Liverpool’s centre for the contemporary arts
JUL / AUG / SEPT / OCT 2019
Welcome
This summer we invite audiences to take a closer look at our present society and the sort of society we wish to build for future generations. From Bluecoat’s earliest days as an arts centre, we have looked to artists to help us understand the world we live in and envisage possible futures. Once more, we look to artists to find new perspectives on an increasingly unstable world and find hope in the vibrancy of their ideas derived from their concern for humanity and the planet. Problems such as climate change and political instability are pressing issues for us all. In our gallery, Shezad Dawood’s epic film series Leviathan takes a look at these uncertainties. He suggests that environmental change, human migration and radical shifts in politics are threaded together and related in often unexpected ways. For this ongoing film series he absorbs research by marine biologists, political thinkers and environmental experts: it is this curiosity and openness to diverse ideas that makes artists so valuable today. Also in the gallery, Grace Ndiritu looks to a society in turmoil and suggests ways that we can reorganise and rethink the way that we live, think and communicate together. Through her long-term participatory project, The Ark, Ndiritu draws on her own experience of living in spiritual and new age communities, and proposes that an understanding of shamanism, philosophy, plant life, food and spirituality can offer ways of living that could heal both society and the environment.
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The future will of course be inherited by the children of today, and there is a growing demand for children to be heard by the adults who shape their future. Our children and families exhibition, Rise Up!, offers a space for children to creatively express their vision of the future. Looking to the past also helps us understand the world we live in. Bluecoat’s archival exhibition, New Art Bluecoat, continues, giving insight into the long history of our work with visionary artists. Taking the tour of Dawood’s Leviathan across port cities, our Artistic Director Bryan Biggs explores artists’ imaginative responses to maritime Liverpool. There are more talks, participation opportunities and other events over the summer, and we are delighted to host some festival programmes from Liverpool Arab Arts Festival, LEAP and BlackFest. We hope to welcome you to Bluecoat soon.
Mary Cloake Bluecoat Chief Executive
Exhibitions
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Sat 6 Jul - Sun 13 Oct
Shezad Dawood: Leviathan
and Related Events Open Daily 11am – 6pm
Shezad Dawood’s epic film series Leviathan comes to Bluecoat this summer as part of a season examining society and migration. Presented alongside textile and neon works, together with a new virtual reality work, Leviathan follows migratory patterns between Europe and Africa. Dawood’s ambitious project combines the themes of marine ecologies, political systems and mental health, to show how human activity and climate change are intertwined.
The first two chapters of Leviathan premiered at Venice in conjunction with the 57th Art Biennale. In continuous dialogue with researchers and scientists, the work has developed, been adapted and grown across exhibitions, screenings and public programmes in Denmark, Germany, Italy, Korea, Netherlands and Wales, before reaching Bluecoat for its most complete UK presentation to date.
Sat 20 Jul 2pm
Exhibition Tour Join Bluecoat’s Head of Programme, Adam Smythe, and Assistant Curator, Amrita Dhallu, for a tour of Dawood’s Leviathan and Ndiritu’s The Ark. Free
Leviathan Public Programme As part of the continuing evolution of Dawood’s Leviathan, Bluecoat will host Dawood’s ongoing series of talks. Further details to be announced on our website and in our galleries. thebluecoat.org.uk
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Exhibitions and Events
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Sat 6 Jul - Sun 13 Oct
Grace Ndiritu: The Ark Following exhibitions in 2010 and 2017, Ndiritu returns to Bluecoat with a new exhibition drawing on her 2017 research and live art project, The Ark: Center For Interdisciplinary Experimentation which took place at Les Laboratories Aubervilliers, Paris. Scientists, artists, gardeners, economists, a chef and spiritual workers joined the artist for an intensive, intimate 9-day experience focusing on the role of art, science, spirituality and politics. In order to encourage creativity, vulnerability and reflection, The Ark had no audience for the
first six days but went public during the final weekend with performances, film screenings, a party and academic roundtable. At Bluecoat, Ndiritu shares archival materials generated from The Ark, including a publication made with the participants, alongside protest placards and animal costumes produced for a street parade. Also sharing wider research into spiritual communities, farming and ecology, she suggests we look to broader perspectives in order to resolve contemporary global issues.
