is best in the "real world", al-

sen that particular presentational approach,

by Harry Lincoln

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the

PIONEERS

of Graffiti

Exhibit A presents a range of profiles on the pioneers that have propelled graffiti in to the mainstream. This month we explore Tsang Tsou Choi, the dedicated Grandmaster of eastern graffiti. But first, a homegrown talent from Bristol and the owner of the naked man hanging out of the window...

by Jackson Jones

>Banksy B

ritish graffiti is different from the traditional. The British graffiti scene thrives on anti-establishment themes. The graffiti artists at large get their kicks from mocking the system and sticking it to the man. In essence, this is what graffiti is: rebellion against conformity. We don’t just scribe pretty artwork on the walls for people to admire; when the British tagger does a 30 minute piece it has meaning and purpose. The graffiti gang culture in Britian isn’t massive. Artists prefer working either alone or in pairs. But why? It’s probably due to the fact that Britain is the surveillance capital of the world. With camera’s watching you pretty much every step of every street you walk down, discretion comes first and foremost. Bringing attention to yourself with mass tagging gangs is not wise. Graffiti is constantly frowned upon by local councils now more than ever because they foolishly relate it to yobbish behaviour, gang culture and hoodie criminals. But graffiti artists are far removed from these tyrants. To an MP or a council though, with public credibility at stake, they feel the need to get the public on their side and what better way than to ‘clean up the streets’. However, one man has defied the law and rocked the foundations of graffiti to the core. He’s made the British graffiti scene his own. With his work spanning the globe and being featured on album covers he’s made himself the prime candidate for any worthy hall of fame and stamped his celebrity status into the homes of the British public. Graffiti is starting to become a respectable art form now because of the efforts of this one rogue talent. Introducing Banksy... We live in ‘Banksy’s Britain.’ What Pele was to Brazilian football; what Michael Jackson was to 80’s pop music; Banksy is to British graffiti: a pioneer. You cannot mention the British graffiti scene nowadays without uttering his name in the same sentence. Adored by many, detested by few; Banksy’s stencils and artwork have steadily nudged graffiti into the collective consciousness of the British public. But just who is the mysterious Banksy? The answer: nobody really knows. It is widely believed that he is a British graffiti artist born in 1974/5 and rumoured to have grown up in Bristol. But this is from the shadiest of sources. Banksy made his name stencilling satirical pieces about modern politics, ethics and society but has also crafted paintings

>Aliases: Banksy. >Date of Birth: Unknown. >Home: Bristol, Great Britain. >Preffered graffiti method:

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and installations as well. And his graffiti isn’t limited to our shores; Banksy has been busy overseas with pieces classes is just swept under cropping up in Paris, New York and Sydney amongst the rug by the rich and the others. Given the anti-establishment attitude of his graffiti it seems ironic that some of his work has sold in excess of £100 000 with high-profile celebrities like Christina Aguilera and Angelina Jolie amongst the buyers. But just what exactly has made him so popular with the public? The answer is simple: it’s the political message in his artwork. A picture can say a thousand words. Never has this saying had such truth to it than in Banksy’s case. With anti war pictures and ethical pieces about famine in the third world, Banksy is a voice of the underdog and the hard-done by citizens of Britain and indeed the world. In 2007 some of Banksy’s works were auctioned at London’s famous Sotheby’s auction house. Loads of his pieces were sold substantially above their estimated prices. Amusingly, on the second day of the auction Banksy updated his website with a painting he’d done This stencil shows how prior, showing an auction house full of people bidding public affection between for a painting that says “I Can’t Believe You Morons Actwo men is very heavily tually Buy This Shit” on it, a perfect example of his personal and anti-establishment themes. In June 2007, Banksy painted a picture of a naked man hanging out of a window evading his lover’s husband (as seen on the first page). Bristol City Council left A piece depicting how the plight of the working

the image up and let the public decide whether it should stay or go. A landslide of 97% voted for it to stay and it remains there to this day protected by the council. But there are other contributing factors to his success as well. It’s all fine and dandy having a political message but you need to convey it with as much power as the message itself. The real success is rooted in his presentation. His stencils set him apart from all competition; they are the perfect vehicle for his political prowess. They sum up exactly what Banksy wants and are instantly recognisable. Each one is as iconic as the Queen’s head on the pound coin. You can buy posters, books, badges, cups, almost anything with a Banksy mural on it. He has truly just mastered the iconography that will see him being remembered long after he’s dead and buried. He’s a much-loved and sought after celebrity and nobody even knows what he looks like. His identity may never be known until he’s gone, but until then, he’ll just be our Banksy.

