A Review of The David Shrigley Show at Manchester's Cornerhouse.

CRITICAL MASS 2012 Top 50 and my Top 3.

 Paula McCartney's 'A Field Guide To Snow and Ice'

Photolucida have released their CRITICAL MASS TOP 50. There are a lot of names and work in there that you may well have already seen floating around on blogs and in magazines. Some pretty well known names, Tony Fouhse Lucia Herrero and Michelle Sank to name a few. Still a goodly dose of angst ridden teenagers and  people  still seem scared to let go of the whole NEW TOPOGRAPHIC thing. I can't argue with the choices though as looking at the list of jurors (I stopped counting at 100) it seems to consist of all the great and good of the photography world! So I'll shut up and just point out my favourites from the list. Paula McCartney Thomas Jackson and Meike Nixdorf

David Dunnico's '1984 LOOKS LIKE THIS'

I'm aware that already the tone of the reinvented MANCHESTER PHOTOGRAPHY BLOG has descended into negativity and bitchiness. So lets lift the mood with something positive. I don't mean CCTV that's not positive unless perhaps when I was a security guard and we would wile away the long nights watching people get jiggy behind the wheelie bins at the side of THE PRINTWORKS. No on the whole CCTV is a bad thing. Unless it helps catch rioters, muggers and other lowlifes, then perhaps? No CCTV is definitely a bad thing. Of course if it helps cut down acts of terrorism well... OK so CCTV can be OK it's BIG BROTHER who's a C##t.

And on a positive note David Dunnico's exhibition at Salford Art Gallery that's definitely a good thing.

"He painted Salford's smokey tops"

and weird partially naked girls? Inspired by the ballet? Yeah that would be my excuse if someone found drawing's like this that I'd done.

Rarely seen LSL sketches as part of THIS exhibition at The Lowry Centre.

I can't see these images making it onto the tea-towels and tat in the gallery shop...

Proper Tingly Feeling Exhibition......

Went to see INTUITION today at THE WHITWORTH GALLERY. INTUITION is a selection of work from The Musgrave Kinley Outsider Art Collection which was founded in 1981 and has recently been donated to the gallery. Loads of stuff to see and a smashing little booklet to help you on your way with little biographies of some of the 'crackpot's' (and I love crackpot's) that made the work. The first two pictures above are of the work of Dusan Kusmic who lived in a bin and made Art out of bread & cabbage, (one bit true, one bit not, guess). Reading the stories of the people who created this work I felt humbled and a right old moaning bastard. They weren't dissuaded by lack of money, recognition or opportunity. They made the work because they wanted to and because they had a need to. A lesson to us all. The sheer joy of the process can be seen by watching the videos that are made available. I'm reminded of that Picasso (mis)quote "It's taken me a lifetime to learn to draw like a five year old" Go and see and be inspired by Art without the bullshit........

Should you be interested, a list of Artist's deemed as OUTSIDERS HERE, which of course is in it's self bullshit... INTUITION on till Jan 2011 so no rush....

8/10 no problem.

Spencer Tunick @ The Lowry.

I'm a little bit reluctant to write any kind of a review of anything after the last thought provoking post over on Blacklab. Anyway 'Everyday People', Spencer Tunick at The Lowry.

I'd obviously seen plenty of Tunick's work before and was always impressed with his organisational abilities but other than that always thought of it as a bit gimmicky, a bit..... samey. I was intrigued when I heard that The Lowry had commissioned him to make work to mark their tenth anniversary. I almost sent in my name for the volunteer call but well, I'm shy and a little over my optimum fighting weight so I didn't. But I needn't have worried everyone in the pictures seemed to be over their optimum fighting weight. That's one of the things I love about these pictures, that there's people of all shapes and sizes, although not age, getting your 'kit off' for NY photographers appears to be a pastime favoured by the middle aged.

There's a good few prints been produced and I was suprised by the variety of the images. People crammed into buses, smaller groups of males (middle aged) and photo's at plenty of sites in and around Manchester. For me though it's the shots in Peel Park, Salford that stand out. I like the intentional connection with the work of Lowry and I love the nudes in the weak Salford spring light. Go see it and then pop in the rooms next door to see the exhibition 'Lowry Favourites' there's pencil drawings of crowds in Peel Park done by Lowry in amongst.

