Next To Nothing: An Exhibition on The Price of Nothing and the Value of Everything. 15th Sept - 1st October, 2011. The Light (Top Floor), Leeds City Centre
DIY art collective Black Dogs returns once more to the group show format with an exhibition containing contributions from over thirty individuals and collectives. Advancing Black Dogs’ critique of the institutional artworld, the contributors occupy various positions in relation to the label ‘artist’; raising questions about when something is art, who can make it and what the worth of calling it art is anyway.
The exhibition results from a series of collective meetings and conversations around notions of value. What is the radical potential of thrift and an economical approach? When and why is something cheap? What does it mean to be not-for-profit or operate in a non-capitalist fashion? How do we value our time and how does this find expression through the things we do or make? When are we working and when do we play?
The backdrop to these discussions has included state-enforced austerity measures, global financial crises and Marx reading groups appearing across the country alongside instances of rioting and looting. Whilst the exhibition avoids directly addressing or representing such issues, they undoubtedly provide context and resonance for the various works. Projects include: sculpture made from scrap, unmasked secrets of visual merchandising, advice on how to be a good shopper, a freely assembled Arcade Machine, traces of ‘everyday resistance’ at work, a homemade Mellotron, unrealised tattoos, reflections on sustaining an art practice when unpaid, and much more in the way of hand printing, diagrams, photography, objects, video and performance.
Next to Nothing takes place in an impressive empty unit in The Light shopping centre in the commercial heart of Leeds, a space and site that is as integral to the exhibition as the works displayed within it. Alongside the exhibition are a programme of events including evenings of music, performance and films held on and offsite. In addition, Black Dogs have used meetings as an opportunity to produce a collaborative fanzine that will be available for free to take away from the exhibition. Both the publication and the exhibition are not intended as end points or conclusions but rather markers of a moment in a collective interrogation of how we value our own and other’s activity and the cost of living.
Next To Nothing opens on Thursday 15th September at 5pm. All are welcome and refreshments will be available. There is a post-opening party and gig featuring Picore from Spain amongst other acts from the DIY (not-for-profit) music community held at Wharf Chambers club for members and their guests. The exhibition continues Monday to Friday 4 – 7pm and Saturdays 12 – 6pm until 1st October. Entry is Free.
Contributors include:
Adam J Maynard
Alice Bradshaw
Amelia Crouch
Andy Abbott
Bristow & Lloyd
Bryony Pritchard
Charlotte A Morgan
Conway & Young
Craig Barnes
Dan Robinson
Dave Ronalds
David Thomas
Eva Rowson
Grace Harrison
Harriet Bevan
James Hill
Jonny Hill
Jon Slight
Kathy Gray
Liz Murphy
Luke Drozd
Michael Burkitt
Mick Welbourn
Nicolas Jones
No Fixed Abode
Patrick Coyle
Peter James Taylor
Philip Welding
Rory Macbeth
Rose Borthwick
Rowan Bailey
Sarah Bradley
Sarah Bowker-Jones
Shakeeb Abu Hamdan
Sheila Mone
Steven Allbutt
Tom Railton
Yvonne Carmichael
plus more.
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The details for the gig as part of the Opening Night are as follows:
Thursday September 15th
Conquest of Steel
The UK's premier Trad-Metal band. A transcendent blast of a stageshow complete with denim, spikes, fake blood and epic tales of swords and sorcery. For fans of Maiden, Manowar and proper metal.
http://www.conquestofsteel.co.uk/
Picore
On tour from Spain. Picore deliver incredible deformed rock songs. Complex constructions guitar, bass, storming drum/cowbell clank and spoken vocals designed to reorganise your cerebrum and make your body move around in a weird and very good way. US Maple or The Jesus Lizard might spring to mind.
http://picore-picore.bandcamp.com/
War All the Time
Amazing Leeds-based hardcore punk with scandinavian crust leanings boiling over with menace and loathing. Members of Kito, Doom and Boxed-In!
http://www.myspace.com/warallthetimeuk
Nope
Psych-out repeato-rock from members of That Fucking Tank, Cowtown and Mucky Sailor. Taking Neu!-style motorik beats and adding a warm fuzzy feeling.
http://justsaynope.co.uk/
The gig starts at 9.00pm and takes place at Wharf Chambers, 23-25 Wharf Street, Leeds. £4 entry.
Wharf Chambers CC is a members' club; you need to be a member or guest of a member in order to attend an event. Membership costs £1 and you can become a member at this event or go to www.wharfchambers.org.
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Then on Friday 23rd September
Lo-Maintenance: A Night of Quiet Improvisation
Presented as part of Black Dogs ‘Next To Nothing’ exhibition; an evening of improvisatory and spontaneous music of a mostly acoustic or discreet nature taking place in a disused, secret unit in The Light shopping centre. Featuring performances from:
Lambs Gamble
Transnational Improv trio featuring Eric Boros (France - Vialka), Fritz Welch (Glasgow - Peeesseye, Brittle Hammer Trio, FvRTvR, Ki), George Cremaschi (Czech Republic - KRK, No Sugar) archive.org/details/LambsGamble
and
Black Dogs Ensemble
Daniel Skevington
Stu Bannister
Richard Ormrod
Keeby Abu-Hamdan
Kathy Gray
Plus more TBA.
at The Light (Top Floor), Leeds City Centre. 23rd Sept, 2011. 6pm – 11pm. Free Entry with donations for musicians and refreshments graciously accepted.
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