Yesterday evening the doors closed on Folie à Deux’s first ever exhibition. Three weeks, three sales and 186 visitors later, it was everything we dreamed it would be – and more. Although we felt a tinge of sadness taking the works down, the overriding emotion was one of satisfaction in a job well done – and a huge sense of excitement about our future dreams and projects…
We would like to say a big thank you to everyone involved in making the exhibition possible: all of the artists and performers, everyone at Utrophia, everybody who came along to see the show, Zannah and Madeleine for their sterling service invigilating in near-Arctic conditions, Jane for social media guidance… we simply couldn’t have done it without your support and enthusiasm.
For now, we are taking a short breather, but we will be back soon with news of an exciting project that we hope you will all want to get involved with – so keep an eye on this blog, befriend us on Facebook if you haven’t already done so, and sign up to follow us on Twitter (FaDgallery).
See you soon for more adventures.
Chris – Clara
Monday, 29 November 2010
Tuesday, 16 November 2010
Giulia Ricci and Judith Lyons discuss their work at Utrophia
Over the next two Sundays Giulia Ricci and Judith Lyons will be discussing their work with us at Utrophia Project Space. The discussions will be free and informal with accompanying tea and cake. Here are the details below. We hope you can make it!
The Tactility of Order: Giulia Ricci in Conversation with co-curator Clara Cowan
The Tactility of Order: Giulia Ricci in Conversation with co-curator Clara Cowan
Sunday 21 November 2010, 15.00, Utrophia Project Space
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The Art of Cameraless Photography: Judith Lyons in Conversation with co-curator Christopher Adams
Sunday 28 November 2010, 15.00, Utrophia Project Space
Currently leading cameraless photography workshops for Shadow Catchers: Cameraless Photography exhibition at the V&A, Judith Lyons is also on show at the Rich Mix in Shoreditch as a part of Photomonth and in the summer gained a four page article in Amateur Photography Magazine. Lyon's cameraless photographs come from two series where she takes plant and flower specimens as her subject matter. Her series A Different Nature comprises images of plant components that have been deliberately deconstructed, recombined and further transformed using inks and dyes. Creating hybirds that are unnatural and botanically flawed, they raise questions about contemporary society's relationship with the natural world and the increasing genetic modification of plant species.
Saturday, 13 November 2010
Folie à Deux opening night: I have this strange kind of feeling and I just can’t place it
Seven months to the day from when the idea of Folie à Deux first occurred to us, we’re pleased to report that Thursday’s private view was a roaring success. Capacity crowd, amazing food, great music, a barnstorming performance from Mauricio Velasierra and his band – and three works sold. We couldn’t have wished for more, and before anything else we want to thank everyone involved in making it such a great evening: the artists, performers, Madeleine our DJ, Jane for hleping with social media, Keith Roberts for his sterling service in helping us to hang the works, everybody at Utrophia for their help and amenability, and everyone who came to support us and entered into the spirit of Folie à Deux. You all played a part in making it a memorable – and for us, emotional – night. It’s been quite a journey…
Kicking off at 7pm, the evening wound down around 10.30. It was great to have a focal point to the evening, provided by Mauricio’s ‘edible soundscapes’ experiment in which cubes of spiced melon, delicious and fiery rice and potato balls, and popping candy ice cream were interpreted musically.
The week leading up to the opening was lots of hard work – we were down at the gallery after work every evening painting and cleaning the space, and unpacking and placing the works, with only nosebags of Bombay mix attached to our faces to keep us going! As the works arrived, it quickly became clear that the exhibition was going to be something really special and, whilst all very different, our feeling that there was some indefinable thread connecting all the pieces on some level proved to be correct.
