PORTFOLIO (2)
BIO
Art Portal is part of Arts Electronic,a new artist-led inititive, that supports grass-roots contemporary art that remains unswayed by fashion, trends or the whims of government funding. The project involves ongoing research into the placing of contemporary art, it’s audiences and it’s relationship to the everyday and we place great emphasis on context. Our mission is to support new works of contemporary art and foster an audience from a wide range of backgrounds. Arts Electronic acts as a testing-ground for innovation with a strong emphasis on supporting new risk-taking ideas and cross-disciplinary collaboration.
I. MISSION
Arts Electronic aims to be a hub for new and up and coming international contemporary visual art; A forum where all can engage with contemporary ideas through a unique, risk taking, cross art-form and culturally diverse high quality programme of art.
In today’s climate the factors that determine which artists receive credit for their work and which works are carried forward, does merit inspection. Individuals with valuable insights might easily be overlooked or passed by in a world increasingly underwritten by market-driven forces. However, when individuals are marginalized, it can force them to embark on higher-risk courses of action, enabling beneficial innovation that would otherwise not have happened. The aim is to retrieve art that may have a different type of value from those dictated by market forces while stimulating questions about the history-making process of art.
At the same time we hope to develop a network-based creative community as a model of innovation in curating and practice. The objectives of the project is to introduce new audiences to the work of significant artists and to engage the work of artists as interacting generative agents, remediating one another as a vital part of contemporary social space.
Given the simultaneous emergence of conceptual art in several art centers around the world and the emergence of the new forms of interconnectivity via digital platforms we hope to encourage international collaboration and exchange with both artists and audiences.
This curatorial project presents a flexibility of approach to the curating of artistic works that make use of the contradictory relationship of the respective participants and characteristics.
II. VISION
Within the next 4 years to become a creative crossroads to build new partnerships and to be acknowledged by our audiences as being central to artistic, cultural and educational life. Playing a leading role on innovation and risk taking, to span the virtual and real worlds, achieving openness, access and excellence making a positive contribution to the regeneration to the arts.
III. VALUES
Arts Electronic values:
1. People
A. The work of artists and curators and audience.
2. The Work
A. Critical dialogue between artist, audiences, curators.
B. Innovation in the visual arts and wider cultural industries.
C. Original thinking and a contemporary outlook.
D. Internationalism and multiculturalism.
E. The Way We Do Business
F. Creative collaboration with individuals, institutions and funding partners.
G. Education as a tool for change and for increasing understanding of cultural, social, aesthetic and political issues.
H. Taking calculated risks in the pursuit of artistic excellence.
I. Fiscal responsibility.
IV. Business
The Mission, Vision and Values of the organisation have been translated into 7 aims which underpin the Business Plan. These are:
1. To be a leading international centre for contemporary visual arts engaging audiences, artists and curators in ideas, knowledge and dialogue.
2. Support innovation, creativity and the development of talent.
3. Make a leading contribution to local, national and international cultural and knowledge agendas.
4. To develop inclusive participation, learning and skills in visual arts and digital media.
5. To be a social, creative and business network hub.
6. To attract talented people and invest in them.
7. Achieve our objectives within a framework of a balanced budget and a well-run organisation.
IV. PROGRAMME STRATEGY
The core of the programme strategy is as follows:
•To conceive of projects as a loose series, with a methodological freedom in the curatorial-editorial approach, and which will remain inherent in all issues of the project, and will manifests itself in all the respective forms of presentation.
•Programming in an integrated way across the visual arts with engagement in the programme seen as central.
• Developing innovative partnerships to increase the quality of the programme and increase risk taking by sharing the risk more widely.
• Expanding the digital footprint of artselectronic to engage a wider audience.
•Increasing the impact of the work of artselectronic on the Knowledge Economy.
• Becoming more commercially focused and effective as state funding for work in the arts becomes squeezed.
• Adopting open working practices at the core of the new strategy and making this central to delivering an integrated, innovative and risk taking programme. (Open in this context means creating a way of working where there is a continuous and open dialogue between audience and artists about ideas and this dialogue helps to shape and redefine what artselectronic does.)
V. RESEARCH
Arts Electronic explores two specific lines of enquiry:
•International socio-political change
•Participation in artist practice
Arts Electronic is a cross art-form that engages with:
•Visual Arts – group and solo exhibitions of emerging, mid-career and established artists; thematic shows across all forms of contemporary visual art. Produce the majority of its exhibitions to tour, initiating original projects and commissioning a range of artists.
•Digital Media – this is a cross-cutting theme rather than a distinct programme. Areas include online artistic projects, interactive artist-led projects, user-generated content, participative projects and applications that enable creative innovation.
Creative Industries – A programme of formal and informal events and initiatives to support the creative sector and talent through information dissemination and networking.