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> Tsang Tsou Choi

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Aliases: King of Kowloon. Date of Birth: November 12, 1921. Died July 15, 2007. Home: Kowloon Province, Hong Kong, China.

astern graffiti is amongst the most unique graffiti in the world but people of the Western world are none the wiser. Spray cans and permanent markers are thrown aside for paints and paint brushes. Tradition is king. The rich graffiti in this niche corner of the world holds influences from Asian powerhouse artists like Hokusai, and the diverse text and multiple alphabet character meanings makes the possibilities for distinctive graffiti styles endless. But one province is home to one of the most dedicated graffiti artists of all time... If Exhibit A could go back in time and meet any one graffiti artist of choice it’d be Choi: the granddaddy of calligraphy graffiti. The legend’s work, lifestyle and public following embody the very essence of graffiti. To citizens of the province he is known simply as the ‘King of Kowloon’. To call him a legend is an understatement, he was more than mortal to those who knew of his calligraphy. Go to Kowloon nowadays and you wouldn’t have a hard time finding his graffiti anywhere. It’s everywhere; lamp posts, bins, pavements, pillars, buildings, street furniture and - back in the day - even cars. A late comer to the graffiti scene, Choi started his graffiti career at the ripe age of 35. It wasn’t without its hardships though; Tsang became so obsessed with his graffiti that his wife left him and his family disowned him. It seems his success is rooted in his absolute devotion to calligraphy graffiti. Nothing quenched his thirst for life more than painting his art on anything he could find and evidently, nothing stopped him from immersing himself in his work. His apartment was cloaked in calligraphy. His clothes, curtains and lampshades weren’t even immune to the odd calligraphy session. Photographs of his work have toured the world in exhibitions and one piece sold in the thousands at Sotheby’s, London. His death at 86 prompted mass photography of his graffiti; the most famous of which can be found at Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry Pier which has now been sprayed with a clear protective layer to preserve it for future generations to pore over. His art work is now a staple part of the identity of Hong Kong culture and calligraphy graffiti will never be the same. King of Kowloon: rest in peace.

Next month... In part 2 of The Pioneers of Graffiti we interview the Godfather of stencilling and Banksy’s inspiration, Blek Le Rat. Also, we profile Brazilian graffiti photographer, Tristan Manco on how he revolutionised the way we look at graffiti.

Photography Competition

Capture the season

Win a masterclass with a professional photographer Being at a time of change in the seasons, Exhibit A realises that not only is this a fantastic opportunity to paint and draw serene landscapes but also for photography; capturing the fleeting autumnal moments. We are holding a photography competition wherein readers can send in their best shot with a seasonal theme. Be it a change in weather, landscape, lifestyle – as long as it depicts change in some way, in relation to the season change-over, this will suit our brief perfectly. The winner will win a master class with award winning photographer Sam Cox of Lincoln University’s Media Group. The session will include a feedback session of work, pointers for different types of shots, professionalism etiquette within the field that you want to specialise in and training in studio management suites.

Requirements: > Picture to be no more that 4Mb. > 700dpi > Poor lighted photos will not be accepted SEND ALL ENTRIES TO: photos@exhibita.co.uk

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Review

How do we deﬁne Live Art? by Harry Lincoln Live Art. What is it? Do we appreciate it? How do you deﬁne it? All these questions didn’t really scratch the surface, when put to a panel of professional art critics and professionals. The Lincoln Art Programme describe art-jacking as something that happens to you, suggesting that it is not expected or foreseen but an experience that by accident or by intent you are a part of, a passer-by or a participant. Some is silent and some is shouted from rooftops. The art is there regardless – recognition isn’t crucial to forming live art. To discuss topics centred around the art form’s meaning and bring their own ideas to the discussion were; Lois Keidan; Director of the Live Art Development Agency, set up in 1999 to support live art projects through making accessible resources for artists and developing new initiatives in the UK and internationally. Hugh Dichmont; Co-Director of The Wasp Room, Nottingham and Co-director of artist group Tether. He is also the reviews editor for a-n Magazine, an arts recruiting publication. Ana Benlloch; artist and curator based in Birmingham, Benlloch’s practise includes solo work and collaborative project with group including A.A.S Insectoid, Proto-Mu Milgram and Ludogeographic Society. Her work crosses the fringe of ‘constructed personas society institutionalises, virtual or actual.’ Lawrence Bradby; an artist and writer, whose practise includes collaborative work with Anna Townley, as artistic duo Townley and Bradby. Based in Norwich, Bradby produces performances, projects and

