2008

Gallery 37 2008

Gallery 37 celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2008 and ran a programme of visual and performing arts training based at a new site on Floodgate Street in Digbeth. The familiar Gallery 37 tents were also to be seen in Centenary Square at the end of August when the programme put on a spectacular showcase of all the work produced by its young participants

The 2008 programme formed part of the national Portrait of a Nation programme with a  focus on the theme of Exploring Our Roots - Who do we want to be?

The delivery of the programme will be took place from 28th July to 22nd August, with a training week for artists from 14th until 18th July.

Beaten Tracks & Peaceful Paths
Birmingham Rep
Artists: Juliet Raynsford & Arthur Dyer

BEATEN TRACKS & PEACEFUL PATHS – was a theatre-based project which explored different ‘journeys’ and ‘routes’ considered interesting or significant. The project took as its focus the city of Birmingham and created theatre that told a unique story born out of the experience of living in Birmingham in 2008. The project creatively explored questions like; What paths do we take everyday? What places do we pass? What is the history of these places? What is the story of the people who live there? What are the hidden stories? What do we know about these places that others don’t?

Freestyle Film & Animation
Symphony Hall & Birmingham Rep
Artist: Trevor Woolery & Alice Mahtani

The Freestyle Film and Animation project explored the City of Birmingham, its identity, creativity and relationship to the individual to uncover what makes Birmingham Birmingham. Using influences from Street Art through the mediums of video, animation, photography and performance, participants injected personal perspectives to create a series of videos about Birmingham - an Animated City.

Bollywood Opera
Birmingham Opera Company & Sampad
Artists: Hina Chavda & Sham Hussain

A project based on creating a dance repertoire for the Gallery 37 showcase and seven performances for the Birmingham Opera Companys King Idomeneo production.
The project focused on promoting Asian Culture through traditional and contemporary styles of dance, providing the local communities with an insight into a rich and vibrant cultural art form, as well as creating a platform for the young people participating.

Second City Sounds
Artists: Chris Mapp, Mark Robertson, Onelia Sylvester & Paul Riddle

A project reflecting the participants’ heritage through lyrics and sounds. The sounds of Birmingham were used as a basis for composition. Lyric writing and performance techniques, percussion instruments combined to make a unique Birmingham sound and spectacle.
Sounds were collected from within the city, manipulated using computer programmes and then songs created, incorporating music selected by the group – music that they love. The group also researched lyric writing and performance techniques, and used percussion instruments to learn about Samba and fusing different genres together to make a unique Birmingham sound.

The Eternal Now
Artists: Marjolijn Dijkman, Chris Keenan, James Cangiano, Craig Bush, Naziah Begum

During September 2008, Dutch artist Marjolijn Dijkman and British film-maker Chris Keenan, along with Shadow artists Naziah Begun and Craig Bush, collaborated with a group of young people from Birmingham to produce three short films inspired by The Eternal Now, an exhibition of film works by Andy Warhol at Ikon Eastside, Birmingham.
Reflecting the location of Warhol’s Silver Factory, the project was located in a disused factory space in Digbeth and provided the inspiration and backdrop for some of the short films. Over the course of the project the young people learnt how to use a variety of professional film equipment and editing software to create their films. Responding to the content and style of Warhol’s films the young people worked collaboratively in small production units developing ideas and agreeing on a film manifesto before finally shooting and editing their final footage.
The resulting films reflect Warhol’s fascination with the everyday and his use of the camera - documenting life as it happens.
These films were screened at various locations in Birmingham and beyond as well as being entered for national short film awards.

Portrait of Birmingham
Artists: Vanley Burke, Anand Chhabra & Naziah Begum

A project where young people shared their perspectives on an ever changing city, producing one-hundred photographs drawing on historic and contemporary views of Birmingham.
Birmingham has undergone enormous physical and cultural changes in recent years. We have all seen new commercial, religious and other buildings, which have altered the skyline. People from different parts of the world, have chosen to live, work and study here. Each have their own demands and expectations, while contributing to the vibrancy, growth and development of this great historical city. These changes have not all been represented in images of the city.
Ten apprentice artists  produced ten photographs each, offering their views of Birmingham. Through research conducted in Birmingham Central Library and the heritage and archive services; the group explored and debated the cultural landscape, individuals, community groups, and agencies representing Birmingham.

Nursery Grimes
St Thomas Childrens Centre
Artists: Ruth Swallow & RT

Nursery Grimes was a four-week visual arts apprenticeship, giving young parents the opportunity to develop printmaking, visual arts and lyric writing skills.
The group worked to create a series of lyrics describing their experiences as young mothers in Birmingham. These were used to inspire an exhibition where participants explored drawing and printmaking techniques.
In addition, visual arts and music were combined to develop a ‘Live Art’ performance piece inspired by Bob Dylan’s ‘Subterranean Homesick Blues’. The performance revealed an array of hand drawn images presented in time to an MC Grime performance.
Developing Activities with and for Children
Young mothers are expected to juggle a wide range of responsibilities, and this project was no exception. In addition to creating art work to a professional standard they also developed skills in designing, planning and delivering arts activities to engage their children. Skills that will transfer well both to home and the work place.