March means getting back into the swing of things and despite recent hohaas….I’m getting on it all(Though next January and Feb I’m planning on going to Southern India. Anyone fancy it?)
So.....
I’ve been keeping my gig schedule low because I really have to knuckle down at college. I still not sure why I’m doing a Fine Art Masters but something in me is starting to make me realise why. St Martins isn’t the most disciplined of colleges and I find it hard to get motivated (though when I do, I tend to work like a workaholic beast…apparently a Capricorn straight) so I’ve had to kick myself up the arse and things are looking better.
I had feedback for the first draft of my research paper and was shocked to find it was good (and I quote from the report);
"This is a very satisfactory first draft! You write exceptionally clearly and with style and flair. Well done. You have potentially a very important piece of work here."
Shocked, yes!. I left school with a D in English and I’m probably the most least academic student on the course. I can’t get my head into thick theory and discourse (which probably reflects in the pop nature of my work and lines of creative enquiry). I try but tend to get bored after a few pages.
I personally can’t see the point of using flagrant words (which I see as pompous, pretentious and patronising) to discus or explain something when putting it simply is far easier to access. It may work for others but not for me.
I guess this is my gripe with the art world in general. I want to make art accessible but the language used to discus work and gallery texts are often written exclusively. Using jargon that is flowered with adjectives and nonsense that only the well read and artistically educated understand. What about thickies like me who appreciate and love art but don’t want to be made to feel excluded because we’re not up on our art philosophy and theory?
Anyway….
I performed as part of ’Lift and Separate’ at the V&A Museum. Yes, the V&A!!!
It was complied by Kat Heath and Eleanor Wdowski based on a play by Victoria Worsley about disgruntled underwear models. As I played ’Black’, I could be as snarly and pouty as I wanted. Ace!
The performance consisted of five ’models’ holding various vogue posses in a tableau for 15 minutes before breaking into a looped dance routine with a mixed classic and electronic soundtrack complied by Kat.
During the routine, we had the chance to break out of the line and walk about. I looked around at people in the space with distain and walked right into peoples faces. Was amazing that people stayed to watch the show and be engaged in it for the whole 30 minutes. We repeated it three times and glad to say, went well and was well received.
I shall be working with Kat and Ellie on another project soon and look forward to it.
I DJed at FOR3IGN! the following night which was fun. I had wanted to push the music in a direction that the kids might not have been familiar with but this proved not to be of particular interest so stuck with pop, bootlegs and remixes. Hey ho..they still danced and for a DJ (well for me) that’s what you want. I may not be the most technically gifted (though when I play on my decks at home, I can pull off confident smooth mixes that rival Sasha….) but I play good tunes. For me, that is what makes a good night on the tiles.
After the disco delights of Hoxton, I popped down to my good buddy DJ Tom Oke’s monthly night ’Edit’ at The Prince in Brixton (Tom deserves props. He’s very skilled technically and tops at tune selection….mixing up classic 80s pop and disco into the dirtiest French electro without missing a beat equals party satisfaction).
We had a rather bizarre experience at the Rex Club after which ran into the early hours. The main feature was being holed up in a hotel room with one of the most obnoxious people I have come across. Classic post party gossip fodder.
I popped up on ITV on Sunday in Inspector Morse spin off Lewis that me and my NYC Downlow chums did last Autumn. (Note: we are confirmed for Glastonbury and Lovebox Festivals this year….say bye bye to Lost Vagueness for your festival after-hours…….)
They cut a whole night shoot I did with the lovely Pia (cold…but was whisked to and from Oxford in a nice Mercedes so not all bad) and where we spent a whole afternoon having to shout "LOVE IS NEVER WRONG". So much money wasted on these things. Incredible.
The show itself was a dull two hours to sit through, just to see my ridiculous face for a few seconds. Every gay stereotype exploited to its extremes which was quite insulting. Maybe that’s why a lot of the ’gay’ was cut.
The end with the transsexual (played by Rachel Stirling who played a lesbatron in Tipping the Velvet…..not much of a departure in a related way) blowing herself up was quite hilarious though.
What else, ooh I had a call from The London Paper wanting quotes about self portraiture. I thought I’d be ’in’ it, not just quoted. I’d said something different to what was printed but I guess journalists have to alter to cater to their audience.
I’ll be performing at the Dirty Red Ball at Finsbury Town Hall tomorrow which should hopefully be full of lovely ladies wearing very little so I can have a good perv.
I’ve re-worked some classic songs about heartbreak (very cathartic) and turned it into something positive. I’d better go and learn the text I’ve re-written then.
Smooches
x
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