CHRISTMAS AT SLACKSPACE

EXHIBITION! PRIVATE VIEWING! EVENTS! HIDDEN TREASURE! GIFTS! MINI-FESTIVAL! WORKSHOPS!.... TOO MUCH GOING ON IN ONE POST.... READ CAREFULLY IN CASE YOU MISS SOMETHING!

EXHIBITION- 'BLOOD ON THE SNOW' [17 Dec – 10 Jan] is a Slack Space group exhibition featuring:

Work which subverts or looks at traditional Christmas iconography in a new way // Work which challenges the consumerism of Christmas and the ‘Christmas industry’// Work which explores the old rituals and festivals which predate the Christmas tradition including sacred items and images

Information sheets from Ipswich Pagan Society and others and original artworks from:

Megan Amey, Chris Andrews, Amy Brooks, Jack Briggs-Miller, Glynis Brown, Abigail Cheverst, Jill Eastland, John Fanning, Vron Francis, Tristan Howe, Karen Jones, Pat Jordan, Sioux Jordan, Dorian Kelly, Paul Kopal, Paula MacGregor, Kerry McCarthy, Trudi Needham, David Ross, Tony Smith, Michael Talks and son, Elizabeth Vickery, Clive Wakeford, Derek Wray, Colchester Institute Devised Musical Theatre, Signals Media and Hazelmere School, Level Best

A Forest of alternative Christmas Trees, including:

Waste tree I // Waste tree II // Shop fittings tree // Coke can tree // Christmas message tree // Invisible tree // Tree of mourning // Shadow tree // Munitions tree

Visitors to Slack Space are being encouraged to bring in a loosely wrapped gift and exchange this for a gift under one of the Slack Space Christmas trees. The gift should not be of great value, not be offensive to any person and should not have been purchased for the occasion

The Space will be adorned with festive decorations with a difference, including:

Saggy glass jars with embedded objects // Turkey heads and feet constructed from coke cans // Clear baubles with embedded objects // Decorations constructed from photographic negative strips // Illuminated Christmas boxes // A very different Christmas angel // Alternative crib // Plus a variety of decorative and not so decorative creations from the Slack Space Christmas team

Also featuring:

Lost Christmas. I give you my art (Lost not Found: Abscission II)

Edinburgh Fringe artist Heather Tweed has hidden 14 small artworks around Colchester with instructions on how to report and keep or re-locate the ‘Lost’ artworks. There will be no clues as to the location of these items. Anyone could find them! As these items are found their location will be marked on Google maps and on a special map in the gallery space.

You are invited to the PRIVATE VIEW FOR 'BLOOD ON THE SNOW' the Slack Space Christmas exhibition.

6pm – 8pm

Wednesday 16 December

Slack Space Colchester

33 Long Wyre Street Colchester CO1 1LJ

With mulled wine and mince pies

Free, but donations welcomed

Guest list only, please email to guarantee your place

SLACK SPACE CHRISTMAS WORKSHOPS and other afternoon events
- All events free. Parents must stay for under 13s where applicable


Friday 18 December

12pm – 2pm Under 5s making workshop with Keziah Osborne and Bethany and Willow Mitchell. Please bring recycled card board and old christmas cards

4pm – 6pm ' Arty ' recycled gifts workshop with Linda Wonnacott
Bathmats from old duvets / Purses from men's ties / Junk mail bowls / Necklaces from old beads. Bring your own materials


Saturday 19 December

1pm – 1.30pm A traditional Mummers play with ‘Obby ‘Oss taking place inside and outside the space with folk songs and words

2pm – 4pm Children and adults workshop led by artists Keziah Osborne and Sioux Jordan – ‘Christmas traditions from around the world, and the origins of Christmas.’ Limit of 20 participants at any one time

Kez says ‘in this workshop we will be exploring traditional Celtic origins 'the festival of light' and studying Global Christmas traditions by creating Christmas tokens and wishes for the children of the world’


E mail colchesterslackers(AT) googlemail.com if further information is required

SLACK SPACE DECEMBER MINI-FESTIVAL
The Slack Space December mini festival runs from 17 – 19 December 2009
and is presented in support of the Blood on the Snow exhibition.

All events free and guest list only. E mail for inclusion

Thur 17 Dec
Dorian Kelly is our compere
Doors 7pm

7.30pm - 8.00pm Angela Dennis and community choir ‘Souterrain:’
Songs that challenge the popular 'spirit of Christmas' theme, and
about the seasonal rather than the religious nature of the turning of
the year

8.00pm – 8.30pm Keziah Osborne performance art (Christmas circle):
Participative sharing workshop / performance art activity exploring
the deeper messages and meanings of Christmas

8.30pm – 9.00pm Gabriela Eva
Sweet acoustic melodies. Pause for thought …..

