The collection will feature an array of A5 artwork postcards by 22 Japanese artists, many of whom lost family and friends when the disaster struck. The works intend to offer visitors a stark insight into the grace and resilience of the Japanese spirit and the exhibition is curated by Hirinori Katagiri and Kate Thompson, two respected fundraisers who were working in Tohoku when the earthquake hit North East Japan on 11th March 2011.

The inspiration behind the exhibition’s works comes from the detrimental effect the tsunami had on Japan’s communication channels; where many landlines, mobile phone networks and internet services went down, forcing the Japanese people to depend on the country’s postal service as their primary method of communication, in many cases to report news of survival or death to loved ones.

Postcards From Japan – A Message From Tohoku Artists
Ikon Gallery, 1 Oozells Square, Birmingham, West Midlands B1 2HS
15 February – 22 April 2012

Image credit:
Shigenobu Yoshida (1958–), Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture
Light Bird, 2011
Acrylic on acrylic board
5 3/4 x 8 1/4 in. (14.8 x 21 cm)

Words: Jon Price

A deep-bedded sense of occasion is prevalent throughout the vast majority of Myer’s work making for remarkable results. With his most noteworthy collection produced while Myers was in tenure as the Senior Lecturer in Fine Art at Stourbridge College in 1969, he received wide acclaim for his batch of work entitled Middle England, a series of portraits of people known to him and taken in locations near to his residence at the time. Middle England was noted for its presentation of the human specimen as self-conscious yet seemingly at home all at the same time.

Myers’ work moved on in the 70’s to the exploration of ‘boring’ landscapes within Stourbridge. Making a concerted effort to reject the prominent ‘value added’ approach to photography that was fashionable at the time, his work depicted landscapes devoid of humanity; an urban space with no narrative or hidden story making for a refreshingly simple yet poignant group of shots.

Through capturing the ordinary in flat light and the use of a deadpan style, Myer challenges the idea of what is considered ‘devoid’ and embraces the generic, creating stunning pictures that tell the story of mundane Britain in breathtaking silence.

Until 5th February 2012

Words: Lee Hall
Image Credits:
Santa Claus at Tesco’s (1972). Photograph from the series Middle England. John Myers. Courtesy the artist.
Television No 3 (1973). John Myers. Courtesy the artist.

Stephen invited independent, artists and producers from the cultural industries, based in or associated with Birmingham, to appear in the paintings and asked them to choose one of the scenarios.

When he approached team Fused (image above) to take part we scoured the book and opted for this ‘Jab to the Eyes’ pose – we must have been on deadline! We were also allowed to choose the colour. A few photo’s, one sitting later and, we’re sure, painstaking hours of time by Stephen, and the results will be seen as part of Ikon Gallery’s Autumn Almanac from the 17th – 20th November.

Other practitioners featured are Ian and Pippa Francis of 7 Inch Cinema, artist duo Juneau Projects, writer and curator Matt Price (pictured above), artist Tom Ranahan, the Founding Directors of artist-led space Eastside Projects and a self-portrait.

“I approached each of the subjects and asked them to look through the book and choose a particular illustration that they were attracted to. I offered a limited range of colours to choose from and only permitted myself to add white to the body of the chosen colours. These monochrome paintings are transcriptions and re-enactments of the illustrations found in the book”. Explains Stephen. “The book’s role is to inform the reader of how to be self-sufficient in difficult circumstances, an important quality for anyone involved in the cultural industries, a precarious life with no clear career paths or financial certainty”.

Showing Thursday 17 November – Sunday 20 November, 11am – 6pm at Ikon Gallery, Birmingham (Second Floor Galleries). Free admission.

There are a series of events taking place for the Autumn Almanac:

Oliver Beer – The Resonance Project: Pay and Display
17-20 November, First Floor Galleries
In June 2010 artist Oliver Beer worked with Ikon and singers from Ex Cathedra to create a sound piece at Pershore Street Car Park in Birmingham.

Ikon Posters
17-20 November, Second Floor Galleries
Specially selected by Ikon’s Director, Jonathan Watkins, these posters assert the breadth of artistic talent featured at Ikon during the last eleven years.

7 Inch Cinema – 17.11.11,
Thursday 17 November, 7-10pm
£3 on the door (Or free if it’s your birthday. Proof required)
An evening of short films and music, taking place on and inspired by the seventeenth of November.

