w00t w00t! We’re having a very special meet for London’s underground artists, troublemakers and creative misfits at the Institute of Contemporary Arts next week. Needless to say, it’s now fully booked. the To all who want to come to the next one, please email me at heleana 731 @ gmail dot com
The people from deliciously steampunky East London production studio House Of Strange plan to showcase some of their latest offerings in a new venue.
I was a fool to miss their night at the Notting Hill Arts Club; so I plan not to make the same mistake again. This evening promises to be full of disorientating film and music as well as a live performance by The House of Strange Band featuring some people that are new to me, such as Jeremy Warmsley, The Woe Betides, Summer Holiday and many more.
3 pounds entry. Have a look on their Facebook page for more info.
I’m very excited about Monday. Why? Cos I am going to see a some talented theatrical friends and fellow w00ters at intriguing East London show Cirxus, at the Arcola in Dalston. A production by the inimitable Foolish People, the story revolves around an atomic circus, brought to life through shamanism, folklore and mythology.
Tickets £14 and well worth it.
I’ve been reading around this idea recently as it’s always fun to speculate about what happend after postmodernism. To me, the very word ‘postmodern’ is kinda superlative - in that it’s about as modern as you can get. Who could top that?
Well anyone that went to the Tate Triennial will likely know that Nicolas Bourriaud took a stab - describing the “sort of dream catcher attempting to capture the characteristics of a modernity specific to the 21st century.” as the crux of what Altermodern is.
Reading this blog post about it though, and thinking about his focus on the melding and transcending of cultural boundaries as a core feature of an Altermodern outlook made me wonder whether it was something strikingly similar to Transculturalism he was talking about (or as Fernado Ortiz called it, ‘Transculturation‘)? And if so, do we really need another descriptor?
I suppose there are a number of cultural commentators that have hated Postmodernism’s sorry arse and have been gagging to kill it off, like this guy, so I’ll be intrigued to see what follows in terms of both artistic and wider societal considerations of what Altermodernism means once the dust of the Triennial has settled.
Head down to Peckham on March 10 for underpants printing, soul noodles, music and general weirdness, courtesy of Lucky .PDF. It’s only £3 after 7pm. I’m not sure when it starts, or exactly what it is even, but it looks fun.
Undercover Folk Club is back at the Ritzy, this time with a St Paddy’s Day theme. Green glad rags, leprechauns, and acappella Gaelic song. Open mic signup from 7.30pm, band on at 830.
Live performance, vaudeville, music hall, amateur enthusiasm, strange things, small things and the unspectacular. You don’t need to be tattooed, eat fire or walk on glass. Come for something you can’t quite put your finger on.
Thursdays in April
8-1130pm
Restistance Gallery, 265 Poyser St, E2
In the creative/media art/geek world, there aren’t nearly enough GURLS. I’m a GURL. I think this is a shame. So here is a massive cheer for MzTEK, a new collective whose mission in life is to do something about this. Career development, peer to peer learning, talks and community for creative girls who use tech to do their thang.
I’m off tomorrow afternoon for a MzTEK session on customising Wordpress themes.I can’t wait. Yes, I am a geek. And I’m a GURL, and while I have many friends who are chaps the idea of learning how to hack Wordpress with a bunch of other GURLS is massively appealing.
If you’re a GURL, you’re around tomorrow afternoon at 4-ish and want to join in, there may still be space. Email info at MzTEK dot org. More generally, they’re looking for teachers, friends, funders, supporters and general women who are into creativity and tech. Visit the MzTEK site for more.
East London is currently being redeveloped at a mad pace ahead of the 2012 Olympics. And while some are cheering on the influx of money and rebuilding, lots of people are wondering: what are we losing, of the old East End, as this happens?
This Saturday, Laura Oldfield Ford joins forces with the London Psychogeographical Association and more for a psychogeographic derive around the Olympic zone. The aim is to rediscover the spirit of the area, before it’s bulldozed flat to prepare for the upcoming international spectacle of sporting prowess and national pride in 2012.
If you want to join in, bring flyposters , old maps, chalk and marker pens., and meet 1pm at Hales Gallery (http://www.halesgallery.com).
Where: East London, on foot
When: Saturday 21 February
There’s more anti-valentine action this weekend than the Valentine sort. Or maybe that’s just my friends. If misanthropy and drinking songs in the hot tub aren’t your thing, then there’s always F*cking Animals, the Hijackers’ latest foray into depravity. Last time it was decadence generally, this time it’s bestiality. Those naughty Hijackers.
Where: Limehouse Town Hall
When: Saturday night
When: 8.30 till they throw you out.
If you want to go, you need to sign up first (it’s a quirk of the venue). To sign up, visit this link.