NEW ART EXCHANGE OCTOBER – DECEMBER 2016
EXHIBITIONS | EVENTS | FAMILY ACTIVITIES | FESTIVALS | CAFÉ BAR
CAFÉ BAR + VISITOR INFORMATION
PUNK / SKA / REGGAE CAFÉBAR SPECIAL EVENT MUSIC / FOOD Saturday 26 November 7pm – 11pm
Punk, ska and reggae styles with DJ Earthpipe (Sweet Potato Sound System) and DJ Sarbjit (DDI – Distortion Disco Incorporated). Look out for special drinks offers on the night! Admission: FREE Age range: 18 yrs+
NAE CAFÉBAR This season we bring you delights from around the world; curries, jackets, paninis, soup and a kids menu. Warm up with something from our bar, or have a cup of NAE’s famous special blend coffee. cafe@nae.org.uk @NAECafeBar
SPACES FOR HIRE Our Performance Space, Learning Room and Meeting Room are available to hire for your meeting or event. Technical support and catering options are available. bookings@nae.org.uk
Image credit: Cover: El Zeft-Nazeer and Layla, Kasr El-Aini wall, photograph by Amru Salahuddein. Current page: Bartosz Kali. Next page: Keywan Karimi.
GALLERY & CAFÉ OPENING TIMES Mon – Fri: 9am – 6pm Open until 7pm on Tue – Wed (term time) Sat – Sun: 10am – 5pm
SPECIAL OPENINGS Goose Fair Friday 7 – Saturday 8 October, open until 8pm. Bonfire Night Saturday 5 November, open until 8pm.
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WELCOME
Forward in Solidarity…
question why we have a Black History Month. We also turn a critical eye to Nottingham’s own First Black History Mural which we launched last season in partnership with the Centre for Research in Race and Rights.
This season we explore different forms of activism; from around the world to what happens here in Nottingham. We transport visitors to the streets of Egypt and Iran where the walls of public spaces become a constant dialogue between authorities and artists. Closer to home, in a rebel scene, Kajal Nisha Patel and Sunil Shah have been working closely with Nottingham activist groups to understand their motivations. We are excited to host Jimmy Cauty’s Aftermath Dislocation Principle (ADP) – a giant storage container housing a miniature apocalyptic scene, straight from Banksy’s Dismaland.
We continue dialogues from all around the globe: from Threshold Studio who reflect on the changing times of Cuba; to My Granddad’s Car, where collaborative artists Sayed Hasan and Karl Ohiri engage with their Pakistani and Nigerian heritage as they consider their families’ migrant journeys. In December, we embrace the cultural diversity of our global quarter and neighbourhood with our annual Craft + Culture Festival. As ever, there's loads of family fun and young people's activities at NAE. There's also a new café menu to enjoy, bringing you the best of cuisine from across the globe.
The theme of activism continues throughout Black History Month. We screen the film Generation Revolution and hold a related discussion about black activism in London and beyond. We present an event developed by NAE’s own Black History Month Collective, who
Let's change the world with more art, culture and good nourishment. Skinder Hundal 3
EXHIBITIONS
Fighting Walls: Street Art in Egypt and Iran + a rebel scene
Jimmy Cauty’s Aftermath Dislocation Principle
MAIN GALLERY
NAE FORECOURT
1 October – 18 December 2016
27 September – 9 October 2016
EXHIBITION LAUNCHES Friday 30 September 2016, 6pm – 9pm
Image credit: Current page: Ill, Happine$$ i$ Fr€€. Next page, left to right: Omar Fathy aka Picasso, photograph by Joseph Gerges; Artist Ammar Abo Baker, The Battle Mural, Oct – Nov 2013, photograph by Abdo El Amir.
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EXHIBITIONS
ideas can be cultivated. They explore how activists appropriate these spaces in order to challenge and change the status quo.
Triggered by the arrival of Jimmy Cauty’s Aftermath Dislocation Principle (ADP), a sculpted miniature landscape bearing the scars of a major civil uprising, our October – December season of exhibitions brings together a number of projects exploring activism, protest and the power of people in overcoming oppression and triggering societal change.
