I went to Ikon Eastside last night and all I got were some flip flops

The launch of Ikon’s new Eastside space in Birmingham last night was quite a lot for the senses to take in.

Turning up at about 8.30pm the space was in almost complete darkness with people sitting on the floor and milling around looking bemused. Having managed not to trip over the bodies on the floor – and with my eyes getting used to the lack of light – I realised that I was indeed walking over Soi Project’s Island and nobody seemed to mind… until the lights came up.

The work is made up of 3-dimensional Islands on the ground which are covered in Google Earth images. Visitors navigate their way around the islands via the sea and are invited to put stickers on the island to influence the useage of the space. But the really clever thing is that over 24 minutes (rather than hours) the passage of time is simulated using the lighting in the space which takes us from almost pitch black to bright daylight – and the warming effects of the light almost feel like sun (although i’m not sure that was the intention).

So when daylight arrived I was spotted and promptly directed to the door to collect some flip flops (I was wearing heels – big faux pas for this particular exhibition). The flip flops (I assume) are to be worn so you don’t damage the work as you walk around it or on top of it which also seemed to be encouraged.

But don’t be alarmed the flip flops were new and I was allowed to take them home with me which felt like a little gift to remember the work by.

The space used for Ikon Eastside is soon to be ‘Fazeley Studios’ (owned by the Custard Factory) – a large complex of office and workshop space which will be completed in about 6 weeks.

MIDLANDS TYPOGRAPHIC REAL ESTATE

This is a great oppportunity to get your brand involved in a unique and wonderful piece of art..

Emergent Visual Communicators from Birmingham City University are presenting a unique opportunity for you to celebrate your brand identity through the creation of a bespoke visual map.

June the 11th sees the launch of a site-specific artwork, created from the regions leading brands, which will span the entirety of the central exhibition hall of the Department of Visual Communication, creating a expressive environment with your identity and mark your place within the business and cultural communities. Each brand will be represented through it’s own exclusive hand crafted letterforms,
creating a diverse visual landscape, full of original voices.

To participate in this visual conversation, enhancing your business profile and establishing your visual voice to an international audience, consider investing in the Midlands Typographic Map. Please send a JPG image of your logo at 300dpi to the email below stating what size you would like.

Typographic real estate is available for sale in the following plot sizes:
35cm x 16 cm – £50
50cm x 24 cm – £100
70cm x 32 cm – £200
100cm x 48 cm – £300

All entries must be in before Friday 30th may 2008.
The map will be available for viewing between 11 – 21 June
A limited series of 200 artist prints are in production to commemorate the Midlands Typographic Map.

For more information: david.osbaldestin@bcu.ac.uk / 0121 3315830

Gail Troth exhibition at The Mailbox

At the end of April Three White Walls Gallery, at The Mailbox, will feature local artist Gail Troth.

“Troth’s latest collection is created using a unique painting method of concentric circles created from single drops of paint into pools of fluid. Rather than using more traditional techniques this unique use of materials allows the paint to formulate naturally in a way that is hard to emulate.”

The next Pub Conversations is announced

We’ve just had an email announcing the forthcoming Pub Conversations event with London based artists Melanie Carvalho and artist and writer Ross Birrell who is also lecturer and researcher at Glasgow School of Art and editor of the online journal, Art & Research.

Tuesday 29th April
7.30pm
The Lamp Tavern, 257 Barford Street, Birmingham, B5 7EP.
www.pubconversations.co.uk

Places must be booked in advance by emailing selfservice@hotmail.co.uk.

Last 2 days to see Visual

If you haven’t had the chance to pop in to the VISUAL exhibition at Baskerville House  then you have today and tomorrow to take a look before it closes.

“The exhibition features fine art, photography and contemporary craft by new, emerging and established British artists, all of whom have been carefully selected by arts professionals and business leaders. All the work is for sale and is suitable for both corporate and domestic settings.”

Writer matthew Pricehas written and extensive piece about the Visual concept and the exhibition which you can read on the Fused site here.

Image above: Jennifer Collier, Little Women Stilettoes, paper and card, 18 x 18 x 8 cm approx. Courtesy the artist. Photo: Luke Unsworth