New Wave: Fine Art Degree Shows 2007

If your looking to buy a quality work of art or just browse the new tallent at this years degree shows then here is a list to start you off.

1. Oxford Brookes University - 19 - 24 May 2007

BA Show

Opening Hours:
Saturday - Sunday: 10.00am - 4.00pm
Monday - Thursday: 10.00am - 6.00pm

School of Arts and Humanities
Richard Hamilton Building,
Headington Hill,
Headington Campus, Oxford

2. Goldsmiths University

Friday 13 July - Monday 16 July Postgraduate Visual Arts Show
Friday 15 June - Monday 18 June Undergraduate Visual Arts Show

Goldsmiths, University of London, New Cross, London SE14 6NW, UK | Telephone +44 (0)20 7919 7171

3. Camberwell College of Art

Foundation Studies & BA (HONS) Show 2007, Tue 19 - Sat 23 June 2007
Tue - Fri 9am-8pm; Sat 11am - 4pm
Postgraduate Show 2007, Wed 4 - Sat 7 July 2007
Wed - Fri 10am - 8pm; Sat 10am - 4pm

Camberwell College of Arts, Peckham Road, London SE5 8UF tel: 020 7514 6302

4. Chelsea College of Art

BA Degree show
Opening times: Friday 15 June - Private view by invitation only 6pm-9pm
Saturday 16 June - 10am-3pm
Sunday 17 June - 10am-4pm
Monday 18 to Wednesday 20 June - 10am-8pm
Thursday 21 June - 10am-6pm

Tel: 020 7514 7751

5. Byam Shaw School of Art

Degree Shows

FdA Fine Art Skills and Practices
BA (Honours) Fine Art
Post Graduate Diploma Fine Art
Dates: 26 - 30 June
Times: 11am - 6pm

2 Elthorne Road, Archway, N19 4AG

6. St. Martins

Degree Shows

BA (Honours) Fine Art
BA (Honours) Fashion
Postgraduate Certificate in Professional Practice: Photography
16 -21 June 2007
12 - 8pm

107 - 109 Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H ODU

7. Slade

Degree Show

Undergraduate shows: Saturday 19 May until Thursday 24 May
Graduate Shows: Thursday 7 June until Wednesday 13 June
Slade studios at UCL, Gower Street and are open from 10.00am to 8.00pm on weekdays and 10.00am - 5.00pm on weekends

The Slade School of Fine Art, UCL, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT +44 (0)20 7679 2313

Fuselit: Proof and Tony Harrison

RTR 6 is due in the next two weeks with a new batch of nifty modern poetry, but if you want more courses in your meal, the new issue of Fuselit is out:

Fuselit: Proof is pocket-sized and includes a free CD with, among other things, a reading of Ryan Van Winkle's The water is cold set to music by artist Ragland. There's also colour artwork and poetry from Barney Tidman, Aliyah Whiteley, Richard Watt, John Osbourne, Nicoletta A. Poulakida and others.

It can be ordered via Paypal or cheque from www.fuselit.co.uk




I don't really keep much of an eye on the Guardian most of the time, so it's not surprising that this article on Tony Harrison, one of Britain's most engaging, quirky and political full-time poets, has slipped past me until now. Viking are publishing his Collected Poems in celebration of his seventieth birthday. The price tag is hideously steep, but it's worth saving up for. If you're not sure, get stuck into some of this.

Defining Dramaturgy (sort of...)

Traditionally, a more German concept, the role of the dramaturg is a relatively new one in the UK. Some people vaguely know what it is, some people think they might possibly know what it is and everyone else says, drama-what? I am currently working as a dramaturg on a production and am in the unique position to define it for the company as we go along with production meetings and rehearsals. Since a dramaturg can serve as an editor, assistant to the director, assistant to the designers, researcher, translator and innumerable other positions, I have made it my job to find a way to help the company understand and envelope themselves in the world of the play.

The play in question, Caligula by Albert Camus, is a difficult one--a dramaturg's dream or a dramaturg's nightmare, depending on how you see it. It is somewhat long, wordy, translated several times, philosophical, political, historical, funny, grim and has a cast of 14. This is not to say, however, that it is not worthy of the struggle--it's a great piece full of sex and violence and feeling and thought. I have been trying to attack the play from different angles, reading it over several times, hearing it read, discussing it, trying (vainly) to read the original French version and researching the background. Researching the history of the Roman Empire. Researching Absurdist philosophy. Reseaching politics of the Second World War, when it was written. And then I bring all my objets trouves to the table with the director and designer and we scratch our heads. And discuss. And start over. Wash, rinse, repeat.

Then I went to the Tate Modern. I was going anyway to see the Gilbert and George exhibition anyway and figured I might as well have a look at work from the Camus' period. I came away with postcards for inspiration for the production team and felt far more fulfilled than I had from just doing research. And then I went to the British Museum. No postcards this time, but I made lots of little sketches of Roman artifacts, finding my role to be more of an archeologist than an editor or scholarly researcher. And it was fun. Like being ten years old on an exciting school field trip.

So what's my point?

Sometimes we forget--theatre is lots of fun and there are no rules to insight or roadmaps to inspiration.

Caligula will be on at the Union Theatre from June 5th-23rd. For more information, please visit: http://www.talonarts.co.uk/

Batman, Mephistopheles and Hair-dye

Thirty-two one act plays in two weeks.

Depending on who you are, this will either sound like a blessing or a curse. In all, honesty, I wasn't too sure in which camp I sat when I climbed the endearingly rickety stairs of the Tabard Theatre in Turnham Green, clutching my pint and a bewilderingly long programme trumpeting Lost Theatre's 23rd One Act Play Festival.

No, I didn't sit through all thirty-two; but the three I saw convinced me that, time and money-permitting, the rest would certainly be worth a look. Witty and imaginative, these three pieces, Just Dad (Alex Clay), an extract from a modern-day Faust, and Amy Rosenthal's excellent Henna Night, all sparkled with energy, sharpness and thought. A far cry from the shades of university drama which so often haunt productions on the fringe, each amply earned its third of the £11 entrance fee.

The Festival continues until Saturday 28th April when prizes for the best new writing, best direction and best play will be given. Drop by if you can. You won't be disappointed.

Orange Broadband Prize Shortlist Announced

Furthermore to my last post, the Orange Broadband Prize has been announced and The Observations is on it (phew - my review is still relevent).

The list is:-

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - Half of a Yellow Sun
Rachel Cusk - Arlington Park
Kiran Desai - The Inheritance of Loss
Xiaolu Guo - A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers
Jane Harris - The Observations
Anne Tyler - Digging to America

The popular momentum must be with Adichie, especially after she took the Richard & Judy laurels (and the enormous increase in sales this entails), whilst I think it is probably unlikely that Desai will do the double after her Booker win last year. A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary separates many readers, and would probably split a panel. I didn't like The Observations, so I won't back that. Sooooo... Rachel Cusk as the quiet outsider that might just shave an unlikely win.

Buy any of the shortlist from amazon...