Our interest in space as a political tool continues beyond Nottingham to the streets of Tehran and Cairo in a photography exhibition titled Fighting Walls: Street Art In Egypt And Iran. Here we explore how the urban skin of these cities has become a battleground between the authorities and the people. Whilst the walls and public spaces of Tehran and Cairo are largely dominated by state ideological narratives, in more recent years, a new generation of politically engaged graffiti artists have started a relentless battle for reclaiming ownership of the streets. Through striking images, Fighting Walls examines graffiti not only as a form of social protest but also as a creative language which addresses the masses by embracing contemporary socio-political issues.
From the legend of Robin Hood, to the Luddite rebellion, public campaigns against the Poll Tax and inner-city deprivation, to the establishment of the first UK Chapter of Black Lives Matter; the people of Nottingham have an established history of civil resistance and political defiance. Commissioned by NAE to reflect the current debates within our city’s activist network, artists Kajal Nisha Patel and Sunil Shah present a mixed-media installation created in dialogue with local advocacy groups. Their project, titled a rebel scene addresses the concept of space, be that mental, physical or virtual, as a discursive realm where political
Continues overleaft › 5
EXHIBITIONS
The surreal model village experience of ADP returns our focus closer to home. This 1:87 scale diorama, accessible 24 hours a day during its short occupation of NAE’s forecourt area, depicts a possible vision for England in the near future where unresolved public discontent has resulted in a major civil uprising. Following ADP’s criticallyacclaimed appearance at Banksy's Dismaland last summer, Jimmy Cauty – co-creator of chart-topping band The KLF and its subsequent, million poundburning arts incarnation K Foundation – re-housed the installation in a 40ft shipping container to tour it to over 35 sites of historic civil unrest across the UK. Viewed through peepholes in the side of the container, visitors catch glimpses of
a post-riot, dystopian landscape, where only the police and the media remain in an otherwise wrecked and dislocated land. Far from intending to incite another riot, ADP serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of our political landscape and contemplates the reality of riot, democracy, power and control. The exhibitions are accompanied by our events programme. This includes: a tour of ADP with the artist and organisers (see page 10); a panel discussion for a rebel scene with Nottingham activist groups and the artists (see page 12); an exhibition tour with a rebel scene artists (see page 13); and Walls of Freedom further exploring Egyptian and Iranian mural art (see page 13).
Fighting Walls has been produced in partnership with the publication, Walls of Freedom.
Image credit: Current Page, left to right: ADP storage container, photograph by David Hopkinson; ADP Press on the Flyover credits, Mediamatic photographer Irati Gostidi. Next page, left to right: Threshold Studios; Sayed Hasan and Karl Ohiri.
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EXHIBITIONS
By Our Own Efforts
My Granddad’s Car
MEZZANINE GALLERY
MEZZANINE GALLERY
17 September – 6 November 2016
12 November 2016 – 31 December 2016
EXHIBITION LAUNCH
EXHIBITION LAUNCH
Thursday 22 September, 6pm – 8pm
Thursday 17 November, 6.30pm – 9pm
Working with artists and communities across Cuba, media arts producers Threshold Studios introduce a collaborative project presenting a country undergoing social, political and economic transformation following the lifting of the United States' trade embargo. Stepping out of isolation for the first time in over half a century, as the internet and global cultural influence begins to spread across the country, Threshold have taught Cuban communities to document their lives, opinions, hopes and concerns as they look towards a new, fast approaching future. The exhibition presents Cuba through the eyes of its artists and communities, capturing life as it was, is, and might be.
My Granddad's Car is the culmination of an on-going project between Sayed Hasan and Karl Ohiri, exploring notions of migration and heritage, as seen through their relationships with two cars inherited from their respective late grandfathers in Pakistan and Nigeria. Having previously failed to separately transport the vehicles home to the UK, facing bureaucracy and corruption; a shift in circumstances inspired the artists to once again attempt to unite their Granddad's cars. The challenges they faced on their journeys have become a snapshot of those undertaken by their families and more universal migrant experiences across the globe. This exhibition presents photography, film and sculpture gathered and created while the artists travelled together in their ancestral homelands.
