Detroit receives 2.1 million dollars in Arts Funding.

Great news! Detroit receives 2.1 million dollars in Arts Funding.

Lets hope that Stoke-on-Trent gets the same support and energy sometime soon.

http://hyperallergic.com/83557/a-look-at-detroits-2-1-million-knight-arts-grant-projects/

Press release for "Topographies of the Obsolete: Vociferous Void"

PRESS RELEASE 6.9.2013

TOPOGRAPHIES OF THE OBSOLETE:  VOCIFEROUS VOID

Site-specific responses to the post-industrial landscape of Stoke-on-Trent

at the Original Spode factory site, Stoke-on-Trent, UK 

Pre-opening Friday September 27th, 14:00 – 17:00.

Press preview: 

Thursday September 26 3pm and Friday September 27 10am or by appointment. 

Please contact: 

Neil Brownsword, tel: +44 7758645450 mail: neil.brownsword@khib.no

Anne Helen Mydland, tel: +47 47243995 mail: ahm@khib.no

The exhibition will run from the 27th of September to the 10th of November as a part of the British Ceramics Biennial (BCB) 2013, and is part of a artistic research project initiated by Bergen Academy of Art and Design. Norway (KHiB), and partner institutions.

“Topographies of the Obsolete:  Vociferous Void” is the first major exhibition of the on-going artistic research project “Topographies of the Obsolete: Exploring the Site Specific and Associated Histories of Post-Industry”. Engaging 32 international artists, with multi disciplinary approaches in affiliation with 5 institutions, the exhibition investigates the remnants and post-industrial ruin of the original Spode factory site. The industrial architecture spans from the 18th to the 20th century, with vast production halls, design studios, show rooms, smaller workshops, backyards/courtyards, and alleyways, offices, shops, mould stores, cellars and attics. The artists have encountered extreme dereliction with the forces of nature reclaiming the building, alongside more well kept, ordered, and attended areas. The result is a selection of works made on site, in spaces which have been previously closed to the public. During three residencies over the past year, the exhibition and project maps the site through various media and artistic strategies that encompass object appropriation and re-contextualisation, architectural intervention, lens-based work and performative gesture. 

The exhibition is curated by Professors Anne Helen Mydland and Neil Brownsword, from Bergen Academy of Art and Design (KHiB) Norway, as a major exhibition element to the 2013 British Ceramics Biennial, hosted at the original Spode Works. The exhibition’s concept explores ‘ceramics/clay as subject’ through a range of interdisciplinary practices which will question and examine interconnected themes including the contemporary ruin, the socio-economics of post-industry, the globalized landscape of ceramics and the artist as archivist/archaeologist. The exhibition deals with the physical site itself, and the human presence, history and individual and collective memory that constitute this place.

Exhibiting artists: 

Kerstin Abraham (GER), Karin Linnèa Blomgren (SE), Margrethe Kolstad Brekke (NO), Andrew Brown (UK), Chloë Brown (UK), Neil Brownsword (UK), Andreas Fabian (GER), Tina Gibbs (UK), Karen Harsbo (DK), Gwen Heeney (UK), Camilla Holm Birkeland (NO), Sofie Holten (DK), Lena Kaapke (GER), KELLY/MARHAUG (UK/NO), Richard Launder & Julia Collura (UK/USA), Danica Maier (USA), Morten Modin (DK), Anne Helen Mydland (NO), Heidi Nikolaisen (NO), Sabine Popp (GER), Toril Redalen (NO), Tone Saastad (NO), Johan Sandborg (NO), Erna Skúladóttir (IS), Caroline Slotte (FIN), Anne Stinessen (NO), Øyvind Suul (NO), Corrina Thornton (UK), Númi Thorvarsson (IS)

Background:

With the industrialisation of ceramics during the eighteenth century, systems of segregated labour brought about a phenomenal concentration of specialist skills and knowledge to specific regions of North Staffordshire. By 1800 the Six Towns of Stoke-on-Trent paralleled China as a world centre for ceramic production. Paradoxically, recent decades have seen centuries of this cultivated expertise being relocated to the Far East. Company investment in advanced production technology has further contributed to a massive reduction of an indigenous work force and the closure/demolition of once prevalent sites of historic manufacture. In 1948 around 79,000 were employed in the North Staffordshire ceramics industry; the figure now sits at just over 6000. In the current economic climate of rapid change, outsourcing, and innovation, the loss of traditional industry and skills is a matter of widespread public interest and concern. 

