Time To Move - Again

Well, it looks like I’ve got to look for a new studio. The warehouse that I’m currently living and working in, in East London’s Bethnal Green, is about to be re-developed.
I suppose that this is just part of the ongoing cycle of the art community migration. The artists move into the run-down parts of the city and take over the disused industrial units because they are cheap and offer lots of space to work in. Then cool cafes, bars and galleries etc sprout up around them and finally the property developers make everything look lovely and expensive – and the artists move onto the next cheap and undesirable location.
At least I have until the end of the year (the end of January at a push) to find a new space to live and work. So if anyone out there knows of a suitable location (as you can see from the photo of my current place, I’m not going to be disappointed if the new place is not exactly a show home), preferably in or close to East London, please let me know about it.
I can be contacted at waynechisnall@yahoo.co.uk. Cheers.

On a different note - congratulations to Jakob and everyone else who worked on 'Scratch' (see the post below). The film looked amazing and I was pleased to see that my sculptures not only made it into the final edit, but were there in the opening scene. I even saw a postcard for one of my exhibitions strategically placed on a wall next to the main character in one of the scenes - nice touch guys! It was also pretty amazing to see my name roll down a full sized cinema screen during the closing credits. Now that's not something you see everyday.

'Scratch' Premiere

This Tuesday sees the premiere of 'Scratch' by Norwegian director, Jakob Rørvik, at Ciné lumière, The Institut Français du Royaume-Uni, 17 Queensberry Place, London (Box Office: 020 7073 1350). The film is set in and around the London art scene and a few of my sculptures were used in one of the scenes, set in The Jago Gallery on Redchurch Street. So, I suppose I'm going to have to wait until Tuesday to see if any of my work survived the cutting room floor.

Here's a brief synopsis of the film (lifted from Institut Français' website) -
Lena, a young art student obsessively follows and takes pictures of a charismatic drifter, Sol, as he makes his way through a series of sexual encounters with artists on the periphery of London's underground art scene. When Sol discovers her, the project turns on its head. Fascinated by her odd behaviour, Sol is now the one to follow her. Young Norwegian directing talent Jakob Rørvik weaves a delicate haunting romance as Sol and Lena gradually expose each other's dreams, fears and lies.

UK/Norway | 2009 | col | 35 mins | dir. Jakob Rørvik, with Viktoria Winge, Luke Treadaway, Patrick Kennedy, Montserrat Lombard | cert. 15 | UK premiere

Geneva Art Fair

This month I will be participating in the PARK ART FAIR INTERNATIONAL © GENEVA 2009. You find out more about the fair at this address - www.pafi09gvagb.blogspot.com or by contacting the organiser directly at exhibition@laurencelongueville.ch

DETAILS FROM BLOG:
Exhibition Dates: 19 - 28 November 2009
Geneva Switzerland
Parking de Villereuse
Adddress: angle rue de la Terrassière et rue de Villereuse
Private View : 19 November 2009 at 6:00 pm (18:00h)

The PARK ART FAIR INTERNATIONAL © GENEVA 2009 is wide away from a classic fair concept, and invites the visitors to discover and enjoy this juried exhibition. It is an exceptional wide spectrum from the new generation of artists, providing art lovers, collectors and experts, with a unique opportunity to see and buy high-level art around the argument "art 100% original artists 100 % art "

The PARK ART FAIR INTERNATIONAL © GENEVA 2009, ideally situated on the "Rive Gauche" in the heart of Geneva, invites you to discover this incredible, new, out of classical exhibition in Switzerland... Geneva, this little big international city, with international organizations, multinational companies, banks, day skiing trips, museums and.... chocolate, offering a very cosmopolitan spirit!

The Nest - Channel 4 News

Here's the Channel 4 News item about the 'Cultural Olympiad', the artworks and artists choosen to represent the UK at the 2012 Olympics. If you watch all the way to the end, you'll see John McIlduff and Brain Irvine being interviewed about their Nest project and my Junk Metal Nest drawing used as the closing image. I'd also like to thank Kate Watkins for finding the link for me. Cheers Kate.

Saatchi Showdown

Spidie Segments (with side view), originally uploaded by Wayne Chisnall.

This time, for the Saatchi Showdown I've decided to enter my Spidey Segments painting - the piece from which my series of Spidey Pods prints originated. The Saatchi Showdown is a regular on-line competition where artists enter an image of one of their artworks and the public get to vote on the ones they like best. The work on show is always a bit of a mixed bag (there's the great, the good and the not so good) but it's an interesting way of getting your work seen by a wider audience and of seeing what people have been up to. To check out my entry and to see what other artists have put up why not go to this address -
http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/showdown/index.php?showpic=239769

The Nest

Junk Metal Nest Sketch, originally uploaded by Wayne Chisnall.

