Candy striped
Jak Morgan and Bren O'Callaghan / photo: Judy Cabbages
The first batch of photos are back from our ace photographer Judy Cabbages of Blood Tea And Red String at Inspace, Edinburgh. The colour palette suggested by the film and imposed to an extent by the location worked incredibly well as we cranked up the red, white and black for our cupcake table, make-up booth and hanging bough from The Tree of Unrequited Love (loaded with handmade anatomical hearts for raffle prizes). I'll write up greater detail and create a gallery for the event soon, but for now I have my head down on tomorrow's oddball activity - H.P. Lovecraft's The Call of Cthulhu, with a late confirmation and star turn from The Dungeonettes as inmates of Arkham Sanitarium!
photo: Mark Daniels
Lizzie's Tea Party / photo: Judy Cabbages
photo: Judy Cabbages
Lizzie's Tea Party / illustrations: Emma Rios / photo: Judy Cabbages
Lucy / photo: Judy Cabbages
photo: Mark Daniels
photo: Judy Cabbages
Lizzie's Tea Party / photo: Judy Cabbages
Jak Morgan / photo: Judy Cabbages
Unearthly delight
The Atmosphere series began at Inspace last night with the screening of Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey (1994), the definitive documentary upon the life and times of both instrument and inventor, Professor Léon Theremin. Having patented the device in 1928, the mix of mechanical idolatry and entirely human subjectivity resulted in a fitting testimony to a noise as ethereal and transitory as our passage on this Earth. It also focused heavily on enthralling figure and key contributor Clara Rockmore, muse and theremin virtuosa who could tease a concert from the air with her red-clawed fingernails.
A life of champagne and concerts at Carnegie hall challenged societal conventions with a race-defying marriage to an exotic dancer, whereupon Theremin was kidnapped by the KGB, smuggled back to Russia, imprisoned and forced to spend 25 years pursuing espionage technology during the Cold War. The closing scenes of a frail and bent Theremin being reunited with a sparky, sharp-as-a-tack Rockmore felt almost painfully intimate. Oh, and afterwards we all had a go on the real thing, courtesy of FOUND. This is one seriously beautiful film. Or am I just a soft touch? Guilty, m’lud!
Just what the doctor ordered
Peter Adlington
More graphics for the forthcoming Cthulhu screening - now sold out - this time from designer Peter Adlington who has created a brand identity around the fictional Arkham Sanitarium, said to be inspired by the legendary Danvers State Hospital (rumoured birthplace of the pre-frontal lobotomy). And before you think, 'They nicked that name from Batman', NO, Batman nicked it from Lovecraft! So there. Pete has created medical packaging imagery around the Outer Gods, dire warning eye charts and a little paper souvenir for those attending on the night. Bravo Pete! You did say you would work for beans, right? Prescription medication for everyone!
More tea, vicar?
Emma Rios
A mere glimpse of the super-fantastico illustration that Emma Rios has provided to adorn our doll's tea party at Inspace for Blood Tea And Red String. Finnish artist Sara Bjarland will also be contributing a piece to the projection screens: Blossom (2008) features brightly coloured carrier bags crumpled into balls which slowly unfurl to mimic flowers in time-lapse documentation, providing a complementary backdrop to our homemade soiree. Officially-cannot-wait.
Cosmic horrors
Simon Misra: The Sleeping God
With less than a week until my residency at Inspace begins I have spent far, far too long searching online for chocolate-dipped insects and clockwork bluebirds. Fortunately my call for artistic support didn't fall on deaf ears and I have an amazing line-up of contributors for both events. Wait until you see 'em! Blood Tea And Red String is now sold out, although it's still possible to sign up to the waiting list, while I suggest pleading with the gallery if you are truly desperate to attend.
Simon Misra: The Destroying Eye
Edinburgh-based prop maker Kevin Thornton, cupcake specialists Lizzie's Tea Party, make-up artist Jak Morgan, illustrator Emma Rios and the truly wonderful Magpie Market are on board for this one. Some of you will even be walking away with a handmade gruesome souvenir of the evening courtesy of our free raffle. Everyone loves a little flutter! Just be careful it's not still alive and flying in a kamikaze moth-like fashion toward your screaming maw.
Simon Misra: The Spider God
The images featured here are a preview of a Rorschach-inspired series of projection visuals by artist Simon Misra for our screening of The Call of Cthulhu. He'll be joined by artist Peter Adlington, winner of The Penguin Design Award 2009, as they help us turn Inspace into Arkham Asylum for the evening, blending medical efficiency with a sense of creeping unease. In a twist of serendipity, we're on the night after EIFF special event The Dunwich Horror, billed as the world's first audio horror movie if you fancy a Lovecraft double-bill!
Atmosphere
Christiane Cegavske: Blood Tea And Red String
It's all systems go (frantically mashes buttons of imaginary control panel) for a forthcoming collaborative project at the generous invitation of Mark Daniels at New Media Scotland and Inspace Gallery, Edinburgh. As part of official fringe activity for the Edinburgh International Film Festival, I'll be presenting two films with live, immersive elements as part of Atmosphere. Programmed in response to cinema auditoria built in the early 20th Century that used elaborate architecture, art and design to create a fantastical setting in which to watch a film, Inspace are re-imagining this concept using networks of sensors, algorithmic software and embedded art devices.
The Call of Cthulhu: copyright HPLHS
For this series I'll be proudly lifting the lid upon Christiane Cegavske's hauntingly beautiful stop-motion animation for adults - an astonishing 13 years in the making - Blood Tea And Red String (Saturday 19th June), accompanied by a vintage tea party. Alternately, Inspace will become Arkham Sanitarium for HP Lovecraft's The Call of Cthulhu (Thursday 24th June), filmed in Mythoscope to appropriate a vintage 1920s feel. Beware sleeping alien deities from the dawn of time! You should see how cranky they are when they wake up. Complementary medication will be provided.
For more on Atmosphere and to book your free tickets for these and other titles in the limited series (only 60 persons per individual screening), click here. Recently featured in The Skinny.