Sat 6 Jul 1 – 2.30pm
The Ark Reading Group Grace Ndiritu leads this discussion on the intersections of 1960s hippie counter culture and radical left activism. The conversation will begin by examining Simon Sadler’s text ‘Mandalas or Raised Fists? Hippie Holism, Panther Totality, and Another Modernism’ which unpacks the California Bay Area activist scene and the overlaps and distinctions between the Black Panthers and the activism that emerged around hippie almanac, The Whole Earth Catalog. The discussion will be punctuated by short silent meditation breaks led by the artist. Free For full programme information or to book tickets visit thebluecoat.org.uk or telephone 0151 702 5324
Exhibitions
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Ongoing
New Art Bluecoat Our heritage displays in the Vide continue with an exhibition about Bluecoat’s long history supporting emerging artists and new art. Comprising photos, films, posters and other material, the display includes a focus on women artists and responds to themes from the main gallery exhibitions. The popular timeline and ground floor display provide an introduction to Bluecoat’s history, from 18th century charity school to early 20th century arts centre, the UK’s first. Explore this story further on our archive website: mybluecoat.org.uk
Sat 6 Jul – Sun 29 Sept. Workshops Sat 13 Jul, Fri 2 Aug and Sat 31 Aug 1 - 4pm
Rise Up! Children and young people across the world are taking action to protect their futures and the environment they inhabit. We invite you to join them and stand up for climate justice, through a series of artist-led workshops across the summer. Occupy the first floor gallery, organise amongst friends and explore how art can respond to what is happening to our planet. Check our social media and website for more details. thebluecoat.org.uk
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Heritage
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Thu 18 Jul 6.30pm
Sat/Sun 14/15 and 21/22 Sep
Haul Away: Liverpool’s irregular currents
Heritage Weekends
In this illustrated talk, Bluecoat’s Artistic Director Bryan Biggs considers some of the river Mersey’s ‘cultural flows’: authors, thinkers, musicians and artists working in or passing through the port, whose voyages are not of the oceans but of the imagination. Looking at exhibitions, performances, literature and institutions like the Liverpool School of Language, Music, Dream and Pun and Bluecoat itself, Liverpool is considered in relation to its hinterland, as a city on the edge, and port of dreams. Free, booking required Sun 28 Jul 2pm
Malcolm Lowry blue plaque unveiling New Brighton promenade Wirral Council is honouring Malcolm Lowry (1909-57), author of the classic modernist novel Under the Volcano, with a blue heritage plaque in his birthplace of New Brighton. Unveiled on his birthday, it will be positioned on the sea wall looking out to the Mersey Estuary, a resonant site for a writer whose voyages took him across the oceans. Bluecoat has worked with Conservation Areas Wirral on this and will shortly announce its 2019 Lowry Lounge programme, taking place in the Autumn. Free, no booking required
As part of nationwide Heritage Open Days, we reveal the history of the oldest building in Liverpool’s UNESCO World Heritage Site with guided tours, family activities, displays and talks by Bluecoat tenants. On 14th Sep, Juniper Press talk about the history of letterpress and how they are keeping this printmaking tradition alive in their studio. On 21st Sep, Kernaghans Books talk about their long history in bookselling on Merseyside and their continuing love of books. Full programme and booking on our website. Free Wed 23 Oct 6.30pm
Liverpool School of Art & Design Luminary Lecture Series Relocating the Remains: History and Representation This discussion coincides with publication of The Sphinx Contemplating Napoleon: Global Perspectives on Contemporary Art and Difference (Bloomsbury), an anthology of Gilane Tawadros’ writings. She will be joined by artists Kader Attia, Keith Piper and Jo Stockham to focus on the relationship between history, representation and cultural identity through the prism of contemporary art: what impact does the past, and nostalgia for it, have on the present? How can different histories inform and transform our understanding of the present? Chaired by Bluecoat Artistic Director, Bryan Biggs. Tickets: £6/£4 A joint LJMU Liverpool School of Art & Design Bluecoat initiative.
