NOWCASTLE

Grafitti IS Art?

2010-06-20T09:10:00.000-07:00

The images I took this week of local erased (but still there) grafitti turned- out great. Below!

... when it' s gone - it' s GONE!

2010-06-15T13:52:00.000-07:00

Is hiatus the correct term for my recent silence and lack of posts? Perhaps. I definitely paused - but it' s been such a lengthy pause that it' s almost been an absence. Yikes!

Well I' m back, and frankly it' s almost as though I hadn' t been away. Last week, on page9 of the Tuesday June the8 th edition of the Evening Chronicle newspaper, I noticed Amy Hunt' s1/ 2 page article: 'Ready to crumble'. Illustrated with1 of those lovely line drawings we are so familiar with when being informed of city redevelopments, or improvements? The ominous sub- heading read: 'Bulldozers are poised to move in on key city landmark buildings'.

According to Amy, at the end of June (or the start of July), demolition will commence at the South end of Pilgrim Street, of the former Bank of England and Bank House buildings. A plan that is part of a strategy to completely re- fresh this part of Newcastle and which also includes the eventual destruction of what was the ODEON and the DEX car- park behind it - clearly the most controversial aspect.

What was immediately apparent was that, apart from a pretty graphic and extremely vague projections, the plans are far from clear what, exactly, will be replacing all of this very recognisable and often much- loved architecture. Something that strikes me as very odd indeed. I' m certainly not an expert, but at the very least I' d expect that absolutely nothing would be approved without a very detailed and carefully considered - and perhaps brilliant - scheme in place? Where, too, is the participation of ordinary citizens? It seems to me to be rather half- baked.

The casual references to a luxury hotel, student flats and offices are alarming. While Newcastle desperately needs a central, beautiful and quality place for visitors to stay, does it really need more office space - especially at the height of a serious recession? Accomodation is obviously required, but will it be affordable? Why isn' t it for young couples or single professionals? There is no mention, either, of anything that' s community focused or that might assist small and medium sized businesses, or, provide this amazing city with options it doesn' t currently have.

And are all of the sixties and seventies constructions in Newcastle to be erased, and if so, why? Newcastle is without a doubt being systematically stripped of a whole era of distinctive and ambitious architecture that is as valid and important as anything from the Regency or Victorian periods. And when it' s gone - it' s GONE!

An architectural detail and a sound roof? Shot from the library.

2010-01-31T14:56:00.000-08:00

When I took these images I was struck not only by the beauty of the building but also by the structural soundness. On all levels the demolition of the former ODEON seems immoral - and unecessary.

The barred side 'alley', and the spooky outline of the original O D E O N signage.

2010-01-31T14:42:00.000-08:00

The empty former ODEON sign, and people passing by the building - in sunlight.

2010-01-31T14:37:00.000-08:00

... this great city!

2010-01-31T14:02:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning I decided to go and have a good look at what used to be The ODEON Cinema, on Pilgrim Street, in central Newcastle. For years now it' s been a sad sight indeed - standing there boarded- up, neglected, and stripped of it' s identity since closure8 years ago, in2002. But sadder still is the news, in recent days, that this imposing historical jewel is likely (soon), to stand there no longer.

A little bit or research during the weekend has revealed a fascinating story. How it opened during the 'talkie' boom in1931, and was originally called The Paramount - in fact it was1 of7 similarly plush Paramounts across the U. K. at the time. It' s interior was spectacularly decorated and featured a basement restaurant, wall paintings and a 'Wurlitzer'. More here: http://cinematreasures.org/theater/3307/.

It became - like all of the other Paramounts - an ODEON in1940, managed to survive W. W. 2 and was regularly re- vamped - to keep up with developments in film technology. How many Geordies passed through the doors, up and down the steps, and laughed, cried, or kissed and cuddled their way through thousands of movies (during those decades), I wonder. What do they think, now, of the plans to erase the place where they spent such happy times?