Moseley Folk Festival – Treetop Flyers
Friday 18 November, 7.30pm – 10.30pm
£4 plus booking fee from www.moseleyfolk.co.uk or £6 on the door
. Five-piece Treetop Flyers recently earned themselves a slot at Glastonbury’s prestigious Other Stage after winning the Emerging Talent Competition earlier this year.

Celebrating Sanctuary Birmingham – Crossroad Collision
Saturday 19 November, 2-3pm
Free, Donations welcome
Celebrating Sanctuary Birmingham harnesses the arts to raise awareness of the contributions that refugees make to the UK, and in particular to the city of Birmingham.

Slow Boat Sessions
Saturday 19 November, 7.30-10pm
£5 on the door
In September, Ikon Youth Programme’s (IYP) Slow Boat hosted a series of performances by local musicians, embarking on a journey of sound along Birmingham’s canals.

Birmingham Contemporary Music Group
Sunday 20 November, 2-4pm
Free
BCMG gives a rare performance of all 34 of Luciano Berio’s Duetti for two violins, with a sprinkling of solo pieces by composers including Howard Skempton and Oliver Knussen.

Capsule present Andrew Moscardo-Parker and the ensemble Ore
Sunday 20 November, 8-11pm
£6 (available via www.theticketsellers.co.uk and on the door)
Andrew Moscardo-Parker performs as Lash Frenzy, exploring the action of playing, turning performances into immersive, participatory events.

Chaired by Mario Minichiello, Head of the School of Visual Communication at BIAD, the talks will take place around a specially constructed table – LUNA, 2010, which forms part of the current Theatrum Orbis Terrarum exhibition by Marjolijn Dijkman – replicating the ‘Lunar Table’ at Soho House.

There’s an impressive range of speakers lined up, including Guardian cartoonist extraordinaire Steve Bell, president of RIBA Ruth Reed and Clive Dutton, former Director of Planning and Regeneration, Birmingham City Council, and now Executive Director for Regeneration, Planning and Property in Newham, host borough of the 2012 Olympics.

The talks will all run from 7-9pm on 9th March (Heritage and the Role of Art in Contemporary Society), 23rd March (Education), 6th April (Urban Design and Regeneration) and 20th April (Medicine and Science). Tickets are £10 (£8 concessions and Lunar Society members), and those attending can take advantage of a special offer at Cafe Ikon: three tapas and a glass of wine for £10, available 5-6.30pm on presentation of your ticket.

For full details of the talks, and all other events and exhibitions at Ikon, go to www.ikon-gallery.co.uk.

The line-up has been confirmed and the full programme released, so here’s what you can look forward to. Modified Toy Orchestra, Martin Creed and his band and Fyfe Dangerfield will be headlining the three-night festival, with a host of other acts, the pick of folk, pop and electronic talent from Birmingham and beyond, in support.

These include the first UK video installation from US band Matmos – who will be touring later in the year, calling in at the mac on 15th May – and a Birmingham debut from Bristol-based folk-poppers Lulu and the Lampshades. And there’s plenty of local, homegrown talent on show as well, representing Birmingham’s burgeoning music scene: try epic45, Boat To Row, Shady Bard, Friends of the Stars, Timothy Parkes and Arc Vel for size; you’re bound to find something that fits.

During its five-year presence in Digbeth, Ikon has made many connections with artists and musicians, as well as encouraging new artist-led ventures in the city. Come along to Rites of Spring and help make Ikon Eastside’s last hurrah a celebration of its time, rather than mourning its passing.

Tickets are £12 per night or £30 for all three and can be booked via www.theticketsellers.co.uk or by calling 0844 870 0000. For full details of the Rites of Spring festival and everything else going on at Ikon, visit www.ikon-gallery.co.uk.

Images (from top): Modified Toy Orchestra; epic45; Martin Creed; Boat To Row; Modified Toy Orchestra.

Today sees the start of an important weeekend of events in the Midland’s art scene. If you have an interest in contemporary art, want to know more about some of the best artists the West Midlands has to offer, art interested in collecting art or have a view on the scene then the Art of Ideas is for you.

There will be a number of events happening around some of the West Midlands’ cultural centres, including Grand Union in Digbeth, Ikon Gallery, mac at Cannon Hill Part, New Art Gallery Walsall and Wolverhampton Art Gallery.

A special publication devoted to developing collections of art in the private, corporate and public sectors has also been launched. The magazine contains a range of essays and texts to help strengthens connection between the West Midlands and the national and international art markets, developing business both with and in the region.