Accompanying the exhibition, artists from Cuba discuss the social effect of a new digital era (see page 12).
As part of the launch, the artists will be in conversation (see page 12). 7
YOUNG PEOPLE AND FAMILIES
HOLIDAY WORKSHOPS
HOLIDAY WORKSHOPS
25 – 28 October
25 – 28 October,
10am – 12pm
2pm – 4pm
Share what life is like in Nottingham with young people living in Cuba! Bring in your favourite possession as inspiration. With help from our exhibiting artists, we’ll be creating postcards and scrapbooks.
Write and shoot your own video postcard to Cuba with help from our exhibiting artists. Then create a book/zine about Nottingham and Cuba, finding inspiration on the streets and in our gallery.
Admission: FREE
Admission: FREE
Age range: 7 – 10 yrs
Age range: 11 – 16 yrs
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SATURDAY ART CLUB! Saturdays
JOINING YARD YOUNG PEOPLE’S THEATRE
1 October / 22 October
Tuesdays and Wednesdays
12 November / 3 December
13 September – 7 December
10am – 12pm
5pm – 7pm
Join in a range of fun family art and craft activities. Join one session or all. Saturday Art Club is designed for parents/carers to stay with their young people throughout the session to play and create together.
YARD is back after the summer holidays with both groups looking at drama techniques and having fun with a range of games and exercises which develop acting skills and build confidence. If you would like to join, please do get in touch. YARD will be performing their show, Isicathulo, on 7 December (see page 14).
Admission: FREE Age range: All are welcome
Sooree@nae.org.uk Admission: FREE (places are limited, so please
Image credit: Current page, left to right: Bartosz Kali; Josh Pickering. Next page: top left, Bartosz Kali.
contact us in advance) Age range: Tue 7 – 10 yrs / Wed 11 – 16 yrs. 8
Craft + Culture Festival CRAFT STALLS / FAMILY WORKSHOPS LIVE MUSIC / STREET FOOD / FREE ENTRY! Saturday 10 December 12pm – 5pm
Pick up a festive gift by craft makers from across our local community, try some delicious street food in our café, and drop in on workshops for young people. Don’t miss live music presented by Cultural Vibrations, including rising star Blessing Magore, traditional Gambian singing by Amie Cherry, and Just Jude on the West African Kora.
EVENTS
FIGHTING WALLS + A REBEL SCENE + AFTERMATH DISLOCATION PRINCIPLE
TALK WITH JIMMY CAUTY AND STEVE LOWE
FREDDIE KOFI: SLAVE?
GALLERY TOUR
MUSIC
Saturday 8 October
Thursday 13 October
EXHIBITION LAUNCHES
1pm – 2pm
6.30pm – 8pm
Join exhibiting artist Jimmy Cauty (KLF/K Foundation) and L-13 Light Industrial Workshop founder Steve Lowe, for an interactive and informal talk about the Aftermath Dislocation Principle. This vast postapocalyptic landscape housed in a 40ft shipping container visits NAE on its pilgrimage to over 35 historic riot sites around the country. This is a unique opportunity to meet the artist and organisers and to learn more about the artwork and this innovative project which breaks down gallery walls to connect art with the people.
Nottingham-born MOBO Nominee, Freddie Kofi introduces the premier of his new song Slave? with a soul-stirring performance by his dynamic choir, Present Future Generation Choir. Looking at the world with its many troubles and conflicts, Slave? presents a challenge, urging us to redefine our purpose and our perception of ourselves. Following the performance of Slave? there will be a Q&A focusing on the themes and lyrical inspiration for the song.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Friday 30 September 6pm – 9pm
It’s party time! Join us as we launch a season of exhibitions exploring protest, activism and the power of the public voice to effect change. From local community advocacy movements to international socially engaged mural artists on the walls of their cities; art and activism converge on the streets in a riot of paint, resistance, humour and play. Enjoy a complimentary drink on arrival and the cafébar will be open all night. Also featuring music and welcome speeches.
Admission: FREE Age range: All are welcome
Admission: FREE Age range: All are welcome
Admission: FREE
Booking
Age range: All are welcome
recommended for all events
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EVENTS
BEYOND THE WALLS: MURALS AS ACTIVISM
AM I BLACK FOR ONLY 31 DAYS?