For full programme information or to book tickets visit thebluecoat.org.uk or telephone 0151 702 5324
Family
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Mon 12 - Thu 15 Aug 10-4pm
Bluecoat Summer School Children aged 7 - 11 are invited to join us for four days of creative fun during the summer holidays. We’ll be working towards our Discover Arts Awards, a national qualification that encourages children to explore, participate and grow as artists. Please bring packed lunches and wear clothes that can get messy! Tickets: £80 for four days Please note: this event is reliant on a minimum sign up. Places will be confirmed by 26 Jul. 7 Sep and 5 Oct 2.30-4.30pm
24 Sep - 26 Nov 10.30 - 11.30am
Funny Looking Kids Comedy Club
Baby Book Club
Liverpool’s first regular comedy club for kids returns, with jokes and mayhem! Tickets: £5/£3 Sat 21 Sep 1-4pm
Family Workshop: Flip the Kipper and other Edwardian Parlour Games A fun look at days gone by, with a make and play session exploring the games children would have played in the days when Bluecoat was a school. Aimed at ages 5-11. Free, drop in
It’s never too early to start reading with your baby! Discover new books and take part in fun activities in this relaxed course aimed at parents and carers with babies aged 3 - 12 months. Tickets: £40 for 10 sessions, including a hot drink Sat 12/Sun 13 Oct 1 - 4pm
All Aboard! Family Weekend In this weekend of free, creative fun suitable for all the family we’ll be taking inspiration from Grace Ndiritu’s Ark and exploring how we can work together to make the world a better place. We’ll also be celebrating the work created in our Children and Families Gallery and reflecting on a summer of investigating and imagining. Free, drop in
For full programme information or to book tickets visit thebluecoat.org.uk or telephone 0151 702 5324
Festivals
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Liverpool Arab Arts Festival Each year Liverpool Arab Arts Festival showcases the richness of Arab culture through a packed programme of visual art, music, dance, film, theatre, literature and special events. Sat 6 Jul 2 – 3.15pm
Gesturing Refugees This interactive performance is intended to archive hidden stories of refugeehood using the bodies of refugee artists and audience members, while playing with other archive material, testimonies and imagination. A UK premiere, the performance is created by Palestinian dancer and choreographer Farah Saleh and collaborators, and is followed by an audience Q&A. The re-enactment, transformation and deformation of refugees’ alternative and personal memories aims to reclaim the narrative of refugeehood and challenge the identity of passive victimhood, to which refugees are often subjected. Tickets: £7/£5 Funded by Creative Scotland and Cultural Resource and supported by Dance Base. Tue 9 Jul 6.30pm
Sat 13 Jul 7:30 pm
Comma Press presents: PALESTINE + 100
Heroine with a Thousand Dresses
This event asks contemporary Palestinian writers: what might your home city look like in the year 2048 – 100 years after Nakba, the displacement of more than 700,000 people? With stories read by British Palestinian writer, Selma Dabbagh and Palestinian-Hungarian novelist, poet and author, Anwar Hamed, the event launches a new anthology designed as an escape from the politics of the present in a country that some have called ‘the largest prison in the world’. Tickets: £6/£3
This one-woman show, written and performed by Dana Dajani, is a journey through the diverse and eclectic wardrobe of Dana’s grandmother, a Jerusalem boutique owner, whose love of fashion was her mode of self-expression. Through the ritual of dressing, image and identity, style, sexuality and contemporary standards of beauty are dissected. As she tries on each garment, Dana embodies a pantheon of strong and powerful feminine archetypes. Poignant, playful, and provocative, the show leaves audiences with new images through which to imagine the force of the feminine. Tickets: £7/£5
LEAP Dance Festival 2019
BlackFest 2019
Produced by Merseyside Dance Initiative, the Liverpool-based charity and dance development organisation.
BlackFest showcases a mix of work from Black and Ethnic Minority Creatives and is an answer to the city’s crucial needs of cultural offering in arts spaces. Running in September, it celebrates Black arts across art forms. More info at blackfest.co.uk
Thu 10 Oct 11am & 7pm
Frances Disley: Tripleflex Merging visual art and dance, Frances Disley presents a new immersive installation activated by three contemporary dance artists, accompanied by a newly commissioned soundtrack from MT Hall. Tripleflex explores the potential of working with performance to expand the gesture of painting across garments, sculptures and flooring, acting as a guide or score for the performers. Presented in two parts, audiences can attend one or both. The daytime one will appeal especially to children and younger audiences. Tickets: £6/£5
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Sat 28 Sep 6.30pm
BlackFest Spoken Word Live Theatre Performances Five spoken word artists take you on a journey through Black British experiences, as they bring their identity and culture centre stage. The readings will cover social, political and economic issues that are webbed into the poets’ lives, creating a co-existence that reflects their dual identities and the multiple layers of what it means to be British today. The performance will be followed by a discussion. Tickets: £8/£5/£3 @thebluecoat
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Print/Membership/Fairs
Printmaking We run a range of print workshops for people at every level of ability, from beginners to experienced printmakers. Visit our website for full listings.
Become a Member For just ÂŁ35 a year, enjoy exclusive benefits, discounts, support our beautiful building and help keep our exhibitions free. As a Bluecoat Member you receive special offers, priority booking for selected events, a year-round discount at our popular Espresso Cafe and selected Bluecoat retailers.
Become a Patron Want to get closer to Bluecoat? For ÂŁ300 a year, Patrons enjoy all Member benefits with exclusive extras including behind-the-scenes experiences, such as private tours with the curators.
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Sep 2019
Where the Arts Belong at The Atkinson If you, or a friend or family member, have dementia and would like to explore art and express yourself creatively, look out for our twelve-week art course at The Atkinson in Southport. Participants will learn about contemporary art, acquire new skills and have fun! To find out more, email tabitha.m@thebluecoat.org.uk
Fairs 12-13 Jul, 16-17 Aug, 20-21 Sep, 18-19 Oct, 10.30am - 6pm
Book Fair 27 Jul, 24 Aug 10.30am - 6pm
Record Fair 22 - 23 Aug 10.30am - 6pm
If you are interested in becoming a Bluecoat Members or Patron visit thebluecoat.org.uk to learn more.