If you haven’t made it down yet, hope to see you there soon. If you have, please spread the word. And don’t forget to check out the accompanying events by keeping up to date with news on our Facebook page – we have a free folk evening coming up on 20 November; Giulia Ricci will be talking about her work with Clara on 21 November, and Judith Lyons with Chris the following Saturday. We’ll also be open late on the final Friday of the show (27 November) as part of South London’s monthly art trail ‘Last Fridays’ – so see you then if not before…
Chris and Clara
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| Giulia Ricci and friend |
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| Mauricio Velasierra and his band |
Kicking off at 7pm, the evening wound down around 10.30. It was great to have a focal point to the evening, provided by Mauricio’s ‘edible soundscapes’ experiment in which cubes of spiced melon, delicious and fiery rice and potato balls, and popping candy ice cream were interpreted musically.
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| 'Edible soundscapes' kicks off |
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| Guests enjoying popping candy ice cream |
The week leading up to the opening was lots of hard work – we were down at the gallery after work every evening painting and cleaning the space, and unpacking and placing the works, with only nosebags of Bombay mix attached to our faces to keep us going! As the works arrived, it quickly became clear that the exhibition was going to be something really special and, whilst all very different, our feeling that there was some indefinable thread connecting all the pieces on some level proved to be correct.
If you haven’t made it down yet, hope to see you there soon. If you have, please spread the word. And don’t forget to check out the accompanying events by keeping up to date with news on our Facebook page – we have a free folk evening coming up on 20 November; Giulia Ricci will be talking about her work with Clara on 21 November, and Judith Lyons with Chris the following Saturday. We’ll also be open late on the final Friday of the show (27 November) as part of South London’s monthly art trail ‘Last Fridays’ – so see you then if not before…
Chris and Clara
Monday, 8 November 2010
Countdown to opening night of 'I have a strange kind of feeling and I just can't place it'.
Monday night before the big opening, it's freezing in London but we are hard at work applying a last coat of paint to the exhibition space and getting ready to hang the artists works.
There has been significant coverage in various art blogs , and press most notably Giulia Ricci is featured on the front page of A-N magazine .
Hope everyone can make it on Thursday night, the doors will open at 7.30pm and we hope to have a fun filled evening of art and music. We look forward to seeing you all there.
If you are looking for a pre-opening drink or snack there is the Amersham Arms, easy to spot with the massive Take Courage neon sign out front right by New Cross Station and the Royal Albert pub also on the way to Tanners Hill.
Other nearby stations include Deptford Bridge, St John's and New Cross Gate, if you need any hints or tips on getting to South London just ask us on the Facebook page. Take Courage North Londoners its not as scary down south as you might think .
Cheers
xxx
There has been significant coverage in various art blogs , and press most notably Giulia Ricci is featured on the front page of A-N magazine .
Hope everyone can make it on Thursday night, the doors will open at 7.30pm and we hope to have a fun filled evening of art and music. We look forward to seeing you all there.
If you are looking for a pre-opening drink or snack there is the Amersham Arms, easy to spot with the massive Take Courage neon sign out front right by New Cross Station and the Royal Albert pub also on the way to Tanners Hill.
Other nearby stations include Deptford Bridge, St John's and New Cross Gate, if you need any hints or tips on getting to South London just ask us on the Facebook page. Take Courage North Londoners its not as scary down south as you might think .
Cheers
xxx
Thursday, 21 October 2010
Night of music during 'I have this strange kind of feeling' at Utrophia
Folie à Deux will be bringing to you a spectacular evening of music, with some of the most up-and-coming and talented young folk musicians around. The performance will take place on 20 November from 19.00 - 23.00 at Utrophia Project Space. This gig will run alongside and be complementary to our exhibition 'I have this stange kind of feeling and I just can't place it... ' and is central to Folie à Deux's vision to create opportunities for exciting young artists to showcase their work. Of course there will be the obligatory beer, mulled wine and other seasonal goodies. Here's a little sneak preview of the music line-up for you to enjoy!
