Ken Chu - All We Were Saying

Apartment is delighted to announce a special one off happening; 'All We Were Saying' by Ken Chu on Wednesday 21st December from 3-8pm.

Same sex civil partnerships will be legally recognized in England and Wales on 21 December 2005. All We Were Saying is a one-day performance work with two men in bed knitting for peace. All We Were Saying is looking to provide a public forum for ordinary queer citizens and their friends to respond to this momentous occasion in our history. The participants are Matt Bamber and Andy Hardman:

"We are partners, but stress that this piece is not about our relationship in particular. We are interested in the community and public response to Civil Partnership Laws." Matthew Bamber and Andrew Hardman

The work will be mounted in the bedroom of Apartment and the public is invited to participate. Apartment will be open from 3 – 8 pm for the community to gather in support of the knitters. Attendees may mark this occasion by publicly voicing their perspectives on same-sex civil unions. They are encouraged to bring guitars, knit, and participate in other communal activities. The work is informed by the Yoko Ono/John Lennon 1969 Amsterdam 'bed-in' for peace.

Ken Chu is currently the Breathe Resident Artist at the Chinese Arts Centre where he is developing several projects with artists and their social economies. For one of the projects, he is working alongside a group of knitters, including Andy and Matt, to knit sleeves from recycled plastic bags to fit over monochromatic paintings.

'All We Were Saying' is a grass roots effort facilitated by Apartment, Chinese Arts Centre, queerupnorth and Castlefield Gallery.

The Knitters

Left; Matt and Andy in bed Knitting. More images will follow of the activities that occured during the day: Lone Lady popped by for an impromptu sing along and visitors came throughout the day to discuss the issues that Ken Chu had raised through the happening.

The Metro

All we were saying went really well, people came and chatted in the bedroom throughout the day. The above appeared in the Metro newspaper. Thanks to all those who attended, and to Ken Chu for realising such an interesting project and to Andy Hardman and Matt Bamber for being the knitters. More images will appear in the new year.

All We Were Saying

Apartment were delighted to recieve the hat that began life in the bedroom of Apartment during the recent 'All We Were Saying' happening. A huge thank you Ken Chu and to the knitters; Matthew Bamber and Andrew Hardman for donating the hat to the permanant collection of Apartment.

Northwest Tonight

Right; Ken Chu appearing on NorthWest Tonight; BBC's regional news programme, Channel M also covered the story.

Compartment

Compartment is a new artist led organisation exploring the showing of artwork in alternative locations, from shoebox to warehouse; brought to you by Paul Harfleet and Hilary Jack.

The first show devised by Compartment; 'On the Shelf' (shown above) explored artist’s networks, personal relationships and their importance as an artist's professional resource. To reveal some of the mechanisms of this activity Hilary Jack invited the artist contacts she has accumulated over her ten year art career and invited them to take part in a group show; 'On the Shelf', this show was launched at Rogue Artists’ Studios Tenth Anniversary Open weekend on Saturday December 3rd. The response was fantastic and eighty artists participated from across the world, work arrived from Australia to Ireland, a full archive is available at: www.compartmentmanchester.blogspot.com
A huge thank you to all the artists that participated.

Cyclists Dismount

Cyclists Dismount, the exhibition showcases the work of Apartment Collective; Cath Corlett, Paul Harfleet, Zac Ingham and Hilary Jack; this term refers to the artists who have researched, developed and made work specifically in reference to issues surrounding Apartment's location. Through discussion and collaboration the collective are able to act as producers, facilitating ideas from members. For Cyclists Dismount a selection of work and ongoing research is presented and also includes the work of two artists who are recent additions to the collective; Cherry Tenneson and Maeve Rendle.

Cath Corlett

'Flat' by Cath Corlett; using A4 sheets of typing paper white-tac and sellotape Cath Corlett, Paul Harfleet, Zac Ingham and Hilary Jack covered every surface of the emptied living room of 49 Lamport Court. The resulting covering was then cut and bound into a three volume document which becomes a physical record of the interior space. For 'Cyclists Dismount' video documentaion was shown along with the three bound volumes.

Above the video documentation projected on the living room wall. A special thanks to Janet Griffiths for lending us the projector.

Hilary Jack

'Sparrow House' by Hilary Jack; The alarming decline of one of Britain’s favourite birds; the house sparrow, to less than half its population in recent years has prompted the British Ornithology Trust to appoint a “Sparrow Tsar” to investigate. Alongside many modern day problems facing the birds, which prefer to live in large colonies, is the loss of nesting sites in urban areas. Hilary Jack has responded to this ornithological crisis by designing and installing a utopian, multiple occupancy bird house in a tree on the Lamport Court housing estate in the hope that they will return in large numbers to the area.

Maeve Rendle

“Too up too down” is an example of dependency, a pursuit of independence and a resistance of free will. With 72 flats under the roof of Lamport court, a consistent and dedicated economy of space is preserved. The compact and repetitive packaging of the residents at Lamport court is where Maeve’s interest lies. A darkened space lit by a bulb alludes to a sense of mobility; the freedom of this mobility is compromised by the subject’s lack of intent or inability to leave certain parameters. A continual internal route from connection to connection, up or down, left or right joins and restricts each resident through their use of house hold appliances.