You can view the publication here…

The weekend of events have been introduced to help people kick-start their own collections and where better to get involved than picking some top pieces from your own backyard? To learn more about the artists and what is going, there will also be a chance to pick up an exclusive Arts of Ideas publication, giving a background and breakdown of what is going on as well as advice on where and how to start collecting.

The Witching Hour
Curated by Matthew Collings and Matt Price
Waterhall Gallery, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
11-14 November 2010

What happens in the depths of the night is unearthed in this exhibition curated by TV broadcaster Matthew Collings and writer Matt Price. Photography, painting, sculpture, printmaking, film and animation are used to explore darkness and the uncanny through the work of over 20 artists from, or based in, Birmingham and the West Midlands.

The exhibition includes internationally renowned artists such as Gillian Wearing, Idris Khan, George Shaw, Hurvin Anderson, Richard Billingham and Roger Hiorns, along with emerging artists such as Tessa Farmer, Stuart Whipps, Juneau Projects and Harminder Singh Judge, and offers the perfect chance to see some of the region’s finest talent up-close.

You can view The Witching Hour catalogue here…

Other events include:

Collection Intervention by ‘Laundry’
Wolverhampton Art Gallery
11-14 November
Multi-disciplinary artist group Laundry have been commissioned to create a site-specific intervention within one of the art collection galleries. The project aims to engage directly with the concept of collecting and explore the link between historical collections and contemporary artists.

Pennies into Pounds: Getting your Audience to Give
mac
12 November 2.30-4.30pm
Arts and Business guest speakers consider the rising importance of philanthropy and individual giving for arts organisations.
To book a place email katja.ogrin [@] artsandbusiness.org.uk or call 0121 238 1200.

What is an Art Collector?
Ikon Gallery
12 November 6.30-8.30pm
A discussion about private and domestic collections chaired by Matthew Collings
To book a place email katja.ogrin [@] artsandbusiness.org.uk or call 0121 238 1200.

Grand Union Editions
Grand Union, Fazeley Street
12 november 7.30pm till late
The launch of the new Grand Union Editions patrons scheme, with a talk by Jamie Shovlin, Mike Harte and Euan Rodger.
To book a place for the talk email info [@] grand-union.co.uk

In Conversation with … Paul Hedge
New Art Gallery Walsall
13 November 3-5pm
Join Jo Digger, Head of Collections, and Paul Hedge, Director of Hales Gallery, London, for a discussion on public and private collecting and the relationship between artists, dealers and collectors.

The Future of Public Collections, Collecting and Spending £1m
Ikon Gallery
13 November 6.30-8.30pm
Professor Chris O’Neil, Executive Dean of Birmingham City University, chairs a discussion about the future of public collections, the Art Fund International award and a major new public collection for the region.
To book a place email katja.ogrin [@] artsandbusiness.org.uk or call 0121 238 1200.

Brokerage, Endorsement and Representation
BIAD, Birmingham City University
14 November 3-5pm
A discussion for artists and visual arts organisations on how to navigate the sometimes impenetrable contemporary art world, chaired by Wendy Law of Turning Point West Midlands.
To book a place email katja.ogrin [@] artsandbusiness.org.uk or call 0121 238 1200.

Both the publication and catalogue are for sale. If you would like to know more please email info [@] fusedmagazine.com for details.

Canadian artist Ron Terada’s practice engages with themes of signage and although Who I Think I Am is his first European exhibition his work is no stranger to the West Midlands.

His illuminated ‘Stay Away from Lonely Places’ signage brightened up an otherwise dull rundown chapel on the corner of Digbeth’s Floodgate and Fazeley Street before the building was refurbed and turned in to the Fazeley Studio space.

The reproduction of texts drawn from street signage, popular music and advertising are a key theme in Terada’s work and this mix of painting, photography and sculpture will make up this exhibition at Ikon. Entering City of Vancouver (2003), a large-scale aluminium highway sign will be shown alongside a related series of advertisements and posters for group exhibitions of Vancouver-based artists.

Meanwhile Big Star (2003) is a neon reproduction of the logo of the mythic rock band of the same name, who themselves appropriated it from a local supermarket chain. Playing on the idea of fame and recognition, it corresponds to Soundtrack for an Exhibition (2000/2010), the latest in an ongoing series of mix-tapes that take music as another base for language and the soundtrack as the accompaniment to the ‘roadtrip’ of a traveling exhibition. The audience can take away free copies of the ‘mix-tape’ from Ikon, in limited edition vinyl album format.

