Tall Tales Whitstable Biennial satellite events 19 June – 4 July 2010

Tall Tales - Whitstable Biennial satellite events 19 June – 4 July 2010

Tall Tales seeks to record the embellished truths and myths of the British public house.

Following in the traditions of Cecil Sharp and Alan Lomax, Matt Rowe will trawl local public houses and social clubs, collecting a series of field recordings and documentary images.

Matt Rowe and Abi Gillchist will then transcribe these ramblings from chance encounters into a hand-bound compendium of regional folkore.

The Tall Tales compendium presents a loose form of social reportage, celebrating localism and exaggerated truths.

Have you found one of the Tall Tale's beer mats? if so tell us your Tall Tale here

About the Biennale
The Whitstable Biennale is a festival of contemporary visual art, with a curated programme focused on artists’ performances and works made for the screen. A programme of commissions running throughout the Biennale will be accompanied by events unfolding each weekend including a dynamic film programme and a varied talks and events programme. Please visit www.whitstablebiennale.com for information on previous Biennales.

23/03 /2010 silk screen printing the Tall Tales certificates at Silkworm Studios in Folkestone

 Recherche trip on Tuesday the 23/03/2010

 

 

Hidden Territories, Fisherman's Beach

Hidden Territories is a series of  inquires in to the vernacular territories that fringe the urban environment.

New works begin to document these spaces and there inhabitants, with the purpose of distilling there codes and visual symbols in to an essence of folk culture.

Fisherman's Beach is a fully functional working beach in Hythe Kent. 
This series of images images depict a declining coastal industry.

As of March 2010 the beach will become prime redevelopment land with the remaining fishing fleet continuing to operate further along the beach. However the distinctively ramshackle architecture and its intrinsic community are becoming dissembled to make way to progress.

Landed Beach fishing was once a staple industry of the Cinque port towns. 
A culture  that has been in slow decline for decades.

Traces of this industry can still be found around the Kent and Sussex coast line. In this short film  Chris Searson documents the Dungeness, beach fishing community Link

all images © Matt Rowe 2010

 

 

 

 

 

See more images  at Matt Rowe Photography

The Dollar Street Gallery ~ Retirement Home For China Dogs

A China Dog is for Life, Not Just For Christmas
Each year thousands of china ornaments are cast out of the home, many end up abandoned, chipped even broken. However the is hope, Go Go Whippet has founded the retirement home for china dogs. simply drop in your unwanted ornaments to our china dog sanctuary collection point's, where your donation will continue to develop this unique folk archive.

The china dog archive + last supper of camp dog plates will be exhibited along side works by Rembrandt and Queen Victoria...



Collection Point:
The Dollar Street Gallery
Tuesday ~ Saterday10am ~ 6pm November To December 2009
34-36 Dollar Street ~ Cirencester ~ Gloucestershire GL7 2AN ~ UK ~ 01285 651 072 ~ Link

MRP Site now live

Now Live m-r-p.co.uk  showcases social portraiture, contemporary landscapes and documentary images taken over the last 7 years, along side selected commercial work.

The documentary images capture the changing folk identity and aesthetic of Shepway's vernacular spaces, as the region adopts a new seaside identity.

New Look Go go Whippet web site

New look Go Go Whippet web site now up and running visit gogowhippet.com

Go Go Whippet at Tom Dixons The Dock

On Saturday 26th November Club Shepway have been invited to exhibit at the Art Car Boutique one of a series creative events curated by Tom Dixon for London design week.

 

 http://www.portobellodock.com/thedock/pages/home.html

Art Of Noise Custome Vinyl Record Show

Custome Vinyl Record Show submission.

Private View 6-9pm - Thursday 3rd September 2009
Sat/Sun 12-4pm until Sunday 20th September
Weekdays by Appointment Only.
Venue - Swanfield Yard, 2b Swanfield Street, London E2 7DS
http://www.eastendartsclub.co.uk/index.htm

"Salvation" sets the theam for Tourture Garden summer ball 2009

"Salvation" By Matt Rowe sets the theam for Tourture Garden summer ball 2009

© Matt Rowe

Last Supper of Camp Dogs

Enjoy dining in style with the first pair of plates in the series, “the last supper of camp dogs”.
These Luxury 12" fine bone china dog plates are hand produced in England.
High quality screen printed enamel decals ensure, these plates not only look ritzy but are food safe and durable.

Only 80 of these limited edition black label range have ever been produced.

© Matt Rowe

Crockery Crypt

© Matt Rowe 2009

The Skull installations are part of an on going project in response to the Hythe Crypt or House Of Bones as its know locally. Each Skull is cast from Parian Ware a semi porcelain body used to create the classical busts of the 18th century. the blanks are ready to be adapted to form a lager intalation in the near future.

Genuine Imitation Shingle

Genuine Imitation Shingle is a flexible ceramic landscape, constantly evolving with new additions. A transient landmass constructed afresh during each installation.

Over the Last four years i have been periodically producing small hand thrown batches of ceramic fragments. The amassed imitation beach is comprised of subtle tones created from a variety of porcelains, stoneware and blended clay bodies.

© Matt Rowe 2009

O Dreamland 2007

Annual Seaside Review at the B&B Project Space

over embellished tea cups

Dripping in genuine gold, tea drinkers have never had it so good...
This limited edition Club Shepway batch, have been hand produced by Go Go Whippet
Folkestone only subversive sea side pottery.

available at the 2009 Art Car Boot Fair

Neo Hoodening

"Hoodening, also called Hodening, is an East Kent tradition vaguely related to Mumming and the Morris dance, and dating back at least to the mid-18th century.

The common feature to all groups was the appearance of a Hooden Horse - a horse's head mounted on a pole, with a sackcloth attached to hide the bearer. The head would normally have a hinged jaw which could snap shut with a mighty crack.
Despite occasional breaks, the tradition is a living one, and is currently performed by several teams around East Kent.

www.hoodening.org.uk

sizing up the stick

fiberglass casing being filled, shaped ready for painting

covering the wood wool in packing tape, then coating with resin

cladding the wooden armature with wood wool.