Another Venice Biennale (the 120th anniversary) and another internationally respected curator sets the scene; this time it’s Okwui Enwezor. For me, every time, this cycle of world-class research is impressive. Not everyone has the capacity to travel (literally or conceptually); therefore the engagement with art and artists from other countries and cultures is precious. When art resonates beyond its edges, it starts conversations with us, beyond its surroundings and between people. In the context of the Biennale the capacity to bring global thinking to life is intensified by its sheer volume, collective spirit and gravity. This year’s title All The World’s Futures is so vast in its reluctance to be pinned down that I’m seeking solid ground before the adventure begins.

After a slightly underwhelming start in the Arsenale, Enwezor is relentless in the inclusion of artists from countries the predominately Western art world has regularly overlooked. I found myself looking for a breathing space in a journey through an evolving story with too many voices and issues to grasp.

Halfway down the Arsenale, Katharina Grosse’s ‘Untitled Trumpet’ heralded its arrival. A single immersive experience created by drapes falling to a rubble-covered floor, spray paint blurring the space between sculpture and backdrop. Here I was transported to a future where the art of our time lay shattered and trampled. Images of Isis destroying ancient temples and the violence the earth does to her self raced through my head. The pause was quickly filled by an acknowledgement that no matter what we try to do, no matter how clever we think we are events and actions repeat a cycle out-with our control.

Katharina Grosse ‘Untitled Trumpet, 2015 (taken at ‘All The World’s Futures’, La Biennale di Venezia 2015)

The art world isn’t ‘even’ or ‘fair’ but I am pretty sure there is commonality in the hopes and dreams of artists working across the globe. Trying to be an artist and maintaining a practice whither in Glasgow or Mozambique is challenging, just in different ways. Regardless, ideas are made visible often with the tools closest to you and the push and pull of artistic communities the world over continues and refreshes. The difference brings a variety of voices, opinions or just things you hadn’t thought of (maybe before the internet).

Looking to the past is necessary to critique the present, but I couldn’t help feeling that those shaping the way we really might or might not read the future were missing. I kept asking myself what ‘All the World’s Futures’ would have delivered, if the same unapologetic research and inclusion of lesser known artists, like (new to me) Goncalo Mabunda, a sculptor who lives and works in Maputo, had been applied to the selection of artists from ‘western’ countries. Instead, the same western ‘names’ from well-worn routes across familiar art territory only added to my uneasy feeling, but maybe that was the point. In my anticipation, I think I expected too much of Enwezor’s Biennale. Although it does feel like a new platform has been crafted and Enwezor dares us to address its fragile condition, however, its identity is a long way off. Enwezor’s presented 136 artists across the Arsenale and Italian Pavilion, eighty-eight of whom are in the Biennale for the first time. To experience this amount of new art in one place is a privilege and the inclusion of more artists from countries previously overlooked made me pay more attention to work I have been guilty of walking past before. Did it make me think about all the world’s futures?

The highlights have been poured over in the art press already. Joan Jonas’s They Come to Us was ‘haunting’ (in a good way). On my return I am surprised by the lack on images on my phone. In the Gardini, I took more images of the spectacle of the new Australian Pavilion designed by Denton Corker Marshall sitting in its precarious setting and wondered what it will look like as a swimming pool in 2016 at The Architecture Biennale. It would be great if the pool could be kept for the Sant’ Elena community, but that’s not going to happen. Will the cantilever act as a diving board? Oh God, swimwear to add to the what to pack-for-Venice-dilemma! We did encounter the best-trained gallery assistant ‘ever’ inside, which, given the building works and a huge install, the attention to detail and preparedness of the staff was one of my highlights. I loved roving about the Gardini but this year my standout exhibitions were in the Collatorale section.