Projects will range between small and middle scale with the aim of producing high profile projects utilising and interacting with each city and region. Work will be produced in a number of ways:
•Commissioned
•Toured
•Developed from artselectronic research programme
VI. Visual Arts
Our core programme 2012-13 continues the exploration of international socio-political change through the groundbreaking exhibition and tour, Crazy Like a Fox. Arts Electronic aims to develop further investigations, whilst socially engaged art and participatory projects are a strong focus.
We are currently developing ideas for inclusion in a Festival of Live Art Performance that provides the opportunity for an in-depth enquiry into issues around the economy with strong new commissions and partnerships.
In 2012-13 we also begin our Curator initiative, where international artists work strategically on our long term programme development with us.
VII. Engagement
Engagement is not a separate team or area but works across all of artselectronic participation in a current line of enquiry. Engaging new communities in projects with artists is a focus for our work. Engagement activities are not restricted to but might include tours, debates, digital content, workshops, interpretation, Q&As and seminars.
artselectronic is also developing a number of targeted projects including:
• Projector: young people (Youth Hostel inititive)
• Exposures: new talent in moving image
• Wire: creative industries
http://artselectronic.wordpress.com/
For further information go to our website http://artselectronic.weebly.com/
or join us on our new Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/ArtsElectronic
contact Abel Magwitch: magwitch@live.com
I. MISSION
Arts Electronic aims to be a hub for new and up and coming international contemporary visual art; A forum where all can engage with contemporary ideas through a unique, risk taking, cross art-form and culturally diverse high quality programme of art.
In today’s climate the factors that determine which artists receive credit for their work and which works are carried forward, does merit inspection. Individuals with valuable insights might easily be overlooked or passed by in a world increasingly underwritten by market-driven forces. However, when individuals are marginalized, it can force them to embark on higher-risk courses of action, enabling beneficial innovation that would otherwise not have happened. The aim is to retrieve art that may have a different type of value from those dictated by market forces while stimulating questions about the history-making process of art.
At the same time we hope to develop a network-based creative community as a model of innovation in curating and practice. The objectives of the project is to introduce new audiences to the work of significant artists and to engage the work of artists as interacting generative agents, remediating one another as a vital part of contemporary social space.
Given the simultaneous emergence of conceptual art in several art centers around the world and the emergence of the new forms of interconnectivity via digital platforms we hope to encourage international collaboration and exchange with both artists and audiences.
This curatorial project presents a flexibility of approach to the curating of artistic works that make use of the contradictory relationship of the respective participants and characteristics.
II. VISION
Within the next 4 years to become a creative crossroads to build new partnerships and to be acknowledged by our audiences as being central to artistic, cultural and educational life. Playing a leading role on innovation and risk taking, to span the virtual and real worlds, achieving openness, access and excellence making a positive contribution to the regeneration to the arts.
III. VALUES
Arts Electronic values:
1. People
A. The work of artists and curators and audience.
2. The Work
A. Critical dialogue between artist, audiences, curators.
B. Innovation in the visual arts and wider cultural industries.
C. Original thinking and a contemporary outlook.
D. Internationalism and multiculturalism.
E. The Way We Do Business
F. Creative collaboration with individuals, institutions and funding partners.
G. Education as a tool for change and for increasing understanding of cultural, social, aesthetic and political issues.
H. Taking calculated risks in the pursuit of artistic excellence.
I. Fiscal responsibility.
IV. Business
The Mission, Vision and Values of the organisation have been translated into 7 aims which underpin the Business Plan. These are:
1. To be a leading international centre for contemporary visual arts engaging audiences, artists and curators in ideas, knowledge and dialogue.
2. Support innovation, creativity and the development of talent.
3. Make a leading contribution to local, national and international cultural and knowledge agendas.
4. To develop inclusive participation, learning and skills in visual arts and digital media.
5. To be a social, creative and business network hub.
6. To attract talented people and invest in them.
7. Achieve our objectives within a framework of a balanced budget and a well-run organisation.
IV. PROGRAMME STRATEGY
The core of the programme strategy is as follows:
•To conceive of projects as a loose series, with a methodological freedom in the curatorial-editorial approach, and which will remain inherent in all issues of the project, and will manifests itself in all the respective forms of presentation.
•Programming in an integrated way across the visual arts with engagement in the programme seen as central.
• Developing innovative partnerships to increase the quality of the programme and increase risk taking by sharing the risk more widely.
• Expanding the digital footprint of artselectronic to engage a wider audience.
•Increasing the impact of the work of artselectronic on the Knowledge Economy.
• Becoming more commercially focused and effective as state funding for work in the arts becomes squeezed.
• Adopting open working practices at the core of the new strategy and making this central to delivering an integrated, innovative and risk taking programme. (Open in this context means creating a way of working where there is a continuous and open dialogue between audience and artists about ideas and this dialogue helps to shape and redefine what artselectronic does.)