GENERATION REVOLUTION
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
DISCUSSION
FILM / DISCUSSION
FILM /DISCUSSION
Saturday 22 October
Thursday 27 October
Thursday 20 October
2pm – 4pm
6.30pm – 9pm
NAE’s ‘Back to the Future – Black Collective’ is a community-led voluntary steering group who meet regularly to develop projects and events with support from our Community Engagement Producer. They host a public debate and community panel exploring the question – What does Black History Month mean to the black community? The debate starts with a short film by Ioney Smallhorne featuring members of the collective interviewing people from the black community in various areas of Nottingham. Join us to voice your opinion.
Generation Revolution brings to the screen a powerful story of a new generation of black and brown activists who are changing the social and political landscape in the capital and beyond. Directors Usayd Younis and Cassie Quarless join Black Lives Matter UK: Nottingham Activists Group members Bo Olawoye and Jacob Oti to reflect on the project and the future of the movement in the UK.
6.30pm – 9pm
We reflect on the success of our very own mural, Pathways, Nottingham’s first Black History Mural, located outside of NAE’s café. Presented in collaboration with the Centre for Research in Race and Rights, we invite the team behind Pathways to lead a public conversation about the impact and legacy of murals locally and globally. This accompanies a screening of Beyond the Walls, a new film that tells stories of hope, struggle and survival from around the world through murals. Admission: FREE Age range: All are welcome
Admission: FREE Age range: All are welcome
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Admission: FREE Age range: All are welcome Image credit: Previous page, left to right: Hanaa El Degham, photograph by Munir Sayegh; Jimmy Cauty; Freddie Kofi. Current page, left to right: Bartosz Kali; Damian Walker; Usayd Younis and Cassie Quarless.
EVENTS
CUBA IN AN ERA OF DIGITAL CHANGE
ACTIVISM, ART AND SOCIAL CHANGE
MY GRANDDAD’S CAR
DISCUSSION
DISCUSSION
EXHIBITION LAUNCH /
Thursday 3 November
Saturday 5 November
IN CONVERSATION
6pm – 8pm
2pm – 4pm
Thursday 17 November
Threshold Studios invite audiences to join Cuban artists Yadiana Gilbert & Lilmara Cruz Pavon and other panellists to discuss the impact of recent political changes and the coming digital revolution on the life choices and culture of Cuba’s young people. As the country’s trade barriers come down and access to the internet widens, what will that mean for Cuban culture and identity and its influence on the rest of the world?
Artists Kajal Nisha Patel and Sunil Shah host a panel discussion with the collaborators of their commission a rebel scene. Joined by representatives from Nottingham's rebel women, Nottingham Women's Centre and the Sparrows’ Nest, they will explore the issues communities face today, how groups occupy spaces for change and the role of creativity and art in activism and protest. The discussion is followed by a Q&A with the panellists where the audience are encouraged to field their questions.
Artists in conversation
Admission: FREE
Admission: FREE
Age range: All are welcome
Age range: All are welcome
6.30pm – 9pm
Admission: FREE Age range: All are welcome
7.30pm – 8.30pm
Join us as we launch My Granddad’s Car by Sayed Hasan and Karl Ohiri – an exhibition exploring their journeys in Nigeria and Pakistan as they attempt to return their late grandfathers’ cars to the UK. Drawing out themes of migration and heritage, Hasan and Ohiri will discuss their working process and motivations, reflecting on personal histories and experiences that find a global resonance through their work.
Booking recommended 12
EVENTS
NOTTINGHAM RED PROJECT: WHO DO YOU THINK WE ARE?
THE POLITICS OF SPACE IN ACTIVIST ART
Wednesday 23 November
WALLS OF FREEDOM: STREET ART OF THE EGYPTIAN REVOLUTION
6.30pm – 9pm
DISCUSSION
1pm – 2pm
FILM / DISCUSSION
GALLERY TOUR Saturday 26 November
Friday 25 November
The Red Project launches this season of film and discussion with a special screening of Personal Services dir. by Terry Jones followed by a Q&A aiming to open a dialogue around the stigmatisation of the sex industry and violence against those who work in the trade.