Dear Winesburg
A London-based folk four-piece, pair the deft finger-style playing of singer-songwriter Chris Kreinczes with the violin of Emma Kraemer (Peggy Sue, Mariners Children) backed in rabble-rousing-style on double bass, accordion and drums, as well as mandolin, clarinet and harmonica. They evoke contemporaries Noah and The Whale and Mumford & Sons but with a lyrical intensity that harks back to the protest singers of the 60s and the roots of the folk tradition, as well as song writing that echoes the Greenwich Village-era Dylan and the Lake Poets. Kreinczes' voice is mature and timeless, and with instrumental arrangements that build, surge and simmer, 'every fluttering violin note to every guitar delicately plucked shows off musicianship that is heavily accomplished' For Folks Sake. Their acclaimed debut record 'Dark Water' produced by Mike Pela (Stephen Stills, Fairport Convention) was released earlier this year.
www.myspace.com/dearwinesburg
Amber States
This North London folk four-piece are highly involved in the music enterprise You Choose Jamboree and have performed alongside the likes of Portico Quartet and Moulettes. Whilst relatively new to the folk scene they have performed in venues such as Ronnie Scott's and Proud Galleries over the last year, and their debut single 'Son of a Gun' featured on BBC 6 Music Tom Robinson. With lead singer Gavin Bell's smokey voice, and banjo, cello, guitars and drums they create a harmoniously addictive sound with 'catchy hooks, dreamy melodies, exhilerating builds and toe tapping rhythms' (Amelia's Magazine). Listen to 'Morning Sun' and 'Fall from Grace' by watching their beautiful videos shot in Abney Cemetery, where their sound changes from a delicate guitar strumming into an emotional layering of instruments, making your heart swell. This talented, goodlooking and charming bunch have a bright future ahead.
www.myspace.com/amberstatestheband
Benedict Rubinstein, front man of The Mariner's Children
Benedict Rubinstein is the front man of the Brighton seven piece Alt-Folk band The Mariner's Children (Broken Sound Records) who are made up of friends' band members Laura Marling, Peggy Sue, Sons of Noel & Adrian and Alessi's Ark. Their sound sees an alliance with the immense instrumentation of Arcade Fire yet whose subtleties have been compared to the likes of Iron & Wine and Bonnie Prince Bill. On this rare and special occasion, Benedict will be performing solo (possibly with one other band member), presenting a stripped down version of their songs. Lyrically, he artfully constructs heart-breaking, often hair-raising confessional tales that are visually rich and evocative, and intimately bound up with the surging wildness of nature (in human kind and the natural world). Benedict's voice is soft, distinctive and unique, just listen to 'Waltz for a Sleeping Lover' - his lightest, most delicate and sparse solo song - as well as the bands new song 'Golden Pine' to really understand. In the last month The Mariner's Children have received rave reviews from The Guardian, NME, The Independent and Blue Walrus, if you haven't heard of them already here's your chance. The EP New Moore Island is out 1 November.
www.myspace.com/marinerschildren.com
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| Dear Winesburg |
A London-based folk four-piece, pair the deft finger-style playing of singer-songwriter Chris Kreinczes with the violin of Emma Kraemer (Peggy Sue, Mariners Children) backed in rabble-rousing-style on double bass, accordion and drums, as well as mandolin, clarinet and harmonica. They evoke contemporaries Noah and The Whale and Mumford & Sons but with a lyrical intensity that harks back to the protest singers of the 60s and the roots of the folk tradition, as well as song writing that echoes the Greenwich Village-era Dylan and the Lake Poets. Kreinczes' voice is mature and timeless, and with instrumental arrangements that build, surge and simmer, 'every fluttering violin note to every guitar delicately plucked shows off musicianship that is heavily accomplished' For Folks Sake. Their acclaimed debut record 'Dark Water' produced by Mike Pela (Stephen Stills, Fairport Convention) was released earlier this year.
www.myspace.com/dearwinesburg
Amber States
This North London folk four-piece are highly involved in the music enterprise You Choose Jamboree and have performed alongside the likes of Portico Quartet and Moulettes. Whilst relatively new to the folk scene they have performed in venues such as Ronnie Scott's and Proud Galleries over the last year, and their debut single 'Son of a Gun' featured on BBC 6 Music Tom Robinson. With lead singer Gavin Bell's smokey voice, and banjo, cello, guitars and drums they create a harmoniously addictive sound with 'catchy hooks, dreamy melodies, exhilerating builds and toe tapping rhythms' (Amelia's Magazine). Listen to 'Morning Sun' and 'Fall from Grace' by watching their beautiful videos shot in Abney Cemetery, where their sound changes from a delicate guitar strumming into an emotional layering of instruments, making your heart swell. This talented, goodlooking and charming bunch have a bright future ahead.