Oh yeah, Interview with Spencer Tunick HERE.

'Everyday People' by Spencer Tunick, The Lowry, Salford Quays til 26th September.....

Picasso: PEACE + FREEDOM @ Tate Liverpool.

Sunny if a bit chilly in the land of the Scouse monkey today. Tenner in but you got a useful little booklet giving some background on the sections in the exhibition and there's plenty of sections and loads of work starting as you arrive. With some films and a chronological breakdown of Picasso's activities both political and how this transferred to his work during the war and after when war got cold. Whether intended or not your entrance to the main exhibition way up in the heart of Tate, up on the forth floor you arrive after a short five minute wait. It was pure theatre. You are taken up in a huge goods lift. The doors are slung open for you to enter a room containing 'THE CHARNEL HOUSE' (1945) a wow moment, or it would of been if not for the screaming brat. When I am King I will introduce 'NO Kid Thursdays' to all galleries enforced on pain of death. So non of the peace rubbed off on me then. Anyway where was I oh yes.

The exhibition contains so many facets of Picasso's work during this time, Prints, pottery, sculpture and of course painting. They've even got a section of a wall from a house in London that Picasso drew on during a visit to Britain in the 50s. The Dove of Peace is everywhere. 'Mothers & Musketeers' (see above) two motifs that obsessed Picasso in his final years I loved, a condensing of the idea of war & Peace, good & evil.

Worth a tenner? Fuck yeah. You aren't going to see this many Picasso's together that often in the UK so yes a world class exhibition just down the road. It was well put together and gimmick free, they left it up to the work to talk and not, say a pair of Picasso's old pants in a glass case like so many galleries seem to love these days.

So great then, which begs the question why are Tate Liverpools stewards so fucking miserable? Jesus smile, you're surrounded by genius, you should try standing next to THIS sentimental guff all day.....

Picasso: PEACE & FREEDOM until 30th August. Now that's what I call a summer show.

Dorothy Bohm @ Manchester Art Gallery.

Image copyright Dorothy Bohm.


I am very aware that in writing about 'A WORLD OBSERVED' (or 'The World Observer' as THE GUARDIAN reported it) the Dorothy Bohm retrospective at Manchester Art Gallery, that I am reviewing the life's work of an octogenarian. That said there's the work of a septuagenarian across town that needs no pussy footing around so hey ho.

The show is curated by Bohm's daughter Monica, and the first thing that struck me was the indulgence at around 200 hundred prints many of which really shouldn't have found their way past the contact sheet. A WORLD OBSERVED is a suitably woolly name for an exhibition which seems to have no rhyme or reason. Starting with fairly typical 1940's portrait shots (I've seen similar shots of my Nan) that came out of STUDIO ALEXANDER the business she had in Manchester for a while, which as far as I can see it's that geographic link that's the only justification for taking over Manchester's premier art venue for the next few months. The show works chronologically through Mrs Bohm's life's work. We get some Black & White 6x6 pseudo Bresson 'decisive moment'. We move through sections on men, women, children, Polaroids colour, leading through to some truly awful colour pictures of Manchester shot in the last couple of years. And why oh why must we always have to have a selection of the camera's used on display? Do they show brushes or chisels when it's painters or sculptors? It's no bloody wonder the rest of the art world won't take photography seriously.

Even if you are in the camp that believes that galleries and museums are there to entertain rather than educate, this show would have no depth. Take away the historical/travel interest and there's nothing left. A celebration of at best the mediocre. If it's raining pop in but don't travel.

OK so now you can add Granny bashing to my list of crimes.

Don McCullin @ The Imperial War Museum.

If you are a young photojournalist with aspirations of photographing war & destruction, famine and suffering and think that your pictures are ever going to change the world well this show should show you that you are on a hiding to nothing. If the pictures made by Don MCullin can't change the world, well no ones can.

It's not easy viewing and as the misses said it made you feel a bit dirty walking around looking at the pictures with all the other day trippers. It was a Sunday and busy. There was something for the kids going on at the Quays so lots of them running around with pink balloons. It added to my unease.