Newspaper articles this week have reported that in1999 the building was awarded English Heritage 'Grade2 Listing', only to have this status mysteriously, and controversially, withdrawn in2001. Then, after closing for the last time, it was further abused by being robbed of all of the remaining interior fixtures - leaving it an empty shell. An act that nobody prevented.

So what did I discover when I went to view properly this doomed old friend of the city? A surprisingly solid looking and remarkably well preserved place. Often, large buildings that have been treated this way, have weeds growing out of them and are visibly rotten and covered in grafitti - not so in this case! A good look only confirms that the destruction of this landmark is a big mistake and very regrettable indeed. It' s astonishing that none of the bids to once again re- list it have succeeded and unbelievable that nobody will step- in to save it!

I' ve seen for myself, in London and other cities, how far less beautiful facades have been effortlessly incorporated into new buildings - anything is possible with thought and vision. And there' s no reason why this shouldn' t happen here. No reason why an iconic and truly outstanding example of cultural architecture couldn' t be revived and made significant again: as a hotel, department store, museum or entertainment complex. This former cinema, like those in Gosforth, Jesmond (and The ABC Cinema on Westgate Road) before it, is due to be bulldozed because it suits certain persons. What will replace it? Soulless offices, that might well make those who build them rich, but that can never enrich the souls of the citizens of this great city!

More reading: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nationonfilm/topics/entertainment/cinema.shtml. And more: http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-evening-chronicle/2010/01/28/former-odeon-cinema-due-to-be-flattened-72703-25705691/.

It' s freezing out there...

2010-01-15T09:10:00.000-08:00

It' s freezing out there and I' m glad to be back indoors. I imagine people all over Newcastle are feeling the same way. It' s windy, rainy and cold - maybe the worst combination of weather there is? Good to get out though. Lots got done!

As I made my way from here to there, and from there to somewhere else, I heard a noise: a jingling sound and a murmur getting louder. It was a small troop of Hare Krishna - on the other side of the road - and against the grey of the city, they were like a ray of sunshine. A colourful and buzzy bundle of happiness.

I decided to film them, as I knew it would be alright, and because I wanted to capture the moment forever. Their energy and chanting cut through the dull, chilly atmosphere and made people stop or look, or at the very least, do their best to ignore what seemed to be their optimism. When I saw them again later, on Northumberland Street, they seemed just as happy and energized.

... SNOW images.

2010-01-10T06:55:00.000-08:00

I just just finished up- loading a selection of my own SNOW images. As a thaw seems to be commencing it feels like good timing - as it may all be gone in the coming days? A truly memorable, if meltable, start to2010.

2010-01-10T06:46:00.001-08:00

2010-01-10T06:44:00.001-08:00

2010-01-10T06:41:00.001-08:00

2010-01-10T06:39:00.001-08:00

2010-01-10T06:36:00.001-08:00

I feel well placed.

2010-01-10T06:28:00.000-08:00

Why does2010 only now seem to be starting? Is it because for the past week I' ve been (like many others in the N. E. and far beyond), snowed- in - both physically and mentally? Sure I' ve left the house, but only tentatively, and only to scurry back as soon as I could, to warmth and security! Anyway, definitely time to blog!

After a gentle and relatively stress- free Christmas, I spent the days leading up to and including New Years Eve. with my family - here. I' d invited them to visit back in early December, and they joined me on the Wednesday evening, and left on the Saturday lunchtime - after much talking, eating, drinking of alcohol, garden fireworks and indigestion. I also spent a good amount of time blowing my nose and sneezing. How I managed to cook a4 course meal on Jan. the1 st with the worst head cold I' ve had for10 years I' ll never know - you just get on with things like that I suppose?

Rather than look back it' s good to look ahead I think - and what a lot to look forward to! But briefly, if anything positive can be said of2009, it' s clear that finally joining FACEBOOK (after2 or3 years of resistance), and beginning to tweet and blog properly, has allowed me to re- connect with some people I had very much lost contact with. Something as pleasing for them - as for me - it seems too! So that is1 feature of this new year and decade. Another is the realisation of recent projects and endeavours - more of which later. Lastly, there are some great events taking place, here in Newcastle: the Newcastle Science Fest., Chinese New Year, ThinkingDigital, and the announcement of the winning tender for the regional INFC initiative being just a few. I feel well placed.