V. RESEARCH
Arts Electronic explores two specific lines of enquiry:
•International socio-political change
•Participation in artist practice
Arts Electronic is a cross art-form that engages with:
•Visual Arts – group and solo exhibitions of emerging, mid-career and established artists; thematic shows across all forms of contemporary visual art. Produce the majority of its exhibitions to tour, initiating original projects and commissioning a range of artists.
•Digital Media – this is a cross-cutting theme rather than a distinct programme. Areas include online artistic projects, interactive artist-led projects, user-generated content, participative projects and applications that enable creative innovation.
Creative Industries – A programme of formal and informal events and initiatives to support the creative sector and talent through information dissemination and networking.
Projects will range between small and middle scale with the aim of producing high profile projects utilising and interacting with each city and region. Work will be produced in a number of ways:
•Commissioned
•Toured
•Developed from artselectronic research programme
VI. Visual Arts
Our core programme 2012-13 continues the exploration of international socio-political change through the groundbreaking exhibition and tour, Crazy Like a Fox. Arts Electronic aims to develop further investigations, whilst socially engaged art and participatory projects are a strong focus.
We are currently developing ideas for inclusion in a Festival of Live Art Performance that provides the opportunity for an in-depth enquiry into issues around the economy with strong new commissions and partnerships.
In 2012-13 we also begin our Curator initiative, where international artists work strategically on our long term programme development with us.
VII. Engagement
Engagement is not a separate team or area but works across all of artselectronic participation in a current line of enquiry. Engaging new communities in projects with artists is a focus for our work. Engagement activities are not restricted to but might include tours, debates, digital content, workshops, interpretation, Q&As and seminars.
artselectronic is also developing a number of targeted projects including:
• Projector: young people (Youth Hostel inititive)
• Exposures: new talent in moving image
• Wire: creative industries
http://artselectronic.wordpress.com/
For further information go to our website http://artselectronic.weebly.com/
or join us on our new Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/ArtsElectronic
contact Abel Magwitch: magwitch@live.com
Winners Chosen For Pixel Jam 2012
Dates:
Thu Apr 12, 2012 00:00 - Sun Apr 15, 2012
Location:
Cleveland/ Twinsburg,
Ohio
United States of America
United States of America
Image: Overlords by Tom Estes- Originally conceived as a video installation comprised of images of ‘Time Travel’ projected on to a book called ‘Local History and Antiquities’, the work ‘Overlords’ was deliberately left incomplete.
Once the stuff of sci-fi movies and illicit underground movements, hacking today has been adopted by citizens worldwide. Like any medium that has achieved a critical popular mass, strange and intoxicating activity is happening at the margins, between the cracks and out in the shed. Pixel Jam is one of the places where coders, creators, musicians, and artists come together to display their technical and artistic excellence. The objective of Pixel Jam is to engage with unique idea development that applies the hacker mind set through an inspiring and intensive exhibition of hacklabs, events and interventions.
PixelJam was created to support, expand and transform the demoscene- a largely competition-oriented subculture, with groups and individual artists competing against each other in technical and artistic excellence. As well as focusing on the mechanics or political issues that surround original trans-media concepts, Pixel Jam reviews the artistry of the technique of hacking, as well as other ways to apply a “hacker mentality”.
These are the games that make us question “is this really a game?” and “who would do this?” and “why?”… From zero-button games like Cory Arcangel’s “Super Mario Clouds” to existentialist platformers like Cactus’ “Psychosomnium,” Pixel Jam share, discuss, play and ultimately throw down tournament style to establish artgamer supremacy in the first ever Artgames LAN Party, a titanic clash of sensitivities & aesthetics sure to shake loose the stars from our crude, pixelated skybox.
Hence, in addition to topics of technology and computer security, many aspects of both the art and music world are represented. Pixel Jam is also an integral yet distinct entity within the Notacon arts and technology conference. Notacon (pronounced “not-a-con”) art and technology conference was founded in 2003 by “FTS Conventures”, and takes place annually in Cleveland, Ohio. Combined Notacon and PixelJam attendance generally hovers around 400 people with an event space of over 15,000 square feet.
The concept of “community through technology” is one of the main focuses of Notacon, with the participants being dedicated to the advancement of computer technology. This year Pixel Jam also teamed up with criticalartware on some categories, including Glitch/Artware and newGame++.
