Stephen Willats's Blog, page 3

Tuesday 2nd July – CHELSEA space open 2pm-5pm only

Due to staff illness CHELSEA space will be open from 2pm-5pm only today.

Normal opening hours (weekdays 11am-5pm, Saturdays 10am – 4pm) will resume tomorrow.

Apologies for Any inconvenience

Oswaldo Macia 'The Library Of Cynicism' 2013

Sounds and Smells, Naff Graphics, A Bus on a Roof, and A Former London Cab Driver in Texas

Oswaldo Maciá's Library of Cynicism at CHELSEA space

An assault on the senses this week as Oswaldo Maciá opened his new audio-olfactory work  The Library of Cynicism at CHELSEA space.

Stop Making Sense: A visitor examines one of Oswaldo Maciá's smell tanks

This spatial installation made especially for CHELSEA space incorporates sound and smell and encourages a heightened utility of the senses in encounters with art and ideas. Oswaldo has also been showing this week in the Modern & Contemporary Latin American Art show, PINTA LONDON

Will Alsop with Gary Woodley and Bruce McLean

It was good to see some of our old friends including the architect Will Alsop who showed with us in the exhibition Towards in 2007, Bruce McLean whose Process Progress Project Archive took place at CHELSEA space in 2006, and Gary Woodley who opened Impingement #47  on March 4th 2005, the very first exhibition at CHELSEA space.

Karen di Franko, Lisa Le Feuvre and Donald Smith with Oswaldo Maciá's sound bells in the background

It was nice to see the Director of the Henry Moore Institute, Lisa Le Feuvre, who curated our third exhibition Avalanche 1970-1976 around this time of year back in June 2006.

Oswaldo Maciá explains the smell tanks to artist Julian Wild

Think Tank: Gary Woodley, Bruce McLean, Penelope Curtis, and Martyn Simpson

And it was also good to see Julian Wild, artist and founder of the Forum For Artists in Chelsea and Kensington (FACK) and the Director of Tate Britain, Penelope Curtis.

Bruce McLean, Nobby Graham, Gary Woodley, Donald Smith, and Oswaldo Maciá

Oswaldo Maciá’s The Library of Cynicism: the archeology of sound and smell is at CHELSEA space until 20th July.

advertisement designed by Nicky Carvell for Kate Ross's Synesthesia 1 at the Notting Hill Art Club

Although our private view only happened on Tuesday, The Library of Cynicism was not the first time that sensory perception had been alluded to this week; on Monday night CHELSEA space Research Fellow, Kate Ross, had opened Synesthesia 1,  her inaugural event as the Curator at The Notting Hill Arts Club.

Nick Cash on drums at Synesthesia I curated by Kate Ross at the Notting Hill Art Club

Synesthesia I combined visual art and sound, Nick Cash, former drummer with Fad Gadget who had worked with us on the exhibition Max Clendinning: Avant Craft, was just one of the musicians in Kate Ross’s experimental line-up.

curator Kate Ross with artist Nicky Carvell

Kate Ross also invited Nicky Carvell to make a new installation entitled En Visage incorporating her ‘Naff Graphic’ decals.

Nicky Carvell's En Visage curated by Kate Ross at the Notting Hill Arts Club

Nicky Carvell's work at CHELSEA space in 2012

Kate Ross and Nicky Carvell first met at CHELSEA space during the exhibition Red White & Blue: Pop Punk Politics Place. Nicky’s work is at Notting Hill Arts Club until August, Kate’s blog is at www.curatorialcuriosities.wordpress.com

Richard Wilson 'Hang On A Minute Lads, I've Got A Great Idea' De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill on Sea 2012

Like all group exhibitions, Red White and Blue: Pop Punk Politics Place  could not show everything and one of the works that we would have liked to refer to was Richard Wilson’s Hang On A Minute Lads, I’ve Got A Great Idea. This brilliant work consisted of a life-sized coach teetering on the top of the iconic modernist masterpiece The De La Warr Pavilion at Bexhill on Sea. The piece references the final scene of the jingoistic Michael Caine film The Italian Job and was a key part of the Cultural Olympiad accompanying the  2012 Olympic Games in London. This project was referred to on the CHELSEA space News Blog in July 2012.

Director of Exhibitions Donald Smith with Richard Wilson at CHELSEA space last week

CHELSEA space has acquired one of Richard Wilson’s editioned maquettes of the work for our collection. Aside from the editioned maquette Wilson also made prints, preparatory drawings, models and collages in the preliminary stages of the project and CHELSEA space Director of Exhibitions, Donald Smith, has persuaded Richard Wilson to reveal some of the artist’s processes towards this important work in an exhibition at CHELSEA space opening on 17th September.