Firstly I’d like to congratulate John McIlduff and Brian Irvine for winning one of the 12 Artists Take the Lead awards (commissions totalling £5.4 million) with their proposed Nest project - and secondly I’d like to thank them for using a blown-up image of my Junk Metal Nest sketch for the recent press conference here in London. After the conference John told me that he’d seen my sketch appear on Channel 4 News. It’s probably more like 15 seconds than 15 minutes of fame, but hey, I’m easily pleased.
John contacted me about using my drawing after he came across it on the internet. Although I’d already heard about the Arts Council England and London 2012 award (with money like that up for grabs, what artist hadn’t) it was the first that I’d heard of their Nest project. And once they told me about the similarities between their work and mine I immediately agreed to let them use my sketch.

Below are a few paragraphs about the project that I found on -
http://www.artiststakingthelead.org.uk/northern-ireland/brian-irvine-brian-irvinejohn-mcilduff-dumb-nest
But you can also find out more about the project at –
http://www.artscouncil-ni.org/news/2009/new221020092.html
and at -
http://press.artscouncil.org.uk/content/Detail.aspx?ReleaseID=880&NewsAreaID=2

THE NEST invites the people of Northern Ireland to create art on a massive scale through the simple act of donating an object. These will be collected and assembled into a gigantic creation to be built in Belfast by a team of artists and designers. THE NEST will become a focal point for a large-scale music and choral event, composed, written and directed by Brian Irvine and John McIlduff - inspired and performed by the people of Northern Ireland.

This huge multi-media project will have a presence throughout the towns and villages of the nation, as artists and volunteer teams travel to collection points to find out about and gather in the objects that people wish to donate. A multitude of items, small and large, will be collected from donors who will be asked to attach a baggage label illustrating how they are connected to their donated object. Donors will be filmed with their objects and the objects will be photographed, catalogued and under the direction of an artistic design team, take a single shape that will become THE NEST.

Words from these baggage labels together with film footage of people making their donations will be transformed into a large-scale musical work that will be performed by an orchestra and large community chorus made up of people from all over Northern Ireland: professional and unemployed people, young and not so young, farmers, doctors, bankers, shop-keepers, and people with disabilities amongst many others.

With thousands of objects and labels and hundreds of singing voices and musicians, THE NEST will be a far reaching, all embracing, sonic and sculptural landscape that examines and questions relationships between people and the things that we surround ourselves with - the things from which we make our own nests.

Spidey Pods @ Orbital Comics

Incase any of you eagle-eyed comic fans hadn'd noticed, I thought I'd mention that my Spidey Pods prints are now on sale at Orbital Comics (a framed copy can be seen up on the wall behind the first counter). Orbital recently moved to 8 Great Newport Street, just round the corner from Leicester Square tube station. If the adddress sounds familiar to anyone it is probably because it is the former location of that fine institution, the Photographers' Gallery (now relocated to 16 - 18 Ramillies Street, London W1F 7LW).

Orbital Comics, 8 Great Newport Street, London WC2H 7JA. Tel: 02072400591

South Bank Graffiti

Here's a short video montage of what we all recently got up to at Ctrl+Alt+Shift's 'Writing On The Wall' event at the South Bank, London.

Closing Party – The Brain Unravelled (in 3D)

Cardboard Brain (in sterio), originally uploaded by Wayne Chisnall.

As you may know, our show at the Slade Research Centre closes tomorrow so we are having a closing party from 2 to 6pm. There will be a DJ and some free booze but I dare say that we are bound to run out early so please feel free to bring along a bottle and as many friends as you like.
However, if you can’t make it to the closing party but still want to feel like you were there, why not pop on your 3D specs (come on, we’ve all got an emergency pair stashed away somewhere) and check out this 3D photo of my sculpture – taken by the fantastically talented Mr Ben Ashton (also exhibiting at the show).

The Brain Unravelled
UCL Slade Research Centre
Woburn Square, London, WC1H 0AB
Tube: Russell Square
www.thebrainunravelled.com
info@thebrainunravelled.com
Closing Party: Sat 19th September 2009, 2-6 pm

The Brain Unravelled – Opening Party

I’d like to say thanks to everyone who made it to last night's show. The turn out was fantastic and lots of people seemed to be having fun interacting with my sculpture. In fact there were quite a few interactive pieces in the show. Ben Ashton’s gigantic viewer sculpture, that alters your depth perception and makes everything look like a little scale model, has to one of my favourite pieces in the exhibition. I say that everything went well – however, there was a bit of a crossing of wires which meant that some people were left waiting outside while the Culture Minister gave her opening speech inside. So sorry to anybody who had to wait and I hope that the show was reward enough for your patience. I know I had a jolly good time – at least that’s what everyone is telling me.