List of Winners for Pixel Jam 2012
-= Textmode Graphics =-
1st 70pts Exploding Galaxy – krue
2nd 60pts Sssssss. – Inspired Chaos
3rd 38pts Taste the Rainbow – Duh
-= Freestyle Music =-
1st 84pts pixeljamjam1 – coda
2nd 76pts pxl8 – glacial23
-= Freestyle Graphics =-
1st 78pts untitled590 – prince / the Obsessed Maniacs
2nd 71pts Morphine Youth – Forcer/DESiRE^TRSi
3st 58pts Letters from Noa – CONS^Onslaught^TRSi
4th 53pts Overlords – Tom Estes
5th 43pts SVN-Elephant – grip/pixelmagic
-= Glitch / Artware =-
1st 47pts h-lh-l – dave musgrave
2nd 44pts SNObound – Evan Kühl & Ben Baker-Smith
3rd 40pts Black Sunday – SCHULTZ
4th 35pts 041412 – Morgan Higby-Flowers
5th 19pts ec77ce – osvaldo cibils
-= Wild =-
1st 93pts Drift – krue & brutal deluxe
2nd 51pts To Space – echo & globber
DQed Notacon Radio – Salsa or something
-= Combined Demo =-
1st 102pts Where Have All the Pixels Gone? – CMU Computer club
2nd 77pts Demon Blood – Youth Uprising
3rd 76pts compo.filler – vrtx
4th 68pts das experiment – fresh!mindworkz
5th 56pts Neurohacking Vector #1: Epilepsy – RDE
6th 35pts BITS 4001 – Herman Samso of BITS
Once the stuff of sci-fi movies and illicit underground movements, hacking today has been adopted by citizens worldwide. Like any medium that has achieved a critical popular mass, strange and intoxicating activity is happening at the margins, between the cracks and out in the shed. Pixel Jam is one of the places where coders, creators, musicians, and artists come together to display their technical and artistic excellence. The objective of Pixel Jam is to engage with unique idea development that applies the hacker mind set through an inspiring and intensive exhibition of hacklabs, events and interventions.
PixelJam was created to support, expand and transform the demoscene- a largely competition-oriented subculture, with groups and individual artists competing against each other in technical and artistic excellence. As well as focusing on the mechanics or political issues that surround original trans-media concepts, Pixel Jam reviews the artistry of the technique of hacking, as well as other ways to apply a “hacker mentality”.
These are the games that make us question “is this really a game?” and “who would do this?” and “why?”… From zero-button games like Cory Arcangel’s “Super Mario Clouds” to existentialist platformers like Cactus’ “Psychosomnium,” Pixel Jam share, discuss, play and ultimately throw down tournament style to establish artgamer supremacy in the first ever Artgames LAN Party, a titanic clash of sensitivities & aesthetics sure to shake loose the stars from our crude, pixelated skybox.
Hence, in addition to topics of technology and computer security, many aspects of both the art and music world are represented. Pixel Jam is also an integral yet distinct entity within the Notacon arts and technology conference. Notacon (pronounced “not-a-con”) art and technology conference was founded in 2003 by “FTS Conventures”, and takes place annually in Cleveland, Ohio. Combined Notacon and PixelJam attendance generally hovers around 400 people with an event space of over 15,000 square feet.
The concept of “community through technology” is one of the main focuses of Notacon, with the participants being dedicated to the advancement of computer technology. This year Pixel Jam also teamed up with criticalartware on some categories, including Glitch/Artware and newGame++.
List of Winners for Pixel Jam 2012
-= Textmode Graphics =-
1st 70pts Exploding Galaxy – krue
2nd 60pts Sssssss. – Inspired Chaos
3rd 38pts Taste the Rainbow – Duh
-= Freestyle Music =-
1st 84pts pixeljamjam1 – coda
2nd 76pts pxl8 – glacial23
-= Freestyle Graphics =-
1st 78pts untitled590 – prince / the Obsessed Maniacs
2nd 71pts Morphine Youth – Forcer/DESiRE^TRSi
3st 58pts Letters from Noa – CONS^Onslaught^TRSi
4th 53pts Overlords – Tom Estes
5th 43pts SVN-Elephant – grip/pixelmagic
-= Glitch / Artware =-
1st 47pts h-lh-l – dave musgrave
2nd 44pts SNObound – Evan Kühl & Ben Baker-Smith
3rd 40pts Black Sunday – SCHULTZ
4th 35pts 041412 – Morgan Higby-Flowers
5th 19pts ec77ce – osvaldo cibils
-= Wild =-
1st 93pts Drift – krue & brutal deluxe
2nd 51pts To Space – echo & globber
DQed Notacon Radio – Salsa or something
-= Combined Demo =-
1st 102pts Where Have All the Pixels Gone? – CMU Computer club
2nd 77pts Demon Blood – Youth Uprising
3rd 76pts compo.filler – vrtx
4th 68pts das experiment – fresh!mindworkz
5th 56pts Neurohacking Vector #1: Epilepsy – RDE
6th 35pts BITS 4001 – Herman Samso of BITS
Crash Test Dummy @ Health & Safety Violation
Dates:
Thu Jan 31, 2013 12:30 - Sun Feb 10, 2013
Location:
London,
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Live Art Performance 'Crash Test Dummy' by Tom Estes, Part of Health & Safety Violation: A collaboration between Ben Woodeson and Tom Estes
Health & Safety Violation is a project initiated at Lubomirov-Easton which brought together performance artist Tom Estes and sculptor Ben Woodeson in an experimental collaboration; neither knowing exactly what would happen. The Health & Safety Violation collaboration was an evolving experiment documented by visitors to the exhibition; ephemeral performance art interacting with fragile sculpture, a world where every action has consequences both known and unknown.