A mural in Austin Texas USA depicting James Dean with a speech bubble saying "Donald Judd" photo: Jason Brown

Following on from our mention of the movie The Italian Job, our friend, the founder and curator of CHELSEA cab and Cab Gallery, Jason Brown, recently sent us this photograph of the late James Dean in the American film Giant. In the mural the actor is shown with a speech bubble saying “Donald Judd” whilst his companion  replies “never heard of ‘em”. The reference to a Minimalist artist by an actor playing a cowboy may seem incongruous but the link is that Giant was filmed in Marfa Texas where Judd was later to set up his Chinati Foundation, a series of studios and workshops, galleries, offices, and residential accommodation designed by Judd on a former American Airforce base. James Dean died in 1955 and the film was released posthumously in 1956. Donald Judd, who never liked the term Minimalism, died in 1994 but the Chinati Foundation continues his vision.

All This Stuff: Archiving The Artist

artists Bruce and Debra Welch with the Director of Tate Britain, Penelope Curtis

A crowd gathered at White Cube Bermondsey on 23rd May for the launch of the book All This Stuff: Archiving The Artist  published by LIBRI.

front cover of All This Stuff: Archiving The Artist illustrated with an image of Bruce McLean's King For A Day, A One Day Retrospective 1972

The book is edited by Victoria Lane, Karyn Stuckey, and Judy Vaknin from the Art Libraries Society (ARLIS UK & Ireland) and came about as the result of two study days at Tate Britain in 2007 and 2009 initiated by Sue Breakell, former archivist at Tate and now based at University of Brighton. The book includes a chapter by CHELSEA space Director Donald Smith annotated by Bruce McLean entitled ‘The Impossibility of Archiving In the Mind of an Artist Still Living’ outlining all of the projects that the two have worked on together since Smith curated the 2006 CHELSEA space show Bruce McLean: Process Progress Project Archive 1966-2006.

Clive Phillpot with Tate Director Penelope Curtis during the speeches for 'All This Stuff ...'

artists Ruth McLennan and Uriel Orlow (centre foreground) at the launch of All This Stuff

Contributors to All This Stuff… include Penelope Curtis, Ruth McLennan and Uriel Orlow, Meirian Jump, Anna McNally, Sas Mays, Gustav Metzger, Barbara Steveni, Jane Stevenson, Athanasios Velios, Jo Melvin, and  Neal White. Jo Melvin curated Bill Beckley: The Ping Pong Dialogues at CHELSEA space in 2008 whilst Neal White’s Fieldworks From the Museum of the Void was shown at CHELSEA space in 2010.

Debra Welch, Clive Phillpott, and Bruce McLean

The introduction to the book is by the  influential writer and curator Clive Phillpot. Clive was formerly Librarian at Chelsea School of Art before becoming the Librarian of the Museum of Modern Art New York. He was responsible for establishing the renowned  Special Collections at Chelsea, work that has been continued by brilliant librarians including Dr Steve Bury (now Andrew W. Mellon Chief Librarian at the Frick Art Reference Library, New York), Liz Ward, and Gustavo Grandal Montero. The Library Special Collections at Chelsea have featured throughout CHELSEA space’s programme in shows including Avalanche 1970-1976,  Vertigo: Marcel Duchamp and Mark Titchner,  The Affirmation, Don’t Do Any More Henry Moore, Aphasic Disturbance, The West London Social Resource Project Public Monitor 1972, and Ideal Home.

screening of 'Archive Of The New' a film collaboration by Bruce McLean, Donald Smith, and Debra Welch at White Cube Bermondsey

There  were  screenings at the White Cube launch including ‘Archive Of The New’, a  film collaboration by Bruce McLean, Donald Smith, and Debra Welch made especially  for the event. Debra Welch has worked with CHELSEA space on many occasions in the past few years and has edited films for several of our exhibitions including Mick Jones: The Rock & Roll Public Library. She was also included in the exhibition 8 + 1 = 16 at Chelsea Futurespace whilst Blood Orange, her curatorial collaboration with artist Sarah Simmonds, recently showed in Brussels and included the American artist Peter Downsborough who showed at CHELSEA space in And here + A Place To Be 

Barbara Steveni interviewing Tony Benn

Other films included the excellent Barbara Steveni/Artists Placement Group (APG) interview with former Labour Party Cabinet Minister, Tony Benn

designer Sally Bannayi with artists Mike Iveson and Debra Welch at White Cube

Also present was artist Mike Iveson who works regularly with CHELSEA space and whose exhibition RE-make/RE-Model  at Chelsea Futurespace was included in the CHELSEA space chapter in All This Stuff: Archiving the Artist.

double pages from All This Stuff: Archiving The Artist juxtaposing Bruce McLean works from 1971(left) and 2011

Iveson had seen the CHELSEA space News Blog from May 2011 showing Bruce McLean with a recently rediscovered archive photograph from 1971. He asked McLean if he could include the 1971 image  in the publication for RE-Make/RE-model and this dialogue led to Bruce McLean making a new work especially for the show at our sister gallery.

Ashley Rich

RE-make/RE-model looked at the multifarious influences of printmaking processes amongst a diverse group of contemporary artists including Ashley Rich who is showing at The Old Fire Station in Oxford from 8th June until 5th July 2013.