Paul Harfleet

Apartment’s balcony overlooks a recently refurbished area which is intended to ease student’s passage through the newly merged Manchester University campus. The attention the grounds have received contrasts to the area surrounding Lamport Court, as the works end abruptly at the boundary to the estate. This visual distinction emphasises the social structures that coexist with mutual disregard. Paul Harfleet has photographed the Cyclists Dismount sign directed at, and consistently ignored by cyclists to draw attention to the complexities of these relationships.

Paul Harfleet and Hilary Jack

For ‘Ascent’ Paul and Hilary have chosen a fragrance to spray whenever they use the lift. This anonymous action will contribute to the aromatic experience of using the lift, creating a fragrant signature that will slowly seep into the resident’s sensual experience of the block, extending the emerging mythology surrounding the activity of Apartment within Lamport Court.

Cherry Tenneson

Cherry Tenneson explores the written word through her work; from authoritative street signage to subconscious automatic writing Cherry is fascinated by the hierarchical meaning and significance of language. For this show Cherry wrote on the bathroom walls, the content of the writings are a record of inane internal ramblings which act as a comfort to Cherry as she deals with an intense fear of heights experienced whilst in Apartment. Also shown on the bed is a sign that humorously comments on street sign parlance.

Above the remnants of 'Joined' by Zac Ingham were recovered from the estate and placed in a jar. Please visit the February 2005 archive for more information about 'Joined'.

Breaking News

It is with some sadness that Apartment must reveal that on July 14th, almost exactly nine months after first being installed; 'Joined' by Zac Ingham, snapped. The nylon thread that spanned the estate above is no longer in place. A combination of extreme weather conditions and general wear and tear appear to have taken its toll. Initial evidence suggests that it may have broken at Apartment's kitchen window. The thread has become tangled in a tree near Lockton Court. We are presently in the process of retrieving the thread to avoid any potential environmental damage.

Above is the expanse that was connected by 'Joined':
(a) = Lamport Court, where Apartment is situated;
(b) = Lockton Court.
White line = the nylon threads trajectory across the estate.

We estimate that approximately 500 people saw this piece of work, many more hearing about it through the press and word of mouth. Thank you to all those who came to see the work over the last nine months. Any comments can be left on the blog and for more information about 'Joined' see below, including images and press coverage.

The article below featured in a recent issue of City Life shown above.

Apartment Presents....

Eight current Fine Art Ma Students show Recent Works; James Alderson, Mark Bergum, Melanie Delaney, Andrew Ellerby, Naomi Kashiwagi, Amanda Ravetz, Rita Slater and Charlie Taylor.

Naomi Kashiwagi

The relationship between music, language and drawing processes and challenging standardizations within music are central to Naomi Kashiwagi’s practice. The process of translation is intrinsic to this exploration. For the preview Naomi sourced two musicians to play a 'duet' on the typewriters above in an exploration of the musicalities of the everyday.

Charlie Taylor

The pathetic inadequacies of Taylor’s performances present an entropic experience of the spaces that she inhabits. Her presence acts as a point of focus for these elements. The image shown is a component of Documentation of performance without audience. Charlie also did a performance during the opening; where she sat on top of the underpass leading to Apartment for an hour.

Andrew Ellerby

Samuel Beckett ‘Watt’ is a highly idiosyncratic portrait of a man who is himself the embodiment of a number of ideas and outlooks. The various combinations and permutations of events in Watt constantly reiterate points about philosophic outlooks and human possibilities. Andrew placed computer print outs directly onto the living room wall in a grid; all containing texts derived from Samuel Beckett's writings.

Melanie Delaney

Delaney attempts to locate the point at which creativity takes place, both mentally and physically, drawing on the allegorical qualities of everyday objects to reveal their significance as cultural phenomena. Here the pastimes of jigsaws and crosswords are investigated as visual and social constructs. Morphic resonance is a form of collective telepathic transference rumoured to be experinced by crossword buffs. It is apparently easier to solve a crossword in the evening than in the morning of publication, as more people have done it. The above hand drawn crossword replica was copied from The Guardian published on the day of the preview and was shown on the kitchen table, a jigsaw was also shown in the living room.

Amanda Ravetz

Amanda Ravetz makes videos and drawings exploring the fugitive elements of memory. For this show Amanda made a wall drawing with the aid of a projection which was shown projecting over the drawing intermittently. A book entitled 'Calling Home' was also shown, an image from which is shown below.

James Alderson

After spending years attempting to paint landscapes, James Alderson has now realised that it isn’t possible to paint landscapes. However, he is continuing to attempt to paint landscapes anyhow because that’s what he does, and in doing so he appears to be making landscapes out of paint. James placed his paintings in the living room.

Rita Slater

Rita Slater draws on her experiences as a nurse. The body and its care are central to her work. Altering the form and function of reclaimed domestic or institutional furniture she investigates not only surface but also internal space, exploring ideas of memory and memorial, intimacy and distance. The piece above; 'Closer', was a chair encased in a plywood cuboid and placed in the living room.