In his practice Artist Tom Estes creates socially engaged performance work that is both participatory and immersive while at the same time a playful messing with habitual ways of thinking. Estes is interested in the relationship between machines and humans. In his Live Art performance Estes stages an ‘action’ and then ask members of the audience to take pictures on a ‘communal camera’. In this way, the audience becomes part of the performance, and the pictures are then posted on on-line social networking sites and web sites for another, wider on-line audience.
At Health & Safety Violation, Estes performed his seemingly inconsequential action within the deliberately dangerous and fragile environment of Ben Woodeson’s sculpture in which ‘every action has an equal an opposite reaction’. Documentation of the evenings actions was performed by visitors to the exhibition using a communal camera; and on this occasion selected images were also displayed in the gallery space for the duration of the exhibition.
At the core of Estes’ work is an attention to digital platforms and new forms of interconnectivity. Estes’ performance- a form of intellectual mischief-making- is designed to question the relationship between life in real time and of reality as it is increasingly experienced online. We are being completely enveloped by abstract systems and inundated with information that we are struggling to come to terms with. And while machines enable us to do things they also do things to us and do things at us.
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Estes’ practice seems to capture the strategic orientation and inescapable reflectiveness of cyberspace. Whatever may be said about the internet one thing remains certain- as a primary means of global communication the internet is resulting in a massive social transformation. In liberation-speak the internet favors private, unconditional, sovereign freedom over scientific, conditional and institutional freedom. Yet Estes’ performance work emits an aura of agitation that undermines the authority of this rhetoric. The truth is that cyberspace is an increasingly efficient tool of surveillance with which people have a voluntary relationship.
Formally, Estes’ action invites a dialogue between stasis and dynamism, and psychologically, between reason and feeling. His perceptually oriented thought-puzzles are infused with humour, but the real difference and impact of Estes performance work, is as a potentially critical gesture. Estes’ performance Crash Test Dummy offers a parallel and contextual reading of the fundamental ideological fantasies that sustain our late capitalist society. Woodeson’s work is inspired by mass, friction, balance, gravity, momentum, potential and kinetic energy; basic rules that deliberately straddle a line between stability and instability, action and inaction. Estes’ performance takes Woodeson’s work one step further by contributing a real human interaction into a implied symbiotic relationship of balanced equilibrium which has potentially catastrophic consequences. Poised treacherously, the work inhabits a moment of possible action and subsequent reaction. So while this absurd yet playful performance toys in surprising ways with visual spectacle it is also nuanced enough to simultaneously traverse the Commodity Fetishism and popular Obscurantism of mainstream consumerist society.
Health & Safety Violation
Lubomirov-Easton
Enclave 8
50 Resolution Way
London SE8 4AL
26 October to 24 November 2012
www.woodeson.co.uk
www.tomestesartist.com
Health & Safety Violation is a project initiated at Lubomirov-Easton which brought together performance artist Tom Estes and sculptor Ben Woodeson in an experimental collaboration; neither knowing exactly what would happen. The Health & Safety Violation collaboration was an evolving experiment documented by visitors to the exhibition; ephemeral performance art interacting with fragile sculpture, a world where every action has consequences both known and unknown.
In his practice Artist Tom Estes creates socially engaged performance work that is both participatory and immersive while at the same time a playful messing with habitual ways of thinking. Estes is interested in the relationship between machines and humans. In his Live Art performance Estes stages an ‘action’ and then ask members of the audience to take pictures on a ‘communal camera’. In this way, the audience becomes part of the performance, and the pictures are then posted on on-line social networking sites and web sites for another, wider on-line audience.
At Health & Safety Violation, Estes performed his seemingly inconsequential action within the deliberately dangerous and fragile environment of Ben Woodeson’s sculpture in which ‘every action has an equal an opposite reaction’. Documentation of the evenings actions was performed by visitors to the exhibition using a communal camera; and on this occasion selected images were also displayed in the gallery space for the duration of the exhibition.
At the core of Estes’ work is an attention to digital platforms and new forms of interconnectivity. Estes’ performance- a form of intellectual mischief-making- is designed to question the relationship between life in real time and of reality as it is increasingly experienced online. We are being completely enveloped by abstract systems and inundated with information that we are struggling to come to terms with. And while machines enable us to do things they also do things to us and do things at us.
Estes’ practice seems to capture the strategic orientation and inescapable reflectiveness of cyberspace. Whatever may be said about the internet one thing remains certain- as a primary means of global communication the internet is resulting in a massive social transformation. In liberation-speak the internet favors private, unconditional, sovereign freedom over scientific, conditional and institutional freedom. Yet Estes’ performance work emits an aura of agitation that undermines the authority of this rhetoric. The truth is that cyberspace is an increasingly efficient tool of surveillance with which people have a voluntary relationship.