Oh - I've just remebered another thing. Tonight is the final Tuesday late view (6-10 pm) for the Candid Gallery Summer Show. As I have 11 pieces in the show I had better pop along, although I doubt that I will be celebrating quite as fully as I did last night. For details of the show please check out the details somewhere below. Cheers. Photos by Phil Sofer

The Brain Unravelled – Set Up

The Brain Unravelled – Set Up, originally uploaded by waynechisnall.

Well, I’ve just finished setting up my work for tomorrow evening’s The Brain Unravelled opening party. This is the first time that I’ve actually seen what my assembled sculpture looks like – I had just been making it in sections and hoping for the best once it came to the assembly stage. The fun (and also annoying) thing about this piece is that it can be put together in an infinite number of configurations. The form that it eventually took for this show is a careful compromise between aesthetics, stability and what can be seen through the periscope viewers. However, the views through the piece should be more interesting once the space fills up with gallery goers – it’s hard not to smile when you peer into a little window and see a face peering back at you.
In the background of the photo above, you can see part of an installation by the Storm Thorgerson – the guy behind all those iconic Pink Floyd album covers.
I was hoping to see what work Anthony Gormley had submitted for the show but it had not been set up before I left so I’ll just have to wait till tomorrow evening.
If anybody would still like to come to the opening party please email your name to info@thebrainunravelled.com by 3 pm Monday 7th September to be included on the guest list.

Summer Show - Final Tuesday Late View

Unfortunately I wasn’t able to make it to last night’s late opening at Candid Gallery’s Summer Show as I was busy setting up my work for the next exhibition that I will be involved with – namely, The Brain Unravelled (opening party, Monday 7th Sept – so get your name on the guest list) at The Slade Research Centre, Woburn Square, London.
However, I will be going along to Candid Gallery’s final Tuesday late view for the show on the 8th September. So if you would like to join me there for a drink and come and see what I’ve put in the show, the address is 3-5 Torrens Street (behind Angel Tube Station), Islington, London.
Hopefully see you there.

The Brain Unravelled – Work In Progress

Well, as you can see, I’m still working on my cardboard sculpture for The Brain Unravelled. It would have been great to have an extra week or so to work on the piece, and make it even larger, but everything should come together in time. The final structure is going to be slightly different from my original sketch. Instead of all the sections being stuck together in one rigid mass I’ve decided that I’m going to display them as a higgledy-piggledy pile. This seems to be more in-keeping with the ‘unravelled’ part of the show’s title and allows for me to keep adding to the work so that it becomes a bigger and bigger piece each time it is shown.
If anyone would like to come along to The Brain Unravelled’s opening party on Monday 7th September please email me your name so that I can put you on the guest list, or contact the curator, Rose Lopes, directly at info@thebrainunravelled.com . My email address is waynechisnall@yahoo.co.uk .
As well as work from the likes of Anthony Gormley and contributions from some of the top names in neuroscience and anthropology, the show will be opened by Barbara Follett, the Minister of Culture.
So, I hope to see some of you there.

The Brain Unravelled
UCL Slade Research Centre
Woburn Square, London, WC1H 0AB
Tube: Russell Square
www.thebrainunravelled.com
info@thebrainunravelled.com
8 – 19 September 2009
Private View: 7 September 2009, 6 – 9pm

Candid Gallery – Summer Show

I know this is a bit of a last minute thing but I thought that I had better mention this year’s Candid Gallery Summer Show – especially since it will be featuring 10 of my paintings and 1 of my prints. In fact it looks like my work might be taking over a whole gallery wall. How greedy is that? About half of my paintings in the exhibition have been seen before and half will be exhibition virgins (so please be gentle with them).
For anyone who is unfamiliar with Candid Gallery and for that matter, Candid Café (which has to be one of the best secret chill-out spots in London), they are located at 3-5 Torrens Street, behind Angel Tube Station in Islington, London EC1V 1NQ.The Summer Show runs from 24th August to 13th September and there will be three Tuesday 6-10 pm late views, starting with this Tuesday’s Opening Night (25th August).
So, I hope to see a few familiar faces their and don’t worry – they do have a bar.
For further information check out www.candidarts.com or ring them directly on 020 7837 4237.

The Brain Unravelled (Cardboard Brain)

The Brain Unravelled Sketch (Cardboard Brain), originally uploaded by Wayne Chisnall.

