Finale
The last
events of LONDON BIENNALE 2006 (a film & video screening by Debora Prado, Bil
Thompson and Robert Robinson, and a hypnotic-erotic performance with light,
mirror and shadows by Ana Garcia from Madrid) were held on Sunday evening at
the Great Northern Railway Tavern , the 10th of September 2006.
Not
far from the Railway Tavern (a pub dating back to Victorian times with its
lavish decor virtually intact) is the Royal Academy School's elegant gallery
(inside a converted Pump Room), where Bryan Mulvihill (aka Trolley) conducted
his "World Tea Party" (with Claire Mason as tea-lady on several occasions) over
a period of several week-ends, during which many LBAs gave splendid
performances, including Reynolds, Marisa Rueda, Mabel Encinas, Dorothea Fayne, Francesca
Cho, Jo Roberts, Nico Pollen, Claudia Shanghai Subir, Enzo Marino, Chris Burke,
Ernesto Sarezale, Jon Gershon, Giorgio Spiller, Massimo Boni, Raphael Norman-Tenazas,
Patricio Torres, Patricio Bosich, Salih Kayra, Guy Brett, Marko Stepanov, Adrian
Fisher, Luna Montenegro, Alexander Schramm, Stewart Clift and myself.
On
another hill nearby is Alexandra Palace --- one of the highest promontories of
London, where, at noon last Sunday, the 10th of September 2006, we had our
picnic and balloon-launching. It was a beautiful and glorious day.
I met
up with Anne Bean at the opening of Marko Stepanov's solo exhibition in the
Shoreditch Art Gallery last Friday, the 8th of September 2006. Marko's
exhibition, entitled "I love you guys", is an ensemble of beautiful colour
photo-portraits of the persons dear to him. Each photo is a study of a
fascinating personality. Some times Marko took photos of his subjects when the
subjects were completely unaware, thus capturing their expressions by surprise.
In the show, Marko juxtaposed some photos which I found surprising. I especially
liked the photos of Adam Nankervis and Wendalena Kaye with their wide-eyed
expressions of suprise and delight. It is a wonderful show, which I urge all of
you to see if you happen to be in London. Marko Stepanov is a man with a golden
heart and a polymorphic artist with great talents.
The
night I spent in Anne Bean's magical home in Bow, which she shares with her
partner, Czech artist Peter Finch, was a memorable one. Before slynber-time, we
three had an interesting conversation about philosophy, literature and art,
which Peter and I continued at the breakfast table the following morning.
On the
eve of our Finale, Saturday, the 9th of September 2006, I was a guest of Jon
Gershon in his flat in Archway. Jon showed me his latest paintings: a series
inspired by scenes of the Great Northern Road. He showed me the cannister of
helium gas and the balloons we used for the balloon-launching . At breakfast the
following morning I ate some of the delicious cake Jon baked following his
mother's recipe. It was the first cake Jon baked, and I decided that a slice of
it (together with a drawing of a cake by Jon), we will give as a prize to the
person whose balloon is the last to leave the earth at the launching. The prize
went to Mexican artist Mabel Encinas.
At
Alexandra Palace on Sunday, 10th September 2006, Chilean artist Alexia Tala and
her friend English artist Helen Bridges launched one hundred pink balloons to
which they attached the thoughts of strangers they met by chance in London and
Santiago de Chile. Individual LBAs followed shortly afterwards and launched
their balloons. I made a banner of silk on which I inscribed the words "LONDON
BIENNALE 2006". Several LBAs helped me attach balloons to the banner, including
Guy Brett, Dolores Sanchez, Nancy Petry, Nico Pollen, Salih Kayra, Emrie Sokak, Marisa
Rueda, Marko Stepanov, Debora Prado,Jill Rock, Loli Cardenoso, and others. At
first, when Salih Kayra and I launched the banner into the air, it flew and
wrapped itself around a tree, as if it was guided by a breeze directed by Eros
the god of love. Afterwards, re-launching the banner, it flew so fast into the
sky, above the glass dome of Alexandra Palace, into the blue yonder. I've
wondered since then where the banner inscribed with the words "LONDON BIENNALE
2006".
At
the end of the merry-making in celebration of our Finale, inside the Main Saloon
of the Great Northern Railway Tavern in Hornsey, towards midnight, Lorraine
Clarke and Nigel Young (of Euroart) invited Salih Kayra and me to stay in their
beautiful home at Highbury in Islington where we had a pleasant sleep. Just
before drifting into slumber, this thoguth occured to me: spontaneous acts of
generosity brings true joy and makes friendship the rarest and most precious
treasure anyone can have. I am so lucky in having so many kind, generous and
loving friends. Thank you, Anne, Peter, Jon, Geraldine, Lorraine, Nigel, Marko,
Katie, Chris, Rosemary, Guy,Tiago, Ernesto, Dolores, Loli, Giacomo,
Cecilia, Jill, Marisol, Arvinder, Marisa,Trolley, Adrian, Luna, Elisabetta,
Andreas, Anna Bella, Reynolds, Raoul, Fritz, Michael, Andrew, Dorothea, Joanna,
Laura, Lucia, Nancy, Alina, Cyril, Lindsay, Mai, Mali, Margaret, Mona, Adam, and
all LBAs! (If your name is not in this list, it is NOT because I have neglected
or forgotten you; it is simply because I am about to run out of time in writing
this message, here in an internet cafe on Turnpike Lane in north London).