Formally, Estes’ action invites a dialogue between stasis and dynamism, and psychologically, between reason and feeling. His perceptually oriented thought-puzzles are infused with humour, but the real difference and impact of Estes performance work, is as a potentially critical gesture. Estes’ performance Crash Test Dummy offers a parallel and contextual reading of the fundamental ideological fantasies that sustain our late capitalist society. Woodeson’s work is inspired by mass, friction, balance, gravity, momentum, potential and kinetic energy; basic rules that deliberately straddle a line between stability and instability, action and inaction. Estes’ performance takes Woodeson’s work one step further by contributing a real human interaction into a implied symbiotic relationship of balanced equilibrium which has potentially catastrophic consequences. Poised treacherously, the work inhabits a moment of possible action and subsequent reaction. So while this absurd yet playful performance toys in surprising ways with visual spectacle it is also nuanced enough to simultaneously traverse the Commodity Fetishism and popular Obscurantism of mainstream consumerist society.
Health & Safety Violation
Lubomirov-Easton
Enclave 8
50 Resolution Way
London SE8 4AL
26 October to 24 November 2012
www.woodeson.co.uk
www.tomestesartist.com
Tom Estes at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Dates:
Wed Jan 16, 2013 16:00 - Wed Jan 16, 2013
Location:
Glasgow,
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, one of Europe’s leading conservatoires, presents Live work by performance artist Tom Estes.
Founded in 1845 The Royal Conservatoire has played a critical role in the development of the performance arts in Scotland over many years. The RCS is integral to the nation’s vibrant performance culture and uniquely placed to partner with a wealth of inspiring professionals and artistic companies.
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, has invited artist Tom Estes to explore the role of the audience in contemporary performance as part of ‘Into The New’, a four day event exploring Contemporary Live Art Performance. As an artist Estes has always leaned toward making Live Art performance work that is participatory or imersive in some way. In his work for The Royal Conservatoire Estes will explore these issues and there will also be a range of responses from artists, academics, researchers and practitioners on the role of the audience in contemporary performance.
In his performance CAKE HOLE artist Tom Estes cuts holes in donuts while members of the audience take pictures on a communal camera that is passed around. The simple act of cutting holes in donuts or 'punching holes in donuts' is based on a slang term in activist circles meaning doing something that has little or no real impact. The title of the work is also from a slang term. Generally expressed as ‘shut your cakehole’in the United Kingdom it means ‘shut up and keep your opinions to yourself’.
During the event audience members are asked to interact with the central performance by taking pictures on what Estes calls a "communal camera". The pictures are then posted on social networking sites for another, wider on-line audience. This is what Estes refer to as 'Harnessing The Hive' - as the view of the central performance is mediated and digitally recorded through a machine. In this way, the photographs, become more than mere documentation and can be seen as central to the work. The audience, rather than being some kind of privileged witness becomes part of the performance while taking pictures. This role reversal invites the audience to re-examine easy assumptions, received opinion and current social and critical trends as well as pose tough questions about the ways in which we see and understand our world and culture.
At the core of this work is an attention to the flickering fading definition of our lives as dictated by film, television, the computer monitor and the rapid reply of instant messaging. Estes strives, not to break down these introverted, often self-imposed boundaries, but to look how data flow form the virtual realm impacts on the significance, symbolism and depth of real-world human senses. But in doing so, he has begun to generate unexpected questions about how art might be able to inscribe itself on the surface of reality- not to represent itself on the surface of reality- not to represent reality, not to duplicate it, but to replace it.
Estes performance 'Cake Hole' is part of ‘Into The New’, a four day event exploring Contemporary Live Art Performance. The Performance 'Cake Hole' by Tom Estes will take place on the 16th of January between 4:00- 6:00. ‘Into The New’ will takes place in Glasgow on the 14th, 15th and 16th of January at the Arches, a 65,000 square foot venue so no doubt there will be ample space for a critical and discursive debate to challenge perceptions of audiences.
http://www.tomestesartist.com/
http://www.thearches.co.uk/
http://www.rsamd.ac.uk/academy/royalconservatoire/
http://www.2013.intothenew.org.uk/audience-innocent-bystanders/
Founded in 1845 The Royal Conservatoire has played a critical role in the development of the performance arts in Scotland over many years. The RCS is integral to the nation’s vibrant performance culture and uniquely placed to partner with a wealth of inspiring professionals and artistic companies.
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, has invited artist Tom Estes to explore the role of the audience in contemporary performance as part of ‘Into The New’, a four day event exploring Contemporary Live Art Performance. As an artist Estes has always leaned toward making Live Art performance work that is participatory or imersive in some way. In his work for The Royal Conservatoire Estes will explore these issues and there will also be a range of responses from artists, academics, researchers and practitioners on the role of the audience in contemporary performance.