Beatles Day 28 Sep 10.30am - 6pm
Comic Mart
For full programme information or to book tickets visit thebluecoat.org.uk or telephone 0151 702 5324
Diary
Date Event
Page
Ongoing
New Art Bluecoat
Fri 5 Jul
Shezad Dawood: Leviathan, and Grace Ndiritu: The Ark exhibition launch
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WEB Visual Art
Sat 6 Jul to Sun 13 Oct
Shezad Dawood: Leviathan
2
Visual Art
Sat 6 Jul to Sun 13 Oct
Grace Ndiritu: The Ark
3
Visual Art
Sat 6 Jul to Sun 29 Sep
Rise Up! Children & Families Gallery
4 Family
Sat 6 Jul
The Ark Reading Group
3 Workshop
Sat 6 Jul
Liverpool Arab Arts Festival: Gesturing Refugees 7 Performance
Visual Art
Sat 6, Sat 20 Jul / Sat 3, Introduction to Screenprint WEB Workshop Sat 17 Aug / Sat 7, Sat 21 Sep / Sat 5, Sat 19, Sat 25 Oct Tue 9 Jul
Liverpool Arab Arts Festival: PALESTINE + 100 7 Literature
Fri 12, Sat 13 Jul / Fri 16, Book Fair 8 Fair Sat 17 Aug / Fri 20, Sat 21 Sep / Fri 18 Sat, 19 Oct Sat 13 Jul
Liverpool Arab Arts Festival: Heroine with 7 Performance a Thousand Dresses
Sat 13 Jul / Fri 2, Sat 31 Aug
Rise Up! Workshops
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JUL AUG SEPT OCT
Sat 13 Jul / Sat 12 Oct
Linocut
WEB Workshop
Tue 16 Jul / Tue 17 Sep /
Talking Poetry
WEB Literature
Funded by
Sun 28 Jul / Sun 25 Aug / CI Sundays WEB Workshop Sun 29 Sep / Sun 27 Oct
Supported by’
Family
Tue 22 Oct Thu 18 Jul
Haul Away: Liverpool’s Irregular Currents
5 Talk
Sat 20 Jul
Exhibition Tour
2 Tour
Sat 27 Jul / Sat 28 Sep
Intermediate Screenprint
WEB Workshop
Sat 27 Jul / Sat 24 Aug
Record Fair
8 Fair
Sun 28 Jul
Malcolm Lowry Blue Plaque Unveiling
5 Heritage
Sat 10 Aug / Sat 14 Sep
Introduction to Etching
WEB Workshop
Mon 12 to Thu 15 Aug
Bluecoat Summer School
6 Family
Sat 17 Aug / Sat 19 Oct
Printmaking for Beginners
WEB Workshop
Thu 22, Fri 23 Aug
Beatles Day
8 Fair
Sat 7 Sep / Sat 5 Oct
Funny Looking Kids Comedy Club
6 Family
Sat 14, Sun 15 Sep / Heritage Weekend 5 Heritage Sat 21, Sun 22 Sep Sat 21 Sep
Family Workshop: Flip the Kipper and other 6 Family Edwardian Parlour Games
Tue 24 Sep
Baby Book Club
6 Family
Sat 28 Sep
Comic Mart
8 Fair
Sat 28 Sep
BlackFest 2019: Spoken Word Live 7 Literature Theatre Performances
Thu 10 Oct
LEAP Dance Festival 2019: Frances Disley: Tripleflex
7 Performance
Sat 12, Sun 13 Oct
All Aboard! Family Weekend
6 Family
Wed 23 Oct
Relocating the Remains: 5 Talk History and Representation
A special thank you to all our Supporters, Members and Patrons for their generous support. Image credits: Cover: Grace Ndiritu, The Ark, 2017. Welcome: Grace Ndiritu, The Ark, 2017. Page 2 & 3: Shezad Dawood, Leviathan Cycle, Episode 1: Ben, 2017, HD Video, 12’52’’ . Page 4 (top): New Art Bluecoat, Photo: Rob Battersby, (bottom): Out of the Blue group. Photo: Bluecoat. Page 5: SS Pyrrhus, which Malcolm Lowry sailed on in 1927, in the Mersey. Page 6 & 8: Photo: Brian Roberts
Opening Hours Building & Espresso cafe: Mon - Sat 9am - 6pm Sun 11am - 6pm Espresso will close at the earlier time of 5pm during Sep and Oct.
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Tickets & Information Gallery: Daily 11am - 6pm Upstairs Bistro: Tue - Sat 12-4pm Sun & Mon Closed
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Telephone 0151 702 5324 Email info@thebluecoat.org.uk
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Address Bluecoat, School Lane Liverpool L1 3BX
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Bluecoat is a registered charity: 700862