www.myspace.com/amberstatestheband
Benedict Rubinstein, front man of The Mariner's Children
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| Mariner's Children |
www.myspace.com/marinerschildren.com
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
Photos of the artists work
Sorry we haven't blogged for a while we have been super busy trying to put the show together and handing out flyers at the Deptford X festival. We thought that you might want to see a bit more of the artists work and get a better idea of how the show will look, so we have uploaded some photos for your viewing pleasure.
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| Keith Roberts, The Clearing, 2006 |
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| Judith Lyons, from 'A Different Nature', 2009 |
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| Nina Mankin, Magdalena and Her Circus of Horrors, 2009 |
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| Nina Royle, Amber Room, 2009 |
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| Nina Mankin, Emanuel's Opiate, 2009 |
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| Giulia Ricci, Untitled, 2010 |
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| Giulia Ricci, Untitled, 2010 |
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| Nina Mankin, Vitacup, Take Four Times Daily for Mental Wellbeing, 2010 |
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| Keith Roberts, Original Crossing, 2008 |
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| Judith Lyons, From 'A Different Nature', 2009 |
Sunday, 12 September 2010
New name for first Folie à Deux show: 'I have this strange kind of feeling and I just can't place it...'
After much thought and deliberation we have come up with a name for the first Folie à Deux show, which will be called 'I have this strange kind of feeling and I just can’t place it…', taken from a work by Nina Mankin (below)
In celebration we have issued a press release to promote the exhibition and here it is!
New pop-up gallery project Folie à Deux to launch with exhibition at Utrophia, New Cross
This autumn sees the launch of an exciting new pop-up gallery project, Folie à Deux, with an exhibition entitled 'I have this strange kind of feeling and I just can’t place it…' to be held at New Cross’s vibrant Utrophia Project Space – an old ice cream factory-turned art gallery located at 136 Tanners Hill, London SE8 4QD. The exhibition will run from 11 - 28 November 2010, and is a group show displaying the work of five artists: Judith Lyons, Nina Mankin, Giulia Ricci, Keith Roberts and Nina Royle. The exhibition will be complemented by a series of events including talks by the artists about their works and a number of musical evenings, including performances from up and coming folk bands such as Alessi’s Ark and Mariner’s Children, and celebrated musician Mauricio Velasierra.
Diverse in terms of their practice, the mediums in which they work and their sources of inspiration, the artists in the exhibition are united by an equally diverse engagement with the notion of ‘environment’ – the underlying theme of this first show. Their approaches range from delicate installations unlocking the poetic qualities of the flotsam and jetsam produced by today’s disposable society, to camera-less photographs exploring the impact of scientific advances on the natural world. Other works investigate the roles played by memory and emotion in our perception of the world around us, or consider the finely-balanced relationship between chaos and order underpinning the systems of both mankind and nature. Together, these reflective pieces subtly reveal our complex relationship with our environment, the ways in which we shape it, and are in turn shaped by it.
Judith Lyons will be showing photographs from two series which take plant and flower specimens as their subject matter. 'A Different Nature' comprises images created in the darkroom without a camera or film, while 'Un/natural Forms' features images of plant components that have been deliberately deconstructed, recombined and further transformed using inks and dyes. Creating hybrids that are unnatural and botanically flawed, they raise questions about contemporary society's relationship with the natural world and the increasing genetic modification of plant species.
Nina Mankin’s art explores a secret, inner world – its dreams, memories and stories. Her use of found and discarded materials is a direct response to our modern-day throwaway society. Nina will be showing new works from her 'Camera Illuminata' series: peepshow-like constructions that draw the viewer into fully-realised artificial environments.