Listening to McCullin on the videos you get the feeling that the whole thing makes him uneasy to. He states that he never intended to make Art but he has, and Art as great as anything etched by Goya. Every print in this massive exhibition is hand printed by the 75 year old McCullin in his distinctive dark style.

So could I get over my unease at looking at such images in a gallery setting? Yes, in no small part due to the compassion that McCullin shows his subject and because an Artist as great and as dignified as Don McCullin deserves to have his lifes work seen by as many people as possible.

PS Give his new landscapes a bit of thought.....

Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2009 @ Cornerhouse.

Image copyright Andrew Curtis

Made it down to Cornerhouse to see this years NEW CONTEMPORARIES. And glad I did too. Could be THE Manchester show of the year so far (I know that's not that hard to achieve at the moment in this current cultural wasteland we call home) This apparently is the crop of current Art school talent and if it is, the British (mainly London some scots) Art courses seem to be in fine fettle.

The pleasing thing for me was the amount of Lens Based work included. I would estimate that a good third fell into this category. Personel faves were Frances Blythe, Felix Frith, Teresa Eng, Andrew Curtis & Barbara Wolff.

Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2009 selected by Ellen Gallagher, Saskia Olde Wolbers, John Stezaker and Wolfgang Tillmans. Until 25 October, go see.

Old Master And An Old Cynic.......

No I know It's hard to believe but occasionally I have been called a cynic! My latest bad dose has been a trip to Manchester City Art Gallery to see "Ten Drawings by Leonardo Da Vinci From The Royal Collection". This is of course another "bums on Seats" exhibition by our friendly neighborhood art gallery, and so good of her Majesty to send culture to the province's.

I'd not been to this kind of exhibition for a while and I'd forgot what they're like. Crowds of people with hushed reverence slowly (I reckon about 1 min is polite) filing past the small hugely under whelming sketches. So why are they here and why am I doing a good impersonation of a nun on a Vatican mini-break?

Yes of course he is a genius but a small sketch of an ugly bloke is well, just that. I guarantee that up and down the countries art college's there are draughtsmen & women who could knock out a decent doodle of a plug git. So if it's not that what then? Icons, relics curiosities. Now there's nothing wrong with that, I spent my minute in the pictures presence staring at a stain on the paper wondering what Leonardo was up to way back in the mists of time to cause it, but whats the point of clogging up our main ART gallery with what would surly be better off being shown in a museum. You can't even hardly see them because the lighting is so low to preserve them, which I understand but that just makes the whole process even more pointless. If I wanted to study them in detail I would get a closer look from a book. Manchester is shit for venues showing Art so lets not clog up one of our main venues with the Antiques Road Show.

Although on second thoughts if the best they can do is Paul Morrison maybe they should stick with the six hundred year old stuff, sheesh..........

Jem Southam "Clouds Descending" @ The Lowry

Image Copyright Jem Southam

Two great photography exhibitions on at The Lowry at the same time, brilliant! This one "Clouds Descending"http://www.thelowry.com/WhatsOn/EventDetail.aspx?EventId=3465 was especially commissioned for the gallery. The Lowry are good at this, using the work of L.S as a springboard for creating new work by artists. This time it was a chance for arguably the UK's leading landscape photographer Jem Southam to respond to the work of Mr Lowry.

I think it's fairly well known that when Lowry wasn't creating his painting's of Manchester/Salford streets he was to be found making some of the Twentieth century's greatest seascapes. To choose Southem to retrace Lowry's steps and create new work is a stroke of genius. Southem is renowned for choosing dull overcast light with which to make his work and this fits so nicely with the Lowry paintings that are displayed alongside Southams large format pictures. His placing of the horizon near to centre is also a nice tribute to Lowry.

The show is on until 22 March and I recommend you go see, It's the show area's photography show of the year for me.

PS here's an interview with Southam: http://www.seesawmagazine.com/southam_pages/southam_interview.html

A Long Exposure: 100 Years of Guardian Photography @ The Lowry

Don McPhee exhibition in my kitchen

Braved the wind and the rain and the "Britain's Got Talent (apparently)" auditions and headed to The Lowry yesterday to see "A Long Exposure: 100 Years of Guardian Photography" Was especially looking forward to seeing the late Don McPhee's work.http://www.guardian.co.uk/slideshow/page/0,,2043336,00.html I rate the above photo of the police and miners one of THE great British, newspaper pictures. It's a good exhibition, tracing not only the work of some great photojournalists but also the history of news pictures. I loved seeing the old kit for sending pictures, a bit different than a jpeg attachment!

