xmas greeting

controlpointpac — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 10:36:08 +0000

Merry Christmas and a Happy new year to all of Control Point Hope you have an ispirational time. Look forward to seeing you all on the 4th for preperation for the 24hr magazine and Manifesto..

Scott’s activities in and around Bristol…

controlpointpac — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 23:54:08 +0000

Thurs 17th:

Am…
I cycled into Spike Island with the Bike Airplane I won on Wednesday attached to my handlebars, I filmed the event using my normal digital camera hung around my neck with its strap shortened. It worked quite well, but the footage isn’t as fantastic to watch back as I imagined. ( see the video on vimeo)

Pm…
Using the Reading Room at Spike Island, I plotted my route to Stokes Croft. A more Bohemian/’Edgy’ area of Bristol. It has a few small gallery shops and a great coffee shop called Cafe Kino and is home to the ‘People’s Republic of Stokes Croft’. (Pics Below)

Here are the web links for the places I visited:

www.cafe-kino.com
www.thingsfromhere.co.uk
www.prsc.org.uk/

Stokes Croft is also home to The Jamaica Street Artists, which is apparently one of the largest artist led studios outside of London, housing 43 artists.

I emailed the group on Monday morning, asking if someone could show me around and talk about how a large studio like that is maintained. Unfortunately I have had no reply, and could not gain access when I went there. www.jamaicastreetartists.co.uk

Wed 16th:

Bath…

Bath is very traditional with lots of craft based galleries, Although I found a few with contemporary painting and photography.
It seems that because Bath is so close to Bristol Contemporary artists and students from Bath spa tend to look towards Bristol for the ‘Art Scene.’

Pub Quiz…
The Old Diving School, Bristol.
The guys at the Diving school hosted a fundraiser for the 3rd yr UWE Fine Art students.

I joined late in the quiz and obviously had a great influence on the team I joined as we ended up winning!
Iwas awarded a special toy airplane that fixes onto the handle bars of my bike. I will enjoy riding around Bristol with it attached!!

Tuesday 15th:

I visited ‘Common Task’ exhibition Modern Art Oxford. www.modernartoxford.org.uk

& The Pitt Rivers Collection, Oxford University Museum. www.prm.ox.ac.uk

Mon 14th:
I was introduced to the temporary studio space I am sharing in BV studios,Bristol.

I then Spent the afternoon at Spike Island researching places to visit during my week in Bristol, and visited the Bristol Diving School Studios, where Agent David G Johns was based during his residency. www.bristoldivingschool.net

BV Studios & Motorcade/Flash Parade

Bristol Diving School residency: David G. Johns

controlpointpac — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 13:10:39 +0000

Here’s a map of the areas I’ll be operating whilst on this week-long stay in Bristol as part of the Control Point project. Massive thanks to Mark for putting me up and the rest of the gang for welcoming me into the fold. Enjoying the melding, looking forward to the coming days…

View Larger Map

Here’s a walk around the Bristol Diving School space as an intro to where I’m working this week. Been having lots of chats, planning a few ways to collaborate, and working on my research literature map (on sustaining artist-led activity in Plymouth)

For more updates, see http://davidgjohns.wordpress.com/

A Vision of Plymouth

controlpointpac — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 04:06:48 +0000

A Magazine For The City

controlpointpac — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 03:05:35 +0000

A small discussion that I want to start with everyone at Control Point. How can a magazine form the central hub or epicentre for culture within a city? Can a publication in fact, produce its own subculture? How do we maintain a momentum? Can it act as a catalyst to enrich and motivate artist led activity?

Control Point: A Temporary Facility

controlpointpac — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:02:40 +0000

21 November – 10 January 2009

Plymouth Arts Centre has invited artists Sovay Berriman and Steven Paige to curate an exhibition concerning artist-led practice.

The exhibition includes information from artist-led organisations including Royal Standard, Spike Associates, Back Lane West, X-Panel, The Western Alliance, Low Profile, View Point Gallery, Performance Re-Enactment Society, Gloria and Alias.

The galleries will become an information hub about artists operating and active in the city of Plymouth and the UK, presenting the hidden processes of the artist’s studio. Control Point offers artists and audiences an opportunity to consider and examine how to accomplish significance and arm themselves with skills for artistic survival in the current climate, through workshops and talks in the galleries. The imagination and importance of artists’ practice is being laid open for all to experience.

The importance of artist-run practice is that it responds to change, being flexible enough to adapt and react to dominant political or cultural trends (whether for or against it). This has ensured that these spaces have maintained a key position in the mechanisms of the art world.

Steven Paige is an exhibiting UK-based artist, who co-runs a new artist-led space, Back Lane West, in the South West. He has recently completed a digital commission for The Reading Room at Arnolfini.

Sovay Berriman’s studio practice incorporates objects, drawings and texts and an interest in science fiction, gothic literature, and survival. Sovay is also involved in the curation of collaborative projects such as Art + Writing, a programme of seminars at Spike Island, Bristol.

For more information and updates visit
www.controlpoint.org.uk