Stephen Willats at Modern Art Oxford

It will be very good time to go to Oxford because Rich’s exhibition overlaps briefly with Stephen Willats brilliant show Concious Unconcious in and out the reality check which is at Modern Art Oxford until 16th June, and Master Drawings at the Ashmolean Museum  (until 18th August), one of the world’s best collections of works on paper.

Oswaldo Maciá 'Scenario For CHELSEA space' 2013

Meanwhile back in London, Tuesday 4th June sees the opening of the next CHELSEA space exhibition The Library of Cynicism: the archaeology of sound and smell by Oswaldo Maciá.

Private View: 6-8.30pm All Welcome

 

The End of Dobell’s and the Beginning of Blake

Peter Blake at Chelsea Futurespace

A fantastic crowd turned out at our sister gallery Chelsea Futurespace for the opening of Peter Blake: Four Decades

Brad Faine and Peter Blake

This dynamic installation of prints was personally selected by Sir Peter and includes a wide variety of works that he feels represents his printmaking activities across forty years. Also the show tacitly celebrates his productive working relationship with artist and master printmaker Brad Faine.

Steve Thomas and Brad Faine at the opening of Prints 'R' Us at Chelsea Futurespace

Brad recently exhibited his own work at Chelsea Futurespace in Prints ‘R’ Us with artist and designer Steve Thomas and has just launched a new website www.fainecontemporaryart.com 

Sir Peter Blake with CHELSEA space Research Fellows and curators Kate Ross and Daisy McMullan

The excellent colour publication for the exhibition contains a text by Jo Melvin and was designed by Daisy McMullan. It will be available soon through our E-Shop

architect Will Alsop, St James Homes' Paul Pritchard, actor Dudley Sutton, and Futurecity Director Mark Davy

Chelsea Futurespace started when CHELSEA space Director Donald Smith was approached by the property developer St James and the art and placemaking consultant Futurecity to come up with a proposal for an exhibiting space within a new residential development on the northeast corner of Chelsea Bridge. The project has lasted 7 years and has notched up 30 exhibitions.

Anna and Paul Stolper with Humphrey Ocean

Works for Sir Peter Blake’s show were generously loaned by Paul Stolper Gallery and CCA Galleries

When Peter and Chrissy met Crimson

It was great to see lots of friends and Sir Peter was incredibly generous, signing autographs and giving everyone his individual attention.

Poet Michael Horovitz talks with his old friend Peter Blake

We were very pleased to see poet Michael Horovitz amongst the private view crowd.

1961 Jazz & Poetry festival poster including a listing for Mike Horovitz

The CHELSEA space exhibition Dobells Jazz Folk Blues includes a bold 1961 poster for a Jazz & Poetry event including a listing for a reading by Mike Horovitz.

David Redfern with his wife Suzie during his excellent talk at CHELSEA space

Sadly the Dobells show has come to an end but our last week included live music and an excellent talk by the extraordinary music photographer David Redfern whose portfolio of photographs of the 1967 Newport Jazz Festival, commissioned by Dobells and Pan American Airlines, was showcased in our exhibition.

audience at the David Redfern talk in CHELSEA space

David has worked with everyone from Frank Sinatra to Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones and was a friend of many of the biggest names in jazz. It was an honour to welcome him to CHELSEA space and his talk was the perfect finale for the Dobell’s show.

photographer David Redfern photographed at CHELSEA space by Gavin Freeborn

Willats in Oxford, Brown in Nashville, Blake in London, and a Jazz Record bag sent from Berlin

section of Stephen Willats' Oxford Community Data Stream

Stephen Willats, who showed his West London Social Resource Project with us in 2011, has an excellent new show Conscious-Unconscious: in and out the reality check at Modern Art Oxford. The show represents the next stage in a relationship with the gallery that goes back to 1968.

perspex visor and rubber beret by Flora McLean as part of the installation by Archigram at Modern Art Oxford

Also showing at Modern Art Oxford are the radical architecture practice Archigram and it was great to see that the mannequins in their installation were wearing hats and visors by the milliner Flora McLean.

Gyeyeon Park, Daeun Jeong, and Su Jin Lee wearing rubber berets by Flora McLean at CHELSEA space in 2010

The orange rubber beret in the installation was similar to the ones she gave to former CHELSEA space Assistants Daeun Jeong, Su Jin Lee and Gyeyeon Park who worked with her father, the artist Bruce McLean, for the multi media performance A Political Hot Potato on a Dark Background as part of our 5th year anniversary programme of exhibitions and Events Should I Stay Or Should I Go

Bruce McLean A Lemon a Potato A Torch And A Piece of String Piece Peace

Part of A political Hot Potato was an image to go on the doors of our old friend Jason Brown’s CHELSEA cab.