I’ve been clocking up quite a few late nights recently, trying to complete a new sculpture for the forthcoming exhibition, The Brain Unravelled, at the Slade Research Centre in Woburn Square, London. The show opens in a couple of weeks on the 7th September but to be perfectly honest, progress so far has been a bit slow. My idea for the show was to make a mass of interlocking, multi angled periscopes. Above, you can see my initial sketch which I’ve been using as a loose working drawing. For this piece I’ve been working with cardboard and Perspex mirrors. I had initially toyed with the idea of making it out of wood but considering the limited time frame that I had to work with that seemed a little unrealistic. Plus, after working in cardboard on the maquette for my last sculpture, I had started to develop a bit of an appreciation for the versatilities of this under rated material – which can be surprisingly strong, when used correctly.
Anyway – getting away from my peculiar obsession with materials – I suppose I should mention something about the show and the reasoning behind my sculpture.
The Brain Unravelled is a multi-disciplinary exhibition, pulling together the fields of art, anthropology and neuroscience (I can’t wait to see what the boffins are bringing to the party – it should be amazing). As well as the artwork, which will include painting, photography, mixed media, installation, sculpture, textile, film and some experimental anthropology, there will be a series of talks and events during the show which runs from 7th – 19th September. One of the central themes of the show is the ‘concept’ of consciousness. The show also aims to highlight some of the fascinating areas of current brain research – whilst also drawing our attention to how little we still know about the workings of the mind. Amongst the many people contributing to the show you will find Anthony Gormley, Storm Thorgerson, Future Sound of London, Liliane Lijn, Beau Lotto, Chris Knight, Brian Butterworth, Chris Frith and many more. For details of the show and links to all the artists and scientists personal sites check out - http://www.thebrainunravelled.com/index.html
Although I have strong interests in certain areas of neuroscience and contemporary physics I do admit that most of it goes over my head, so I’m approaching the work for this show from a more intuitive stance. I see my piece as a being a very basic analogy of one aspect of the brain – that of an imperfect (yet marvellous) device for perceiving and interacting with the outside world. I am fascinated by the fact that the world we see around us only exists that way in our heads, because that is the way that our limited senses translate what information we can absorb.
The piece that I am building will rely on viewer interaction to a certain extent. By looking into one of the many window sections of the work the viewer will see what appears to be a distant window to the world outside of the sculpture. However, a series of mirrors will have been reflecting this view over a number of right angles so that if someone else happened to look back at the viewer from the other end of that particular section of the sculpture they may appear upside down to the original viewer and could even be standing next to them, rather than down the other end of what appears to be a long straight corridor. So the viewer sees what the cardboard brain sees - a distorted and isolated view of the world outside.

The Big Draw – Travelling Moleskins.

My Grand Finale - Travelling Moleskins, originally uploaded by waynechisnall.

A group called The Culture Vulture (not to be confused with Miss Holly Howe’s fabulous London based Culture Vulture group) have teamed up with The Big Draw and come up with the Travelling Moleskine project.
The idea behind the project is than a number of differently themed Moleskine sketchbooks are passed on from artist to artist, with each person filling a page or two with a drawing or some other form of mark making.
The theme of the book that I got my grubby paws on was ‘My Grand Finale’ and here is my contribution.
By the end of September, all the sketch books should find their way back to The Culture Vultures, who will be holding a great big arty party and exhibition.

To find out more about the project, The Culture Vultures, The Big Draw and the Campaign For Drawing check out the sites listed below -

http://www.flickr.com/groups/travelingmoleskine/

http://theculturevulture.co.uk/blog/?page_id=1387

http://www.thebigdraw.org.uk/home/index.aspx

http://www.campaignfordrawing.org/bigdraw/dia/dia2006.aspx

A World Of Imaginary Whales

Unfortunately I wasn’t able to make it back to Italy to see my Poorly Remembered Whale sculpture at the KETOS 2.0 (A World Of Imaginary Whales) exhibition in Reggio Emilia’s Civic Museum. But I have managed to find some beautifully atmospheric photos of the show on the Strychnin Gallery’s Facebook page –


http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2033008&id=1245480815&l=1092188393

By all accounts the show was very well received and although the work has already been touring Europe as part of the Whaleless show I think that this new venue has given the work an altogether more haunting quality. So congratulations to everyone involved in the hang – you’ve done a fantastic job.

Sunburn on the South Bank

Thanks to everyone who came along to the Writing On The Wall event at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on the South Bank this Saturday just gone – especially Mr James White, without who’s assistance I definitely wouldn’t have got the sculpture finished in the allotted six hours.
At first we thought that we would pace ourselves in case we finished the piece before the 4 pm deadline but as 2 O’clock came round we suddenly got the fear as we realised that 2 hours to design, cut and sew a cloak (including making and attaching the arm sections) was not a lot of time. Fortunately we managed to complete the work with a few seconds to spare and judging from the amount of kids who were playing with it while we were still making it and the number of adults having their photos taken along side it, I think it was a successful project.
Even with the early morning start and the showery weather meaning that we had to move the roof-top after party downstairs to inside the Queen Elizabeth Hall, everyone involved seemed to have a great time. Apologies however to everyone if I wasn’t very chatty on the day but the mixture of sleep deprivation and sun burn had taken its toll. By 11 pm as the United Underground part of the event wound down I was definitely ready for bed (after a couple of quick pints in the pub first – obviously).