9.00pm – 9.30pm Keziah Osborne performance art (Global Christmas wishes):
Exploring notions of Christmas in a Global context, a facilitated
ceremony/celebration to decorate the ‘shop fittings’ Christmas tree
with healing wishes and words

9.30pm – 10.00pm Eddie O’Halloran
Original and off the wall folk with guitar and mandolin

10.00pm – 11pm Ady Johnson
Pithy songs about love and life from Fuzz Face frontman Ady Johnson

Fri 18 Dec
Afternoon:
12pm – 2pm Under 5s making workshop with Keziah Osborne and Bethany
and Willow Mitchell. Free. Please bring recycled card board and old
christmas cards.

4pm – 6pm ' Arty ' recycled gifts workshop with Linda Wonnacott
Bathmats from old duvets / Purses from men's ties / Junk mail bowls /
Necklaces from old beads. Free. Bring your own materials

Evening:
Doors 7.00pm

7.00 – 7.30pm The Breakdancing Santas
Colchester's B-Boys, B-Girls & STARZ Throwing-Down in the Festive
Spirit. Come and enjoy some Funky moves as the Breakers Heat Up the
Dancefloor and Entertain you with their moves. Demonstrations will
include Popping, Rocking, Floorwork, Freezes and Power Moves.

7.30pm – 8.00pm Mark Brayley:
Poetry from Mark Brayley and guests including a sharing of Global
Christmas wishes and stories from yesterday’s workshop

8.00pm – 8.30pm Sioux Jordan performance art (Solstice):
An artistic representation of a healing ceremony with candles and evergreens

8.30pm – 9.00pm Gavin Roberts:
Acoustic interlude. Songs of love and loss from Suffolk based band
‘The Lullaby’s’

9.00pm – 9.30pm Mark Brayley:
Poetry from Mark Brayley and guests

9.30pm – 10.00pm Poppy Jackson performance art (sun – birth):
An artistic representation of Saturnalia, the principle sun-birth
festival of the Roman pagans which took place on December 25th,
celebrating the death of the old sun and birth of the new

10.00pm – 11.00pm
Storytelling, explanation and discussion session led by Ipswich Pagan society

Sat 19 Dec
Afternoon:
1pm – 1.30pm A traditional Mummers play with ‘Obby ‘Oss taking place
inside and outside the space with folk songs and words. Free

2pm – 4pm Children and adults workshop led by artists Keziah Osborne
and Sioux Jordan – ‘Christmas traditions from around the world, and
the origins of Christmas.’ Free

Evening:
Doors 7.30pm

8.00pm – 8.30pm Mark Brayley:
Poetry from Mark Brayley and guests including a reading of Christmas
Ghost stories sent in by local people

8.30pm – 8.50pm Imogen:
Impromptu Acappella and spoken word from Colchester favourite Imogen Donnelly

8.50 - 9.30pm Colchester Folk Club TBC

9.30pm – 10.00pm Mark Brayley:
Poetry from Mark Brayley and guests

10.00pm – 11pm Adrian Nation TBC
The heart beats on, the rest is up to you. A charming and lyrical end
to the Slack Space Christmas festival

Mini-Fest is guest list only - please email for inclusion

Coming soon to the Eld Lane window display

Pat Jordan's Sacred Trees 14 - 20th December
then Market Field School's Gargoyles Sculptures 20 Dec - 03 Jan

Slivers of Slackweek

For one week only Slack Space will feature a special exhibition showing work from Slack Space volunteers. Slack Week opens on Wed 09 December at 3pm.

STOP PRESS

Colchester Institute Devised Musical Theatre assessed performance 10 Dec

Colchester Institute Devised musical theatre students will be performing at Slack Space on Thursday 10 December at 7.30pm. They have written the performance in response to a brief given to them by Slack Space 2 months ago and their performance will be assessed on the night as part of their degree scheme. The performance is entitled ‘Blood on the Snow’ and supports the ethos of the Slack Space Christmas exhibition. This event is guest list only. Please email for inclusion.

Upcoming Exhibitions

Slack Space are pleased and proud to be able to announce their program of exhibitions through to Mid February:

‘Slackweek’

December

9th – 12th 2009
A celebration of the creative talent of Slack Space volunteers

‘Blood on the Snow’

December 16th - January 10th 2010
A group exhibition challenging you to think about Christmas in new and different ways

‘Work in Progress’
January 14th - 24th 2010
Group show from Minories MA Arts in Social Context students

Female Photographers
January 28th – February 7th 2010
The best of Colchester and area's female photographers

'Graphic Start'
February 11th - 14th 2010
Graphic artist Lee Thomas wallpapers the space with his work. Public are invited to interact and participate

A brief glimpse of 'The Usual Subjects'

Breaking In Slackspace!

breaking in slackspace!) from little hello on Vimeo.