Hatch Show Print Nashville Tennessee

As recorded in our Blog Archive, Jason now lives in Nashville Tennessee and is currently working with CHELSEA space Director Donald Smith on a show celebrating  Hatch Show Print, the Nashville letterpress shop established in the 1870s and most well known and  collected internationally for  its posters for music concerts for everyone from Bessie Smith and Duke Ellington,  through to Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, The White Stripes and many many more. Hatch Show Print recently became part of The Country Music Hall of Fame but artist, curator, and master letterpress printer Jim Sherraden is still very much at the heart of Hatch’s activities. The CHELSEA space exhibition  Hatch Show Print: Nashville Calling  will run from November 13th – December 14th.

Letters from the Brehman collection including a postcard from Picasso, Paul Elouard, Man Ray, Gala, Roland Penrose and others

Jason Brown’s next curated event in Nashville is in collaboration with Chuck Beard of East Side Story and is entitled Voices : A reading of letters from The Brehman Collection with a special performance by Actors Bridge/Sideshow Fringe and an exhibition of new work by Ed Nash

Peter Blake 'Lover's Rock' 2004 silkscreen print courtesy Paul Stolper Gallery

Jason Brown’s CHELSEA cab started life as the curated project CAB GALLERY that he ran in London in association with the gallerist Paul Stolper. Paul is currently helping us with the exhibition Peter Blake: Four Decades at our sister gallery Chelsea Futurespace which runs from May 15th until July 28th. The image above featuring The Clash is from the Peter Blake/Paul Stolper Gallery portfolio Love. The Clash guitarist Mick Jones (second left) has worked with us many times at CHELSEA space including the shows Mick Jones Rock & Roll Public Library,  The Life Room, Should I Stay Or Should I Go, and Red White & Blue: Pop Punk Politics Place

Jason Brown with artist Susan Forsyth at Mick Jones' opening for Should I Stay Or Should I Go

Mick Jones playing Should I Stay Or Should I Go at CHELSEA space April 2010

1960s Dobell's paper 7" bag

The Dobells Record Shop bags in our current exhibition Dobells: Jazz Folk Blues are still creating a lot of interest and it has been great to see visitors bringing their own vintage record shop carriers with them.

double sided James Asman/Mole Jazz plastic 12" record bag

We had no idea quite how popular it was to collect record shop bags and were delighted when our good friend, artist Eddie Farrell, sent us this bag from Berlin with the London Jazz stores James Asman Record Centre on one side and Mole Jazz on the other, two much loved and much missed stores who many visitors to the show have talked about longingly.

James Asman and Maureen Vernon with Doug Dobell at the launch party for Dobell's Tower Street shop in 1981

By coincidence, one of the images in our Dobell’s exhibition is of the man on the bag, James Asman, with Maureen Vernon who worked at Mole Jazz pictured here with Doug Dobell in 1981.The image is from the launch party of the Tower Street store following the demolition of the original shop at 77 Charing Cross Road.

artist Eddie Farrell (foreground) performing at CHELSEA space in March 2005

We very much miss Eddie who first performed at CHELSEA space as part of Gary Woodley’s exhibition impingement #47 back in March 2005 and who made the audio/visual document for our exhibition Bruce McLean: Process Progress Project Archive and made two performance events for the exhibition Rehearsing/Samuel Beckett. We understand that Eddie is returning to London soon and we look forward to welcoming him back.

A Private View, A Talk, World Record Store Day, Sir Peter Blake and more

Private view for Dobells Jazz Folk Blues

Another lively season for CHELSEA space starting with the private view for Dobells Jazz Folk Blues. There was a fantastic crowd out to celebrate this iconic record shop and its founder, Doug Dobell, including CHELSEA space regulars and Dobell’s staff and customers going back to the 1940s.

Dobell's staff member Brian Harvey with music photographer Val Wilmer

Brian Harvey, who was one of Doug Dobell’s earliest staff members, was quite moved when he saw the original Dobells record rack on loan from Museum of London.

Brian Harvey (centre) gets an autograph from Louis 'Satchmo' Armstrong whilst Doug Dobell (right) wistfully contemplates the scene

original Dobells record rack on loan from Museum of London

He recalled installing the rack in the bookshop of Doug’s father, Arthur, at 77 Charing Cross Road and how the records gradually took over the entire shop! Opened by Doug’s grandfather Bertram in 1887 Dobell’s was one of the first antiquarian bookshops on the Charing Cross Road. Bertram was the first tenant in this new building constructed after London slum clearances and the shop kept the family name until it was demolished in 1981.

Francesca Stuttle, Stephen and Stephanie Willats

Dobell’s was very popular with the art crowd. Stephen Willats has a collection of 78 rpm discs on Dobells’ own 77 Records label and was a regular visitor to the shop. Stephen, who showed The West London Social Resource Project at CHELSEA space, is opening his new show this week at Modern Art Oxford

Monica and Don Sollash with his 'I've Heard The Sound of Dobells' sweatshirt

We were very honoured to see Don and Monica Sollash at the opening, Don opened Dobell’s Brighton store in 1957 and married Doug Dobell’s daughter Monica in 1958.