Giulia Ricci – shortlisted for the Jerwood Drawing Prize 2010 – is fascinated by patterns and their systems, which she explores through various repetitive processes, primarily drawing on paper. She is interested in various aspects of science and mathematics, such as chaos theory, but her work is also intimately bound up with, and born of, her experiences, background and cultural reference points. These include not only the famous mosaics of her home town of Ravenna, but also the rural patchwork of fields in the countryside of Emilia-Romagna where she grew up – what she calls the ‘man-made geometry of the landscape’.
Keith Roberts trained at Camberwell School of Art and the RCA. His works often take vast areas such as the American landscape or moonlit woodland scenes as their subject; however, their contrasting small scale and delicate construction suggest the fundamental intimacy of the individual’s personal experience even of such wild, wide-open expanses as these.
Nina Royle graduated this year from the Slade School of Fine Art. Her paintings are inspired by her subjective experience of space – that is, her immediate environment – and her desire to encapsulate and represent this in a two-dimensional image. Nina’s works present perception as something in constant flux, constructed from an unstable mixture of rational, emotional and sensory responses that she aims to evoke through a heightened use of geometry, perspective, colour and form.
United by a seriousness of intent, and producing work that is visually beautiful, stirring and insightful, these artists epitomise the spirit of Folie à Deux. The first of many pop-up projects to come, this venture aims to explore universal themes from unexpected angles, with a fresh, exciting, instinctual approach that embraces all forms of art.
About Folie à Deux
Folie à Deux (‘a madness shared by two’) is a collaborative venture that aims to promote thoughtful and provocative contemporary art through temporary exhibitions around London. It is born of a simple yet sincere belief that art can make a profound difference to the quality of an individual’s life, enriching it with an element of magic and inspiration, as well as revitalising the life of a community by encouraging local participation in cultural activities. With over eleven years’ combined experience of organising exhibitions and cultural events, its founders – Christopher Adams and Clara Cowan – bring to this project a wealth of practical knowledge, an extensive network of contacts, an eye for artists of genuine merit and an irrepressible enthusiasm.
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| I have this strange kind of feeling and I just can't place it... |
In celebration we have issued a press release to promote the exhibition and here it is!
New pop-up gallery project Folie à Deux to launch with exhibition at Utrophia, New Cross
This autumn sees the launch of an exciting new pop-up gallery project, Folie à Deux, with an exhibition entitled 'I have this strange kind of feeling and I just can’t place it…' to be held at New Cross’s vibrant Utrophia Project Space – an old ice cream factory-turned art gallery located at 136 Tanners Hill, London SE8 4QD. The exhibition will run from 11 - 28 November 2010, and is a group show displaying the work of five artists: Judith Lyons, Nina Mankin, Giulia Ricci, Keith Roberts and Nina Royle. The exhibition will be complemented by a series of events including talks by the artists about their works and a number of musical evenings, including performances from up and coming folk bands such as Alessi’s Ark and Mariner’s Children, and celebrated musician Mauricio Velasierra.
Diverse in terms of their practice, the mediums in which they work and their sources of inspiration, the artists in the exhibition are united by an equally diverse engagement with the notion of ‘environment’ – the underlying theme of this first show. Their approaches range from delicate installations unlocking the poetic qualities of the flotsam and jetsam produced by today’s disposable society, to camera-less photographs exploring the impact of scientific advances on the natural world. Other works investigate the roles played by memory and emotion in our perception of the world around us, or consider the finely-balanced relationship between chaos and order underpinning the systems of both mankind and nature. Together, these reflective pieces subtly reveal our complex relationship with our environment, the ways in which we shape it, and are in turn shaped by it.
Judith Lyons will be showing photographs from two series which take plant and flower specimens as their subject matter. 'A Different Nature' comprises images created in the darkroom without a camera or film, while 'Un/natural Forms' features images of plant components that have been deliberately deconstructed, recombined and further transformed using inks and dyes. Creating hybrids that are unnatural and botanically flawed, they raise questions about contemporary society's relationship with the natural world and the increasing genetic modification of plant species.
