48:Eight
Issue #2, January / February 2014
So, welcome to a new year and a new newsletter! This will involve a bit of time travel as we take a look back at what happened in 2013 and have a sneaky glimpse at what is to come in 2014. We will also be featuring the Polish Performance artist and painter Izabella Chamczyk who I met in Warsaw, my current residency of choice. Izabella works in a huge space in Warsaw’s Praga district, the oldest surviving district of Warsaw that was (relatively) in tact when the German army retreated from the city during World War Two, managing to lay waste to over 80% of the city as they did so. Izabella works with a passion and productivity, which is second to none. Her desire to push herself and her audience beyond boundaries is awe-inspiring. I am excited to introduce her to you. 2013 saw a lot of changes including the beloved Nikki moving on to pastures new and the arrival of a new Nikki, in the form of me, Michael. For the first four months I worked towards improving the gallery space and organising Open Studios and the Symposium on Art and Science before being offered the chance to study for my Masters in Fine Art with the Dutch Art Institute. This is a fantastic opportunity for me to develop as an individual artist, but I also want to continue to develop the School Creative Centre and bring some exciting events and new artists to the space. Being once more in touch with a highly motivated, critical, prolific and active crowd is allowing me to seek out new ideas and attempt to bring them to the South Coast, the importance of which is huge, as the whole area of Kent and East Sussex is becoming ever more exciting and important in the UK and European art scene.
We saw new initiatives such as the introduction of our regular Pecha Kucha nights, which will be returning in the spring. We also had a hugely successful Symposium which focused on the relationship between Art and Science and introduced various interactive elements. Even Open Studios was a little different this year! AND finally to mention one of the most exciting changes at the School Creative Centre; our amazing and beautiful new Harry F. Rochat printing press. This impressive piece of kit was installed towards the end of 2013 and is now fully operational, with workshops available for absolute beginners run by Nick Archer, Paula MacArthur, Elizabeth Burton and John Medhurst. Each have a different technique to offer. There are also regular induction sessions for the more advanced printmakers. This room is available to absolutely everyone, not just resident artists at the School Creative Centre, so if you are interested, or you know anyone who might be, then please do spread the word and get in touch with us for further information about the calendar and availability. Phew, so many changes, let’s take a closer look!
Michael Smith - 03 -
Resident- 04 Show: -
Paula MacArthur @ 60 Threadneedle Street
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Infinitely Precious Things
Private View, 13th February 2014 Exibitions continues through to 2nd May
Domestic Disturbance March saw The School Creative Centre collaborate with Hastings based feminist collective riart Grrrls’ to co-curate Domestic Disturbance, an inspirational International Womens’ Day event in aid of Refuge with a programme of live performance, installations, exhibitions, booby painting, knitting and much more! Here’s a recap:
Symposium 2013, Art and Science 2013’s Symposium was based on the borders and cross overs between Science and Art. With lecture presentations from Rachel Cohen, Jammie Nicholas and Huttson Lo we had a full day of exciting and open discussions examining how these two seemingly polarised worlds can spectacularly collide to create awe inspiring art
Open Studios Returning with an almighty bang, the Open Studios of 2013 saw a slight change of season, happening in the heat of summer. We attracted over 200 visitors to the studios on this beautiful summers day, with the worst traffic jam in Rye’s history doing little to dissuade people from popping in and paying a visit. With first time and record sales for a number of resident artists this really was a fantastic success at the School Creative Centre. It also saw the official preview of our newly installed Printing Press, which is open for hire to the general public and not just resident artists. There are inductions, workshops and events throughout the year in our newest facility. Why not drop us a line to find out more! It was also the blessed last time anyone would have to put up with the faded and worn orange carpet in the Gallery Space. There is now a beautiful solid wooden floor in its place. The Gallery is also available for rental, for exhibitions and events. Once again, get in touch with us if you are interested in using this fantastic space.
2013 saw the coming of PechaKucha (however you head, it’s not how you say it...).
This is a fantastic new event for the South East and walks of life; art, design, baking, comedy... pit their w by presenting 20 images with just 20 seconds per im super exciting, funny, fast paced evening of joy and hil ensues.
Our next PechaKucha night is coming at the start of looking for contributers soon. If you are interested just being in the audience for a good chuckle, then ge more!
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Cover Story:
Izabella Chamczyk
Fascination
Who are you?
I don’t want to be a human being. Because humans have lots of restrictions, in body and in mind. I dare to believe that artists are not like human beings, artists can cross borders. I’m an artist but cannot deny I’m a human too, of course. I’m a juxtaposition of contradictions.
What do you do? I’m a painter using performance and video as a medium to create paintings. I make paintings on canvas, working from photography (predominantly these are photos of the human body) and I create a performance using the colours and composition taken from the paintings. I create living paintings that are not static and that live beyond their design. I try to cross the borders and restrictions because I want to know something
more about life and death. I touch some form of nonexisting world when I create.
Follow
Call It As You Want
To Face Me In The Blue
Where do you do it?