Don Sollash, Doug Dobell, and Joe Williams

Don can be seen with many iconic Jazz musicians in photographs in the exhibition, Monica also worked administering the family firm and they were both still working at Dobell’s until its final closure in 1992.

writer Guy Brett with artist Bruce McLean

Artist Bruce McLean, who showed Process Progress Project Archive with us in 2006, worked in the Jazz venue the Bulls Head in Barnes and remembered meeting important American musicians at Dobells including Roland Kirk. He is seen here with art writer Guy Brett who has just finished work for the excellent monograph on Rose Finn-Kelsey published by Ridinghouse Editions. CHELSEA space Director Donald Smith has  recently contributed a chapter on working with Bruce McLean for the book All This Stuff: Archiving The Artist

Fashion designer Lloyd Johnson and Film maker Paul Tickell both had their own Dobells stories

CHELSEA space Director Donald Smith with musician Jona Lewie

Musician Jona Lewie, famous for his song You Will Always Find Me In The Kitchen at Parties, was another regular at the shop and is good friends with Martin Colyer, son of  Dobell’s stalwart staff member Bill Colyer.

A young Martin Colyer holds his pushchair whilst Don Sollash, Martin's mother Betty and his cousin Ray look on at the Dobell's Brighton shop in 1957

Martin, who studied at Chelsea School of Art has written an excellent blog about the Dobell’s show and private view and has included some rare photographs from his family album

DJ Jeff Dexter (right), seen here with Fosit Forsythe, was another Dobell's regular

 

Peter Halley takes in the Dobell's show at CHELSEA space

We were honoured to see the American painter Peter Halley in CHELSEA space.

installation view of Peter Halley's current exhibition at Waddington Custot

Halley’s excellent new show has just opened at Waddington Custot Galleries in London and the catalogue essay is by our good friend Jo Melvin who curated the show The Ping Pong Dialogues at CHELSEA space

Leon Parker puts a record on the deck at CHELSEA space

This Wednesday saw the first of our ‘open deck’ sessions for vinyl record enthusiasts. These events are being organised by Leon Parker of the British Record Shop Archive who has worked tirelessly with CHELSEA space to make the Dobell’s show happen, ever passionate about the importance of independent record shops, irrepressibly energetic in sourcing materials and making contacts.

Brian Peerless with the cover for 77 Records 1961 album 'High In A Basement'

audience at the Brian Peerless talk

The vinyl session was followed by an excellent talk by Brian Peerless who worked at Dobells from 1962-1992. The talk included some great history, lots of good music,  and rarely heard anecdotes. Some of the audience who knew Dobell’s and Brian added to the event with lively interjections and stories of their own.

Ben Webster and Sarah Vaughn photographed by David Redfern at the Newport Jazz Festival 1967. From a boxed set of prints commissioned by Dobell's and Pan American Airways

The vinyl sessions are every Wednesday afternoon throughout the show and the next talk at CHELSEA space is with music photographer David Redfern 6-7.30pm Wednesday 15th May. The event is free but RSVP to info@chelseaspace.org is essential.

World Record Store Day billboard, Nashville USA. photograph: Jason Brown

The show was also timed to coincide with World Record Store Day and here is a photograph of an advertisement taken in the USA by our good friend Jason Brown who generously ran CHELSEA cab for us until he moved to Nashville Tennessee.

Disquaire Day, Paris

Record Store Day originated in USA and was quickly adopted in the UK and elsewhere. This advertisement was photographed in Paris just to prove Record Store Day is now a worldwide event!

Chelsea Arts Club Trust Research Fellow at CHELSEA space Kate Ross

Ashley Family Foundation Research Fellow at CHELSEA space, Daisy McMullan, (right) with textile designer Melanie Bowles at the opening of Geometrics Volume 1

The talks, vinyl sessions and other events are organised by CHELSEA space Research Fellows Daisy McMullan and Kate Ross as part of the wider CHELSEA public programme. Daisy and Kate have been busy with a range of projects for CHELSEA space including the exhibition Surface that they curated for our sister space Chelsea Futurespace, and the selection of artists for our Gate Curate project in collaboration with the Gate Theatre Notting Hill and Chelsea Arts Club Trust.  Both Daisy and Kate are working on projects away from CHELSEA space too, most recently Kate Ross has been developing a new exhibition programme for the Notting Hill Arts Club and the Chelsea Salon series, whilst Daisy McMullan has just curated the textiles project The Geometrics: Volume 1.

Sir Peter Blake 'Babe Rainbow' silkscreen print 1968

And finally we are pleased to announce that we are about to launch a solo exhibition with Sir Peter Blake at our sister gallery, Chelsea Futurespace. The show entitled Four Decades is an exhibition of prints selected by the artist and will open with a private view on Tuesday 14th May. Peter showed with us most recently at CHELSEA space in the group exhibition Red White and Blue: Pop Punk Politics Place.