Nina Mankin’s art explores a secret, inner world – its dreams, memories and stories. Her use of found and discarded materials is a direct response to our modern-day throwaway society. Nina will be showing new works from her 'Camera Illuminata' series: peepshow-like constructions that draw the viewer into fully-realised artificial environments.
Giulia Ricci – shortlisted for the Jerwood Drawing Prize 2010 – is fascinated by patterns and their systems, which she explores through various repetitive processes, primarily drawing on paper. She is interested in various aspects of science and mathematics, such as chaos theory, but her work is also intimately bound up with, and born of, her experiences, background and cultural reference points. These include not only the famous mosaics of her home town of Ravenna, but also the rural patchwork of fields in the countryside of Emilia-Romagna where she grew up – what she calls the ‘man-made geometry of the landscape’.
Keith Roberts trained at Camberwell School of Art and the RCA. His works often take vast areas such as the American landscape or moonlit woodland scenes as their subject; however, their contrasting small scale and delicate construction suggest the fundamental intimacy of the individual’s personal experience even of such wild, wide-open expanses as these.
Nina Royle graduated this year from the Slade School of Fine Art. Her paintings are inspired by her subjective experience of space – that is, her immediate environment – and her desire to encapsulate and represent this in a two-dimensional image. Nina’s works present perception as something in constant flux, constructed from an unstable mixture of rational, emotional and sensory responses that she aims to evoke through a heightened use of geometry, perspective, colour and form.
United by a seriousness of intent, and producing work that is visually beautiful, stirring and insightful, these artists epitomise the spirit of Folie à Deux. The first of many pop-up projects to come, this venture aims to explore universal themes from unexpected angles, with a fresh, exciting, instinctual approach that embraces all forms of art.
About Folie à Deux
Folie à Deux (‘a madness shared by two’) is a collaborative venture that aims to promote thoughtful and provocative contemporary art through temporary exhibitions around London. It is born of a simple yet sincere belief that art can make a profound difference to the quality of an individual’s life, enriching it with an element of magic and inspiration, as well as revitalising the life of a community by encouraging local participation in cultural activities. With over eleven years’ combined experience of organising exhibitions and cultural events, its founders – Christopher Adams and Clara Cowan – bring to this project a wealth of practical knowledge, an extensive network of contacts, an eye for artists of genuine merit and an irrepressible enthusiasm.
Sunday, 22 August 2010
Meeting the artists: Nina Royle
I first discovered Nina Royle when I decided to go to the BA Degree show in May 2010, at the Slade School of Fine Art, home to some of my favourite Modernist artists, such as Wyndham Lewis, Paul Nash, Mark Gertler and Christopher Nevinson.
Through the hustle and bustle of students at the show I saw Nina's painting To Surround. I stared - or more appropriately - fell into the work like Alice falls into the rabbit hole, the sound draining away like someone was turning down a radio. In slow motion my vision was sucked into a distorted, purple-grey room in which stood three doors or spaces closed up by bricks. I was floating in the space, looking at three choices of doors to run out of, yet knowing I couldn't get out through any of them - I was trapped. If this sounds more like a dream than a painting that is because Nina's work takes you to a similar place - one where your sense of space and time has been dramatically rearranged.
Through the hustle and bustle of students at the show I saw Nina's painting To Surround. I stared - or more appropriately - fell into the work like Alice falls into the rabbit hole, the sound draining away like someone was turning down a radio. In slow motion my vision was sucked into a distorted, purple-grey room in which stood three doors or spaces closed up by bricks. I was floating in the space, looking at three choices of doors to run out of, yet knowing I couldn't get out through any of them - I was trapped. If this sounds more like a dream than a painting that is because Nina's work takes you to a similar place - one where your sense of space and time has been dramatically rearranged.