New Australian Pavilion (Gardini, Venice) designed by Denton Corker Marshall

Lucy Byatt Director at Hospitalfield has sensitively curated Graham Fagan’s* outstanding new work at Palazzo Fontana. In it, the work of Ayrshire poet Rabbie Burns is cast as a powerful catalyst to confront Scotland’s participation in the slave trade. The venue’s balcony overlooks the Grand Canal connecting the water, the architecture and the exhibition to Venice. Reggae singer Ghetto Priest’s slow repetitive channeling of Burn’s poem The Slave’s Lament lingers like dappled sun on the canal following a route to those dark days. This made me wonder if Enwezor could have revealed more about the slave trade today, the impact on communities and the different ways it exists in our cities and towns. As the canal follows eventually to the Mediterranean, thoughts of what type of future the people risking their lives in small boats hope for and what we can do to help. A future to be safe, to be able to feed your family and not be used by another should be the right of everyone.

Graham Fagen: Scotland + Venice, 2015 (taken at ‘All The World’s Futures’, La Biennale di Venezia 2015)

The afternoon was spent in the Querini Stampalia where Jimmie Durham’s sculptures nuzzled affectionately with Carlo Scarpa’s architecture in the basement gallery. This must be one of the best art and architecture pairings I’ve seen to date, not only in its appeal for all ages but in the sheer joy of being invited into Durham’s imagination, alongside the precision of Scarpa’s details.

As the sunset over our time in Venice, our group shared Biennale chatter. I voiced my perplexity over the inclusion of Georg Baselitz and one of our party chipped in that they had overheard an American family in front of the oversized paintings say: ‘Where would we put it?’ to which the Dad replied: ‘in the museum’.

I’m hopeful that my questions are left unanswered here, but ‘fair’ or not what is clear is that ‘All the World’s Futures’ are our collective responsibility.

Sunset over Venice, May 2015

*Read more about Graham Fagen’s Venice exhibition on Central Station here. Matt’s Gallery who represent Graham have just released 150 editions of 10″ signed records of The Slave’s Lament available to purchase here via the Own Art scheme.

The Venice Biennale continues until 22 November. Patricia highly recommends a visit and you can now get affordable flights from Edinburgh. Visit www.labiennale.org for more information.

All images courtesy Patricia Fleming Projects, Glasgow.

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My first 5 jobs after graduation from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in 1990:

Think I was running 5 at once, nothing changes!

1. I was technician and teaching assistant in the Department of Photography (Fine Art) Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, Dundee.

2. On Saturdays I was exhibition’s assistant at Seagate Gallery, Dundee.

3. On Saturday evenings I was a Tequila girl selling bucket loads of the crazy stuff – the company wondered why Dundee suddenly peeked as a hotspot! I can’t remember why I gave that one up the commission was great, think it was the smell of alcohol on my apron – to this day I can’t bear the smell of Tequila.

4. I was also a nanny for the wonderful Pat Fisher – this was my fav job by far probably because it never really felt like a job. It was a couple of hours each eve. I do remember feeling very proud walking my three glorious little girls, dog and bike home after school every evening – lovely times.

5. When the contract at Duncan of Jordanstone finished (it was a year’s maternity cover) I moved to Glasgow and set up Fuse : an artist – led support network with free studio space, travel and materials allowance, exhibition and training opportunities for visual artists based in Glasgow this ran till 1999 during this time i also established Fly (now Market) then i moved onto CCA.”

Photo courtesy of David Zérah at Patricia Fleming Projects.

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We’ve asked professionals in creative industries what jobs they have had in the past to get their foot through the door (or at least pay the rent). For more in the “My First 5 Jobs” series look here.

In September 2008, Glasgow – based curator Patricia Fleming was invited by Larys Frogier, Director of La Criée centre d’art contemporain in Rennes, to make a proposal launching a new cycle of cooperation with European curators. Social Landscape is the first in this series and aims to create links between the cultural sectors in Rennes and Glasgow introducing new work to each city.

Social Landscape appears at GI 2010 as a one -off event held at Stereo on Sun 18th April.

The event starts at 4pm with a performance by Muscles of Joy, an eight member, all female, all singing, instrument shifting, art into pop group, featuring new animation by Glasgow – based artist Katy Dove created during her residency in Rennes.

Visual artists and band members Sophie Macpherson, creates a sculptural intervention taking the form of a stage set and Anne-Marie Copestake presents a special edit of a new video featuring Muscles of Joy.