A5 Magazine – Hero Issue

Dreams of Being Batman, originally uploaded by Wayne Chisnall.

The new Hero issue of A5 magazine will be featuring a photo (taken on the set of the soon to be released feature film, ‘Scratch’) of my ‘Dreams of Being Batman’ sculpture. It is out now and features 65 works by 62 creators from all over the world. All images in the magazine appear in Black and white, printed on 72 pages and bound in a way that the pages can be easily separated and hung wherever where ever you wish. Each issue is printed in a limited edition of 1500 copies.

A5 Magazine is a non profit tri-annual printed magazine and presents works from various fields of art and design based on a given theme, with previous themes being Beginning, Fantasy, Obsession, Portrait, Future, Sex and Childhood.

You can see online versions of the mag at http://www.thea5magazine.com but I suggest checking out some of the hundreds of amazing and funny images that they have at - http://www.flickr.com/photos/a5magazine

The creative team behind A5 are Keren and Golan Gafni from Studio Keren and Golan in Tel-Aviv, Israel,graphic designers who specialize in the printed media and Tali Green, also a graphic designer.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=31345244810

http://www.behance.net/A5_Magazine

Corruption Incarnate (work in progress)

Corruption Incarnate (work in progress), originally uploaded by Wayne Chisnall.

In preparation for tomorrow’s ‘Writing On The Wall’ at the South Bank I’ve been working on the framework for my piece – working title, ‘Corruption Incarnate’. As the theme for this event (organised by Ctrl+Alt+Shift) is Corruption, I’ve decided to have a bit of fun and on the day I will be creating a very over the top, camp-gothic creature – complete with dripping talons and a black cloak. To emphasize the corruption element the creature will be made out of dollar bills, have a gold snout that appears to be dripping black oil and have an exaggerated Nosferatu-like body.
The logistics of creating the framework for the sculpture have made this an interesting project to work on. And in some ways it will be a shame when I have to eventually cover the figure in its cloak, and hide the supporting armature. But that’s me I suppose – more interested in the process and the underlying structure than the end product.

To find out more about this event, check out –
http://www.ctrlaltshift.co.uk/#/Magazine/article/917

Spidey Pods Print

'Spidie Pods' Print, originally uploaded by Wayne Chisnall.

Roll up, roll up - You've seen the stickers - now buy the print.

I've been a bit remiss on the old salesman front lately so I thought it about time that I gave the Spidey Pods prints another mention. So here's the details -

Each print is a signed and numbered, limited edition 3 colour silk screen print on high grade, archival paper. Dimensions: 58 x 54 cm. Price: £100 unframed, although I do have a small number for sale, mounted in custom made, white, box frames for £150 (cost price for the frame). These framed prints can be collect direct from my Bethnal Green, London studio or delivered directly to London addresses. Anywhere outside of London and I can't guarantee that the picture glass will arrive intact so sorry but only unframed prints can be sent to these areas.

If you are interested in purchasing a print please contact me at waynechisnall@yahoo.co.uk

I thank you.

Art, Music & Party

Ctrl_Alt_WOW-flier1[1], originally uploaded by Wayne Chisnall.

Well, Saturday 18th July looks like being a fun filled day. From 10 am till 4pm myself and a whole gang of artists will be creating artwork on the theme of ‘Corruption’, as part of Ctrl+Alt+Shift’s ‘Writing On The Wall’ event at the Southbank Centre (on the Riverside Terrace outside Queen Elizabeth Hall) in London. After the event finishes at 4 pm, all the work will be taken inside the Queen Elizabeth Hall where a winning piece will be selected. As to whether this is decided by the voting public or by a judging panel, I don't yet know. But whatever the outcome, I think that everyone involved is just looking to have a bit of fun on the day. To find out more about this event, check out –
http://www.ctrlaltshift.co.uk/#/Magazine/article/917

As the only 3D practitioner in the group (the others being graffiti artists) I was initially a bit worried as to what I could actually achieve, sculpturally, in just 6 hours. Normally I work to a calendar, not a clock. So I’ve come up with a compromise and have been working on some interconnecting components that can be assembled on the day. Is that cheating? Maybe. Also, I'd like thank fellow artist, James White, who has kindly agreed to double up as my glamorous assistant on the day. Don't worry - he's promised not to wear his little sequined number.

