Joanne Calvino. Carry that weight.

15 times British Champion and current record holder Joanne Calvino was in the Tabernacle for lunch today... chicken salad is obviously an important part of her training regime; she is currently preparing for 2012.

I have never met anyone who looks less like a weightlifter than Joanne, she is tiny and slim. It was interesting to learn that a lot of our athletes are totally self funded and must fit their training around full time jobs. A laudable ethos.

I shall be following joanne's path to glory and wish her every success.

Troy Davis and the obscenity of the death penalty.

If a state or government does not value human life how the fuck can a state or government expect it's people to value human life. The USA appals me in its ability to kill its own.

Civilization my arse.

Bianca Jagger has written on the subject in the Huffington Post

The Ryan O'Reilly Band need an artist.

Ryan O'Reilly Band write:

I've sat here for ages trying to draw our album cover and it turns out I can't draw anything except cartoon eyes... If there are any artists out there who would be interested in helping me out by designing our album cover please send a message to theryanoreillyband@gmail.com and I'll give you some more information.

THE COLOURS OF AFRICA THROUGH HER CHILDREN'S EYES

In the Tabernacle gallery this week is an exhibition of art by Ugandan children. A colourful collection full of life and vitality. All are for sale at affordable prices. Highly recommended.

More HERE

Portobello Film festival Award winners.

The full list of the prize winners are as follows:

FILM
The King Is Dead (Ishmahil Blagrove)
SPECIAL AWARD
The Golborne Variations (J C Carroll)
ODDBALL TV 72 HOUR FILM CHALLENGE
Marcelo Paganini
DOCUMENTARY
From Patient To Pin Up (Michelle Hallak)
COMEDY
The Beardless Garibaldi (Nicola Piovesan)
MUSIC
I Chopped Her Up (Divian Ladwa)
FOREIGN FILM
The First Rasta (Helene Lee)
ANIMATION
Fantoon Gaga (Alberto Hadyar)
LONDON
Wreck (Cara Pickton)
DRAMA
Ebony Road (Maia Krall-Fry)

5 X 15, the loss of genius and hacking Misha Glenny's conversation.

A packed house for 5 X 15 last night for a particularly strong line up of speakers, even standing room was at a premium guaranteeing a partial standing ovation for all concerned.

Misha Glenny opened proceedings with 15 minutes on the rise of cybercrime, more on that later. He was followed by Simon baron-Cohen, Lucy Worsley, AS Byatt and finally Alexander Masters talking about the subject of his latest book, The Genius in my basement.

After the event I was sitting in my usual place in the bar when I was joined by a group including Misha Glenny. I was able to both tweet him live as well as hack into his conversation (otherwise known as butting in).

I shall be reading both alexander's and Misha's books.

                                           Alexander Masters

                                           AS. Byatt

                                           Simon Baron Cohen

                                                         Misha Glenny

                                                        Lucy Worsley                 


Photographs: Thomas Pegoraro

The next 5 X 15 is on October 17th. probably best to book now.

Chris Durkin, 1966 and all that.

I met Chris in 1966 as 11 year olds. We lost touch for over 40 years until I discovered him living less than a quarter of a mile away from me. we had been neighbours for years, drank in the same pubs, attended the same gigs. funny old world.

Chris is exhibiting his paintings at The Tabernacle Gallery next month.

Below is a taste of his work.

Sylvie guillem.

While discussing a collaboration with Ballerina Layla Wiseman, she introduced me to this video.

Trellick Tower humanised.

This image come courtesy of Collette Shields. Are we to look at Trellick... I wonder. Thanks collette and thanks for the hospitality.

Taking the piss (or not) on Talbot Road.

Clochemerle comes to Portobello Road.

Last week the Mayor, armed with a brass band, opened the newly refurbished lavatories on Talbot road. I now learn that the loo's will only be open at the weekend for the tourists. What about the Market traders and the locals who use Portobello road throughout the week?

The elements of French Farce are congregating on Talbot road.

Taking (or not taking) the piss or what?

From the Archives. Self portrait.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2008

Self portrait
The middle child.