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interventions, which interact with the public on a wide social scale. After the introductions had been made a few video excerpts the artists and one of the critics had produced was showcased. It showed how live art can be interpreted in production methods and where it is shot – in what social space. The example given by Lois Keidan featured a live art performance carried out in the borough of Canary Wharf, London. Dramatists had dressed up as clowns; representing fun. While another group would beat these clowns, dressed as bankers. Was this an excuse to incite a bit of tension, directed at other panellists? Well, the chairwoman of the debate, Laura Eldret , split the professionals up into two camps of debate; one arguing that live art is all about alienating the public when there are demonstrations; and the other group arguing that live art’s purpose is to empower people. Lois Keidan had a few interesting points to make. She believed that the question put to her and the rest of the panel was a complete false dichotomy. Because there isn’t a single form of live art, a single form of public space, the audience’s and artist’s expecta-

tions of the piece will always differ when these factors interchange. She went on to suggest that because there are predetermined ‘spaces;’ like say with a gallery, a stage or a theatre, there is this prejudicial predetermination that is labelled as being linked to a ‘normal’ or a ‘more user-friendly’ performance; “Live art has always been a highly politically invested practise. Artists will always turn to themselves and their own work to critique society and take up a position of opposition among a whole bunch of political issues or against the regime itself.” As the mediator of the debate stated at the start of the session, there would be conﬂicting views and stances taken by each member of the panel; each contributing in their own way to the debate by drawing on experience they had had in their artistic ﬁeld. Lawrence Bradby took the stance that, unlike Lois

around its protagonist, Reverend Billy – an evangelical priest – preaching about the function of such an institute like Tesco; and its recruitment techniques; at the check-outs themselves, in-store and full of people. According to Bradby’s research that he and his team carried out before performing the live art piece, 1 in 250 of the entire population of England will be linked to Tesco in some form or another. Bradby approached the debate with a more quantifiable outlook – bringing a bit of sustenance to the debate, arguably. Arguably indeed, as the final panel member, Ana Benlloch had her say on the matter. When working on live art projects Ana Benlloch believes that the form of the piece itself would benefit from people, from that space, joining in as the original group moved through. A project called Sciencesific, performed in the streets of Leceister, saw different dressed-up groups - cavemen, for example

“All that an art director needs, or needs to know, is to go for numbers and a place where there is a definite social function going on. Where it could be considered mundane to perform in that space.” Keidan’s view on ‘art space,’ there is a sure space to create an impression on the public; He then went on to talk about how he had commissioned a piece, sparked by a local campaign in Cambridge city centre, where he and his dramatists would protest through live art. What had happened in the lead up to this piece being performed was that Tesco supermarkets had got planning permission to build another one of its stores in the high street. Cambridgeshire already had 15 in the county before the planning permission for this one had gone Live Art Development Agency director; through. The perLois Keidan formance centred

– go about their business as normal. Some went into shops, some arrived to work in their attire and some just walked the streets, trying to provoke reactions. She commented on its motives and goals; “Live art, like the sort that we set out to perform, we try and make as subjective as possible; so that the audience can interpret it as they wish. I am a ﬁrm believer that live art is very good at provoking and empowering, instead of intimidating. In fact, we had such a good turn-out in Leceister that the original 15 people who signed up at the start were, by the end, dwarfed by the amount of randomers just joining in.” Live Art it seems is more of a theory, a paradigm to which artists work to, or base their work on. There are no set guidelines, no protocol. But it does seem that if you’re going to try and think up one of your own, know your audience. Or in the case of Lois Keidan’s work, know your enemy.

For more about Art-Jacking and live art, read our exclusive interview with Hugh Dichmont who took

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introducing,

HYPERREALISM’S L

TOM

LATEST GENIUS

By Kevin Lee Jones

"When people hear that I'm an artist theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re left quite bemused."