Ron Terada – Who I Think I Am
Until16 May 2010
Ikon Gallery, Oozells Sq, Birmingham

The beautiful folk-inspired work of Clare Rojas comes to the Ikon in Birmingham as the gallery presents the first UK museum exhibition by the American artist.

Using a wide range of media, including painting, installation and print-making the exhibition, comprising much new work, marks a shift in Rojas’ practice. Paintings of empty domestic interiors suggest people have just departed, leaving clues of their identities, subtle revelations of gender and class.

The paintings will form centrepieces in a larger installation that is the entire exhibition, walls of the gallery covered by a patchwork of painted panels akin to a quilt.  Some are focused on particular imagery; others are assemblages of colour and pattern. They combine to recall a myriad of references from West Coast modernism, to Latino folk or Native American craft, outsider art and street graffiti.

Ikon Gallery, 1 Oozells Square, Birmingham. 0121 248 0708
ikon-gallery.co.uk
Until 21 March 2010
Free entry

Józef Robakowski’s film ‘From My Window’ includes May Day marches, so it only stands to be suitable that his exhibition of ‘My Very Own Cinema’ which includes those images amongst many others, should open on the 1st May as the first presentation of work at Ikon Eastside of 2009.

Born 1939, Robakowski was amongst the first generation of Polish artists to work with video, working on From My Window from 1978 through to 1999; the project being literal in its title, with Robakowski following the daily goings on of the public square his window looked down onto, allowing a pseudo-documentary that only came to an end when a new hotel blocked the view he’d had for so many years. The film suggests the constancy of personal relations amidst events.

My Own Cinema also includes other shorter and more abstract works that investigate the relationship between sound and image including Attention: LIGHT!, a work made to a ’score’ produced by the American film maker Paul Sharits shortly before his death. “The Market” shot from above between the hours of 7am and 4pm follows the ebb and flow of people at a marketplace. All works made between 1970 and 2000, the underlying theme of the exhbition is that of the shift in ideologies of Eastern Europe from socialism to capitalism and the military rule during the 1980s’ and the paranoia it created.

Robakowski was a founding member of several artist’s organisations and held a teaching position at the Film, Television and Theatre State Academy in Lodz until 1981 when he was removed by communist authorities, who also forbid him from leaving the country or show his work in Poland. Ikon Eastside is showing the work as part of the The Polish Season in the UK.

The event is open from 1-31 May at Ikon Eastside which is open Thursday to Sunday 1-5pm. Admission is free.

Image credit: Film Still, About My Fingers, 1981.

Words: Alexandra Rochester

There is plenty coming up at Birmingham’s Ikon Gallery from April through to May- he’s a sneak preview…

John Wood and Paul Harrison – Some words. Some more words.
Wood and Harrison’s first UK based show since 2002 is eagerly awaited. Their work is about exploration, and they use a wealth of references, from the deadpan humour of Buster Keaton to the theatre of Beckett, to discuss the implications of co-dependency amidst our daily concerns. The exhibition combines a cross section of media, where photographs, poster prints and drawings will be shown alongside their video, with the ultimate goal of documenting the absurdity of the creative process, something which promises to be fascinating. Image above: John Wood and Paul Harrison Shelf (2007), Video still. Courtesy of the artists and fa projects, London.
Thomas Bewick – Tale Pieces
Bewick (1753 –1828) is renowned for his work as an artist-engraver and a naturalist. His childhood on a farm and his love for the countryside heavily influence his tale pieces which combine to provide a great insight into his sharp intelligence and his contemporary society. This is a collection of 100 finely crafted pieces which have been painstakingly cut into the end grain of blocks. They are full of miniature moments of satire and humour and they can all be viewed through a magnifying glass provided by Ikon so that nothing is missed.

Sofia Hulten at Perrott’s Folly
Hulten is welcomed back to Birmingham’s 18th century landmark Perrott’s Folly, possible inspiration for Tolkein’s The Two Towers. Recently reopened after a spate of renewed fame, the Folly will home Swedish-born Hulten’s new exhibition, which will be inspired by the process of restoration, reconstruction and preservation. Hulten, who was brought up in Birmingham, will use video, sculptural pieces and photography to explore different themes that range from popular science to resistance and protest. This is all part of Ikon’s desire to use Perrott’s Folly as a regular exhibition space, a promising move for the tower that nearly stands at 100ft tall! Image above: Still from Back to Back, 2009. Courtesy of the artist.

Exhibitions runs: 8 April – 25 May 2009

Jon Watson