Manchester - Ai Wei Wei Show

Fabulous Ai Wei Wei show at the Factory International in Manchester this morning. A bit pricey but worth it. Massive thought provoking sculptures and ceramics etc. Soundtrack was an audio piece with names of Chinese children being read out - all 5,000 were killed in an earthquake. It made Hazel cry. Then to the nearby park for alfresco lunch we bought with us. On the way back to the station we popped into the Spanish library to see small exhibition of posters by Joan Brossa. Started off quite cool but soon went very warm and muggy. Crawled back to station and got the 2 o'clock train. Phew!

Manchester

A nice day in Manchester despite the crowds and noise etc. Had a lovely lunch at Bundabust with Tone and Pene. They went off to look round the Chinese Quarter but we went to look at boots and records in the other parts of town - marvelling at the old buildings that haven't been bulldozed. Popped into FOPP which was disappointing. Quite expensive vinyl and DVD's. Then onto the Portico Library and nice exhibition of books and prints etc. by Stephen Emerson. Then a sit down in the Manchester Art Gallery which has some comfy sofas and videos to watch. Exhibitions rather dull sadly and not changed since last year! Later off to the print show at MMU where Hazel collected her box of prints she participated in.

Remembering Barry

Dear old chum Barry Wenden shuffled off this mortal coil a year ago or so. Can't quite believe he is gone. We lost touch over the last few years - life getting in the way as it does. Here we are with another old chum Trevor out in the wilds of Cheshire (funny how things go round in a big circle?) back in 1968 0r '69 maybe - three hairy art students in the green sward. This colourised photo popped up recently on my FB page. Incredible String Beans or are we the Pixie Ruralists? Anyway, it seems a hell of a long time ago now looking back through green coloured glasses. Here's a nice email that Barry sent me before he got poorly remembering our lunchtime trips to Shude Hill book market in Manchester when we were spotty art students. Halycon days!......................."Many thanks for this - all wonderful stuff!! Just as I remember it. It was great to escape the art school (well the staff) and venture up at lunchtime - really enjoyed it. Bet we missed out on some rare first additions that all those book dealers were scavenging and rummaging for? We were looking for Rupert, Chicks Own, Rainbow and Toby Twirl!! Seem to recall a lorry turning up once and up-ending its content of books on the pavement. Did I also get my deck there - probably? We were like two peas in a pod but I only have a faint memory of timidly going back and complaining. Although for the life of me I can't think why? What on earth did I use for an amplifier? Did I plug the deck into my radio and run that off into some of my 1930's sun-ray speakers? That's a rhetorical question as I'm sure my memory is as fuzzy as yours? It'll all come back to me when I'm in my wheelchair. I seem to recall saving up (I think Mum helped) to buy a Prinz (rubbish) Amplifier from Dixons but I think that may well have been later, when I bought my Denon Speakers and made the plywood boxes for them - goodness they're still here beside me in this loft studio! The things we did!"......................

Archie's 30th Birthday

Lovely to see Archie and Meriel for his 30th birthday. We had some nice food over the weekend including fish and chips from the Codfather we ate at Granma's house. Theye went off to Manchester on Sunday to pick Meriel''s work up from the Bankley Gallery Open. We went to the indoor boot sale but it was a quid to get in ( have I already said this?) so Hazel refused to enter. We went round the charity shops instead although not many are open on a Sunday! In the evening we had a lasagne I made and more cake. We watched a bit of Inherent Vice on Blu-ray but nobody was in the mood for such a complicated plot and 60's slang ridden dialogue so we watched an episode of Ghosts instead .

Interactive Arts 27 Years Celebration

Off to Manchester for 24 hours of fun and elbow greets. Met up with John Hegley to show him round the Curious Things exhibition which he seemed to enjoy especially the hand and feet shaped postcards. Then over to the Interactive Arts celebrations and speeches to open the exhibition in Benzie, The Link Gallery and Grosvenor Gallery in MMU. John read some poems and sung a song about Hazel. Did some colouring in of figs. Met Jim Medway the cartoonist/illustrator. Another former I.A. student as was Ryan Gander ( not present ) and many more alumni who gathered to catch up and knock elbows. Later in the Mezze bar for drinks and impossible quishy tower burger. Stayed night in the nearby hotel as Hazel had to come in the next day to turn on all the videos, TV' s and computers. Sadly because of the flu scare lots of people stayed away.

Mini Mail Art Symposium

Nice day with Roger Stevens, Jilly Stevens and Joe Decie who stayed overnight with us before we all went off to Manchester the next day to see John Held and his partner Mary who had been in Budapest and now in UK for a few days to give a talk at MMU on mail art. Also a rubber stamp workshop at Special Collections as part of the Curious Things exhibition. Stephen Fowler the renowned rubber stamp carver and graphic designer came all the way from Bristol which was nice. He brought a big box of his latest stamps with him. Nice to meet up at last sincebeing friends on FB for a while. Peter Arkle the cartoonist was their briefly too. Hazel talked to him but I was otherwise engaged. Printed to the jumbo rubber stamp which was fun and Stephen and few other folk had a go too. Nice lunch in the Eighth Day Wholefood Cafe which was very crowded but we managed to find two tables to push together. It all went on until 7pm and then we rushed off to get grab a sandwich and get out train home. Roger and family went off to visit relatives in Manchester. John and Mary had a curry to sample and then back to LOndon and their flight to SF tomorrow. Phew! The rain held off thankfully so wasn't too wet.