In his performance CAKE HOLE artist Tom Estes cuts holes in donuts while members of the audience take pictures on a communal camera that is passed around. The simple act of cutting holes in donuts or 'punching holes in donuts' is based on a slang term in activist circles meaning doing something that has little or no real impact. The title of the work is also from a slang term. Generally expressed as ‘shut your cakehole’in the United Kingdom it means ‘shut up and keep your opinions to yourself’.
During the event audience members are asked to interact with the central performance by taking pictures on what Estes calls a "communal camera". The pictures are then posted on social networking sites for another, wider on-line audience. This is what Estes refer to as 'Harnessing The Hive' - as the view of the central performance is mediated and digitally recorded through a machine. In this way, the photographs, become more than mere documentation and can be seen as central to the work. The audience, rather than being some kind of privileged witness becomes part of the performance while taking pictures. This role reversal invites the audience to re-examine easy assumptions, received opinion and current social and critical trends as well as pose tough questions about the ways in which we see and understand our world and culture.
At the core of this work is an attention to the flickering fading definition of our lives as dictated by film, television, the computer monitor and the rapid reply of instant messaging. Estes strives, not to break down these introverted, often self-imposed boundaries, but to look how data flow form the virtual realm impacts on the significance, symbolism and depth of real-world human senses. But in doing so, he has begun to generate unexpected questions about how art might be able to inscribe itself on the surface of reality- not to represent itself on the surface of reality- not to represent reality, not to duplicate it, but to replace it.
Estes performance 'Cake Hole' is part of ‘Into The New’, a four day event exploring Contemporary Live Art Performance. The Performance 'Cake Hole' by Tom Estes will take place on the 16th of January between 4:00- 6:00. ‘Into The New’ will takes place in Glasgow on the 14th, 15th and 16th of January at the Arches, a 65,000 square foot venue so no doubt there will be ample space for a critical and discursive debate to challenge perceptions of audiences.
http://www.tomestesartist.com/
http://www.thearches.co.uk/
http://www.rsamd.ac.uk/academy/royalconservatoire/
http://www.2013.intothenew.org.uk/audience-innocent-bystanders/
Crash Test Dummy at Heath & Safety Violation
Dates:
Wed Nov 07, 2012 15:30 - Wed Nov 07, 2012
Location:
London, SE8 4AL,
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
This project brings together performance artist Tom Estes with sculptor Ben Woodeson in an experimental collaboration; neither knowing exactly what will happen and ultimately what or who will survive. The Health & Safety Violation collaboration is an evolving experiment documented by visitors to the exhibition; performance art interacting with fragile and ephemeral sculptures, a world where every action has consequences both known and unknown.
As a starting point a huge pane of glass is precariously balanced on two supports. In the performance one of the supports is removed and Estes, dressed as a Crash Test Dummy uses his head as a ballast to keep the whole thing in balance so the glass doesn’t fall and smash on the floor.
Coinciding with South London’s 'Last Fridays' events on 26th October, the opening of Health & Safety Violation features Tom Estes performing seemingly inconsequential actions within the deliberately dangerous and fragile environment by Ben Woodeson’s Health & Safety Violation sculpture.
'Every action has an equal an opposite reaction' has never been truer. Tom Estes’ actions contribute to a balanced equilibrium. A symbiotic relationship exists between sculpture and performance; inbuilt entropy where every action or inaction has potentially catastrophic consequences. Documentation of the evenings actions is performed by visitors to the exhibition using a communal camera; selected images will be displayed for the duration of the exhibition.
Crash Test Dummy from LUBOMIROV-EASTON on Vimeo.
LUBOMIROV-EASTON IS an ALISN Project Space in Deptford, South London, headed by ALISN organisers, curators and artists Iavor Lubomirov and Bella Easton.
LUBOMIROV-EASTON SHOWS emerging artists, invited individually or in pairs, to develop ambitious new projects resulting in significant solo, or collaborative exhibitions. Our programming of mostly solo and two-person shows is supplemented with curated shows by artist-curators, national and international exchanges, lectures, films, performances, and events.
LUBOMIROV-EASTON extends its outreach to a larger number of emerging artists, by concurrently evolving a collection of edition works - called LED - comprising of prints, books, sculptures and multiples in other mediums. LED is by invitation.
ALISN or The Artist-Led Initiatives Support Network (ALISN) was founded in May 2007 with the aim of supporting emerging artists and fostering community and collaboration between artist-led and other emerging art galleries and projects. ALISN works across diverse platforms to deliver innovative exhibitions, events, performances, open submissions, talks, residencies.
Health & Safety Violation:Ben Woodeson & Tom Estes
Exhibition Dates: 26 October to 24 November, Wednesday to Saturday, 12-6pm
Address: Lubomirov-Easton, Enclave 8, 50 Resolution Way, Deptford, London SE8 4AL
http://www.lubomirov-easton.com/Health-and-Safety-Violation
As a starting point a huge pane of glass is precariously balanced on two supports. In the performance one of the supports is removed and Estes, dressed as a Crash Test Dummy uses his head as a ballast to keep the whole thing in balance so the glass doesn’t fall and smash on the floor.