ART

yperrealism is one of the most talked about mediums of art in today’s world. There’s no surprise, then, why 23-yearold sensation, Tom Martin, is rapidly becoming the buzz of all conversations in galleries and art-establishments worldwide. Hyperrealism is a concept of painting that stems from the imagery technique that’s involved in photorealism. The genesis of photorealism began around 40-years ago as a progression from the renowned technique of photography, ‘Pop-art’, made famous by Andy Warhol. Speaking about photorealism in relation to hyperrealism, Tom proclaims: “People argued in the late 1960s that photorealism was very mundane and pointless, as it achieved nothing - nothing more than a camera could do. Traditionally, photorealism is mundane, and so too is hyperrealism. However its humdrum subjects are made up for by the level of ''Gr a ins wit h a dis t inc t iv e nut t y f la v our '' complexity in painting methods.” The premise behind hyperrealism is to produce paintings that have an enhanced sense of reality. An than that, really - they are part of me, part of what illusion of ‘hyper real’ creates an air of astonishment goes in through my system, and gives me the energy to the finished pieces. The idea of modifying and rein- to train and paint, so it tells the viewer something terpreting a photograph is an incredibly detailed and about my life,” answers Martin. Fresh out of university - graduating with a first-class regimented exercise. “For me, I’ve always had an obsessive perfectionist streak - it’s just the way I see honours degree in 2008 - Tom‘s growth in talent and stature has developed at an exponential rate. Studythings. Call it OCD if you like,” states Tom. The talented artist, from Rotherham, South York- ing at the University of Huddersfield, Tom shone shire, has a peculiar fashion in terms of the subjects throughout his course, showing an outstanding he paints. Beginning his repertoire with random metal- ability to produce work tantamount to many profeslic apparatus and components of gym equipment, then adding to his collections with food packaging and consumer products, evokes the question, ‘Why paint this?’ “At a glance it’s not all that deep. But the things I paint as with the gym equipment are all personal to me. The food packaging is a piece of my everyday life. I try to eat healthy and maintain something similar to a body building diet, for the want of a better physical expression. There’s nothing more to it ''Everybody gets tempted sometimes'': Tom’s most expensively priced work to date.

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‘A taste of Italy’: The composition doesn’t give justice to the size of this - stretching as wide as two metres

sional artists - even at that stage, in his already shortlived career development. It was Tom‘s inspirational levels of dedication that saw him being represented by the prestigious London-based gallery, Plus One. During the third year of his studies, Tom attended numerous exhibitions at Plus One - mainly for pleasure, given his profession; “I regularly visited the gallery during my time at university, as one of my main idols, Pedro Campos - another hyperrealism artist - shows his work there. After a few exhibitions I attended, I decided to approach the gallery owner and mention that I painted, too,” says Tom. “To my surprise, the owner asked me to send him some of my work. They instantly loved it and told me they wanted to take me on.” Given the fact Tom was still at university - and only 21 at the time - the reality of a well-respected and successful gallery wanting to show his work was a remarkable feat. “From my course, there was only me, in fairness, that wanted to become a working artist. None of my student-peers, that I’m aware of, are prac-

ticing full-time artists. It’s not for everyone.” Tom‘s mature and modest nature is a strong basis for his ever-growing success. Since he was signed to Plus One - now, just over a year ago - he has already achieved his first solo show, in September of this year. It brought great success and saw many of his established idols in the art-world come to see his workings. “It’s quite bizarre that I am now friends with many of my idols and inspirations during the time I learnt my trade. They critique my work; I critique theirs; we chat and have a respect for each other’s achievements. “It’s strange at first, but now, I almost think of them on the same level as me. That’s not to say I believe I’m as good as they are, or as established - I’m far from it - but it helps to see them as humans and approachable people,” says Tom. “It makes me feel like my goals are even more achievable than perhaps they were a few years ago, when it felt like another world that they were in.” >>

It’s bizarre that I am now friends with my idols and inspirations.

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After meeting Tom, not so long ago, it is pertinent to say that he is not the archetypal ‘artist,‘ by any stretch of the imagination. A fine-looking, strapping, young gentleman, he lives the life of any other twenty-something. “When people hear that I’m an artist they’re left quite bemused.” Call it stereotyping, if you will, but see it more as a refreshing evolution of art: art is, indeed, becoming cool again and Tom can be seen as a bona-fide paradigm for the recent shaping of art as a reformed culture. Tom’s latest creation has Perfectionist: Tom attends to the finer details of the painting seen his topic of interest shift dramatically. ‘A Short Silence’, as he’s named it, features a nude woman laid foetus-like. A truly incredible composition that looks even more outrageously real as it hangs, currently, in his humble studio at his home. “For quite some time now, I’ve wanted to paint a nude. Due to the concept of my solo show, though, I haven’t been able to. “The ‘nude’ has long been a greatly appreciated subject of painters, dating back to even before the renaissance,” Tom claims. “But more recently, particular hyperrealist idols of mine have been painting the same subject. Their paintings blow me away, and I guess in a sense I wanted to try and tackle it myself, to see how well I did.”