The work reminded me of a photograph that appears in David Lynch's film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me. At night time the photo given to Laura Palmer by an old lady opens into a bizarre other world. Watch the scene from 'Fire Walk With Me'
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| Photograph from 'Fire Walk with Me' |
Nina’s paintings take you into a world that, disconcertingly, is familiar yet unfamiliar. They make you consider the space around you in its purest form as if for the first time, creating a range of feelings from calmness to uneasiness. The way she speaks about her work is so inspiring: serious yet light-hearted; modest yet calmly confident. It is clear that her work is completely a part of her being. I can honestly say that her work has taken me to new places and I am incredibly proud that she is taking part in this show.
Clara Cowan
Clara Cowan
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| To Surround, Nina Royle |
Wednesday, 11 August 2010
Meeting the Artists: Giulia Ricci
Giulia Ricci is that rarest of artists: one who writes and speaks about her art as well as she makes it. She is also distinguished by the fact that her imagery is intimately and genuinely bound up with, and born of, her experiences, her life, her cultural reference points.The rural patchwork of fields in the countryside of Emilia-Romagna where she grew up, the famous mosaics of her home town of Ravenna, all these things have seeped into her, and subsequently into her work.
Giulia is currently artist in residence at a north London gallery, which is where we first met her (her installation is scheduled for display in October, (and more information about this project will be available nearer the time). We immediately fell in love with her work; with its shifting, kaleidoscopic patterns and its ostensible geometric austerity which, on closer inspection, reveals itself full of human and organic qualities with its densely-worked cross-hatching. Like one of those amazing hand-carved woodcuts of cold, rational, industrial machinery by Edward Wadsworth.
Giulia epitomises the kind of artist we had in mind when we started Folie à Deux: one who is ‘one with their work' and who creates objects of real beauty.
Monday, 2 August 2010
Meeting the Artists: Nina Mankin
Back in October 2006 I was showing some small linocuts at the Candid Arts Trust’s Contemporary Art and Design Fair. Among my usual pictures of telegraph poles, pylons and other industrial detritus was a tiny black and white print called Adolescent, depicting a girl gazing out into a black space thinking about… what? Difficult to say…
To my surprise, this little print proved to be quite popular. A certain Nina Mankin, artist extraordinaire and one of the nicest people you could ever wish to meet, left a comment about my prints; we became friends and Adolescent now hangs in her living room. We have stayed in touch ever since, usually meeting up at gigs by her equally talented other half Moss http://www.mvelasierra.com/ who we hope will be playing at some point during the show...
Nina’s work taps into people’s dreams, frailties and secret inner lives, and like artists of the avant-garde (Ettore Colla, Kurt Schwitters) manages to conjure magic out of elements discarded or taken for granted by mainstream society. If you haven’t done so already you should all check out her beautiful website www.ninamankinarts.com and get yourselves down to her current show at Livingstone Space in Hampstead, which is open until 7August. We visited the show on the weekend and there are a few pictures below:
We are very pleased to have Nina, with her infectious enthusiasm, on board with our project.
Chris Adams
To my surprise, this little print proved to be quite popular. A certain Nina Mankin, artist extraordinaire and one of the nicest people you could ever wish to meet, left a comment about my prints; we became friends and Adolescent now hangs in her living room. We have stayed in touch ever since, usually meeting up at gigs by her equally talented other half Moss http://www.mvelasierra.com/ who we hope will be playing at some point during the show...
Nina’s work taps into people’s dreams, frailties and secret inner lives, and like artists of the avant-garde (Ettore Colla, Kurt Schwitters) manages to conjure magic out of elements discarded or taken for granted by mainstream society. If you haven’t done so already you should all check out her beautiful website www.ninamankinarts.com and get yourselves down to her current show at Livingstone Space in Hampstead, which is open until 7August. We visited the show on the weekend and there are a few pictures below:
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| Nina's work |
We are very pleased to have Nina, with her infectious enthusiasm, on board with our project.
