Last night David Usher’s exhibition ‘Soul Kitchen’ opened. We received the biggest crowd we’ve seen at RAYGUN. The room was filled with hand thrown and painted bowls. People were invited to take one, help themselves to one of the big pots of food on the kitchen table in the middle of the room, and then take their bowl home with them. The room was cleared by the end of the night, it was huge. Thanks to everyone who came and supported.
Post dinner. Thanks to Pete for the photo.
…..and finally the opening night. The space filled up with people to see Mathias Kryger perform Uvula u vu la, a masterfully synthesised cocktail of dynamic sound and visual imagery through poetic storytelling. The event was recorded and Mathias will send us back a mastered version of the performance which we hope to post up soon.
We have sent him on to new adventures in Sydney and can’t wait to visit him in Copenhagen when RAYGUN has an exchange with NLH Art Space in 2014.
We picked Mathias up from the plane on Tuesday (from Copenhagen) and he hasn’t stopped since. Install will be just about complete today ready for tomorrow nights opening performance. More visuals to come soon.
Last night we had artist Maureen Hansen and her Brisbane band The Casuarinas come and play in the space which is currently holding Thorgej Steen Hansens exhibition ‘This Is 123′. The second live performance recorded in his exhibition, we had a great night and were entertained with a mix of country meets soul meets blues. After their performance we, over 30 of us, went into my (Tarn) studio for a sit down feast of curries, rice, papadums, wine and lots of Vinyl mixing tunes from the amazing David Usher. Check out our night.
Just a sneak peek at our upcoming artist for April Mathias Kryger, also from Copenhagen. His work is performance based and we are thinking he is somewhat rock n roll! He is flying out for his show with us which opens Friday 5th April. Here is an article from the latest Danish Elle Magazine in which he talks about his work and his upcoming show at RAYGUN. Splendid!
Last night the short film attached below about Brizilian artist Helio Oiticica’s work by Ivan Candose, showed at the IMA (Institute of Modern Art, in Brisbane). Writer and critic Susan Best spoke, introducing the film; Best has recently published a book called ‘Vizualising Feeling, affect and the feminine avant-garde’ which looks great.
Best is a wonderful speaker who outlined Oiticia’s work and also spoke about Lygia Clark, who, also a Brazilian artist, worked closely with Oiticica. Best described Oiticica as deconstructing the elements of painting, and creating huge abstract paintings for the body called parangoles, that are featured in the following film. Best compared Clark with Oiticica explaining that Clark’s work was not meant for an audience, but for the participant, where as Oiticicas work was intended for an audience to both watch, and participate within. The following short film is often shown with Oicicicas parangoles, which demonstrate that they are meant to be danced in, and activated, becoming one with the body.
This morning was the first event linked to Harrell Fletcher’s exhibition ‘Michael Pleming’.
Five super excited bike riders met at the cornet of Margaret and Lindsay streets in Toowoomba at 10am. Michael did a few quick seat adjustments and we set off!! We cycled along trying to sort out gear changes, and laughing hysterically for about a half hour, until we reached the water bird habitat… Michael produced a loaf of bread from his back basket (I want one) and we fed the ducks, and Richard stood on a park bench and read us this crazy cycling poem, Mulga Bill (below) which his Dad knows by heart!! It was a wonderful time! and I think we’re all slightly more confident on our bikes, and the path was so pretty! Thanks Michael (and Harrell) for such a lovely morning!
(thanks Rich for the photos) I was way too wobbly to manage the documentation and ride at the same time!!
Rich’s poem!!!
'Twas Mulga Bill, from Eaglehawk, that caught the cycling craze; He turned away the good old horse that served him many days; He dressed himself in cycling clothes, resplendent to be seen; He hurried off to town and bought a shining new machine; And as he wheeled it through the door, with air of lordly pride, The grinning shop assistant said, "Excuse me, can you ride?" "See here, young man," said Mulga Bill, "from Walgett to the sea, From Conroy's Gap to Castlereagh, there's none can ride like me. I'm good all round at everything as everybody knows, Although I'm not the one to talk - I hate a man that blows. But riding is my special gift, my chiefest, sole delight; Just ask a wild duck can it swim, a wildcat can it fight. There's nothing clothed in hair or hide, or built of flesh or steel, There's nothing walks or jumps, or runs, on axle, hoof, or wheel, But what I'll sit, while hide will hold and girths and straps are tight: I'll ride this here two-wheeled concern right straight away at sight." 'Twas Mulga Bill, from Eaglehawk, that sought his own abode, That perched above Dead Man's Creek, beside the mountain road. He turned the cycle down the hill and mounted for the fray, But 'ere he'd gone a dozen yards it bolted clean away. It left the track, and through the trees, just like a silver steak, It whistled down the awful slope towards the Dead Man's Creek. It shaved a stump by half an inch, it dodged a big white-box: The very wallaroos in fright went scrambling up the rocks, The wombats hiding in their caves dug deeper underground, As Mulga Bill, as white as chalk, sat tight to every bound. It struck a stone and gave a spring that cleared a fallen tree, It raced beside a precipice as close as close could be; And then as Mulga Bill let out one last despairing shriek It made a leap of twenty feet into the Dean Man's Creek. 'Twas Mulga Bill, from Eaglehawk, that slowly swam ashore: He said, "I've had some narrer shaves and lively rides before; I've rode a wild bull round a yard to win a five-pound bet, But this was the most awful ride that I've encountered yet. I'll give that two-wheeled outlaw best; it's shaken all my nerve To feel it whistle through the air and plunge and buck and swerve. It's safe at rest in Dead Man's Creek, we'll leave it lying still; A horse's back is good enough henceforth for Mulga Bill."
The amazing ride around Toowoomba’s East Creek is still on, however moved from Tuesday 12 February to next Tuesday 19th. Also stay tuned for more details/events lined up for Harrell Fletcher’s project Michael Pleming.
A part of Harrell Fletcher’s request to get to know our chosen “stranger”, the found Michael Pleming, is to join him in certain things he enjoys doing. So as bike riding was pretty close to the top of his list we decided to organise a group bike ride with all members of the Toowoomba community. For matters of safety we thought it best to ride in a mob like a group of brown cows to dodge the city traffic. It’s time to dust off the cob webs from your BMX bikes and join us for some fun in the sun. We will have bread to feed the ducks along East Creek and for those who would like, a coffee stop at the end of the ride. See you on the corner of Margaret and Lindsay Streets, 10am Tuesday 12th February.