Painstaking: it takes Tom around 200 hours to complete a piece

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The finished article of ‘A Short Silence’ is truly sublime, and it’s a true testament to nude painting. The administration of sophistication and discretion of the woman featured in the painting is a reflection of the class of work Tom Martin is continually producing. Tom is currently working on, yet another, diverse subject matter: after a recent work-related venture to New York, Tom is producing an extremely complex arrangement of spirit bottles from a bar in the Big Apple. “This is sure to be my most challenging painting to date. The amount of shapes, colours and complexities involved in the image are sure to be arduous to capture - but enjoyable and stimulating all the same,” he says. With regard to production time, Tom usually spends around 200 ‘A Short Silence’: Up close and personal hours on each piece he produces. With the degree of life-like, and in some cases, magnified visuals his paintings harbour, they prove to be extremely large, formidable and empowering creations. However, his current project will take him close to three-times longer than his previous work. The development in production time is mirrored justifications of Tom’s unrelenting strive to become a better artist. The talent he beholds has a refreshing complement of ambition and dedication to it. This young professional has caused a positive stir in the latest art movements, and he is sure to make an even bigger name for himself to what ‘Tom Martin’ means to people even now.

Magnificent: The final composition

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Profile

Scott Murray by Mark Bowery

Trying to break into a fiercely competitive industry. The trials and tribulations of...

fter years of playing drums in bands around the country and coming close but never quite making it in the music industry, Scott Murray decided to take up a new hobby. He never dreamt that in the space of just two years he would be striving to make that hobby a successful career. This is now the reality for Murray though and he has invested thousands of pounds and hundreds of hours in trying to turn his one time hobby, photography into a profitable business. Murray admits that it was never his intention to go professional in the photography industry, he says “About a year and a half ago someone offered me some money to do a job, a book cover for a novel. That was a job I just kind of blagged, the guy thought I was a professional and I didn’t tell him otherwise.” Murray explains that initially he took up photography with the intention of just taking a few images to frame on his living room wall. However soon after starting to take shots he caught the photography bug and started dedicating more and more time to his new hobby. He found that the more he did, the more the work started to escalate and he realised that his new pasttime could realistically become his full time job. The majority of the work he started off doing in photography revolved around his other great passion. He says “ I was really into music before photography and after getting my camera I got really involved in music photography,

portraiture came from there and I gradually moved into other photography after that.” Murray does admit though that the competition for photographers is extremely tough in Lincolnshire and especially music photography, claiming that it’s the genre that most photographers want to break in to. Further to this he explains that he believes the accessibility and progress of the technology in photography means the number of talented amateurs is

that having that space has opened a number of opportunities for him, giving him the chance to move into other types of photography that can help sustain his business. He has recently taken a number of shots of jewelry for a local shop and is the regular photographer for Yak and EIO clothing ranges. As well as this he has started doing family portraits and also rents his studio out to other photographers when he’s not using it. Despite an impressive portfolio of

Left:Scott Murray self portrait and above his studio the Terrace.

growing rapidly, along with the competition from talented photography students in Lincoln; “There’s so many kids doing it, everyones got a digital camera now and it’s possible for pretty much anyone to get into and potentially produce great images.” One advantage that Murray has got over his fellow photographers is his studio at the Terrace in Lincoln, near the Collection gallery. He has been renting the studio there for around a year and feels

work that includes a couple of book covers, images in a number of local and national magazines and photographs of Radio 1 presenters Andy and Jaymo that have been used on the BBC iPlayer, Murray explains that he isn’t yet running a profitable business. He admits that one of his big weaknesses is the business aspect, but also claims that he wants to hone his talent before he starts committing to too much work. He says “I need to learn a lot more about

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Profile

Clockwise from top left: Little Boots,Razorlight, Andy George and Glasvegas.

daughter to think about. “If I didn’t have my family to consider it would probably make a big difference to my attitude, but obviously I wouldn’t have it any other way.” In terms of the advice Murray thinks may be valuable to other budding photographers he says that flexibility in your attitude is key.

traits. Murray describes another key aspect of the photography business is being willing to invest both time and money, he says “I’ve spent in excess of ten thousand pounds in the past eighteen months or so on equipment, people you work with in the industry work with tight deadlines and want high quality and if you want to get

sation like Business Link or equally important get advice from experienced practitioners in your chosen career. However Murray points out that the fundamental issue if you’re considering setting up a business is caring about what you’re doing, he says “Having great equipment isn’t essential, I’ve seen great photos from point and shoot cameras,