Jocelyn Cottencin has created a collection of posters playing with words from decade defining tracks. Steff Norwood presents his unique take on social sculpture.

French sonic artist Damien Marchal performs new work created during a three – month residency at Trongate 103 in collaboration with musicians from Glasgow, including innovative choral group Sirens of Titan and The Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra’s Stuart Brown.

David Zérah will screen a new film made in Rennes and Glasgow, Artist’s Talk About Their Work made during an experimental on-line residency for Social Landscape in collaboration with members of www.thisiscentralstation.com.

Social Landscape is hosting a new publication commissioned by Volume London curated by Caroline Stevenson in association with GI. Content examines the role of written language in contemporary visual art practice. Bringing together text and image contributions from six contemporary artists and curators, it is inspired by the capacity for writing to create slippages and intimate connections with art, extending beyond the object and creating another entry point into contemporary art practice through language.

Artists: Anne-Marie Copestake, Jocelyn Cottencin, Katy Dove, Steff Norwood, Muscles of Joy, Sophie Macpherson, Damien Marchal in collaboration with (Stuart Brown) and (Sirens of Titan), David Zérah.

Contributors: Shama Khanna, Rashanna Rashied-Walker, Tamarin Norwood, Ross Birrell, Criodhna Costello and Claire Nichols. Designed by Michael Brauchli.

Social Landscape and Content are produced in association with Glasgow International Festival of Visual Art 2010. Content is available throughout the festival from Aye Aye Books, Centre for Contemporary Art Glasgow and Social Landscape on April 18th, Stereo.

Project description
In Rennes David Zérah has set a context and a series of questions cut from French art magazine Galerie Magazine(1989/90)to interview five contemporary artist’s in their cars. He is producing a short film/series of stills within the arts community of Rennes.

We are looking for someone to take the same approach in Glasgow, working with the curator to refine the list of artists, using a selection of the same questions for interviews, making creative decisions on the setting of the artist in their car while working with David to find the best solutions for both works to sit side by side on-line and at two international festivals. This is a low-fi self-produced work in dialogue with David Zérah. The Glasgow partner will be credited as a collaborator and identified as the creator of the Glasgow element.

Commissioned for the project Social Landscape curated by Patricia Fleming for La Criée centre d’art contemporain in Rennes, it is part of a series of artists’ residencies and events in France and Scotland curated specifically for the context of GI and the Rennes Biennale. The film will run on-line during both international events on www.thisiscentralstation.com and Rennes Web TV 23h60, http://www.23h60.tv Screenings will take place in Glasgow at Stereo April 18 as part of Social Landscape for GI 2010 and in Rennes during La Biennale du Rennes May 2010.

For GI, Social Landscape appears as a one –off event, which includes a performance by Muscles of Joy, new animation by Katy Dove created during her residency in Rennes, new work by Sophie Macpherson and performances by sonic artist Damien Marchal created during a three – month residency in Glasgow. David Zérah will screen a new film made in Glasgow and Rennes.

Submission instructions
1: Submit a note of interest to projects@thisiscentralstation.com
Include a list of Glasgow based artists you would like to work with,
and a link to your Central Station profile.

2: Upload relevant examples of your work to your Central Station profile.

The lucky collaborator will be selected by Glasgow based curator/producer Patricia Fleming, and artist/curator David Zérah

David Zérah “Art often evokes holidays and/or exchanges programs. This was one of my early experience of contemporary art when I was sixteen years old. Later, my two past curatorial projects : “Bed and Workshop” (1998) and “Voyageur Universel” (2004) talked about this experience : deplacement and familiar exchanges. The invitation to participate as part of Social Landscape is an opportunity to reactivate a professional international  network and give the posibility to collaborate with artists -  writers -  curators to share a new experience in a dynamic way”
In Rennes David Zérah has set a context and a series of questions cut from French art magazine Galerie Magazine(1989/90)to interview five contemporary artist’s in their cars. He is producing a short film/series of stills within the arts community of Rennes.