... festive Newcastle...

2009-12-14T06:18:00.000-08:00

Christmas is everywhere - and seems to have been for ever now; especially in the shops! On Saturday I walked casually around the centre of town after the gym. and noticed, amongst other things, 3 young guys blowing their trumpets for cash, those balloon bending clowns (who I must film/ photograph), and a limitless number of Geordies 'on a mission'. But what seemed to sum- up festive Newcastle best however was the biking Santas I saw cruising down Grainger Street - on their way to who knows where? Lapland perhaps? See below!

2009-12-14T06:06:00.000-08:00

2009-12-14T06:03:00.000-08:00

Malcolm McLaren at the BALTIC!

2009-11-14T15:44:00.001-08:00

2009-11-14T15:40:00.000-08:00

At this time last night I was, again, at the BALTIC - something that' s becoming a bit of a habit? The reason? To enjoy a few drinks in the company of Malcolm McLaren; in Newcastle to launch his new video: Paris, Capitol of the21 st Century and to talk about his life.

3 weeks ago I' d tried to buy2 tickets for the talk - but sadly it was already sold out. Nevertheless I had a great time with my business partner and took (with permission), a few photographs for this blog. See below!

My memory of McLaren doesn' t go as far back as punk. Few people realise that it wasn' t as big initially as it might seem to have been today, and it' s raw power certainly wasn' t felt by an8 year old boy in Hull - images of the Queen with a safety pin through her nose didn' t catch my eye there! No, I first noticed him because of Bow Wow Wow, and later still, when Buffalo Gals penetrated the 'Top Twenty' at the end of1982. But as soon as I got to College in1986 I made- up for lost time!

I think it' s his1989 album Waltz Darling and the follow- up1994 PARIS album that are most significant for me however. Deep In Vogue was completely ripped- off by Madonna, and, despite criticism that PARIS combined the2 most over- rated things in the world - Jazz and the capital of France - it' s rightly considered a classic today.

On November the6 th H. R. H. was in Newcastle, and it' s rather interesting that the man partly responsible for God Save the Queen arrived in her wake a week later. When I said this to him he pulled a face - I suppose I wasn' t the first to mention it!

2009-11-14T15:37:00.000-08:00

The future WAS here...

2009-11-01T14:44:00.000-08:00

The future WAS here! But did you see it or did you miss it? I saw it, on Thursday evening, when the square in front of the BALTIC gallery was converted into a giant game, using an overhead projector on a crane.

The game (by GREAT STREET GAMES: http://www.greatstreetgames.org.uk/), was already underway when I arrived, and people were moving about the huge 'board' successfully and unsuccessfully - as pseudo classical musical played, intercut with beeps and tweets and other atmospheric noises. The game (which actually seemed to consist of3 altogether), lasted until this weekend.

As a teenager I subscribed to2000 AD and spent weekends reading it and watching on tv. films like: The Empire Strikes Back, Blade Runner, TRON and WarGames - where a world still to come was ambitiously visualized. Because of that, to finally be IN a computer game for real gave me 'goose- bumps'!

Today...

2009-10-27T16:33:00.000-07:00

Today - following the gym., and ahead of meeting- up with my business partner - I decided to go to the BALTIC. Despite the mizzling (misty drizzle), I captured some images with my HD ENOVA Cam. on the way. Others seemed to be happily photographing each other with 'The Tyne Bridge' as a backdrop, or taking pictures of the BALTIC or 'The Millenium Bridge', but far more interesting for me were the reflections in the water (see below). I might have to go back and do it again!

My reason for going to the BALTIC was that I' d read in the Evening Chronicle last week that children would be creating a giant sculpture there, as part of the nationwide 'Make a Difference Day'. See here: http://www.csv.org.uk/campaigns. However once inside it appeared to be more low key than the tiny article suggested, and so instead I went to see the (free) Parrworld exhibition.