I’ve spent in excess of ten thousand pounds in the past eighteen months on equipment He explains that he has had to do a lot of work that he possibly wouldn’t initially choose to do, photographs that aren’t to his own taste. He goes on to say that to be relevant to a number of publications you need to adapt your style. He explains that taking images for a magazine like Lincolnshire life is extremely different from taking photos of bands, which in turn differs greatly from taking family por-

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on in the industry you need to deliver all those things.” As well as investing his own capital, Murray points out that he has also received a grant from Business Link to help him pay for a computer and software that is suitable to deal with the amount of editing he has to do. He suggests that one key piece of advice to anyone looking to set up their own business is to get help from an organi-

the key is enjoying and loving what you do; in the end it shows. At the moment I’m not making money but I love doing what I’m doing and get great satisfaction from the creative aspect and the whole learning process and that’s ultimately the most important thing.” Scott Murray will be exhibiting a selection of his work at the Sam Scorer gallery, Drury Lane in 2010.

Out of the Ordinary: Spectacular Craft

Book of Humanity: Empty

A treat for the senses as the Hub welcomes a prestigious show from the V&A.

urprise and intrigue are the key elements of the Out of the Ordinary: Spectacular Craft. It’s one of the most high proﬁle exhibitions to visit the Hub gallery in Sleaford and it certainly doesn’t disappoint. Every aspect of the exhibit is made up of pieces that intend to challenge expectations and -

offer the unexpected at every turn and in almost every case close inspection is needed to get the full picture of what you are actually looking at. On entering the main gallery you are greeted by what appears to be a three-pronged red waterfall, suspended 15 or 20 feet in the air. On closer inspection it becomes clear that the waterfall has been created from paper and is formed from human figures cut from the material. The piece created by Lu Shengzhong, named ‘The book of Humanity: Empty Book’ (left) is visually stunning and makes a truly striking impact as you enter the gallery space. The work of Lu Shengzhong and all of the artists here isn’t just beautiful to look at, everything has a real conceptual value too. The whole message behind Shengzhong’s work is about the fragility and disparity of human life and the sheer volume of the human figures is overwhelming. The gallery space at the Hub as been divided up superbly into sections so each exhibit is hidden from the preceding artists’ works, meaning the layout echoes the element of surprise. What is also intriguing and engaging about the exhibition is the variety in the styles and mediums that all the artists use. Moving around the gallery you move from the extraordinary paper craft of Lu Shengzhong to work as diverse as Olu Amoda’s welded steel sculptures and Naomi Filmer’s audio and film piece. The true highlights of the exhibition come from three artists in particular; Yoshihiro Suda, Annie Cattrell and Susan Collis. Suda is a Japanese hyper-realist artist who using wood, carves shoots and flowers that jut out of the wall. Superbly exhibited, hidden down a

Yoshihiro Suda s

Magnolia

long white corridor in the gallery, appearing to grow out of the wall is a meticulously and painstakingly crafted magnolia branch and flower. The detail and precision of Suda’s work is awe-inspiring and truly breathtaking. Similarly Cattrell’s ‘Capacity’ is almost unbelievable in its fragilty and craftsmanship. ‘Capacity’ is an almost impossibly life-like, lampworked glass set of human lungs which are suspended in mid air. The lungs she created represent the fleeting moment of a human breath and in the description of her work she explains that she wants to highlight the everyday moments, like a breath, that she considers extraordinary. Although the work that Collis produces is extremely different to the work of Suda and Cattrell, it shares common ground in the value of the details. As you turn the corner in to Collis’ section of the exhibit, at

Suda s work is awe-inspiring and truly breathtaking

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Susan Cattrell s

remove screws from the wall. However on closer inspection it is clear that these mundane objects have been turned into something amazing, created to trick the unsuspecting eye. For example what appears to be paint splatters on a ladder is actually mother of pearl and diamonds. A dust sheet covered in dirt has in truth been embroidered to look that way and screws in the wall are made from platinum and hold black diamonds. The beauty and craft of Collis’ work is the ability to fool the viewer into thinking that what they are looking at is not what it ﬁrst appears. Out of the Ordinary: Spectacular Craft is a truly quality exhibition in every sense. The standard of the work

Capaci -

and the concept behind each piece is outstanding and the way the exhibition is curated and displayed only enhances the experience. A good exhibition should engage with its audience and that’s exactly what this does with pre-conceptions constantly being challenged. This exhibition sets out to make the viewer look beyond face value and ﬁnd the extraordinary in the everyday through high quality craftsmanship and in that sense, and many more, it hits the target. Out of the Ordinary: Spectacular Craft, will run at the Hub in Sleaford until 10th January 2010.

