© SAVWO

While I applaud anything that demystifies the process of buying and appreciating art - and by the latter I mean a personal, gut reaction as opposed to reams of theory or an art history degree - the Buy Art Fair that set up shop in Manchester City Centre this week isn't the only means of identifying artists worthy of support. While the local press were devoting more (unnecessary) column inches to the inclusion of paintings by Vic Reeves at the expense of 216 other exhibitors, I was snapping up a bargain by local artist John Powell-Jones (Savage Wolf/SAVWO), one of the many residents at Hotbed Press print studio in Salford on the edge of our Siamese-twin cities.

A Place Called Common

His wolf woodcutter print had been hanging in Common bar in the Northern Quarter for the past few months as part of a group exhibition, a great spot for informal display allowing folk like myself to familiarise ourselves with new artists, spend a few hours in the company of a print, drunkenly argue for/against our favourites and make repeat visits without being made to feel unworthy or worse, unwelcome... I'm talking about you, Richard Goodall Gallery. And so after much umming and ahhing, I snapped up the last in a run of 10 four-colour screenprints for £120, framed.  Granted, we're not talking Saatchi levels of philanthropy, but I'm delighted to share my workspace with this brooding, figurative shapeshifter as I wander through a forest of my own imagining.

]]> http://www.brenocallaghan.co.uk/2010/10/savwo/feed/ 0 http://www.brenocallaghan.co.uk/2010/08/bubbletastic/ http://www.brenocallaghan.co.uk/2010/08/bubbletastic/#comments Thu, 12 Aug 2010 11:34:52 +0000 bren http://www.brenocallaghan.co.uk/?p=1701

image: Rachel McHaffie

Review and picture gallery now up from Scratch 'n Sniff Cinema presents My Beautiful Laundrette. An added bonus was the left-over tequilla, Blue Curacao and vodka. Hic! Limited edition screenprints by poster artist Simon Misra, signed, with an extra signature now on the reverse from actor Gordon Warnecke (who plays Omar in the film) are still available at only £10 plus £2.50 p+p.  I'll also throw in a scratch card or two for you to recreate the experience at home!

Steve Furber from Vision+Media on Vimeo.

Footage is now available to view online from the recent Digital and Creative Futures event, which I produced on behalf of FutureEverything in partnership with Vision + Media, including the full keynote from Professor Steve Furber. ICL Professor of Engineering at the School of Computer Science, University of Manchester, he was recently shortlisted as one of only three 2010 Millennium Technology Prize Laureates for his role as the principle designer of the now ubiquitous ARM 32-bit RSC microprocessor. Also available to view at present with further footage due shortly is Kid Carpet's kiddy punk set, complete with a supporting cast of moulded plastic assistants and a rather tipsy policewoman.

On Saturday 17th July outbreaks of hazardous behaviour will once again be unleashed upon Manchester City Centre and live guerilla art returned to the streets for the third hit-and-run. Cheeky, thought-provoking and sometimes raunchy sprees of eccentricity, look for a flash of yellow and black which should just be enough to give the game away... appearing alongside my own Scratch 'n Sniff pop-up cinema will be Eggs Collective (The March of 100 Dorothys), Alex Bradley (All the demos I've ever been on), Astrid Breel (The Dating Game), Jordan McKenzie (Monsieur Finds Himself Up Queer Street), The Muffia (Ask the question), Clare Charnley (Splat), Hannah Wiles (Beeline), Larkin' About (Various) and many more. See you there. Now scatter! Full programme.

Simon Misra screenprint: limited edition of 50

A new limited edition screenprint from Simon Misra for my forthcoming event Scratch 'n Sniff Cinema presents My Beautiful Laundrette is now available at the frankly astonishing price of just £10. That's right! Around the same as three-and-a-bit beers! And when they're gone, they're gone. For those attending on the evening of Friday 16th July, actor Gordon Warnecke will be attending in person to sign copies, but if anyone wants to reserve one in advance just get in contact via the tab at the top of this page. Have you got your free ticket yet? Friday is almost fully booked, with Saturday heading the same way once the press coverage kicks in. Hope to see you there.

Kid Carpet

I've been producing an event on behalf of FutureEverything in partnership with Vision+Media as a follow-up to the extremely popular City Debate. Taking place on Thursday 1st July, the final few tickets for Digital and Creative Futures can be snapped up for no cost for anyone with an interest in cross-discipline discussion and ideas relating to the future of our cities, technological advancement and alternative methods by which we assess and interpret the world around us.

FutureEverything

Featuring Professor Steve Furber, Millennium Technology Prize Laureate and principal designer of the ubiquitous ARM 32-bit RISC microprocessor discussing 'The Relentless March of the Microchip', plus the political fist-of-thistles that is commentator and writer Gerry Hassan, addressing the dismal failure of ideologies: 'After the Century of Isms: What is the Future of the Future?' Kid Carpet will be providing an injection of kiddy punk upon poundshop instruments finishing off with a rapid-fire Unconference intended to tap into themes raised upon the day.

© Sosolimited: Prime Numerics

Installations on site will include the jaw-dropping beauty of Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir, Sosolimited's Prime Numerics mash-up of the final televised general election debate and Aaron Koblin's hand picked selection of the best in data visualisation. And all in the shadow of Salford's answer to Dubai, the emerging creative hub of Media City. Don't say I didn't tell you about it.

My Beautiful Laundrette (1985)

Free tickets are now available for Scratch 'n Sniff Cinema presents My Beautiful Laundrette at Hub M3 as part of Hazard MMX on the evening of Friday 16th July at 7pm, or the matinee performance on Saturday 17th July at 2pm. The site will be transformed into TUB for the evening with artwork, surprises and a few secret enhancements for this screening-with-a-twist of writer Hanif Kureshi's and director Stephen Fear's then-controversial 80s drama (now sweetly dated but no less enjoyable). Budge up along the rows, it's going to be a tight fit! Remember them? "Fantasy Island, all I ever wanted, true love, holding us together..." (just ignore me, eighties flashback underway).

Daniel Day Lewis, Gordon Warnecke

As mentioned in my last post I'll be updating the project page for Scratch 'n Sniff Cinema presents My Beautiful Laundrette with further news as we firm up the details. I'm also now in conversation with a special guest - TBC - about an audience Q&A after the success of our last post-movie natter with Micha Bergese. Check out the trailer at the above link if you can't remember it or worse - you've never seen it! Where have you been? Quick, head to the BFI's teaching resources page so that you can hold your head up in public without shame. A true British classic.

The Company of Wolves: image courtesy of Park Circus

Better late than never, a full write-up with new pictures of Scratch 'n Sniff Cinema presents The Company of Wolves in Grizedale Forest over Easter. I can now announce that the next instalment in this accidental series will be My Beautiful Laundrette, Friday 16th - Saturday 17th July, at Hub M3 gallery space in Salford / Manchester City Centre. I'm choosing scents right now and have a strong urge to nudge into the abstract as a thinly veiled comment upon the greed of Thatcherism. Tickets will be limited - and with a special guest soon to be confirmed - swift to disappear!