WOW - I' m really pleased I did! Divided onto2 floors (Ground and Level3), the Ground Floor was an exhibition of Martin Parr' s recent photographic series Luxury - an amazing collection of tableau, featuring persons: revelling, eating and interacting. But the second part of the curation was even more stunning - a vast array of collected imagery, objects and interrelated items. Either side of the entrance was a huge selection of framed postcards - sometimes mundane, sometimes profound. Then, once inside, a vast arrangement of very powerful photography from varying artists, image makers and documentarians.

The work of Tom Wood: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Wood_(photographer, reminded me a lot of my friend Adrian Wilson' s style - catching people off- guard in a social situation. A review for1 of his books is here: http://www.foto8.com/reviews/V4N2/photieman.html. Very stunning were the3 Northern Ireland 'Troubles' images by Gilles Peress. You can see1 here: http://www.artnet.com/artists/lotdetailpage.aspx?lot_id=87F51CA9DFDCB4D39C78B9CF0BAA98DC. Peter Mitchell' s photography (which I don' t know), seemed to be about a dissapearing world, and Massimo Vitali' s Italian nightclub panorama I' d seen before in London. Great to be reminded of Keith Arnatt, who' s brilliant Notes From Jo. series were represented by2 examples - 1 of which was: YOU BASTARD! YOU ATE THE LAST OF MY CRACKERS. Read more here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2007/may/19/weekend7.weekend4. Beyond the photography on the walls, and a series of flat display cases - full of beautiful books opened at certain pages - that dominated the centre of the exhibition, was another room filled with objects.

Part of Parr' s personal collection? It was a sometimes disturbing gathering of notorious personalities of the20 th century immortalized in varying ways. A Margaret Thatcher grouping included a dartboard and a SPITTING IMAGE teapot. There was a wall of incredible Islamic rugs celebrating the destruction of The World Trade Centre and a cabinet full of Saddam Hussein commemorative watches - which have to be seen to be believed!

Parrworld was 'packed', and the BALTIC in general was particularly busy - maybe something to do with 'half term' or the weather? Anyway, if you are there anytime soon see it, and not the Damien Hirst Pharmacy exhibition. He' s completely over- rated and it wont teach you anything! Plus Parrworld doesn' t cost a penny!

REFLECTIONS1

2009-10-27T16:30:00.001-07:00

REFLECTIONS2

2009-10-27T16:28:00.001-07:00

REFLECTIONS3

2009-10-27T16:27:00.001-07:00

REFLECTIONS4

2009-10-27T16:25:00.000-07:00

REFLECTIONS5

2009-10-27T16:23:00.001-07:00

REFLECTIONS6

2009-10-27T16:21:00.001-07:00

REFLECTIONS7

2009-10-27T16:20:00.001-07:00

REFLECTIONS8

2009-10-27T16:06:00.000-07:00

Recommended!

2009-10-26T07:19:00.000-07:00

Another weekend has come and gone, and lots happened - but1 of the most relevant things to this blog was discovering a reference to the URBAN TRANSLATION TOUR website at the back of the design event09 programme. It' s a great SUMO http://www.sumodesign.co.uk/ designed free to access and interactive Northern Architecture resource, which is packed with information about some of the iconic buildings of this great city. It features a down- loadable 'virtual' walk through Newcastle, and I suggest checking it. Of course it' s not perfect as a production, and I can think of many improvements - but better to have it than not: http://northernarchitecture.com/urbantranslation/. Recommended!

Yesterday evening...

2009-10-22T06:20:00.000-07:00

Yesterday evening it rained, and rained and rained and rained - but a bit of bad weather seldom stops me from sticking to a plan. The plan? To walk down to Forth Goods Yard (off Forth Street), after going to the gym., and check the deadgood private view.

Forth Goods Yard is at the less polished end of Forth Street, and reminded me (as I headed there in the half light), of London' s 'East- End' in the middle of the last decade. Certainly there are very visible signs that the area is being viewed by regional investors and entrepreneurs as an equally profitable opportunity.