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Reviews

Going Down? More like ‘Break Down.’

By Harry Lincoln

The plot for the play could be quite confusing for the audience.

‘Going Down’ Written and directed by Darren A. Furniss. The Drill Hall, Lincoln 14/10/09

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he plot: six characters, one lift, and a mutual party. Mix these ingredients with the 70-minute-play's single set and you'll think, well, what now? Arriving at Lincoln’s Drill Hall to watch Darren A. Furniss' Going Down, I was confronted with what looked like undead bell-boys. Milling around the foyer, the extras stood perfectly still, except for the whimsical wide-eyed head-turn and a shifting of their weight, now and again. Was this a horror play? It cer-

When entering the hall itself, the bell-boys dispersed, somewhere, until one was left. A man, half dressed in what looked like formal evening wear. But it was scruffy on one side. His trousers were torn and blood-stained, his attire mismatched, and half of his face hanging off. Not the classic lift operator in appearance, but perhaps in duty. Playing a minimal role, he continued to operate the lift so that more and more of the characters were introduced as the floors passed. He says nothing to the people who get into the lift. Even if the odd one is panic-stricken and needs to confide in someone, he will only announce floors and say “going down”. Common ground is something the characters seek

issues, so to speak, and why wouldn't they? The writer showed the characters in a try-hard light, too projective and not overly self-aware, as a group. Nothing in the plot unrolled or was given the chance to stew. Predictable. The overall message was unclear too. The characters would be whittled out of the play by the half-undead lift attendant, telling them they had arrived at their floor. But why at that time? Where did they even get off? The fact that the intrinsic banter went on when the lift was in motion, posed the question as to how high was this building for the lift to be in motion for 70 minutes? Before it was even half-way through, the writer man-

Could this be a new concept? ‘Digital drama’, where intensity is either on or off, with no nuance throughout the play, but for the worse. The writer has an annoying habit of scripting the occasional jolt in the lift mechanism, knocking the characters' confidences. Cue the bemused/breathe-through-your-mouth scared faces. Cringeworthy. Monologues followed group conversation. The set’s lighting would fade and a spot would appear for the individual to stand and deliver. Some were very good, but none were believable. The writer had constructed a predictable formula: 1. Cocky head turns. 2. Over-zealous volume changes. 3. Screaming after complete silence. 4. Stuttering and long pauses, brought on by all issues. Could this be a new concept? Digital drama, where intensity is either on or off, with no nuance. The ScotsGay review 2008 promised a "Passionate, powerful, and gripping" play. However the real outlook, while bouncing around these dramatic parameters, was stiff, repetitive and lewd. The structure was rigid to the point that, as an audience member, I felt slightly embarrassed for the next protagonist who had to step up and deliver their monotonous monologue. But was this due to the writing? Each character clearly had

aged to successfully turn shocking disbelief into complete desensitised hysteria. The writer comically layers up every single criminal archetype: a rapist, a murderer, a porn star, a pedophile, an adulterous beast, and a power-dressing megalomaniac, in just six characters. I was honestly starting to think that the writer was working quantifiably: 12 pounds for 12 criminal archetypes. The play itself was inconclusive and abrupt in ending, leaving the audience not wanting to know more, but confused as to what the plot was. Looking very closely between the lines, the play itself fails to offer a gripping story, but does manage to raise some thoughtprovoking issues. The audience can relate, once they look past the stiff and awkward acting, and most importantly the clichéd and predictable monologues. The characters were not sensationalised, and could have been any one of us sat in the audience. As far as that goes, it was relatable. But because the acting was flat and brash, on any and all levels, it didn't leave anything to the imagination, which should have been this play's most powerful tool.

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Society ofUnread Authors The

by Mark Bowery

Author and academic John Moores looks to take unread books out of the shadows and into the limelight.

oe Moran is a man on a mission, he’s looking to highlight the plight of all the unread and unappreciated authors across the UK and with the ultimate aim of getting those books read. He doesn’t know quite how he’s going to do it yet but Moran is determined that he wants all the unloved books to be embraced by readers across the country. One of the first steps he has taken is to create a fictional charity, the Society for Unread Authors (SUA) and he’s been highlighting his cause on his popular blog and in columns he writes for the Guardian. He explained the motivations behind the SUA, saying “I started SUA as a joke on my blog and it seemed to get a bit of a response, including from other authors who felt a bit unread, so I decided to do a jokey piece in the Guardian. I wanted to write something that didn’t make me sound like a humourless and embittered author (!), so I created this central conceit of SUA.” The reasoning behind this campaign was triggered firstly because Moran, an academic at Liverpool John Moores University, is also an author himself. He has written five books to date, most recently On Roads: A Hidden History, a book about the beauty and historical significance of British motorways aimed at, as you would imagine, a fairly niche market. But further to his own personal gain and motives for launching this campaign Moran identifies the fact that there is a flood of unworthy books crowding the market. He says “I do have a particular bete noire which is books produced solely to make money - TV tieins, celebrity novelists etc. - which crowd out many fine books which don’t get the readership they perhaps deserve (I’m not talking about my own!).” Moran however explains the size of the task at