The Spode factory, situated in the city centre of Stoke-on-Trent, once a keystone of the city’s industrial heritage, which operated upon its original site for over 230 years, was one of many world-renowned brands that have since fallen into administration. In 2008 its Church Street factory closed, with most of its production infrastructure and contents left intact. Amongst Spode’s contributions to ceramic history is the perfection of the under-glaze blue printing process and the invention and development of Fine Bone China. The factory’s industrial architecture dates from the 1760’s to the late 1980’s, with spaces associated with all aspects of the design, manufacture, retail, and administration in close geographical proximity.

The artistic research project “Topographies of the Obsolete” is initiated by Professors Neil Brownsword and Anne Helen Mydland, Bergen Academy of Art and Design (KHiB), in collaboration with partner institutions in Denmark, Germany and the UK. The main collaborative partner is the British Ceramics Biennial, who invited KHiB to work at the original Spode ceramics factory site in Stoke on Trent, to develop an artistic response for the Biennial in 2013. More than 40 international artists have participated in this project with a programme of seminars, publications and exhibitions. Three residencies have accumulated individual artistic projects from which the overriding project has developed.

The project is on-going until 2015, and is funded by The Norwegian Artistic Research Programme, Bergen Academy of Art and Design (KHiB), and partner institutions; The Royal Danish Academy of Art; Muthesius Kunsthochsule, Kiel; Bucks New University, Nottingham Trent University, Sheffield Hallam New University and Newcastle University.

http://spodefactoryart.blogspot.no

http://britishceramicsbiennial.com

http://www.khib.no/norsk/kunstnerisk-utviklingsarbeid/ku-prosjekter/topographies-of-the-obsolete/

Program for the opening night of the exhibition "Topographies of the Obsolete: Vociferous Void" at the British Ceramics Biennial 2013

Opening night details:

2.00pm - 5.00pm: Opening at Spode. Please use entrance from Elenora Street.Opening speech by Professor Nina Malterud, member of the Steering Committee of the Norwegian Artistic Research Programme.

8.30pm: Afterparty at the Glebe: 35 Glebe Street, Stoke On Trent, Staffordshire ST4 1HG T: 01782 860 670

Performances:

Andrew Brown

“A walk through S”

Guided Walks.

Meeting point at the Topographies Pavilion. 33 min duration.

Friday 27 September 15.00 (Sign up to be made by 2.30pm max 25 people).

Saturday 28 September (10.30am and 12 noon)

Saturday 5 October (10.30am and 12 noon)

Friday 18 October (as part of the BCB seminar, TBC)

Places will be allocated on a sign-up basis, a sheet being available from 10am on Sat 28 September and Sat 5 October in the pavilion (for walks at 10.30am and noon). Maximum 25 people per walk.

Richard Launder & Julia Collura

“Glancing at Spode”

Performance.

Meeting point at the stairwell with round window to the Designers block. Will be marked with a sign and directions in the Topographies pavilion.  Approx. 45 min duration.

Audience max. 25 people.

Friday 27^th 16.00

Saturday 28^th 16.00.

KELLY / MARHAUG

“Chapter three: Mandarin Dust

Slipping”

Performance.

China Hall. 15 min Duration.

Friday 27^th 19.45

17^th or 18^th October during conference. Time and place to be confirmed.

You are all invited!

Hope to see you there!

Topographies of the Obsolete: Vociferous Void

We do now have a title for our exhibition that will be part of the British Ceramics Biennial 2013 in Stoke on Trent:

 

Topographies of the Obsolete: Vociferous Void

 

This is the first major exhibition of our ongoing artistic research project "Topographies of the Obsolete: Exploring the Site Specific and Associated Histories of Post-Industry", which has engaged multi disciplinary artists from several nations and institutions in workshops and residencies to investigate the remnants of Spode Works; once a leading manufacturing facility of ceramics. The result is a selection of works made in situ; to be found in various areas of the original Spode site where the production of bone china lasted for over 230 years.