Beyond various typical suppliers and tradesmen, deadgood occupy2 rail way arches roughly in the middle of the row, and as I approached through the drizzle, I noticed that each had a sign above them. The left declaring This arch is deadgood... , and the right claiming ... and this one is too! Green and pink lighting within meant that each seemed to glow.

Once inside the right arch I was clearly early, and so I visited the free bar next door and was persuaded by the bar staff - with very little difficulty - to sample a SAILOR JERRY Rum and Red Bull. I was pleased I did, and recommend you do too: http://www.sailorjerry.co.uk/. Back inside the right arch I looked at all of the furniture on view and had the chance to talk eventually with the Director of deadgood; Elliot Brook. I told him briefly about me and NOWCASTLE and then talked to him about deadgood.

Call me lazy, but it seems pointless to go on and on about what we discussed, especially when a lot of what they do speaks for itself and many of the things he told me are on their excellent website: http://www.deadgoodltd.co.uk/. What I will say however (as I think the photographs I' ve uploaded testify), is that what deadgood are doing is really very clever indeed - without being cocky. Their thoughtful and sometimes sublime designs manage to effortlessly meld many varying things: history with nature, line with volume and past and future memory. Swallowing a second SAILOR JERRY Rum and Red Bull prepared me for the journey home, and after saying goodbye to Elliot I left feeling very enriched. The deadgood exhibition continues between the22 nd and24 th of October and is part of design event09: http://www.design-event.co.uk/.

2009-10-22T05:08:00.001-07:00

David J Irwin' s Timber Stacker collection.

2009-10-22T05:00:00.000-07:00

2009-10-22T04:56:00.000-07:00

The Doodle Chair - doodle design by Jon Burgerman.

2009-10-22T04:51:00.000-07:00

2009-10-22T04:47:00.001-07:00

Max Lamb' s Anodised Tables.

2009-10-22T04:40:00.000-07:00

2009-10-22T04:36:00.001-07:00

2009-10-22T04:34:00.001-07:00

2009-10-22T04:32:00.001-07:00

2009-10-22T04:22:00.001-07:00

Monday night...

2009-10-19T13:41:00.000-07:00

Monday night, and I think it' s probably a good time to muse about the aims of this blog and my hopes for it. Even though it' s hardly begun, and almost nobody knows anything about it, I don' t think I should let that stop me from expanding on what I' ve already said.

So, if NOWCASTLE is about Newcastle NOW what does that really mean? It means a space where I can collect and share: stories, images, thoughts, sounds and opinions of Newcastle upon Tyne now. Incredibly, after20 years away, I find myself based here again - at the death of the first decade of the21 st century and the birth of the second. Life really is a circle, right? And like me, while it might be outwardly altered, at it' s core it seems to remain fundamentally the same. Fascinating and infuriating!

Beyond that, I think it would be amazing if this could be the start of something - but we' ll see. My ambitions are realistic, but I do know that I' ll definitely enjoy seeing where it goes and what happens along the way.

... our friends electric?

2009-10-17T15:14:00.000-07:00

'Our Friends in the North' are now our friends electric? Something very interesting and exciting I noticed in The Guardian, today: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/oct/16/north-east-electric-cars.

... this is my first post!

2009-10-16T13:38:00.000-07:00

I' ve decided to begin this blog very simply - with an edited selection of photographs I took a few months ago. Why? For some strange reason I' ve always been fascinated by these walking figures, printed onto a footpath beside the B1318 - or 'Great North Road' - and opposite the 'Town Moor'. The path conveys pedestrians into the city centre, and initially the human shapes appear quite uniform, but soon begin to change into varying sizes - as you' ll see. Because of the passing of time (or it' s location), each seems, like the citizens of Newcastle, to somehow have it' s own character. Anyway, this is my first post!

2009-10-16T13:36:00.001-07:00

2009-10-16T13:33:00.001-07:00

2009-10-16T13:31:00.000-07:00

2009-10-16T13:26:00.000-07:00

2009-10-16T13:22:00.001-07:00

2009-10-16T13:15:00.000-07:00