And if that is not enough for you then Ctrl+Atl+Shift will be hosting ‘UNITED UNDERGROUND’, a rooftop party later in the evening (5-11 pm, tickets £5 or £2.5 for students). Details of which can be found at -
http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/music/productions/united-underground-47150
or on the Facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=98241873911

Below are a few details of the who and what will be going on at the party –

Music plus activism.

You don't have to leave London for a summer festival experience. Across the spaces of Southbank Centre's Queen Elizabeth Hall - including the reopening of the roof as a venue space - hosted by Ctrl.Alt.Shift, British Underground and actor and musician Riz Ahmed/ Riz MC, United Underground is a unique mix of cutting-edge street culture, music, artwork, fanzines and film set against a backdrop of new-school activism.

The event has been specifically created to promote active engagement with new music and its potential as a catalyst for change.

An amazing line-up of artists and speakers so far includes:
Plan B
Mpho
Man Make Music
Bashy
Afrikan Boy
Professor Green
Ice Kid + Dirty Canvas
Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly.
Illaman, Rattus Rattus, Klose One (Urban Nerds), Theoretical Girl, Gabriel Prokofiev, The Official Secrets Act (One Little Indian Records), Maverick Sabre, Nathan Flutebox Lee, Jamie Woon, True Tiger, Speakers Corner, Dj Djinn, Noel Clarke, Peter Kosminsky, Ali Alizadeh, London 4 London, London Coaltion Against Poverty, Countryside Alliance

United Underground takes place:
- On the Roof. Live music alternating with activists and speakers from across the cultural, social and political spectrum;
- Inside the Building. Live music and DJ sets hosted by London's best underground clubs; the live creation of a dedicated fanzine by Ctrl.Alt.Shift, documenting the event as it happens; and, new short films and features selected by talent spotters at Film London and Ctrl.Alt.Shift.

Ketos 2.0 – ‘Whaleless’ in Italy

I’ve just found out that my sculpture, ‘Poorly Remembered Whale’, (which had previously been showing at Strychnin’s Berlin gallery) is to now travel to Italy and go on show at the KETOS 2.0 exhibition. Below is the official press release with all the relevant details.

KETOS 2.0 is the title of the first “Whaleless” exhibition in a public space and will feature site specific installations and digital as well as fine art. It opens at the Civic Museum of Reggio Emilia, Italy on July 9th at 9pm.

Whaleless is an art project dedicated to those artists wishing to express their indignation, rage, shame, disbelief or concern about the slow disappearance of the fascinating giant marine mammals.

Pollution, whaling and unacceptable fishing practices are only some of the causes that seriously endanger their survival. It seems that they are slowly but inevitably growing extinct, while the consequences of their gradual disappearance are impossible to predict. And yet we can be certain that the world’s ecosystem – not just the oceans’ but that of our entire planet – will be affected by this change. The world would not be the same without whales, which is why action needs to be taken immediately.

The project "Whaleless" was born in 2005 on the pages of the Italian Pig magazine, created by the Italian curator Giovanni Cervi. In 2008 Whaleless started an international exhibition tour at Strychnin Gallery London. It has since travelled to major European cities and was shown at Strychnin Gallery Berlin in March 2009.

Artists featured in Reggio Emilia are:
Wayne Chisnall, Arianna Carossa, Squp, Zaelia Bishop, Aurélien Police, Giuliano Sale, Kokomoo, Tamara Ferioli, Bethany Marchman, LostFish, Lisa Mei Ling Fong, Ansgar Noeth, Karin Andersen, Mimi S, Fernanda Veron, Elena Rapa, Madeleine von Foster and Leonardo Betti.

"Whaleless" is realized with the kind support of PIG Magazine, Res Pira and of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, whose German office is based in Munich.

Musei Civici
Palazzo san Francesco, Sala Vallisneri
Reggio Emilia, Italy

Opening night: July 9th, 2009, 9 p.m.
End date: August 31st, 2009
Opening times: Thu - Sat 9 – 12 and 21 – 24; Sun 21 – 24

Losing it in Venice

What can I say about Venice Biennale 2009? Crazy, amazing, peculiar, debauched - but definitely not boring. Even if I did lose my mobile in one of the canals on my first night there I still had fantastic time. OK, I admit that losing ten years worth of telephone numbers (yes, I know - I should have backed them up) and the prospect of being without a mobile for a week might have put me in a bit of a bad mood for a while, but the circus that is Venice Biennale soon put pay to that.

I travelled over with fellow artist, James White, and in no time at all we bumped into several groups of people we knew or were about to know. It seemed that half of the London art scene was there. Our first night back at Camp Fusina, we popped over to the cabin opposite to borrow a corkscrew and found a room full of artists that we knew from back home. We also hooked up with the girls from WW Gallery and Pharos Gallery’s Sophie Wilson (who I partly blame for me losing my phone – things always get out of hand when she’s around) who curated the short lived ‘Travelling Light’ exhibition. The highlight of their opening night seemed to be when our Miss Wilson (who may or may not have been in a slightly intoxicated state) decided to clamber aboard a boat and then had to be helped off by a mysterious Russian who stripped naked and swam across the canal to her aid.