Mark Burgum

Mark Burgum’s practice explores the drawing process to communicate ideas surrounding urban regeneration. This detail was taken from the untitled work Mark showed in the Kitchen.

The Good Life

The Good Life presents the work of ten artists based in Manchester, London and Philadelphia. Apartment rejoices in the nature of self-sufficiency, ingenuity and our elavated city centre location. However The Good Life has a dark side and dysfunction and discord are never far away.

The artists are Alice Bradshaw, Mathew Brotherhood, David Gledhill, Paul Harfleet, Gary Leddington, Maeve Rendle, Cherry Tenneson, Rachel Tweddell, John Tiney and Ian Vail.

The show previewed on Thursday 14th April and was our busiest yet. Below are some images of the featured artists.

Paul Harfleet 07870 244 153 Hilary Jack 07957 398 451 or e-mail: apartmentmanchester@hotmail.co.uk

Mathew Brotherhood

Mathew Brotherhood studied at the Slade and was selected for New Contempories in 2001. He is London based and has exhibited internationally. Mathew showed this untitled work above in the bedroom and 'Mental ill Being' shown below in the kitchen. He also showed E.T. in the living room a mixed media twist on our perceptions of the friendly alien.

Rachel Tweddell

Rachel Tweddell graduated from Goldsmith's ma in 2003. Rachel makes photographs, short films and books of short stories that draw on fleeting moments, coincidence and surprise. Recent shows include; 'Surveillance' at the Three Colts Gallery, London and Avvistamenti video festival Italy. Rachel showed 'Rabbit'; a photograph developed from a found negative in the living room as seen below.

Maeve Rendle

Maeve is a recent graduate of the Manchester Metropolitan University Fine Art Ma. Her process involves the use of photography and installation. Last summer her work was selected by Mika Hanula for a show in Helsinki. Above is her table; 'Legs 11' this was accompanied by a series of photographs one of which is shown below. Rachel Tweddell's photograph can also be seen in the picture above.

John Tiney

John Tiney graduates from Goldsmith's Ma in fine art this summer. John is interested in forcing art into the gaps between cultures. John sent Hilary and Paul a letter asking them to buy Kinder Eggs with a cheque he supplied. During the opening visitors opened and constructed the toys and placed them on the table as was instructed in the letter. John's video also showed in the living room depicting an artist at work as shown below.

Gary Leddington

Gary Leddington's work deals with fragmented and missing narratives, the emphasis being on what is absent rather than what remains. Above a close up view of Gary Leddington's 'Matter is fact 004' installed on the balcony. Gary graduates from Manchester Metropolitan University later this year.

David Gledhill

Below 'I.T.L.' this painting was shown in the living room a larger painting, 'Garages' was shown in the bedroom. David's work combines elements from the traditions of painting and photography to explore the role of place and memory. David has shown across the country and is currently showing in the Storey Gallery.

Ian Vail

Ian Vail works with video to reconstruct places and sites that undermine or underscore the familiar. Ian has shown internationally and is currently based in Philadelphia. Above a still from Ian's video; 'Pass' shown in the bedroom.

Alice Bradshaw

Alice Bradshaw manipulates functional everyday objects. The resulting dysfunctional forms caricature and reference the original purpose of the object. The above is called 'Refuse' and was shown in the bathroom. Below a similarly augmented pencil; 'Doodle' was shown in the living room. Alice is currently studying fine art at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Cherry Tenneson

Cherry Tenneson works with text and drawing to explore methods of describing the experience of her immediate environment. She is a recent graduate of the Manchester Ma in fine art. The work above was placed above the toilet. A sign was also placed opposite to enable male and female users to read the sign whilst urinating. Drawings were also placed in the kitchen.

• One of Cherry Tenneson's untitled drawings; shown in the kitchen.

Paul Harfleet

Paul Harfleet plants pansies where ever he has received verbal homophobic abuse, and then titles each location with the abuse received. Above is "Look at what he's wearing! He must be a faggot". This abuse was received just outside Lamport Court where Apartment is located. The Pansy Project is soon to feature in the queerupnorth International Festival. More locations and information is availiable at http://www.thepansyproject.com/.

Joined by Zac Ingham

By Zac Ingham and Cath Corlett, Joined is a single piece of nylon thread spanning a 200m gap between two tower blocks. The thread exits a living room window of a flat on the seventh floor of Lockton Court visible above, and enters the sixth floor kitchen window of Apartment in Lamport Court.

Joined

The thread was thrown out of the window of Lockton Court guided by Cath and Zac across the estate. Then winched up to Apartment using another peice of the thread. For the opening the thread was lit from Lockton Court, video documentation filmed and edited by Hilary that revealed some of the process was shown in the living room.

Radio Appearance

Tune in to GMR to hear Hilary Jack and Paul Harfleet talking about 'joined' and Apartment on the Michelle Mullane show 'Around Midnight'.

AN Magazine

The above article appeared in AN magazine in May 2005.