Coinciding with South London’s 'Last Fridays' events on 26th October, the opening of Health & Safety Violation features Tom Estes performing seemingly inconsequential actions within the deliberately dangerous and fragile environment by Ben Woodeson’s Health & Safety Violation sculpture.
'Every action has an equal an opposite reaction' has never been truer. Tom Estes’ actions contribute to a balanced equilibrium. A symbiotic relationship exists between sculpture and performance; inbuilt entropy where every action or inaction has potentially catastrophic consequences. Documentation of the evenings actions is performed by visitors to the exhibition using a communal camera; selected images will be displayed for the duration of the exhibition.
Crash Test Dummy from LUBOMIROV-EASTON on Vimeo.
LUBOMIROV-EASTON IS an ALISN Project Space in Deptford, South London, headed by ALISN organisers, curators and artists Iavor Lubomirov and Bella Easton.
LUBOMIROV-EASTON SHOWS emerging artists, invited individually or in pairs, to develop ambitious new projects resulting in significant solo, or collaborative exhibitions. Our programming of mostly solo and two-person shows is supplemented with curated shows by artist-curators, national and international exchanges, lectures, films, performances, and events.
LUBOMIROV-EASTON extends its outreach to a larger number of emerging artists, by concurrently evolving a collection of edition works - called LED - comprising of prints, books, sculptures and multiples in other mediums. LED is by invitation.
ALISN or The Artist-Led Initiatives Support Network (ALISN) was founded in May 2007 with the aim of supporting emerging artists and fostering community and collaboration between artist-led and other emerging art galleries and projects. ALISN works across diverse platforms to deliver innovative exhibitions, events, performances, open submissions, talks, residencies.
Health & Safety Violation:Ben Woodeson & Tom Estes
Exhibition Dates: 26 October to 24 November, Wednesday to Saturday, 12-6pm
Address: Lubomirov-Easton, Enclave 8, 50 Resolution Way, Deptford, London SE8 4AL
http://www.lubomirov-easton.com/Health-and-Safety-Violation
Portable Black Hole by Tom Estes at The Guggenheim
Re: BSMART
Some fascinating background information on The Guggenheim. However Estes is known for his meticulous research on context. So not sure what makes you say that it was "apparently unintended".
However, two small but important points you seem to have missed. Estes may reference Black Holes but he does not represent one. What he does represent is a recreation of a cartoon 'portable black hole'. I think the main clue is in the description "… the work was inspired by the Roadrunner cartoon and one of the ludicrous devices from that fictitious mail-order company”
And the second point is that he does not use this representation as a metaphor for Rebay. The article states:
"...rather than create some heavy-handed tribute, artist Tom Estes has created a statement on the treatment of Hilla Rebay that is invoked with a minimalism and a modesty that is as comic as it is cosmic"
The focus is on 'the treatment' of Rebay not on the individual. That is to say, he is representing absence- the unseen and unrepresented; multiple conflicting realities that exist side by side with the official or recorded ‘histories’. This is then reinforced by the quote from the artist: "It’s almost as if she fell into a black hole."
I believe what Estes is trying to do is to question the validity of the information we are offered- and often take for granted as complete or 'the truth’. Museums and the art world in general present themselves as a kind of meta-narrative or as a global or totalizing cultural narrative schema which try’s to order and explain knowledge and experience. But you only need look at the artist’s write-up for the answer: For Estes, "fantasy and illusion are not contradictions of reality, but instead an integral part of our everyday lives”
Some fascinating background information on The Guggenheim. However Estes is known for his meticulous research on context. So not sure what makes you say that it was "apparently unintended".
However, two small but important points you seem to have missed. Estes may reference Black Holes but he does not represent one. What he does represent is a recreation of a cartoon 'portable black hole'. I think the main clue is in the description "… the work was inspired by the Roadrunner cartoon and one of the ludicrous devices from that fictitious mail-order company”
And the second point is that he does not use this representation as a metaphor for Rebay. The article states:
"...rather than create some heavy-handed tribute, artist Tom Estes has created a statement on the treatment of Hilla Rebay that is invoked with a minimalism and a modesty that is as comic as it is cosmic"
The focus is on 'the treatment' of Rebay not on the individual. That is to say, he is representing absence- the unseen and unrepresented; multiple conflicting realities that exist side by side with the official or recorded ‘histories’. This is then reinforced by the quote from the artist: "It’s almost as if she fell into a black hole."
I believe what Estes is trying to do is to question the validity of the information we are offered- and often take for granted as complete or 'the truth’. Museums and the art world in general present themselves as a kind of meta-narrative or as a global or totalizing cultural narrative schema which try’s to order and explain knowledge and experience. But you only need look at the artist’s write-up for the answer: For Estes, "fantasy and illusion are not contradictions of reality, but instead an integral part of our everyday lives”