We are looking for someone to take the same approach in Glasgow, working with the curator to refine the list of artists, using a selection of the same questions for interviews, making creative decisions on the setting of the artist in their car while working with David to find the best solutions for both works to sit side by side on-line and at two international festivals. This is a low-fi self-produced work in dialogue with David Zérah. The Glasgow partner will be credited as a collaborator and identified as the creator of the Glasgow element.

Commissioned for the project Social Landscape curated by Patricia Fleming for La Criée centre d’art contemporain in Rennes, it is part of a series of artists’ residencies and events in France and Scotland curated specifically for the context of GI and the Rennes Biennale. The film will run on-line during both international events on www.thisiscentralstation.com and Rennes Web TV 23h60, http://www.23h60.tv Screenings will take place in Glasgow at Stereo April 18 as part of Social Landscape for GI 2010 and in Rennes during La Biennale du Rennes May 2010.

For GI, Social Landscape appears as a one –off event, which includes a performance by Muscles of Joy, new animation by Katy Dove created during her residency in Rennes, new work by Sophie Macpherson and performances by sonic artist Damien Marchal created during a three – month residency in Glasgow. David Zérah will screen a new film made in Glasgow and Rennes.

Submission instructions
1: Submit a note of interest to projects@thisiscentralstation.com
Include a list of Glasgow based artists you would like to work with,
and a link to your Central Station profile.

2: Upload relevant examples of your work to your Central Station profile.

The lucky collaborator will be selected by Glasgow based curator/producer Patricia Fleming, and artist/curator David Zérah

David Zérah “Art often evokes holidays and/or exchanges programs. This was one of my early experience of contemporary art when I was sixteen years old. Later, my two past curatorial projects : “Bed and Workshop” (1998) and “Voyageur Universel” (2004) talked about this experience : deplacement and familiar exchanges. The invitation to participate as part of Social Landscape is an opportunity to reactivate a professional international  network and give the posibility to collaborate with artists -  writers -  curators to share a new experience in a dynamic way”

We really enjoyed re-visiting our mentalist PLUS exhibition at the screening in CCA on Sunday. It’s hard to believe it was only last October! Many thanks also to all of the artists, bands Isosceles, The Mutlings, and The Cyclones, the models and the 2000+ visitors who put us firmly on the the London art map during Frieze and Zoo (not an easy task!).

The film managed to capture this energy and not only the beautiful journey between Glasgow and London, but between visual art, music and film.

Art/Roc/Doc is testament to the potential of the creative sectors working together. We are looking forward to seeing the next piece of magic conjured up by Central Station – Paul Welsh is certainly a skilful director, and not just of traffic…

Congratulations everyone.

Patricia Fleming

I started this blog by letting my mind wander through the possible connections of no wave and nae wave. lntroducing New York post punk references to the performance art of Muscles of Joy to the depths of sonar manipulations by Glasgow’s newest electro aqua crunk scene, but after two glasses of wine thought I should stick to the point. Which is to welcome sonic artist Damien Marchal to Glasgow and introduce the work of both artists undertaking residencies as part of Social Landscape. There is a whole other piece of writing required to explore some of the brilliant experimatial music/sound/performance art currently being made in Glasgow alone, for instance by artist/musician Raydale Dower and ‘Tut Vu Vu’. We hope they and others on the scene will have an impact on our journey as Damien starts his three month residency in Trongate 103. Katy Dove started the partner residency in Rennes at the end of January.

In September 2008, Larys Frogier the Director of La Criee Centre D’Art Contemporain Rennes asked me to make a proposal for its Contemporary Art project in European Cities on the Atlantic Arc, starting a new cycle of cooperation with European curators. The project Social Landscape is the first in this series and aims to create a link between the cultural sectors in Rennes and Glasgow.

A fascination in the convergence of sound and visual art resulting in installations and performance is really the basis of the selection of  two artists who approach their work from opposite ends of the spectrum. Katy Dove uses traditional media to make delicate intuitive drawings, watercolours and works on paper. She animates them by scanning, cutting and pasting often repeating the layers echoing sound also written or gathered then performed by the artist. The animations are often projected to form larger installations and or performance. Damien Marchal’s drawings or source material is generated by machine/s. The sound of the scanner reading the material is recorded and remixed. This is an industrial sound which is remixed again and performed live with mucisians improvising with the rythyms and frequencies. The conceptual looping generated by the art of sound, visulising sound and it’s representation is explored by many movements in art history; for example Fluxus.