6.30pm – 8pm
The programme continues at Nottingham Contemporary on 29 Nov, 6 Dec and 13 Dec at 6.30 pm – 8.30pm and 17 Dec at 2pm. Project in partnership with NAE, Nottingham Contemporary and POW. Funded by the Big Lottery through the Big Lottery Fund.
Don Karl, aka Stone, is a cultural activist, graffiti writer, and author/coeditor of seminal book on Egyptian street art, Walls of Freedom – a powerful portrayal of the first three years of the Egyptian revolution that began in January 2011. Stone explores the impact of murals and street-based activism on the nature and progression of this historic uprising, and the legacy of these images in Egypt’s creative and cultural psyche. Join him to hear about a journey that led him to co-author the world’s first banned graffiti book.
Admission: FREE
Admission: FREE
Age range: 18 yrs+
Age range: All are welcome 13
a rebel scene artists Kajal Nisha Patel and Sunil Shah guide audiences through their newly commissioned work exploring the concept of space as a mental, physical or virtual realm where political ideas are grown. The tour will describe their research process, how the work was created and what it seeks to address. Join them to share your thoughts and opinions. Admission: FREE Age range: All are welcome
Image credit: Previous page, left to right: Threshold Studios; Bartosz Kali; Sayed Hasan and Karl Ohiri. Current page, left to right: Elena Carletti; Omar Fathy aka Picasso, Illi Kalif Ma Matsh (third instalment), photograph by Hassan Emad Hassan; Bartosz Kali.
EVENTS
INDIALOGUE SYMPOSIUM Friday 2 December 10am – 5pm
This two-day symposium interrogates artists’ and researchers’ understanding of the term ‘dialogue’ within artistic practice. It includes keynote speaker Grant H Kester (Conversation Pieces, 2005). The first day takes place at Nottingham Contemporary, 1 Dec, with and an evening of celebration showcasing diverse performances by special guests.
YARD YOUNG PEOPLE’S THEATRE PRESENTS: ISICATHULO
KATHAK
PERFORMANCE
10am – 12pm
DANCE CLASS Sundays 4 September – 11 December
Wednesday 7 December 6.30pm – 7pm
Following a brilliantly received performance as part of NEAT16, YARD will be performing an extended version of Isicathulo looking at the apartheid system and its effect on the lives of two young people who become friends against the odds.
Kathak is one of the eight classical dances of India that has a strong emphasis on rhythm, expression and grace. Join Vina Ladwa, a trained kathak dance teacher for this course. Sessions are suitable for beginners. Book full 14 week term: £84 adult (19 yrs+) £70 children (5 – 19 yrs) Pay on the day: £7 for all
Admission: FREE
Cash or cheque only
Age range: All are welcome
Programme information will be available at www.indialogue.uk.com InDialogue is founded by Heather Connelly and Rhiannon Jones. Image credit: Current page, left to right: Bartosz Kali; Mohamed Elzohiry; Bartosz Kali
Admission: See website Age range: All are welcome
Booking recommended 14
ALSO HAPPENING AT NAE
VOLUNTEERING Volunteering at NAE is a great opportunity to work with our local community whilst gaining valuable skills. We are always looking for enthusiastic volunteers to join our friendly team. volunteer@nae.org.uk
ACCESS PROGRAMME On Tuesday 15 November, 12pm – 1pm, we host a Verbal Imaging Gallery Tour for the visually impaired. On Thursday 8 December, 10.30am and 1pm, we host Body as Canvas, a workshop for young adults with learning and physical disabilities. Supported by Unlimited Impact. Safiya@nae.org.uk
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT We creatively collaborate with communities to develop projects, debates and activities inspired by our exhibitions or the social, political issues that concern our everyday lives. Boseda@nae.org.uk
DONATIONS As a charity we welcome your support. For a fixed period, the value of your donation will be doubled through match funding! We accept donations by cheque or you can call NAE to make debit/credit card donations.