As for the artwork on show through out the Biennale – there were highs and lows (but mostly highs). Although there was the odd country that hadn’t quite grasped the concept of the whole event and just decided to stage a corporate-looking promotion of their home land, the vast majority really went for it. Of the collateral exhibitions I especially liked ‘Distortion’ from the UK, not just because it had work by some of my favourite artists but because they also had a very chilled out bar and nicely sheltered courtyard where we got to hang out with and meet lots of interesting people. And opposite from Distortion was the ‘Australia’ participation with one of the most impressive pieces I’d seen – a 30 ton monolith made out of video tapes, with the collective running time of all these tapes apparently lasting the current average life span. The most fun pieces that we came across had to be the interactive works by Miranda July (if you haven’t seen it, check out her film, ‘Me and You and Everyone We Know’). On the whole, there was just so much there that I could talk about - from the surprisingly moving Estonian entry about the Bronze Soldier Monument to the mesmerizing and roughly hewn, figurative wooden sculptures at the Italian pavilion - but the best plan would just be to go there for yourself and see as much as you can. And if you intend to go to the next one in two years time, my word of advice would be to go at the very beginning and crash as many of the opening parties as you can.
Several times I heard people mention that the Venice Biennale is like the art version of the Oscars. Well, I’ve never been to the Oscars but if they’re half as much fun as this was, they must be blood good.

V&A Museum - Friday Late View

V&A Friday Late View - May 2009, originally uploaded by Wayne Chisnall.

Well, the cut-outs seemed to go down very well at the museum's Friday Late View, even if one little girl did tell me that the St. George one needed a bit more colouring-in. Unfortunately she'd left her crayons at home and I needed a beer, so we were forced to leave it as it was. But, all four of the cut-outs were getting a lot of use and a lot of laughs so we let that one slide.

All in all it was a very busy day for me. Prior the setting up and taking down the cut-outs at the end of the night, I had to set up some of my artwork for an Art Investment Conference at the London Business School. I also met up with a couple of fantastic young artists who are setting up an artist residence program in Poland. Fingers crossed that I'll be involved in that one - it sounds incredible.

To see images from previous V and A Friday Late Views you can check out their flickr account at -
www.flickr.com/photos/fridaylate/sets/

Tomorrow 'Night at the Museum'

St. George V&A Cut-out, originally uploaded by Wayne Chisnall.

For a bit of fun why not pop along to the Victoria & Albert Museum’s 'Friday Late View' (nearest tube, South Kensington, London) tomorrow evening from 6:30 pm to 10 pm. This month’s event is based upon the theme of Photography. There are loads of free events, including a series of carnival cut-outs by fellow artist, Phil Sofer, and my good self. They are in the style of the old fashioned seaside cut-outs but based upon objects from the V&A’s collection. Here's one of me as a stained glass version of St. George sticking it to some poor lizard. So if you would like to join us, bring along your camera and you too could be one of the three graces, St. George, a statue of Queen Vic or have yourself devoured by Tipoo’s Tiger.
Among the evening’s interactive events, films, talks and displays there will be - From Daguerreotypes to Digital: A V&A Photography Trail, Road Dreams by Elliott Bristow, Photo Swap Shop, Green, Green Glass of Home by Liz Rideal, Opulent Dreaming by Neeta Madahar, Film Canister Jewellery, Carnival Cut Outs, Jem Southam and Sarah Pickering in Conversation with Martin Barnes, Elliott Bristow on Road Dreams and Photography and the Designed World.
For more information please check out - http://www.vam.ac.uk/activ_events/events/friday_evenings/friday_late/events/may09/index.html
I hope to see you there.

Vamalgam 4

Untitled Component Drawing, originally uploaded by Wayne Chisnall.

Because a lot of my sculptural work comes under the umbrella of assemblage I tend to collect large quantities of found objects and materials - always being drawn the things and forms that have a certain resonance, but not always knowing what I will eventually do with them.
In this drawing I have taken a few of these items and, without trying to concern myself too much over matters of how the individual forms relate to each other, I've attempted to morph them all together. This proved to be more easily said than done, as a life time of drawing, awareness of perspective and of trying to accurately create the illusion of 3D forms in a 2D plain can hard wire the brain to following certain rules. None the less I'm quite happy with how it turned out - there are some interesting connections going on. A friend recently said that there was a lot of sexual imagery in the piece. I'm not sure if that says something about him or me.
Anyway - this work has just gone on display in Vamalgam 4, the Victoria and Albert Museum's new staff show. This year's exhibition is the biggest of the four shows, with some of the best work yet. The work ranges from painting, to photography, to drawing, to mixed media and showcases the diverse creative abilities of the people who make up the V and A Museum.