 

Here is the link to BCB's post regarding the exhibition and the project: 

 

http://www.britishceramicsbiennial.com/plan-your-visit/whats-on/event/topographies-of-the-obsolete/?mdid=248

 

The exhibitor line-up for Topographies of the Obsolete: Vociferous Void is now official:

 

 

Kerstin Abraham

Karin Linnèa Blomgren

Margrethe Kolstad Brekke

Andrew Brown

Chloë Brown

Neil Brownsword

Andreas Fabian

Tina Gibbs

Karen Harsbo

Gwen Heeney

Camilla Holm Birkeland

Sofie Holten

Lena Kaapke

KELLY / MARHAUG

Richard Launder & Julia Collura

Danica Maier

Morten Modin

Anne Helen Mydland

Heidi Nikolaisen

Sabine Popp

Toril Redalen

Tone Saastad

Johan Sandborg

Erna Skuladottir

Caroline Slotte

Anne Stinessen

Øyvind Suul

Corrina Thornton

Númi Thorvarsson

 



Logo for Topographies of the Obsolete released

We are proud to present the logo for our artistic research project!

The visual profile for Topographies of the Obsolete is developed by Philip Rawle, based in Uttoxeter, close to Stoke on Trent. This includes, in addition to the logo, also the publication which is underway as a result of the project's artistic activity and discourse. We are making a totally made in Britain publication (printing and design) in consideration of the out sourcing happening to European industry, which of course is a major ethical question/factor in our project.

All of China in your hand; a first impression of Spode

The lyric writer of British band T’pau, Carol Decker, explained when asked about the lyrics to China in Your Hand that “it is the effect that if you hold a china cup to a light, you can see your hand through it – therefore 'china in your hand' means something that is transparent.”

With this song unavoidably playing itself in the back of my conscience since I first started to work for Topographies of the Obsolete in June, I think of my misunderstanding of these lyrics as a young child; that it is about comparing something seemingly impossible to the act of trying to gather the nation of China into your hand.

Being introduced to Josiah Spode, before heading off to Stoke on Trent for the first time, made me aware of the fact that he managed to give a piece of ‘Chinese luxury’ to many a hand. With Anne Helen Mydland explaining the details of  Spode’s bone china and blue under-glaze printing technique, by showing samples at Spode Works Museum, it became clearer why this novel equivalent to porcelain became sought after.

The local community prospered and declined parallel to Spode during those 230 years of production. There is something here, in these surroundings, that reminds me of the old Norwegian post industrial town of Odda; an intangible mood of some sort that saturates the terrain. Seeing the closed down factory for the first time, it seemed remote to me, even though it dominates the area physically with it stretching over a large portion of the urban territory. Here, time is frozen in some ways and accelerated in others. Decorative Christmas lighting on the outside makes sure everyone knows what time of year you enter when you enter Spode. However, the advancing decay speeds up the perception of time. Inside, it looked like there has been inactivity for several decades, not just for a few years. The process is astonishingly rapid.

Being guided around Spode, I noticed traces of human activity visible in the various rooms. The factory became more ‘transparent’, in a sense, when it began to reveal bits of its past. Objects left behind gave hints about previous work in the different departments of the factory; traces of former bodily routines. All played out in these document-filled offices, dusty showrooms, great factory halls, and mysterious storage areas for casting equipment as the ‘keepers of memory’. Even though I haven’t been working in the factory, as a participant in the previous workshops, I nevertheless experienced the desire to interpret and create; to revive something in this place.

I've learned that the song China in Your Hand is about Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, a novel which was the outcome of a conversation regarding the possibility of bringing a dead body back to life. Shelley started writing her novel the very same year that Spode first launched the Blue Italian range.

Jane Sverdrupsen, research assistant

Anne Helen Mydland explaining the process of Spode's blue under-glaze printing technique. With Neil Brownsword, Øystein Hauge and Johan Sandborg.

The first impression of Spode.

Plans are being made as we are shown the different departments of the factory.

Bits of history of the pottery craft at Spode, told by Anne Helen. Øystein Hauge paying close attention.

The oldest plaster moulds in storage.