Destructive criticism on Portobello Road.

What's this all about then?

At the north end of Portobello (between Cambridge Gardens and Golborne Road) there is a wall; formerly part of the convent, which is used as an exhibition space on a regular basis and jolly good it is too. Last year we had a massive record collection running the length of the wall.

 This was recently replaced by a similarly sized hoarding produced by a local gallery:  http://www.kensingtonandchelseatoday.co.uk/arts-and-culture/exhibitions/cqfz8ufwqy.html Three days later the thing was partially torn down, seemingly an act of mindless vandalism.

"Fucking yobs" I hear you cry!

But wait, there is there more to this than meets the eye (or doesn't meet the eye any more)? It seems that the Gallery in question has a very dark past (and present), earning itself a lot of detractors. This thoughtless act of vandalism is in fact a considered and premeditated comment on the Gallery and its principal.

Who writes:  “This neighbourhood is a catalyst to a wide range of creative expressions. The diversity of cultures, ideas and languages creates a climate that stimulates contemporary creative tensions and why we chose to locate our gallery here. 

It is interesting to see that the installation has indeed stimulated contemporary tensions! There will be more about this emerging over the next few days I'm sure.

A curates Annus.

2011 certainly was something of a Curates Egg; part Annus Horribilis (the best place for that is behind me), part joyous (hopefully continuing).

Ken Russell dead, Oliver Reed, Alan Bates and a body double.

Ken Russell has died. I for one loved his films, his sense of fun and rebelliousness.

Both Oliver Reed and Alan Bates refused to use me as a body double in 'women in love' for a reason I will not go into... It was a size thing!

Ken was a bloody good photographer too.

Photo: Ken Russell.

John Thaw, Drakes Venture, Leonard Cohen and sacred monsters.

In my early twenties I worked as an assistant director/gofer at Westward TV in Plymouth. We made this film which was famously screened the day that Westward lost it's franchise. It has never been screened since that day to my knowledge.

During the filming I worked with one of the best men I have ever met: John Thaw, surely a sacred monster, gave me a great deal of his time and taught me a lot. I did however spend a lot of my time sneaking vodka into his trailer. I experienced being mobbed by middle aged women when driving John; he was still very much the star as a result of the Sweeny....

I married for the first time at the end of filming. John was in Africa and unable to (and probably wouldn't) come to the wedding but sent us a wonderful telegram promising to drink a bottle of vodka in our honour.

John is one of the three men I miss and think of frequently.

It was a very happy summer that year.

the video below is a collection of clips from the movie with a soundtrack from another sacred monster... Leonard Cohen. I have not seen this before.

Zappa. Stairway to heaven... For M

Lola the scariest dog in the world...

A new poem from Murray Lachlan Young.

October: To all those who went before.

A month of thought and word and deed
To cultural Olympiad
From booker prize to art at Frieze
Of what is good and what is bad?

Who would spray paint out a ‘Banksy’?
Who could be so crude and rash?
Good graffiti bad graffiti?
Post, post-modern cultures clash

While Ralph gives us his Prospero
And punters flee the Marat Sade
Michael Sheen his Dane to show
So what is: Just too avant-garde?

The Shakespeare, Dickens fests announced
Or, King’s Speech coming to the stage
Strictly makes the extra factor?
And what would Tintin have to say?

Of Madge, Madonna hair and shades
In arch red carpet attitude
A master class in marketing
No matter what the latitude

Ah names and names so many names
So many rise, so many fall
So many stars, so great the sky
How did we ever name them all?

A question perhaps for Grayson Perry
British Museum, Shamans robes
His tomb of the unknown craftsman
Installation, ancient road

To all of those who went before
To all of those and all the more
Who carved and cut and chipped honed
The dawn of time through Ancient Rome

To all of those whose time is now
Their names so great upon the tongue
Will in the blinking of the eye
Discover that their time is done

And what is left is craft its self
When all the names are stripped away
Upon the tomb that craftsmen made
The craft of time will endless play?

Zoe Martlew at the Giant Olive Theatre, Kentish Town.

I've been tipped off that this will be worth attending. I don't know the venue but it sounds good. I'll report back.

REMI KANAZI's first UK tour.

Remi Kanazi's UK tour kicks off with a fundraising event at the Tabernacle W11 on November 12th.

REMI KANAZI  Palestinian-American Performance poet, writer, and activist based in New York City, he is the editor of Poets For Palestine and the author of Poetic Injustice: Writings on Resistance and Palestine.  His political commentary has been featured by news outlets throughout the world and his poetry has taken him across North America and the Middle East.  He recently appeared in the Palestine Festival of Literature as well as Poetry International.  He is a recurring writer in residence and advisory board member for the Palestine Writing Workshop.  www.poeticinjustice.net.

RAFEEF ZIADAH is a Canadian-Palestinian spoken word artist and activist.  Her debut CD Hadeel is dedicated to Palestinian youth, who still fly kites in the face of F16 bombers, who still remember the names if their villages in Palestine and still hear the sound of Hadeel (cooing of doves) over Gaza. www.rafeefziadah.ca.

OMAR OFFENDUM is a Syrian-American Hip hop artist, author and producer- born in the KSA, raised in the USA, and repeatedly hassled by the TSA.  His solo release in 2010 was affectionately dubbed "SyrianamericanA". www.offendum.com.

ZITA HOLBOURNE is a poet, artist and activist.  Former member of Brothaman Poetry Collective she campaigns for equality, freedom, justice, and democracy through activism, art and poetry. www.myspace.com/zitaholbourne.

Ticket details HERE

SYMPTOMATIC presents THESE REIGNING DAYS + SMOKE FEATHERS + EVELYN BURKE + CRASHING FLOWERS

I feel my leg is up to going out and about. tomorrow night I am off to Archangel to see 'these reigning Days'; a band from Devon up in the smoke for the night. I'll report back.

8pm – £7/£5adv
Symptomatic presents a night of the up and coming indie, rock and folk happening in London. With newly established bands, they present quality sounds and a foot stomping, bliss inducing night of music.

Having started work on their debut album, Dan Steer (formerly of the Quails) Jonny Finnis and Joe Sansome aka These Reigning Days have already been creating a stir, and are set to have a blinding 2012 already securing Major festival slots accross the UK, Europe and US, as well as supporting fellow Devon based band Metronomy at their Torquay show this September. Later this year the band will also be headlining an Alpine tour of France and Switzerland.

Smoke Feathers

Evelyn Burke

Crashing Flowers

AAA @ Archangel,
11-13 Kensington High Street London W8 5NP

Woman with a harp. Who is she?

Does anyone recognise this image. It is a Victorian print titled: Woman with Harp. According to my harp expert her pose indicates that she is more than just a model posing, she has technique,

Help! Who is she?

UPDATE: It is ok. I found her. It was painted by Leonard Campbell Taylor (English) in 1937. I have found his grandaughter and will be contacting her for details.

From the Portobello Blog: JC Carroll on Winning.

Jc Carroll from The Members on winning a 'Golden Trellick' at The Portobello Film Festival for his opera 'The Golborne Variations'

25 years in the making, Jc from The Members looks back on the creation and staging of his critically acclaimed multimedia opera 'The Golborne Variations', which premiered at The Portobello Film Festival on Friday 2nd September this year. Received with a standing ovation by a full house at the Portobello Film Festival, 'The Golborne Variations went on to win a Special Award, which was collected on Jc's behalf (he was on tour in France with The Members) by cast members Simon Godley & James Simmins from festival organiser Jonathan Barnett.

It is hoped that another staging of this award-winning opera will take place somewhere in the Portobello vicinity very soon. Watch this space...

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.