Arty Business

LBS_Crossroads Art Exhibition set-up, originally uploaded by Wayne Chisnall.

I'd like to thank Julie Dagonet and the rest of the fantastic Crossroads Art Exhibition team at the London Business School for inviting me to be guest artist in their upcoming show. Above is a photo showing the setting up of the exhibition. It was refreshing to be involved in an installation where everything went smoothly – no tears and tantrums with this group. As far as I can remember this is the first time that I’ve had my work exhibited in a big office environment, and it works surprisingly well. There is a strangely surreal play between the everyday nature of the room and the work (looking like it has found itself somewhere that it shouldn’t be) – I love it.
The rest of the works on display are by members of the school community. Namely - Rikkya Oker, Dennis Valdez, Carl Clough, Kevin Talbot, Marie-Helene Dagonet, Shalini Chanda, Ninad Shinde, Denise Donoghue, Kyueun Han, Remi Savoya, Nina Kelemen, Caroline Bray, Juan Diego Sorbet Esnoz, Lok Ming Fung, Ming Gao, Yvonne, Svetlana Aslezova, Thibaud Simphal, and Erik Wilterding.
And considering that many of these people might not claim art to be their primary passion, there is some very accomplished work on show.
So Tuesday evening’s opening night looks to be quite exciting. Not only do we have Dean Andrew Likierman’s inauguration at 5:30 pm and the opening of the show in the Fairbairn Room at 5:45, there’ll be a concert in the Upper Quad at 6:16 pm, performed by students from the Royal Academy of Music. The performers are Midori Komachi on Violin, Helene Koerver on Viola and Alena Lugovkina on Flute. And the following day, May 27, we have LauYee Yeung on the Harp.

Edition / Power in Numbers (Opening Night)

Edition_Power in Numbers, originally uploaded by Wayne Chisnall.

Thank you to everyone who came along to Thursday's opening night of 'Edition / Power in Numbers' in Brick Lane, London. The turn out was unbelievable and the place was rammed, so sorry if I missed you in the crowd. Even the slight hitch of a temporary evacuation because of a suspected gas leak (in true British fashion everyone took the opportunity to nip outside for a cigarette) didn't seem to spoil everyone's fun.
With it being 'First Thursday' (when most of the East End galleries and museums stay open late) the rest of the FAD gang and I decided to check out the other shows in Redchurch Street and the immediate area. Needless to say - a few free drinks later, we all decided that the night was a great success.
For those of you who managed to make it there, I hope that you found something that took your fancy. I bought one of Mark McLure's fantastic prints with a built-in clock mechanism. And for those of you who couln't make it - the show is on till 27th May so there's plenty of time to nip down and get a bargain.

This Thursday - Meet The Artists

edition / power in numbers, originally uploaded by Random Boy.

Here's just a quick update/reminder about the opening of this week's 'Edition / Power in Numbers' art print show and sale. I'm very excited about it and am looking forward to meeting up with the other artists and getting my hands on some very fine (and ridiculously cheap) prints. Hope to see you there ;o)

Thursday 7th of May from 7pm at Bodhi Art Gallery on Brick Lane, London (opposite the bagel shops). 48 artists each with an edition of 50 hand pulled and numbered screen-prints (including a few surprises). The soundtrack will be provided by the sound doctor Rob-Tronica. All of the prints are being sold for £20 - we can only accept cash so bring a few notes with you! The show runs until the 27th of May 2009 - there are lots of events along the way - go to www.curestudio.com or www.twitter.com/curestudio to keep up to date with what is happening.

Artists in the show:
Alain Magallon / Alice Stallard / Camelia Dobrin / Brett One Side Zero / Charlotte Smith / Chris Floyd / Claudia Boldt / Dan Speight / David Gibbons / Emma Vorster / Emmi / Haruka Shinji / Heejohng Chae / Ivan Mayorquin / Jake Blanchard / Jez Burrows / Jim Smith / Josephine Spencer / Luke James / Marc Stewart / Mark McClure / Maxwell Harrison / Naíma Almeida / Niko / Patrick Savile / Peter James Field / Peter Stitson / Raymond Wong / Rose Stallard / Royal Glamsters / Sara Nesteruk / Sichi / Splendidhand / Stephen Chan / Steve Price / Steven Emmanuel / Stuart Chatman / Tom Baxter / Trisha McNally / Wayne Chisnall / Yann Brien / Austin from New / Random Boy / Ministry of Love / Baldrick Buckle

Images of printing:
http://snipurl.com/curestudio

Video of printing:
http://vimeo.com/channels/edition