A Private View and a Parade

Private View for Bob Cobbing: Bill Jubobe at CHELSEA space

It has been another busy few weeks at CHELSEA space and we were delighted to host the private view for Bob Cobbing: Bill Jubobe on Tuesday 18th November.

curator and archivist Karen Di Franco with musician and writer David Toop

The exhibition was co-ordinated by CHELSEA space Programme Curator, Karen Di Franco, with the show’s curators, William Cobbing and Rosie Cooper, as part of their Bob Jubilé year-long series of events and displays celebrating the work and legacy of Bob Cobbing.

artists Leslie Foxcroft, Alan Charlton and Stephen Willats

Lisson Gallery’s Hana Noorali with artist Richard Wilson

private view

We were very happy to see some old friends and also to meet some new visitors who were associated with Bob Cobbing and the Concrete Poetry scene in London.

Bob Cobbing opening viewed from the Parade Ground

artist Stephen Willats with students from MA Curating and Collections at Chelsea

Running alongside Bob Cobbing: Bill Jubobe  are new displays in our Entrance and Ramp spaces entitled Work From The Collections #1 organized by CHELSEA space in collaboration with the Exhibition Studio Workshop – the practice-based unit of MA Curating and Collections at Chelsea College of Arts.

partial installation view from Work From The Collections #1

Work From The Collections is an ongoing series of displays focussing on the collections and exhibition histories of CHELSEA space, the ILEA/Camberwell Design Collection, and the Library Special Collections at Chelsea College of Arts. For this inaugural show, the students of the Exhibition Studio Workshop employed items from the collection to reflect on themes and ideas explored by artists such as Bob Cobbing.

MA Curating and Collections student Kittima Chareeprasit with Tate archivist Adrian Glew and Chelsea Special Collections Librarian Gustavo Grandal Montero

The displays included artworks, sound, film, artists books and multiples by artists including Pavel Buchler, Frederick Etchells, Diane Guyot de St Michel, Caroline de Lannoy, Wyndham Lewis,  Mark Titchner, David Toop, and Richard Wilson.

crowds gather on the Parade Ground at Millbank

The week before the private view, CHELSEA space had organized an event on Armistice Day, 11th November, to mark the signing of the treaty to end the First World War and to remember all those affected by conflict anywhere, at any time.

Second World War Veterans line up in front of a formation of London taxis to mark Armistice Day at Chelsea College of Arts

CHELSEA space worked with artist Peter Fillingham and anthropologist, Janet Hodgson, to organize a series of events, entitled A Day’s Silence. The day started with some screenings of Janet Hodgson’s films made with Second World War Veterans and The London Taxi Benevolent Association for the War Disabled. This was followed by a formation of London taxis and veterans on the Parade Ground of the former Royal Army Medical College in front of CHELSEA space and Tate Britain.

CHELSEA space Director Donald Smith thanks the veterans and announces that beer will be served in the art school

At the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month a two minute silence was observed, the veterans were then invited to join us for beer and sandwiches kindly provided by the  Chelsea Arts Club.

MA Curating and Collections students talking with World War Two veterans from the Royal Hospital Chelsea

pub piano and a singalong from crooner Danny McCrudden. photos; Gavin Freeborn

The veterans talked with Chelsea staff and students and invited members of the public however, we also provided a piano and it didn’t take long before they started playing and singing!

singing in the Green Room with Self Portrait 1990 by Chris Ofili in the background

conversations

singing soldiers plus Research Fellow Sinead Bligh with a former paratrooper in Black Watch Tartan

Peter Fillingham leads the discussion in the Red Room

After the veterans had left, proceedings concluded with a critical discussion concerning the nature of the day’s events and the role of art in contemporary memorials and monuments. Thanks to everyone who took part on the day.