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hand. He points to the fact that in the UK each year over 200,000 books are published and indeed on one day in October (Super Thursday) around 800 books were released. But he goes on to describe that writers need the motivation of believing that their book will be cherished and loved in order to battle through the process of writing it in the first place. He says “Many people, particularly in academia where I work do research and write for intellectual interest rather than to reach a wide audience - although I’m not sure I’ve ever met an author who didn’t find the process lonely and painful at times.” Despite the slightly grim outlook for unread authors and budding writers Moran believes that even if your book doesn’t reach the top of the best sellers charts or win any prizes, there are other reasons to embrace writing; he says “Grappling with the written word is a very worthwhile activity, and writing something down is how many people find out what they think about something (I do, anyway). It might be nice if there were just a few less books - but it’s a free society and I’m certainly not advocating censorship!” Joe Moran is the author of On Roads: A Hidden History and also writes for pulications such as the Guardian, The Times, the New Statesman and the F.T.

Books R

anked by Time magazine as one of the most influential men in the world, his fourth book, What the dog saw sees Malcolm Gladwell cement his position as one of the best non-fiction writers of his generation.

>What the Dog Saw and Other Adventures by Malcolm Gladwell

After the massive commercial success and critical acclaim of his previous three books The tipping point, Blink, and, Outliers, Gladwell’s newest title takes a slightly different and arguably more enjoyable format than his previous works. While his other books focused on single issues, the way social trends take shape, how the best decisions are made in the blink of an eye and how geniuses are created, this time he’s compiled a collection of articles from his New Yorker column. Inspired and insightful observation and painstakingly re-

searched shed light on a plethora of social and psychological phenomenon; this is Gladwell at his very best. All the articles are both entertaining and enlightening in equal measure and the readability and authority is the beauty of Gladwells’ writing. The breadth of subjects covered spans from why there is only one type of ketchup but many types of mustard, to why some people manage to cope with extreme pressure, while others choke. Gladwell’s a master at making the reader feel intelligent and part of a discussion and while you don’t always get satisfactory conclusions or answers, Gladwell fully engages with the reader and raises important questions. What the dog saw is an excellent introduction to anyone new to the work of Gladwell and will simply confirm his brilliance to his army of fans.

By Mark Bowery

igurative language, sordid linguistic contempt

credible psyche that the protagonist carries deliber-

and subjectivity on an unprecedented level

ates on these people’s lives. It certainly isn’t pre-

make Murakami outrightly unique...

dictable or forthcoming. One could even argue that

Influenced from a very young age, Japanese born au-

incapable of social interaction, given the scenario - be

thor Murakami adopted a westernised style of writing

it tragic, opportunistic or inevitably heuristic - the op-

this story is essentially the musings of a being hugely

> The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles by Hakuri Murakami

- drawing on writing styles from writers such as Kurt

posite. Marukami bleeds intuitiveness from characters

Vonnegut and Richard Brautigan.

that Toru meets and gives them their own limelight;

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles tells the story - or even

however they do always seem to leave Murakami’s

three short stories - of protagonist Toru Okada’s un-

venture as quickly as they enter it. This is not an easy

stable and whimsical life in the Tokyo suburbs. After

read, by any means.

losing his cat, Toru starts a restricted journey in and

The unsurpassed use of narrative carries the series

around the Japanese capital meeting new and ex-

of short stories, without compromising relativity to

traordinary people along the way.

each individual one. If you’re truly wanting to get in-

When reading the three stories, one can’t help but

side the minds of the most eclectic collection of char-

think that the story is not based on Toru himself, but

acters east-meets-west retrospective literature has to

more on the people that he meets and how the in-

offer, this won’t disappoint.

By Harry Lincoln

Exclusive interview with master of independent cinema...

Quentin Tarantino We talk about rumours of Kill Bill III, an Inglourious Basterds prequel and his personal favourite films of 2009.

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‘Rust-ique’ 2009 by Katie Langridge Art Restoration Student University of Lincoln