 

Jazz Folk Blues at CHELSEA space

Dobells shop sign. Photo: Museum of London

CHELSEA space has been keeping relatively quiet as we prepared for our new show but the silence will soon to be broken with what promises to be a lively private view for Dobells Jazz Folk Blues on Tuesday 9th April from 6-8.30pm. Continuing the noise, there will be a Programme of Events throughout the show including talks and record playing sessions. The show also coincides with Record Store Day on 20th April, check our CHELSEA public programme  blog for updates.

Gail Thompson, John Chilton, Doug Sollash, Brian Peerless, Bill Colyer outside of Dobells at 77 Charing Cross Road just prior to its closure for demolition in late 1980

The subject of the show is Dobell’s Record Shop which was started by Doug Dobell in 1946 in a corner of his father’s book shop at 77 Charing Cross Road in London.  The shop’s motto was ‘The Record Shop With A Club Atmosphere’ and it became a mecca where music fans rubbed shoulders with famous touring musicians who would hang out there and catch up on gossip, find out who else was in town, learn what records were popular and where were the new cool places to visit. It was a one stop search engine, as much a club, a branch of social services, a public library, and a research centre as it was a retail outlet and it even had its own record label – 77 Records.

Hand painted sign from Dobell's. Photo: Museum of London

The show includes objects, photographs, posters, record covers and other graphics from private collections and a 1967 portfolio of portraits of Jazz musicians by renowned music photographer David Redfern. We are also grateful to the Museum of London for the loan of original artefacts on show for the first time since the  shop’s closure 21 years ago.

hand made Opening Hours sign from Dobell's. Photo: Museum of London

Dobell’s briefly opened a store in Brighton in 1957 and another London store was opened in Rathbone Place for a while in the early 1960s. The store at 77 Charing Cross Road expanded to take over the neighbouring no. 75 but they were closed for demolition in 1980 and the shop relocated to Tower Street in 1981. Sadly, Doug Dobell died whilst visiting the Nice Jazz Festival in 1987 but his wife Gladys and the loyal Dobell’s team continued running the legendary shop until it closed its doors for the last time in 1992.

Dobells: Jazz Folk Blues shows at CHELSEA space from 10th April until 18th May.   Entry Free.   Tuesday – Friday 11am-5pm, Saturday 10am-4pm        Click here for a full programme of Events and updates

 

Stuart Comer & James Mackay talk about The Early Films of Derek Jarman + news on Nicky Carvell, Florian Roithmayr, Kit Craig, & Alice Channer

Derek Jarman 'A journey To Avebury' 1971 Super 8 Film

CHELSEA space and the CCW Graduate School hosted an excellent talk by Tate Modern Curator of Film  Stuart Comer and film producer James Mackay on the Early Films of Derek Jarman (1942-1994).

James Mackay and Stuart Comer talking Derek Jarman in the Lecture Theatre at Chelsea College of Art & Design

The discussion will be published as part of a series of ‘in conversations’ for the Moving Image Review and Art Journal (MIRAJ) edited by Catherine Elwes and published by Intellect Books. The event included a screening of several films including Studio Bankside 1970; A Journey To Avebury 1971;  Sulphur 1973; Art and the Pose 1976; Sloane Street: A Room of One’s Own 1976; T.G: Psychic Rally In Heaven 1981. Because of the delicate state of the super 8 films it has not been possible to view them much in recent years but James Mackay and the Luma Foundation have been lovingly restoring the films frame by frame and digitizing them.

Derek Jarman 'Sloane Square: A Room Of One's Own' 1976 super 8 film

Super 8 was admired for its portable handheld qualities but it could not be projected to a very large scale, and the heat from the projectors often scorched the film. Derek Jarman enjoyed seeing his work on a large scale and James Mackay believes that these new digital versions will enable the audience for the first time to really see what Jarman saw through the viewfinder. An interesting fragmented portrait of Derek Jarman began to emerge from the biographical, theoretical, practical, political, and contextual commentary, James’s anecdotes and insights, and the films themselves. CHELSEA space is grateful to James Mackay and Stuart Comer for such a candid, intelligent, and  generous discussion.  We quickly ran out of time – there is so much more to be said.

Duggie fields and Steve Thomas at the Lloyd Johnson opening in CHELSEA space in 2012. Derek Jarman made a super 8 film portrait entitled Duggie Fields in 1974

The Lecture Theatre was full with a combination of artists, film experts and academics, fans, friends of Jarman, and students. It was great to see artist/designer Steve Thomas who showed with us in Big Biba and Other Stories and Ideal Home and who recently showed prints with Brad Faine at our sister gallery, Chelsea Futurespace. Steve, who studied at Chelsea School of Art in the early 1960s, knew many of Derek Jarman’s friends on the London creative scene  of the 1960s and 70s and recognised several of his old friends and acquaintances in Jarman’s films Studio Bankside  1970 and Sloane Square: A Room Of One’s Own 1976.