Lots
of love from David M. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Inauguration Event
London Biennale Inauguration May 1 2006
Dear Artists
Greetings from the northen Pool.
On May 1 2006,David Medalla,Director of the London Biennale has
requested that all participating artists to meet at the Eros
statue, Picadilly at 6pm with their arrows for an inauguration
celebration and to be group photographed in celebration of the
opening of The London Biennale 2006.
David has asked artists,following Simon Bendi's proposal to dress
in the theme of urban pirates and bucaneers for the unfurling of
the May Day flags on Tower Bridge at 8pm.
David himself will dress as a CD,a pirate CD,and we both sincerely
would love to see the London based artists join us there.Also if
we could all help in Simon Bendis large unfurling of his flag of
the Knot-so-Jolly Roger it would be much apreciated.
Thankyou in advance to all international artists worldwide for
unfurking your flag projects in different locals worldwide.
This years London Biennale is shaping up to be a blossoming burst
of projects and to mark this exciting year of creativy we sincerely
hope you can join us,on this,the London Biennale's inaugural event.
With all our best wishes
Adam+Dave
Medalla+Nankervis
Dear Wonderful LBAs,
Please don't forget to bring your Eros Arrows to
Piccadilly Circus on May Day 2006 at six p..m. sharp and your "Flags" to Tower
Bridge on the same day at 8 p.m. sharp.
John Mallon, the award- winning Irish documentary
film-maker (who is making a film about the LONDON BIENNALE) will film the
events at Piccadilly Circus and on Tower Bridge. Please bring also your own
cine, video, still and/or DVD cameras to record these two great cultural
events.
Do come dressed as pirates and buccaneers. As
many of you know already, I will be at Tower Bridge dressed as a DVD/CD
Pirate. The river Thames near Tower Bridge was the haunt of famous English
pirates in the past. In 1960, when I first arrived in London, I had a studio
near the Prospect of Whitby pub in Wapping (a favourite meeting place of
Captain Morgan and his fellow-buccaneers), from where I sauntered at different
hours of the day, to paint the ships and cranes and sailors and dockmen of the
then teeming Port of London.
Also, please bring your own refreshments and a
table cloth for a picnic, after the "Flag Unfurling" ceremonies which will be
conducted by Adam Nankervis, our international coordinator, who thought up
this wonderful participatory art project to celebrate the fourth LONDON
BIENNALE. We will have a picnic by the river Thames, at Butler's Wharf below
Tower Bridge. We will have our own "DEJEUNER SUR LE QUAI A BORD LA TAMISE",
and everyone who wishes to can do an impromptu performance in celebration of
LONDON BIENNALE 2006.
See you there, comrade-artists of the
fast-shrinking world!
Ahoy, mates!
David M.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
MAY DAY to MAY DAY
London Biennale 2006
Tower Bridge, May Day 8pm, facing south towards Butler's Wharf.
The inaugural day of The London Biennale 2006 was proposed by David
Medalla in 1997 as an auspicious day to open and celebrate the return
of the biennale bi annually. May Day marks the end of winter and has
always been an occasion for popular celebrations, regardless of the
political or religious establishment.
May Day was orginally the Celtic holiday Beltaine, the "Return of the
Sun" and is the third and last of the spring festivals. Beltaine
visually manifests with the the maypole draped in banners, ribbons and
flags and the sending of a basket of flowers to someone's door.
The candy coloured point flags on Maypoles and the traditionally
bannered flags draped from windows and carried during marches in
celebration of May Day has inspired Adam Nankervis's Flagging Down May
Day project.
Flagging Down May Day invites all participating London Biennale
artists to fly a flag for the The London Biennale 2006 from a bridge,
to allow the artist a dialogue of their desire, with any size, shape
or colour of flag whether whimsical, absurd or emblematic. This will
create a globally conjoined unity around the London Biennale.
This diverse assemblage across many locations and time will culminate
in a hoisting of the flags on London Bridge on August 31 2006, the
official night of the closing of The London Biennale 2006. The flags
will then be flown amast in Liverpool as part of the Liverpool
Biennial 2006 where all artists will be represented.
Simon Bendi will unfurl his own particular 'Knot-So' Jolly Roger as
part of the opening of the London Biennale on Tower Bridge, May Day
8pm, facing south towards Butler's Wharf. This is to be the central
focal point of the flag celebration with Adam Nankervis as Master of
Ceremonies and will be documented by John Mallon, the award winning
documentary film maker.
The 'Knot-So' Jolly Roger represents both the insouciance and
indomitable spirit of Liverpool folk, and Simon Bendi's personal
resilience through a visual iconography and identity both real and
mythical.
The red halberd and heart point towards Liverpool's 'gung fu' and
political past whilst the white morgue sheet cotton of the skull and
arm point towards respect of the lives lost and forsaken in pursuit of
a righteous path. That the arm is not a cross-bone represents the
continuing struggle of intervention whilst the heart seems to rise
above the aggression of 'arms'.
The Jolly Roger is flown by sub-mariners when returning to port after
a 'successful' mission. Simon Bendi through the use of minimal
visual icongraphy alludes to both Liverpool's spirit and the perceived
notion of Liverpool's art and culture, and his positioning within that
in relation to the mainstream art world.
All pirates and buccaneers of art are welcome to come dressed for the
part.
adam nankervis
London Biennale 2006
