RE:IMAGINING THE CENTRE 2009 - What it entails....

by Sarah Grant, 10 Aug 2009

Lately I have been busy, along with the co-ordinators, pulling together information required for RE:IMAGINING THE CENTRE to inform the public of what projects will be taking place throughout the six day event and thought it would be useful to display some of this information in the blog to give you readers an overview of what’s coming to the city, so here goes….

Here’s a taste of what’s to come!……

RE-IMAGINING THE CENTRE [08.09 – 13.09]

In 2006 the art project ‘Imagining the Centre’ sparked a unique relationship between artists, local people and the changing shape of the city of Inverness. Now the newly formed public spaces will be filled with creative life and energy in a celebration of the Old Town’s emerging potential as a open air venue for high quality contemporary art. Re-Imagining the Centre is a multi-dimensional artwork comprising Sculpture, street art, projection, music, art happenings, and a sequence of special events appearing unexpectedly on the streets of Inverness.

LIST OF PROJECTS:

1. YARNBOMB – Sundogs

Yarnbombing is an act of guerilla knitting. It is part of an international movement against consumerism and mass production…

Sundogs put the cosy into civic as an affirmation of public space in their home city.

Jen Cantwell and Annie Marrs are Sundogs – Jen is a textile artist, running the acclaimed ‘sporran nation’ and Annie is an installation artist also active in theatre and community arts.

2. SEVEN SUNSETS – Ginny Hutchison

Seven uncelebrated corners of the city are invited to shine with the application of gold leaf picking out the path of the sun over the space. The carefully documented story of this project and its influence on the people who use the spaces can be found at the IOTA HQ along with a map of the seven locations

Ginny Hutchison is an artist currently based at the Glasgow Sculpture Studio.

3. CENTRE OF GRAVITY – Brian MacBeath

Over consecutive days three significant places in the city are poetically linked together by the repeated enactment of a ‘gravitational’ printing process that will create an eight foot design specific to each location

Thursday 10th – Leakeys Book Shop, Friday 11th –Ramada Jarvis Hotel, Saturday 12th – Inverness Cathedral

Brian MacBeath is a well-established printmaker in the Highlands

4. IN HONOUR OF SEPTEMBER – DUFI with Kirsty Whiten, Mike Inglis, Skint, Machism and Fraser Gray

Fresh from the acclaimed ‘Rough Cut Nation’ at the National Portrait gallery local graffiti artists DUFI have brought 5 fellow street artists back home from Edinburgh with them to bring a cutting edge to the surfaces of Baron Taylors Street in the Old Town.

DUFI is photograher Fin Macrae and Graphic Designer Al MacInnes
www.dufi-art.blogspot.com/

5. THE SECRET LIFE OF THE VICTORIAN MARKET – BIG FAT ELECTRIC

A fantastic world of light, sound and stunning visuals tell the story of The Secret Life of the Victorian Market. An intense and atmospheric live arts experience that features DJs, visual art, dance and original electronic music.

Performances at 9pm on 10th + 11th September – tickets are free but ticketed. Please see our website for more information.

See www.myspace.com/bigfatelectric

6. ABERTARF SQUARE – Ganghut, John McGeoch and Ablab

Inverness’ newest public space is brought vividly to life in this one-off collaboration between three leading artists in their fields – interactive projections, and VJing registered to the precise details of the building facades will form the context for a performance by Gangband – the culmination of Ganghut’s residency in the City

Performance from 8.30pm Saturday 12th . Venue tbc!

Ganghut is the highly successful ongoing collaborative adventure comprising a group of young Scottish artists. www.ganghut.co.uk

John McGeoch is founder and director of Arts in Motion on the Black Isle www.artsinmotion.co.uk

Ablab is a painter working sculpturally with netspace and installation in live sound www.ablab.org

7. DANCE TROUPE

This ambitious project has been developed with community groups from the city and beyond and can be experienced in a once only memorable experience for all those involved on Saturday 12th from 2.30pm onwards. Location [surprise!] We can’t give too much away without spoiling the surprise…

Location is secret – but if you are in the Old Town at 2.30 you will see and hear Dance Troupe

Glasgow artist Amy Marletta is currently working with film, dance and music

8. INVERNESSIAN CLANJAMFREY

A gathering of a ‘rabble’, the Clanjamfrey will be an occasion for presentation, consideration and debate. Seeking to engage your voice, this two-day debate is conceived around a series of three sessions in which Invited speakers will act as catalysts, introducing a topic before extending the dialogue to the floor.
Friday 11th in the Townhouse Saturday 12th in the Cathedral

Registration for the Clanjamfrey is at http://www.invernessoldtownart.co.uk/clanjamfrey.asp

The Clanjamfrey is curated by Matthew Hearn

9. THE PHILOSOPHERS SALON RECONVENED

A discussion about the changes experienced within the Old Town since the first Salon was held in march 2007 to discuss the appropriateness of the virtues suggested for inclusion in Matt Baker’s installation 3 Virtues – now sited on Church Street.

The Philosophers Salon is organised by the Intersections (Newcastle University) attendance is by invitation only

10. NEVILLE GABIE LECTURE

Neville Gabie is one of Britain’s leading public artists – his work is particularly noted for the highly creative way in which he draws ordinary people into the artwork process.

Inverness Cathedral 10am Saturday 12th September

For more information on all of the above events and up to date news visit our website www.invernessoldtownart.co.uk