Derek Jarman's Prospect Cottage, Dungeness, Kent with John Donne's poem The Sun Rising originally installed by Peter Fillingham and later restored by Charlotte Moth

It was great too to see Peter Fillingham who also showed in Ideal Home at CHELSEA space. Peter was a close friend of Derek Jarman and was the person responsible for the John Donne poem The Sun Rising installed on the side of Derek Jarman’s Prospect Cottage, in Dungeness. Peter worked with Jarman on many projects during his lifetime and was also in his film Wittgenstein. In 1999 Peter Fillingham made  an installation in response to Jarman’s film Blue with Keith Collins for the exhibition Stimuli  at the Witte de With in Rotterdam. The photographs of Derek Jarman’s notebook shown in the 1999  installation were taken by CHELSEA space Director of Exhibitions, Donald Smith, and the Director of the Witte de With at the time was Chris Dercon, now Director of Tate Modern.

Nicky Carvell with her customised Egg

Also in the audience for James Mackay and Stuart Comer’s talk and screening was Nicky Carvell who showed with us in Red White and Blue: Pop Punk Politics Place an exhibition that co-incidently featured Derek Jarman’s super 8 film Jordan’s Dance 1977. Nicky was recently invited to customise a large ‘egg’ for the artists’ project The Big Egg Hunt in aid of Action For Children. The artist customised eggs which also include contributions from Graham Hudson and Peter Liversidge amongst 100 others, are going on tour around the country:London Covent Garden, Tuesday 12th Feb – Sunday 17th February; Birmingham, Victoria Square, Tuesday 19th Feb – Monday 25th February, Liverpool, Paradise Street, Wednesday 27th February – Tuesday 5th March, Manchester Exchange square, Thursday 7th March – Wednesday 13th March, Glasgow, St Enoch Square, Friday 15th March – Wednesday 20th March, London Covent Garden Friday 22nd March – Monday 1st April.

Florian Roithmayr 'Grotto' Laure Genillard Gallery

Meanwhile Florian Roithmayr, who showed at CHELSEA space  in Ice Trade  in 2007, is showing in Burg at Laure Genillard Gallery. 

Florian Roithmayr 'Moat-Study'

Burg is curated by Hana Noorali and Lynton Talbot who, under their curatorial name of RUN, curated Should I Stay Or Should I Go at CHELSEA space with Elena Crippa in 2010. Laure Genillard who is hosting the Burg exhibition curated Aftermath at CHELSEA space in 2011.

Kit Craig

Kit Craig, who showed at CHELSEA space in With Words Like Smoke, is showing from 5th March to 5th May at Michael Hall’s Parfitt Gallery in Croydon. Kit is represented by Arcade run by the excellent Christian Mooney.

A dancer in front of Alice Channer's work for 'December 1952' directed by Cally Spooner at CHELSEA space in 2009

Finally, Alice Channer, who showed at CHELSEA space as part of Cally Spooner’s December 1952, is currently exhibiting until the 12th May at The Hepworth Wakefield.

The Hepworth Wakefield by David Chipperfield Architects. photo Donald Smith

The Hepworth, set in its award winning building by David Chipperfield, is well worth the visit and Wakefield is only half an hour from Leeds so you can also visit the Henry Moore Institute with its excellent exhibitions programme and superb archive.

The Hepworth Wakefield

A Private View, A Lecture Theatre Event, A Gate Theatre Award, A Private View, A Lecture Theatre Event

STURTEVANT and SECONDEDITIONS private view

Jacqui Davies with SECONDEDITIONS Elizabeth Peebles & Markus Eisenmann and STURTEVANT's UK gallerist Anthony Reynolds

It has been another busy period for CHELSEA space, the crowds turned out for the private view of second reflection / symmetrical contents: STURTEVANT and SECONDEDITIONS on 22nd of January (see more images here). And on 23rd January SECONDEDITIONS’ Markus Eisenmann and Elizabeth Peebles were joined by the Henry Moore Institute‘s Pavel Pyś for an event in the Lecture Theatre of Chelsea College of Art and Design

Henry Moore Institute curator Pavel Pyś in the Lecture Theatre at Chelsea

This event was done in 3 parts – a performative reading of STURTEVANT texts, a talk by Pavel Pyś on why there is interest in STURTEVANT now and the differences in the presentation of her work at the Henry Moore Institute and at CHELSEA space.

Pavel Pyś in discussion with Liz Peebles and Markus Eisenmann beneath a projection SECONDEDITIONS 'Qualified Nouns' 2002

Finally there was a talk by Elizabeth Peebles and Markus Eisenmann, with interventions from Pavel Pyś, about their own engagement with STURTEVANT’s work and ideas and their approach as artists in collaborating with her on the CHELSEA space exhibition.

Gate Curate inaugural award winner Alice Stallard (far right) talks with Bruce McLean and Lynda Morris at CHELSEA space

Meanwhile, CHELSEA space Research Fellows Daisy McMullan and Kate Ross have been busy on several offsite projects. The first of these is a new collaboration with the Gate Theatre Notting Hill to create a residency for artists culminating in exhibitions/installations in the theatre’s foyer and entrance areas relating to the current production.

