The Curious Collector exhibition

Artist Book - Featherweight

The weight of a soul is the weight of a feather. Visible through the poem (a cover or title page) are the five blank pages, made of fine cotton lawn, that comprise the artist’s book. The poem Featherweight was written for the project by the artist and poet Angela Gardner. Featherweight is published by light-trap press in a limited signed edition of five. Featherweight will be shown as part of Barratt Galleries Hankie project.

Lisa, Gwenn and I also held a workshop at Umbrella studios.

Night Ladder at Umbrella Studio Townsville

Night Ladder Exhibition at Umbrella Studio Townsville where Marg Naylor, Public Programs Co-ordinator at Perc Tucker Regional Gallery talking with Gwenn Tasker and Lisa Pullen at the Opening of The Night Ladder exhibition.

Yogjakarta

Just back in Australia after ten days in Indonesia. First two days were spent cross-legged on a rattan mat in a batik studio learning traditional batik methods using beeswax and a tjanting (pictured). While staying in Yogjakarta went to see the Ramayana performed in traditional Javanese style and was mesmerised... Indonesia is truly an amazing place from being woken at 4.30am by the call to prayer, the shoals of motorbikes on the streets, Borobodur (pictured), traditional dancing at the sultan's palace (pictured) to drinking ginger tea and more tofu than I have ever had in my life...oh and durian....that is a whole other story...

Highgate Cemetery

one of my top weird things to do in London.

Small Publisher's Book Fair London

light-trap press recently had a stand at the 9th International Small Publisher's Book Fair London. We were able to show twelve labours, The Night Ladder and holding Job's hand to the many people who visited our stand.

Up coming events

Poetry Reading:


National Library of Wales Aberystwyth with Keri Finlayson lunchtime 10 November

Date: Wednesday 11 November
Venue: Menzies Centre, Australia Centre, Corner Strand and Melbourne Place, London
WC2B 4LG
Cost: Free
Please rsvp to frank.bongiorno@kcl.ac.uk for details

light-trap press will have a stand at the London Small Publisher's Fair ... 13/14 November. Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1 (tube: Holborn) Main Hall, open 11am – 7pm. Admission free. Readings (including one by Angela Gardner) 14th Nov afternoon.

Current drawing project at UWIC

I've been working in the studio at UWIC School of Art...exploring the sensory and graphic elements of the written as visual language dislocated from the sign-specific meaning of words themselves. This is seeing whether theories that originated in linguistics such as Julia Kristeva’s argument for the materiality of language through the gesture of writing have a correlation in visual language. I've also been thinking about Derrida’s absent/presence narrative and the silence of spaces whether it can be interpreted as the artworld’s ‘negative space’. How do writing and drawing relate to each other? Obviously I have a lot to learn about linguistics but thinking about how these concepts translate in the studio is proving very interesting. Drawings in the sequence are currently titled "Out of Sight (of thought)" Drawings are in unfinished works in progress.

Derek Jarman's house and Dungeness

Had a wonderful few days with Laurie Duggan and Rosemary. Laurie took us all the way across the other side of Kent to visit Derek Jarman's house and Dungeness. Strange and wonderful.

Brommies

We're seeing a different side to London - yes we have got ourselves folding bikes - serious fun. If the weather holds we are aiming to ride to Greenwich to meet up with poet Cherry Smyth. Most of the route is via the Regent Canal...we've already headed West to Little Venice, this time we'll be heading East.

NightLadder (after)

To have a look at the book works made from offcuts of the Night Ladder project by artist Caren Florance see her blog Ampersand Duck

Shoes on holiday

Just to show how far a gifted pair of shoes can travel here are some photo's from my recent roadtrip in Portugal and Spain. Thanks to Belfast artist Angela Ginn for the now well travelled shoes.

My poem Three hours out from Heathrow has been read on Radio National's Poetica...if you want to listen there is a podcast.

I've just spent the day at the Alhambra...I am speechless.

Currently in Portugal. Picked almonds and figs yesterday. My friend Wendy has hurt her arm so I am doing the driving...we are driving to Spain tomorrow hoping to make it to Granada and visit the Alhambra. I am writing a poem (of course!) hoping for it to become part of a new Iberian manuscript....along with some poems I had written around a previous trip to Madrid.

In Wales tonight!

Been a busy few days, first picking up the books at Llanfyllin, a poetry reading at Whitchurch Library in Cardiff, off to see a Iwan Bala exhibition (highly recommended) and last night to see Tim Minchin (humour like that makes you proud to be an Aussie).

When I leave the Clouds - Billboard

Have a look at: the QUT site to see the latest public art installation from light-trap press and artbunker.

Cherry Smyth walks on water

This miraculous eveent took place on a visit to Crom castle. It was witnessed by Angela Ginn, Angela Gardner and Lauren Crux.

Recent Rain

There has been quite a bit of rain in August - fine for staying in the studio or at the writing desk, but a bit difficult for Miles and David who are filming or for painters wishing to go out au plein air - the air has been anything but plein! Just to give you an idea here are some photos of Annaghmakerrig Lake. You will see the floating jetty is now an island. I was going to take a photo of the water level gauge but couldn't find it - missing presumed drowned!

A Reading, Recital and Open studio evening organised by myself, Clodagh McGuiness and Angela Ginn. Readers were Lauren Crux, G.C. Waldrep, Gerard Giux, Angela Gardner, Cherry Smyth, Belinda McKeon, Henri Cole, Mona De Pracontal and Mark Roper. Recital by Francesco Turissi on piano in the Composers Room followed by a demonstration of techniques on various European and Middle Eastern drums. (sorry no photos from that). Then the following artists openned their studios: Clodagh McGuinness, Angela Ginn, Debi O'Hehir, Janet Pierce and last but not least Cynthia Moran (see seperate post below).