NAE EXHIBITIONS ON TOUR Paracosm by Faiza Butt, Attenborough Arts Centre, 14 Oct – 18 Dec 2016. The Commonality of Strangers by Mahtab Hussain, FARM Cultural Park, Favara, Italy, 25 Jun – 13 Nov 2016.
TICKETS + TRAM Book onto our events through our website or by calling us. Travel to NAE by tram for only £2 return when you have a valid NAE event ticket.
REAL CREATIVE FUTURES Please get in touch if you are interested in receiving creative business support. info@nae.org.uk
EXPERIMENTOR ExperiMentor is a bespoke support programme for creative practitioners. Bethan@nae.org.uk (visual arts) Sooree@nae.org.uk (performance arts)
ACADEMICS IN RESIDENCE Tasawar Bashir (University of Birmingham, Qawwali Research Unit), Harminder Singh (University of Warwick).
LOOKING AHEAD
Upcoming Exhibition In January we launch an ambitious new touring exhibition which maps the artistic production of the leading voices
of new generations of artists of African and Caribbean descent in Britain. Including works by Ima Abasi-Okon, Larry Achiampong and David Blandy, Barby Asante, Appau Junior BoakyeYiadom, Kimathi Donkor, Evan Ifekoya, Cedar 15
Lewisohn, Harold Offeh and Barbara Walker, the exhibition charts current strategies and modes of creation across a range of media and places the critical works of our time centre stage. Curated by Paul Goodwin and Hansi Momodu-Gordon.
ALL EVENTS
September Thu 22
6pm – 8pm
Exhibition Launch
By Our Own Efforts
Fri 30
6pm – 9pm
Exhibition Launches
Fighting Walls + a rebel scene + Aftermath Dislocation Principle
October Sat 1
10am – 12pm
Family
Saturday Art Club
Sat 8
1pm – 2pm
Gallery Tour
Jimmy Cauty and Steve Lowe
Thu 13
6.30pm – 8pm
Music
Freddie Kofi: Slave?
Thu 20
6.30am – 9pm
Film / Discussion
Beyond the Walls
Sat 22
10am – 12pm
Family
Saturday Art Club
Sat 22
2pm – 4pm
Discussion
Am I Black for Only 31 Days?
Tue 25 – Fri 28
10am & 2pm
Young People
Holiday Workshops
Thu 27
6.30pm – 9pm
Film / Discussion
Generation Revolution
Thu 3
6pm – 8pm
Discussion
Cuba in an Era of Digital Change
Sat 5
2pm – 4pm
Discussion
Activism, Art and Social Change
Sat 12
10am – 12pm
Family
Saturday Art Club
Tue 15
12pm – 1pm
Access
Verbal Imaging Gallery Tour
Thu 17
6.30pm – 9pm
Exhibition Launch
My Granddad's Car
Wed 23
6.30pm – 9pm
Film / Discussion
Nottingham Red Project
Fri 25
6.30pm – 8pm
Discussion
Walls of Freedom
Sat 26
1pm – 2pm
Gallery Tour
The Politics of Space in Activist Art
Sat 26
7pm – 11pm
Music / Café-Bar
Punk / Ska / Reggae
Fri 2
10am – 5pm
Symposium
InDialogue
Sat 3
10am – 12pm
Family
Saturday Art Club
Wed 7
6.30pm – 7pm
Performance
YARD: Isicathulo
Thu 8
10.30am & 1pm
Access
Body as Canvas
Sat 10
12pm – 5pm
Festival
Craft + Culture Festival
November
December
Collaborating organisations this season: Black Lives Matter UK: Nottingham Activists Group, Children’s University Trust, Cultural Vibrations, Experience Nottinghamshire, InDialogue, L-13 Light Industrial Workshop, LEVEL, Manushi, My Sight, NET Tram, Nottingham Red Project, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham Women's Centre, The Centre for Research in Race & Rights, The Sparrows’ Nest, Threshold Studios, University of Birmingham, University of Warwick, Walls of Freedom Publication.
New Art Exchange Registered Charity No. 1121755 Company No. 04899786 Registered in England & Wales
New Art Exchange, 39-41 Gregory Boulevard, Nottingham, NG7 6BE | 0115 924 8630 | www.nae.org.uk