Curious Things

Some fuzzy views of the new "interactive area" in the foyer of the Curious Things exhibition in Special Collections, MMU, Manchester. There's a rubber stamping table to add to your free stamp card/ exhibition guide etc. A bowler hat post box in memory of W. Reginald Bray and a section to stick your artworks. Here some students from fine art history department are having fun with the stamps. Thanks to Sophie for the photos.#mmucuriousthings

CURIOUS THINGS Open Evening

Nice but somewhat stressful evening at PV at Special Collections in Manchester. Went on train and met up with Rick Cox and Allison, Tony and Pene Eve, Mark Pawson in the Benzie cafe for a chat and quick look round the dissapointing MA show. Then over to library and SC for a mingle with gathered throng. Staff there had pulled out all the stops and provided lots of drink and hospitality. I had to read Roger Stevens poem out as it was National Poetry Day which was slightly embarrassing but managed it and even got a round of applause. Hazel read her speech as did the head of Special Collections - Anneka? Mark P. gave us a potted history of the mail art movement from Fluxus to the 90's. Great to see Russ Columbo turn up from Fife in Scotland who I hadnt seen for over 50 years! Also amazed to see Jennifer Williams from London on a day excursion just to see the exhibition! Also there were Charlie Holt, some assorted staff and ex-staff of MMU nd even a few students. Chatted to several poeple who I didn't know but seemed intrigued by it all which was nice. A friend of Keith Bates. A man from the Victorian Envelope Club? One man who said his friend makes painted postcards and would be sure to tell him so he could send me one. Quite an evening and very tiring - trudged back through wet Manchester streets to the train station and home

More Tweaking at Curious Things

Nice day depsite the drizzle in Manchester again to sort out the vitrines and print some labels etc. Also made sketch of where everything was in the mailed objects cabinet and did a diagram and key to find everything which will be added to wall. Hazel printed more labels with her Victorian rubber stamp set. The invites are printed and look very nice. Posters look amazing! More soon! #mmucuriousthings

Curious Things install

2nd day of install at Special Collections, MMU in Manchester. Hazel and myself sorting out lots of cabinets ( we need more!) and directing framing of posters, artistamps, postcards etc. One of the biggest, if not the biggest overview of the mail art scene in the UK. To be opened on 25th September ( PV 3rd October ) through to April 2002. #mmucuriousthings

Manchester Degree Shows

Nice train ride into Manchester for the annual degree shows at Interactive Arts and Fine Art, Sculpture etc. Some good work by the students this year. Had breakfast in the station Carluccios - salmon , scrambled egg on toasted ciabatta - yum! A pre-birthday treat! Luckily the awful weather of recent days was absent and we even got a good comfortable train both ways. Wow, miracles do happen! Also saw the folk at Special Collections for the mail art exhibition we are sorting for September. They all seem keen on the idea and had some good ideas about the flyers, poster and other publicity bumph we will need. Got the 4-40 train back.

Rose Croft, Brentwood. - 29th June 1972

Dear Old Bean, What ho? Zadgooks! No more skool! Welcome to the big wide world also the big wide dole queue! Isn't life stra - a -ha -ha -ha -hange! What are all your bobby soxed chums doing? All going to University or becoming air hostesses, nurses, secret- terriers and wrestlers I expect. Get well soon, I hope the pneumonia isn't TOO serious. Did you get my wet card from Mankchester? I got back yesterday. It rained every day while everyone was basking in the heat wave down here, just my luck! I enjoyed seeing my old pals though and getting drunk every nite, on soapy nothern brew. We went to a funny "done up" pub which had a big plastic hay stack inside, also barn doors, five bar gates, pitch forks, stiles, piles and files and nasty plastic turnips and manglewurzels on the wall which lit up looking like blood clots and giblets! Uerk! I did a bit of grassy bank on Trevor's ( my old pal. I stayed and his and "worms" house ) muriel of trains thundering across the top of the bar in this working men's club ( British Rail geddit?) The grey pussycat from next door just wandered in to see me. She'd had her kittens now, but we don't know where. Pig Man Dave has probably drowned them all being a christian! I don't believe that about the president of Korea - he must have been double jointed! Barry and Eve are going to take me to see David Bowie at the RFH next weekend as a special birthday treat! Woopy! Bona- palona! I thought you was going on holiday with P and his brother, summat kinky like that? on a boat or summink? know what I mean? on a boating holiday, his brother and you, on a boat? On holiday? On a boat? Stiff upper leg old frueit! Nevermind, think of it as a blessing in disguise. How IS old fruity robot man? I thought he had emigrated - no such luck eh? I spent all my hard earned mooftah in Manchester and now I can't pay this month's rent! Woe is a me bop! Bill the stranglijg rent collector will have a fink pit! That cat just came in again and jumped on your letter, do you use fish ink? Well, there's no fish ink allowed you know! ho! ho! Rot a vunny jokey ! he! he! Bonus knockers, Perky Snoot.

More from Manchester

Stickers from a machine in a supermarket in Chinatown. Facade of old building left standing. The old fire station thats empty and needs refurbishment before it rots away like so many old buildings in Manchester city centre.

Manchester

I accompanied Hazel into Manchester today to see the degree shows. I had intended to go to Salford too to see Charlie Holt's collage exhibition at the Art Gallery in Peel Park but my corn was throbbing and back still had a slight twinge so didn't make it. I tired to pace myself around MMU and had regular sit downs. Hazel was off interviewing prospective students ( some good ones she said afterwards ) and so I was left to my own devices. Most of the shows were pretty dull but I did enjoy this big paper boat made of many small paper boats ( or are they hats?) which was in the foyer of the new build and not sure which department they belonged to. Also very nice to see were the giant family of ceramic insulators outside the science building near the University. In fact I think I preferred them to the art!