GET INVOLVED!

Do you know any Ghost Stories?

Have you (or has anyone you know) had a ghostly, paranormal, or just plain weird experience?

If so I’d like to hear about it.

Please email your story to – janeleade (at) gmail.com

The best tales will be told in an evening of Christmas Ghost Stories at the next Slack Space mini fest – details to be announced here or find us on facebook: Slackspace Colchester

Items for ‘Invisible Tree’

Call for artists to submit items that relate to Colchester or what you don't like about Xmas. These need to be small and light and able to be hung from fishing line which will be strung from the ceiling to form a ‘teepee’ shape. The concept is to create an invisible tree from which the ‘decorations’ hang. There is also reference to maypoles.
Lines will be up to 10 foot long so feel free to send enough to fill one if you can and you have a particular theme. Please hand these in to Slack Space during opening hours Thursday - Saturday 12 -6pm and Sunday 10 - 4pm marked ‘Maypole tree.’

‘Twelfth Night’ on Twelfth Night

Slackspace are hosting The Guerilla Shakespeare Company's rehearsed public reading of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night in Slackspace on - well twelfth night - which is Weds 6th Jan. Professionals and amateurs will be combining to render Shakespeare's funniest play which will be directed by Dorian Kelly. Would you like to be involved ? We have already cast Maria, Olivia and Malvolio with local professional actors, but most of the parts are up for grabs including some of the fun parts such as Sir Andrew Aguecheek. No experience required!

The performance is at Slack Space, 33 Long Wyre Street- the shop that was once Roseby's. The commitment is for about four to five hours rehearsal on the previous Sunday 3rd and a short top up / warm up rehearsal on the Wednesday, with performance with live music at about 7.30. Reading is from script, (supplied) line learning optional, but very useful. We will be performing it with simple indicative props and hats, scarves etc, some movement, lots of production value, not just a row of talking heads. See http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/twelfthnight/characters.html

for a list of characters.

If you would like to take part email dorian (at) theatrearts.biz with an indication of what part you think you would like to do. Dorian Kelly

Last call for Christmas

This is the last call for the Christmas exhibition folks. Closing date is 30 Nov with possible extension to 5 Dec.

Blood on the snow

– beyond, behind and before Christmas

A call for artists, musicians and performers for a Slack Space exhibition 17 Dec – 3 Jan and associated mini festival 17 – 19 Dec

Christmas time and the High Street is a cacophony of crass consumerism, a cornucopia of worn out images and sterile selling, a festival that has forgotten its roots, lost in the mists of time and midwinter – a winter that must be survived and blood on the snow.

Whatever you believe, Slack Space is putting out a call for work across all art forms which offers an alternative interpretation to the Christmas experience. In particular, we are looking for:

- Work which subverts or looks at traditional Christmas iconography in a new way

- Work which challenges the consumerism of Christmas and the ‘Christmas industry’

- Work which explores the old rituals and festivals which predate the Christmas tradition including sacred items and images

- Work which explores the old or natural roots to modern ceremonies and symbols around the Christmas season

- Traditional music and dance predating the modern Christmas festival

- Music which subverts or deconstructs Christmas carols or other Christmas songs

- Work which looks at the midwinter season and its challenges

- Work which offers an alternative interpretation to the Christmas experience

Expressions of interest / examples of work should be submitted to colchesterslackers (at) googlemail.com with the heading ‘Blood in the Snow’.

'The Usual Subjects: artwork by kids with cans and ideas'

firstsite have been working with artist Shaun Dipper to explore the history and techniques of graffiti and street art with a group of talented young people from Highwoods and Greenstead Youth Clubs. So why not pop in to Slack Space and see the results of the groups' hard work. (Thurs 26th-Sun 29th Nov and Thursday 3rd -Sun 6th Dec - usual opening times)

Free drop-in art workshop to create your own designs

Saturday 5th December 2-4pm

Shaun will be leading a workshop along with some of the artists where you can explore graffiti and street art styles taking inspiration from the work on display and that of contemporary street artists.

Workshop is suitable for children aged 8-12 years old and their parent or guardian. No need to book, just turn up between 2 and 4pm for half an hour or so of creativity!

For more details on the exhibition or workshop please contact firstsite on 01206 577067 or 07595 271982

A selection from a series of images entitled 'Change (Discarded) 1 - 8' by Sioux Jordan.

Currently on display in the Slackspace Gallery, Colchester.