Chris Adams
Sunday, 25 July 2010
Beginnings : The launch of new London art project Folie à Deux
Dreamt up only three months ago, Chris and Clara had the epiphany one lunch time (13 April 2010 to be exact) on a sunny day in a grassy urban square in London. A casual comment of talking about what we wanted, and had always wanted to do, followed by a surge of energy and a little dance – and an idea was born! Since then everything has gone by in a bit of a whirlwind: from picking the artists that we love - determined by mutual instinct - to choosing our name (originally ‘The Pink Room', inspired by David Lynch, until we realised it sounded more like a certain type of cocktail bar) and finding a space that seemed to magically appear from the merry Utrophia boys, fulfilling our wildest dreams ('an old ice-cream factory’ satisfies our Futurist, factory-loving geekdom rather nicely). After a lot of beer, cashew nuts, laughter and a few more beers, Folie à Deux has well and truly been born!
To end we would like to give a big thank you to our social media queen, Jane, for getting us to do this blogging, now we can share with everyone this exciting project and journey - there is a lot more to come!!
In our next instalment, find out more about our artists… In the meantime, here is a section from our official statement telling you a little bit more about us and what we hope we can achieve through this project of ours:
Folie à Deux (‘a madness shared by two’) is a collaborative venture that aims to promote thoughtful and provocative contemporary art through temporary exhibitions around London. It is born of a simple yet sincere belief that art can make a profound difference to the quality of an individual’s life, enriching it with an element of magic and inspiration, as well as revitalising the life of a community by encouraging local participation in cultural activities. With over eleven years’ combined experience of organising exhibitions and cultural events, Christopher Adams and Clara Cowan bring to this project a wealth of practical knowledge, an extensive network of contacts, an eye for artists of genuine merit and huge amounts of enthusiasm.
For Utrophia we have put together a group show displaying the work of five artists: Judith Lyons, Nina Mankin, Giulia Ricci, Keith Roberts and Nina Royle. Diverse in terms of their practice, the mediums in which they work and their sources of inspiration, they are nevertheless united by a seriousness of intent, producing work that is visually beautiful, intricate, stirring and insightful. We will work closely with these artists to ensure that the ideas surrounding and contained within their imagery are faithfully yet accessibly communicated to the public.
Folie à Deux’s ambition is to make the visual arts the focal point of a wider programme of social and cultural events, through which we aim to attract a diverse range of audiences – both local and from further afield. These events will include talks by the artists about their works as well as musical evenings, workshops led by local arts organisations and a steady supply of tea and home-made cakes for visitors to choose from.
To end we would like to give a big thank you to our social media queen, Jane, for getting us to do this blogging, now we can share with everyone this exciting project and journey - there is a lot more to come!!
In our next instalment, find out more about our artists… In the meantime, here is a section from our official statement telling you a little bit more about us and what we hope we can achieve through this project of ours:
Folie à Deux (‘a madness shared by two’) is a collaborative venture that aims to promote thoughtful and provocative contemporary art through temporary exhibitions around London. It is born of a simple yet sincere belief that art can make a profound difference to the quality of an individual’s life, enriching it with an element of magic and inspiration, as well as revitalising the life of a community by encouraging local participation in cultural activities. With over eleven years’ combined experience of organising exhibitions and cultural events, Christopher Adams and Clara Cowan bring to this project a wealth of practical knowledge, an extensive network of contacts, an eye for artists of genuine merit and huge amounts of enthusiasm.
For Utrophia we have put together a group show displaying the work of five artists: Judith Lyons, Nina Mankin, Giulia Ricci, Keith Roberts and Nina Royle. Diverse in terms of their practice, the mediums in which they work and their sources of inspiration, they are nevertheless united by a seriousness of intent, producing work that is visually beautiful, intricate, stirring and insightful. We will work closely with these artists to ensure that the ideas surrounding and contained within their imagery are faithfully yet accessibly communicated to the public.
Folie à Deux’s ambition is to make the visual arts the focal point of a wider programme of social and cultural events, through which we aim to attract a diverse range of audiences – both local and from further afield. These events will include talks by the artists about their works as well as musical evenings, workshops led by local arts organisations and a steady supply of tea and home-made cakes for visitors to choose from.
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