Social Landscape gives each artists the opportunity to make new work and think in a completely different setting. The nature of the exchange also creates distance and a fresh look at the things around us informing our work. Looking at two contemporary artists at the same time from different cities and the way the experience impacts on their work, to what degree/if at all? adds another layer to the way the artists think about their work. Will it alter the artists points of view, generate new references or change anything in their approach to presentating their work to the public? Only time will tell. My own research gathered during site vists to Rennes and nearly twenty years in Glasgow sets the scene for meetings and potential collaborators, introducing Damien and Katy to new artists, musicians and innovative people in each city, further recommendations are welcome.

Damien Marchal lives and works in Rennes. In 2007 he was part if a group of young artists who set up set up the studio VIVARIUM he is also a Lecturer at the National Superior School of Architecture of Britain in the field of sound in the context of art.

Katy Dove studied at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art. She has exhibited internationally including Venice Biennale (2003) and Prague Biennale (2003) and has been selected to be part of the ‘Artist Statements’ with Hales Gallery, London in Art Basel 2005. She has exhibited at Tate Britain as part of their Lightbox, Art Now series (2003) and has had solo exhibitions at Transmission, Glasgow (2002) and Collective Gallery, Edinburgh (2000). She lives and works in Glasgow.

Katy Dove is a member of the band Muscles of Joy an eight member, all singing, instrument shifting, art into pop group Muscles of Joy are Anne-Marie Copestake, Ariki Portoeus, Charlotte Prodger, Jenny O’Boyle, Katy Dove, Leigh Ferguson, Sophie Macpherson and Victoria Morton. They have performed at DCA, Le Weekend Festival, CCA among others.

For Gi 2010 (Glasgow International Festival of Visual Art) Social Landscape will appear as a one –off event held at Stereo on Sun 18th April, beginning at 4pm with a performance by Muscles of Joy featuring new animations by Katy Dove created during her residency in Rennes. Visual artist and band member Sophie Macpherson will create a new sculpture taking the form of a stage set also incorporating Katy’s projections. This will be followed by a performance by Damien Marchal working with new collaborators from the city.

We have listed some of Damien’s influences below:
Xavier Veillant uses digital photography, sculpture, public statuary, video, installations or even the art of the exhibition, Xavier Veilhan builds his work around the same axis: the possibilities of representation.

Alva Noto is the stage name of sound artist Carsten Nicolai who uses art and music as complementary tools to create microscopic views of creative processes. Another alias he uses is Noto. He is a member of the music groups Signal (with Frank Bretschneider, AKA Komet and Olaf Bender, AKA Byetone) and Cyclo. (with Ryoji Ikeda).
Paul D Miller aka DJ SPOOKY is a composer, multimedia artist and writer.

Ryoji Ikeda is Japan’s leading electronic composer/artist. Ikeda focuses on the minutiae of ultrasonics, frequencies and the essential characteristics of sound itself.

Otomo Yoshihide is a Japanese composer and multi-instrumentalist.
He first came to international prominence in the 1990s as the leader of the noise rock group Ground Zero, and has since worked in a variety of contexts, ranging from free improvisation to noise, jazz and contemporary classical. He is also a pioneering figure in the EAI-scene, and is featured on important records on labels like Erstwhile Records. He plays guitar, turntables, and electronics.

Most of all we would like to invite you to meet Damien in the visiting artists studio at Trongate 103. If we don’t see you there don’t forget all the brilliant music, sound, art events coming soon like Kill Your Timid Notion, The AV Festival, Gi, Hinterland and Glasgow City of Music for every other colour of music event.

Patricia Fleming, Curator
email:studio@patriciaflemingprojects.co.uk

Visit Patricia Flemming Projects on MySpace.
Find Patricia Flemming Projects on Facebook.

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Mix-Blog: A bit like a mix-tape but with blogs instead. Read more from the series here.