As a young child I was given my own set of plastic tableware: plate bowl and beaker. these objects were yellow! I did not chose the colour yellow, I was told that the yellow ones were mine. From then onwards I would frequently be given yellow things; toys, clothes and the like. These objects were accompanied by the statement that yellow was my favourite colour, that had I the choice I would have opted for the yellow.

Yellow was not not my favourite colour. I would be hard pressed to name a favourite; I was never given the opportunity nor the luxury! I have a feeling that the colour was assigned to me in some kind of attempt to introduce a little brightness into an already dark and troubled child.

Even now, years later, if I am asked what my favourite colour is I am instinctively drawn to the word yellow... not to the colour but the word, as if yellow means favourite.

twenty years ago I made a picture of my childhood; It said everything I wanted or needed to say. It was both a portrait and a summary.
It consisted of a glazed, shallow wooden box. the box was lined with silver leaf upon which were placed a black and white image of myself aged three alongside a yellow plastic spoon (which I had taken from the Hayward gallery cafe; the artistic integrity of the object was important). The outside of the box was wrapped in mattress ticking to emphasise the comfortable environment that I appeared to inhabit. Unseen to the observer the back of the box was covered with an image of a mass of writhing snakes.

The choice of the plastic spoon was important in that accurately represented MY own self-regard; It was a valueless disposable item, even the colour was chosen on my behalf yet within its context it is transformed into something lyrical and poetic in its use of metaphor!
Something of no value is suddenly imbued with emotional importance. It has something to say. the rest of the symbolism is hackneyed and obvious but no less important for that.

This image was the first of a series of portraits using plastic cutlery of various colours, all taken from art galleries to ensure the Artistic integrity, culminating in a self portrait as a black plastic spoon. This consisted of nothing more than the spoon (from Tate Modern) mounted on a stark white wall! Again the cheapness and ephemeral nature of the object was central to the work. The black is self explanatory and its placement: Unbounded, in a vast white nothingness emphasised the lonliness and insularity of the depressions I had been subjected to from an early age. I laughingly refer to this work as Abstract Depressionism.

To me something miraculous happens: An object of no worth becomes invaluable in its ability to convey the lonliness and despair of depression. It appears to speak from experience.

Sadie Jemmett.

On Thursday night I visited our local rip off bar. the only good things going for it were Sadie and Rebecca. Video of Sadie below was shot that evening. Hopefully sadie will come and do a set at Loco when she is finished touring.

More about Rebecca later.

Sadie is touring with Aled Jones (I know) : Sept 17 Shrewsbury Severn Theatre, Sept 21 Croydon Fairfield Hall, Sept 22 Rhyl Pavilion Theatre, Sept 23 Kings Lynn Corn Exchange, Sept 27 Harlow Playhouse, Sept 29 Skegness Embassy Theatre, Sept 30 Stevenage Concert Hall, Oct 02 New Brighton Pavilion Theatre, Oct 03 Darlington Civic Theatre, Oct 05 Worthing Pavilion, Oct 11 Derby Assembly Rooms, Oct 12 Tunbridge Wells Assembly Halls, Oct 15 Swansea Grand Theatre, Oct 16 Christchurch Regent.

http://sadiejemmett.com/

Surrealist Michael woods in conversation and pictures. Excavating Nic Roeg.

A very special night last night at westbourne Studios. Michael was grilled, unlike Dali's lobster which I uderstand was boiled, by Eliot Albers wearing a pork pie and a wry grin. the gentle inquisition produced more reason to think Michael well worth listening to. (Unlike the arcanely wordy woman behind me with her clever clever look at me I'm clever question she had written down for the occasion.)  the chat followed a screening of nic Roeg's  short film 'SOUND' which Michael collaborated on. It felt more like michaels film than Nic's. 

A still from SOUND

Michael woods

Michael woods and Eliot Albers and artist Barrington de la Roche.

A detail from one of Michaels Works.

Another Still from SOUND.

And finally... Hat club! The bloke in the foreground is James Simmins who I asked to take the picture. He forgot to get out of his way.