Well worth a visit, until 1st March 2009 http://www.thelowry.com/WhatsOn/EventDetail.aspx?EventId=3466 and here for a presentation from The Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/interactive/2008/oct/21/theguardian-pressandpublishing

Seba Kurtis @ The Kiosk Gallery

Finally got off my increasingly fat arse and made my way down to The Kiosk Gallery http://www.kioskgallery.co.uk/Artists/index_CurrentShow.html to see Seba Kurtis's "700 Miles". The Kiosk can't be the easiest space to put on a show but I think they've done a good job with this one. I loved the way that a lot of the work was shown as pages from a scrapbook, I thought that this really added to Seba's non fussy photographic style which in turn works so well with the subject of the work. Nice one Seba. www.sebakurtis.com

Gwon Osang, Deodorant Type........

Image copyright Gwon Osang

At last not only did I get "connected" I also got around to see "Deodorant Type" at Manchester Art gallery (on till 21st September) I loved it!

http://www.manchestergalleries.org/whats-on/exhibitions/index.php?itemID=41

PS: seeing as I'm back and haven't had a chance to moan for a while, I would just like to say, why can't galleries have No kids days. Just one day a week where I've not got to hear Guardian mummy keep shouting "Amelia don't touch that darling or you'll end up on the naughty step" fer fucks sake..... just the one day.......

Aiden O' Rourke's Mega Photo.

Aiden's picture at Urbis

Well it sure is big. http://www.aidan.co.uk/article_mega_photo_stats.htm

"Another Place" by Antony Gormley

Image copyright Mark Page (but Charlie Arthur can use it if he wants)

You know I'd had a really good weekend, I finally got off my arse and made it to Crosby, Liverpool to see Antony Gormley's http://www.antonygormley.com/ "Another Place" and then getting an email from that clown brings you back to earth. (see last post) In a way though it ties in nicely with Gormley's work, an average middle age man stands stoically, embedded in the here and now, facing all that both nature and the modern world can throw at him. I urge you to go see, it's inspiring.
http://www.sefton.gov.uk/Default.aspx?page=6216

Projection 08

I think it must of been around a hundred or so photography souls that braved the biting cold and sleet at The Quays to attend the first Projection 08 organised by Redeye www.redeye.org.uk and programmed by Miska Henner http://www.common-eye.com/ . And as a reward for braving the arctic conditions they got a photographic treat. Twenty slideshows may sound like a lot, but both the quality and the diversity of the work kept it interesting, and introduced us to the work of some top photographers. Special "Big ups" to "Duppies" David Dunnico (UK) "Agnes" Len Grant (UK) "Chinese Tourism Boom" Markel Redondo (Spain) amoungst others. I can't wait for the next one.

Bolton MA at Richard Goodall.

It's an odd one this. The post I mean, and the name of the course from Bolton. "MA in international photojournalism, documentary & travel photography! How many genre's in one course title, talk about edging your bets! Thing is it had some great work. The gallery is a great space as well, except for the too loud wine bar jazz, which to be honest is just fucking annoying when your trying to look at photo's. I also can't believe that in this day and age, photographers doing an MA don't have websites! weird and a shame because I would have loved to look at more of Daniel Jordan-Killoran, Tom Steventon, Rob Thomas and Carl Pinnington's work. Oh and It was hardly advertised,it was almost a big secret, on from 7/1/08 till 14/1/08 so we all missed it as well!

Spent the afternoon at Salford museum & Art gallery checking out the David Dunnico exhibition "Memento Mori":http://homepage.mac.com/manpf/duppies/thefirstpicture.html some fantastic prints, fascinating facts, some great Victorian Gothic, Oh and a Bakelite coffin I kid you not! There's some very atmospheric and scary music, which David has also created for the show. I'm not normally a big fan of manipulated photography but these images are well executed (sorry, bad choice of word!) Anyway just go look!