My life is creating. I do it in my mind constantly, when I am riding the tram, walking through the city or at parties dancing in my socks. I observe the people and I catch the little moments. I make paintings all of the time, every day even. From this I create composed performances, which are shown in galleries or in public spaces. From this I then create paintings which are developed in my studio - this is an unreal space where I spend many hours a day, pouring colours, touching canvas and smelling the odours of paint.
What are you currently working Now I am trying to connect performance and painting into a coherent whole. I am thinking about my next exhibitions, which could cross this border between canvas and body. Almost every day I spend in my studio, painting. Now I am using toxic paints mixed with photographic deconstructions of the body. I am also trying to change my thinking, to not feel so much but use, and trust my intellect much more. In this time I am starting to think about writing a film script - I want to create a film which lives on the border between visual art and real life, but this is a distant plan. I am constantly overtaken by the need to work on my funding situation...
To Face Me In The Blue
What or who inspires you? People are inspiration to me. I’m a little bit of a misanthrope or sociopath and prefer that way to observe people. It always amazes me, the behavior of people in groups, of social situations or people in public space. For me it is so interesting how people decide to live their life. Sometimes I am also inspired by other artists, recently I have been thinking a lot about Tracey Emin, Pipilotti Rist and Cy Twombly...
izabela.chamczyk@gmail.com
Images courtesy of: K. Baranowski, A. Rerak, M. Marchlewicz, M. Jodko & I. Chamczyk
Matter of Fall
What’s On?
Residencies: AIR Villekulla Set in the picturesque location near Table Mountain in SA this fantastic residency opporunity aims to promote, stimulate and exchange ideas and practices in the contemporary art scene. For more information visit: http://www.villekulleair.wordpress.com/ Atlantic Centre for the Arts To promote artistic excellence by providing an opportunity to work and collaborate with contemporary artists in the fields of composing and visual, literary, and performing arts, while coordinating interaction with communities through presentations, performances and exhibitions. Visit: http://www.atlanticcenterforthearts.org for more Banff Canada’s only learning centre dedicated to the arts. This beautifully located residency provides a wonderful opportunity for artists to push their practice in a supported well structured environment. For more: www.banffcentre.ca
Blue Mountain Center The Blue Mountain Center is a working community of writers, artists, activists and musicians in Blue Mountain Lake, New York. The Center exists to provide a peaceful and comfortable environment in which guests are able to work, free from the distractions and demands of normal daily life. For more visit: www.bluemountaincenter.org Hangar Hangar is a centre for arts production and research, set up by the Association of Visual Arts of Catalonia (AAVC) in 1997. Hangar has a residency for artists, which is located in the old house of the guard of the industrial complex. Visit: www.hangar.org for more HERE Creative Center HERE Creative Centre is a former fish factory located in Stöðvarfjörður, a remote village in the East fjords of Iceland, approximately 650 km from Reykjavík. HEREIN-RESIDENCY is multi-disciplinary and open for most creative directions; highlighting the importance of meaningful cultural exchange; supporting creative and critical thinking. Visit: http://inhere.is
HerhĂşsiĂ° HerhĂşsid is a newly renovated artist-in-residence home and workshop, in the northernmost town of Iceland. It is currently accepting applicants who are working in visual arts, music, literature, poetry and other artisitic endeavours. Visit: www.herhusid.com Jentel AIR program The Jentel Artist Residency Program offers a peaceful place to work and achieve personal artistic goals in an unfettered environment. The program provides a resource of time and space for artists to create their best work. Visit: www.jentelarts.org
Exhibitions Take a View: Landscape Photographer of the Year National Theatre Until February 9th Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2013 Royal Observatory Until February 23rd A Season in Hell 3D (2014) by Matthew Noel-Tod. Banner Repeater Only on Jan 24th Universal Fragments - Conversations with Trevor Shearer Large Glass Until Jan 24th Nelson Mandela: The Long Walk to Freedom Belgravia Gallery Until Feb 2nd Stan Douglas: Disco Angola Victoria Miro Mayfair Until Jan 18th
Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2013 National Portrait Gallery Until Feb 9th Jackie Nickerson: Terrain Brancolini Grimaldi Until Jan 25th Only in England: Photographs by Tony Ray-Jones and Martin Parr Science Museum Until Mar 17th
DON’T MISS: Re:view bursary 2014 Deadline Jan 20th! www.a-n.co.uk
And finally.... The School Creative Centre will be hosting a Spring Exhibition this coming April. We are currently programming for this event and are looking for expressions of interest to be included in this fantastic show. Please email our admissions committee at: coord@theschoolcreativecentre.co.uk or 48eight@gmail.com with links to your works. Please write ‘Spring Exhibition’ in your email’s subject line. Submissions MUST be received by 1st March 2014.
Get involved! To get in touch with us about anything: We are always open to submissions for the newsletter and our gallery space, based in The School Creative Centre in Rye, East Sussex is always open for proposals: If you would like to put anything in our listings: If you want us to put your artwork in the newsletter: If you just want someone to chat to: Email:
48Eight@gmail.com
48:Eight Gallery part of:
New Road, Rye, East Sussex, TN31 7LS info@theschoolcreativecentre.co.uk 01797 229 797