Bruce Norris's Purple Heart will be the subject of Alice Stallard's work for her Gate Theatre residency

The project is a collaboration between the Gate, CHELSEA space and Chelsea Arts Club Trust. An artist will be twinned with each of the Gate’s five shows a year. Congratulations to the inaugural Gate Curate artist Alice Stallard.

artist Charlotte Jonerheim and curator Kate Ross during the installation of Surface at Chelsea Futurespace

Meanwhile curators Daisy McMullan and Kate Ross were also working on their show Surface at our sister gallery, Chelsea Futurespace.

L-R: Daisy McMullan, actor Dudley Sutton, artist Crispin Chetwynd, Kate Ross

The private view was great fun and very well attended, thanks to everyone who came.

Chelsea Futurespace exterior

Rosie Farrell, Edward Cotterill, and Caitlin Smyth in front of Cotterill's work

Manca Bajec in front of work by Emma Neuberg at the opening of 'Surface'

Bar at the Surface private view

Chelsea Futurespace is open 7 days a week and Surface runs until April 14th

Derek Jarman photographed in Dungeness, Kent

Finally, we are looking forward to our next CHELSEA programme event The Early films of Derek Jarman – Stuart Comer in discussion with James Mackay on Wednesday 20th February. Most recently CHELSEA space included Jarman’s 1977 film Jordan’s Dance in the exhibition Red White & Blue: Pop Punk Politics Place and we are excited that this discussion between Stuart Comer and James Mackay will also include screenings of other early works by the greatly missed artist, filmmaker, and polemicist . The event, hosted by CHELSEA space in association with the CCW Graduate School, is from 5.30-7pm in the Lecture Theatre, Chelsea College of Art and Design  (Atterbury Street entrance) SW1P 4JU.

The event is free but places are limited and booking is essential. RSVP to gsevents@arts.ac.uk

STURTEVANT and SECONDEDITIONS Private view + a talk with Henry Moore Institute’s Pavel Pyś

newly painted plinths awaiting video works by Sturtevant

Preparations for our next exhibition  second reflection / symmetrical contents STURTEVANT and SECONDEDITIONS continue apace.

Sturtevant's Medion TV monitors arrive at CHELSEA space

The silver/grey Medion Monitors that Sturtevant specified for her video installation have arrived from Berlin.

SECONDEDITIONS' Markus Eisenmann tunes a Sony Cube at CHELSEA space

As have the Sony ‘Cube’ monitors from Matthew Fitts’ excellent London-based The Block  who source and supply a range of monitors for video works.

SECONDEDITIONS 'rainer werner fassbinder-martha' 2012. 2 channel video installation

The Private view opens at CHELSEA space on Tuesday 22nd January from 6-8.30pm

Sturtevant 'Duchamp Bicycle Wheel' 1969-1973 © Sturtevant Photo: Jerry Hardman-Jones

 
The following evening, 23rd January, SECONDEDITIONS’ Markus Eisenmann and Elizabeth Peebles will be in conversation with Pavel Pyś, curator at the Henry Moore Institute who recently organised the excellent display of Sturtevant’s ‘Duchamp Bicycle Wheel’ 1969-73 at the Henry Moore Institute in Leeds. They will discuss the underlying concepts of Sturtevant’s work  in relation to the show second reflection / symmetrical contents. The talk is part of CHELSEA space’s collaboration with Chelsea college of Art and Design’s Graduate School programme and starts at 6pm in the Lecture Theatre of Chelsea College of Art and Design, Atterbury Street entrance. Admission is free but  booking is essential, RSVP gsevents@arts.ac.uk for your place at the talk.
 

Omega Rug attributed to Frederick Etchells installed in '1913: The Shape of Time' at the Henry Moore Institute, Leeds.

 
Sturtevant’s Duchamp Bicycle Wheel 1969-73 was beautifully displayed in the Henry Moore Institute’s Gallery 4; although this could be seen as a one-work solo exhibition it was also timed to coincide with their major show 1913: The Shape of Time . The 1913  show is a fascinating  evocation of a remarkable progressive period  in art, science, social & political thinking, and literature  just prior to the devastation wrought by the First World War of 1914-18. This well constructed show includes brilliant artists and artworks and CHELSEA space loaned our Omega Workshop Rug attributed to Frederick Etchells and made for the Daily Mail Ideal Home Exhibition of 1913. This rug was shown at CHELSEA space in 2011 in our exhibition Ideal Home. Sadly, Sturtevant’s show at the Henry Moore Institute closed on Sunday but 1913: The Shape of Time will continue until 17th February 2013.
 

SECONDEDITIONS 'Qualified Nouns' 2002 slide show

second reflection / symmetrical contents  STURTEVANT and SECONDEDITIONS 
Private View: CHELSEA space Tuesday 22nd January 2013 6-8.30pm
Talk with SECONDEDITIONS and Pavel Pyś: Lecture Theatre, Chelsea College of Art and Design, Atterbury Street, Wednesday 23rd January 2013, 6pm (RSVP essential for the talk: gsevents@arts.ac.uk )