Jamie Baldridge @ Richard Goodall Gallery

P.S. Review of the Jamie Baldridge exhibition, Pilgrims & Peregrines at the Richard Goodall Gallery, up over at Citylife.co.uk 

Jamie Baldridge, Pilgrims & Peregrines @ Richard Goodall Gallery

After the slightly iffy Intertwining Line at the Cornerhouse, it was nice to go and see something I unreservedly liked. 

The Richard Goodall Gallery knows how to please a crowd, which I guess it pretty important if you're going to be a commercial gallery in these financially disastrous times. I might have disliked some of the Niagara and Yumiko exhibition, but if I had that fabled fist full of fifties I would have thrown it at one of Niagara Opium series. 

Millionaire admirers take note. 

A nicer version of these thoughts should go up on Citylife soon, but I thought I'd mention how much I enjoyed Pilgrims & Peregrines at the Richard Goodall Gallery today. 

Jamie Baldridge's photographic prints are on many levels a little dodgy and rather tacky, but they are also entrancing and beautiful. They remind me of those Tool videos, and of the more phantasmagorical of  Jean-Pierre Jeunet's films. 

A Dainty Phylectic

One major problem is that online images do absolutely no justice to what the original, full sized prints look like! When I saw the preview images I thought it looked rather twee, faux-surreal and generally derivative nonsense. But in real life, with the beautiful lustre and textures which the prints contain it is a completely different story.

The exhibition continues until the 6th of December. They are then followed by an exhibition of the wildly popular Nicoletta Ceccoli. You'll know exactly who I mean when you see the images. 

Anyway, I'm tired and need to prepare for a day of helping out at the NOISE festival tomorrow, and  Thought Bubble this weekend. 

Night Night. 

Putting on The Glitz @ Whitworth Art Gallery

Writing things for Citylife.co.uk really drives home to differences between writing for different audiences. 

I'm really rather pleased with the write up I gave the opening of Putting on The Glitz at the Whitworth. It is certainly nice to have professionals to clean and buff my writing up into something rather smart and shiny. 

The opening was the fanciest thing I've been to since the opening of a commercial print fair at the Royal Academy last year. 

The exhibition itself? It is rather beautiful, but remarkably small as well. It is a bijou  box of magpie delights. 

Opening Bonanza: Charmeuse, The Intertwining Line & International 3

Attempted to go to the opening of three at exhibitions yesterday and failed! 

Did manage to make the opening of Charmeuse, the Ladyfest art exhibition, though I did sadly miss the performance by Fabiola Paz.

This is a wonderful, really professional and high quality exhibition. Understandably, Laura Robertson seemed really pleased and proud of the exhibition. Anyhoo, my first attempt at writing content for Citylife.co.uk is now up and has some nice quotes from Laura and some of the organisers and artists.

Then I swung by the opening of The Intertwining Line at the Cornerhouse. Didn't really get much out of it, mostly because the gallery was insufferably hot and crowded. I can't handle crowds and couldn't locate the free booze. Shock and horror! Though I shall return midweek to have a proper gander and think about it.

I kicked my heels for far too long waiting for my buddy and then tried to head over International 3 for the opening of the Magnus Quaife exhibition. We rocked up just when it was closing. Sadly, I cannot wholly blame my mate's tardiness, since we both didn't really know where we were going and managed to get lost. However, the people outside did seem in a pretty good mood, so perhaps it's a good one and worth returning to.

Tonight is magpie's delight, Putting on the Glitz at Whitworth Art Gallery, opened by the one and only Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen. Tomorrow, The Third Manchester Artists Book Fair. 

Third Manchester Artists' Books Fair @ MMU 8th November

After my Thursday of being triple booked ( and that's if you don't count internship in the day ) , I'm glad this is on Saturday. 

Third Manchester Artists' Book Fair at the Manchester Metropolitan University, All Saints Campus, is a one day event which is open to the public 11am to 5.30pm. Artists' Book can be pretty varied, so hopefully will be an interestingly eclectic affair. 

Frankly seems a bit like an industry junket, and there is very little information about exhibitors available online. However, I do know my friends over at The Manchester Comixs Collective will be in attendance.  

The Interwining Line Preview @ Cornerhouse, 6 November

Bloody hell, everything and their mum is happening this Thursday!

Not only is it the launch of the Ladyfest visual art exhibition, Charmeuse, it is also the preview of the new exhibition at the Cornerhouse. Called The Interwining Line: Drawing as a Subversive Art, the exhibition presents artists' drawings alongside early and
contemporary animation, highlighting their expression of political and social criticism

Taking over all three galleries of the Cornerhouse, the preview will start at 7.30pm and feature a special performance by artist Naomi Kashiwagi, who has previously been involved in that Manchester institution Apartment. She will perform her own unique vintage DJ style performance art, of which there is a rather old profile on the BBC Manchester website. 

Naomi Kashiwagi doing her arty, DJ stuff

Incidentally, it is also the BIG LAUNCH of this years Oxjam Manchester, at Trof 3, or the Deaf Institute, or whatever you wanna call it, 7pm - 2am & £5 entry. Details may be on the ubiquitous facebook , but still looks like a bloody good party. 

Manchester Ladyfest, CHARMEUSE @ Zion Arts Centre

Hooray for Ladyfest!

What, you don't know what Ladyfest is? Ladyfest is a community-based, not-for-profit global music and arts festival for female artists that features bands, musical groups, performance artists, authors, spoken word and visual artists. This years Manchester Ladyfest is based at the Zion Arts Centre in Hulme. Running between 7th & 9th of November there is a full line up of talks, workshops and music events. Unfortunately, they've stuck the most comprehensive and comprehendible list of events on their facebook page. I may be addicted to facebook like everyone else, but wish it wasn't becoming so bloody ubiquitous. 

Anyway, getting my knickers in a twist about the accompanying visual arts exhibition, CHARMEUSE. A full list of exhibitors can be found on the ubiquitous facebook. 

It's free on the preview night, Thursday 6th November 6-9pm, and will be open during the Ladyfest festival weekend. Tickets are priced from £5, open 7-9th November 10am - 11pm,  available from www.wegottickets.com