Hints of Change

Transition / Change is an exciting new group exhibition. The theme has been interpreted broadly and boldly by the selected artists. Interpretations include seasonal and environmental change, climate change, changes in tone, colour, scope and taste, social and economic change, inherent changeand temporary flux. Artists include Bernadette Stevens, Chris Northall, Clive Wakefield, Derek Wray, Paula McGregor, Signals Media, Sioux Jordan and Vron Francis
Transition / Change is curated by David Ross and runs from Thur 12 Nov – Sun 22 Nov. Gallery opening times are 12pm – 6pm Thur – Sat, 10am – 4pm Sun

November Mini-Festival

All events are guest list only.

Please email colchesterslackers (at) gmail.com to reserve a place.

Thur 12 November:

Doors 7pm

7.30 - 8pm Performance art from Keziah Osborne

8pm - 8.30 Breakdancing showcase with B-Boy Boogie Monster

A Breakdancing Showcase from Colchesters' B-Boys & B-Girls. Showing off their skills, the children and adults will display Top Rocking, Floorwork, Freezes and Power Moves. After the display there will be an Open Circle for any enthusiastic Breakers; that don't normally train at Slack Space, to join in and Throwdown

8.45 - 9.45 Artwork

Gorgeous acoustic folk

10pm - 11pm Avec Noir

Avec Noir are a mystery Electropop 'concept' group from Europe. With Pierre Durant (vocalle) Dzork Schwarz (vocalle, electrodrums) and Cristoff Lefevre (vocalle, synthesizer, programmation) Depeche Mode meets Frank Sinatra? Recent comments from airplay on WFMU include: 'These guys remind me of Holger Czukay's early solo work.' 'Wait wait wait... so how is it 'spose to be?' 'This? Is hilarious. I hope it's a parody of Autobahn.' 'Love the "porn synths"' ' 'Faux-French Krautrock. Okay, I've officially blown my mind'

Compere and poetry from: Mark Bayley

Fri 13 November:

Doors 7pm

7.30 - 8pm Stuart Russell

Re-evolve is a piece Stuart Russell has specifically composed for the event Transition/ Change. This is a piece of music which consists of 4 small building blocks which then continuously evolve into new forms, some times imitating each other, occasionally reverting to their original forms, sometimes overlapping, sometimes being transposed. At the end of the piece the music will be nothing like how it started yet all the changes would have been directly derived from the original four forms.

8pm - 8.30pm Tristan Burfield

Tristan Burfield has a unique and evolving experimental electronic style that often incorporates lo-fi elements such as videogames, toys, glitches and noise. His first live performances began in Bristol back in 2003, he has subsequently played shows throughout London and the Midlands. This work is a reinterpretation of the synthesiser music of “Jean Michelle Jarre” to be performed using only the limitations of the humble Commodore 64 sound chip. Stripping the pieces of their pomposity and expensive trimmings the listener shall be invited to re-evaluate the role of technology in the construct of musical form.

8.45 - 9.45 The Sugar Tree

Sugar Tree are an acoustic act; fronted by the vocal talents of Rachel O'Mahony with Richard Moss on Guitar and Andy Franklin on percussion. Rachel’s haunting vocals are complemented by the acoustic textures and beats of the songs; simple, subtle and emotive.

10pm - 11pm The Jim Jims

Beccy and Vincent started playing their take on Jazzy acoustic songs tinted with bossa grooves. They both write their own songs and it wasn't long before they started playing in local pubs and festivals. Last winter they were joined by Clive on the bass, giving an extra super-dimension to the Jim Jims! The Jim Jims play an eclectic mix of original songs and covers but always with a personal twist. 2009 has been a busy year so far and they're looking forward to many more!

Compere and poetry from: Mark Bayley

Sat 14 November:

1pm The Meddlars

Slack away your afternoon with this superb Irish folk band

Doors 7.15pm

7.45pm - 8.45pm Lady Bird + the Larks

Want to hear something completely different? Then don’t miss this opportunity to see Lady Bird & The Larks. These five talented females have joined forces to perform a unique blend of original songs sung in five-part harmony. The group is led by Colchester singer-songwriter Sally Theobald on guitar, whose clever and witty lyrics offer a real insight into today’s way of life, backed by singers Jeanette Lynes, Lorraine Francis, Alison Benz and Jenny Allenby. Subjects cover everything from working on a till (‘Bing Bong - I'm a checkout girl ’) to the perils of conducting a relationship via text messages (‘Mobile Luv’).

9pm - 11pm [with interval] Stripped to the Bone

Black Cat Bone (Stripped to the Bone): An evening of chilled, laid back acoustic blues. “One of the best blues bands to emerge in our region. It's not hard to hear why this four piece are going down a storm in pubs. Black Cat Bone are a welcome addition to East Anglia's Blues Scene.”..The Grapevine. Find out more here

Compere and poetry from: Mark Bayley

Glimmers of Bright & Beautiful