Don't Miss Today

Don't Miss Today

I realise it has been over 5 months since my last proper post up here. To leave it 6 months may be a more rounded period of time but my lack of regular posting hasn't been so much about a planned event, or indeed as not having things to write about, more that the last 6 months have been tremendously busy ones. This is something we are constantly reminded to be happy and proud about, which I am, although not all the the time. I find I work best under a certain amount of pressure. Deadlines are always a good thing, within reason, as they stimulate action. However, too many deadlines and it can become difficult exactly how to organise specific efforts and maintain them. And deadlines, for me, rarely leave enough room for thoughts.

We seem to have been on a conveyor belt of projects and exhibitions for the last year. It has been a demanding time, I'm not sure when it will let up, I'm not sure I want it to, so we'll see how it goes.

Here is a bit of a whistle stop tour of recent things, in a very general sense.


Mash Up at the ICA
















This is soon, we have been working alongside artist Harold Offeh at the ICA on a project that will culminate in a clubnight next Friday, more important though has been the series of workshops that have informed and inspired the event.







































We always take a strong collaborative approach in our practice, both within our group and outside, our name 'Nous Vous' / 'We You' is as much a template for working as it is a moniker. Working alongside Harold and the rest of the practitioners on the Mash Up project is really a perfect symbiosis of our dream working method. There is a really exciting network of dialogues between people who we see as doing tremendously positive things in each of their fields. The chance to be working with and forming visuals through workshops also is very rewarding, as rarely do we get the chance to be running so parallel to the planning of an event that we are working on the design for, combining research so closely and consistently with the actual output. It is a perfect assimilation of all our interests, art, design, education and collaboration.


Lisbon

















































































I went to Lisbon to visit friends in the winter. It was lovely to be away, I saw some beautiful things, got some heavy hang out time, seriously vibed off the place and some sun on my face. It was interesting to see how Leeds and Lisbon compared and contrasted, there is definitely a comparison in the fact it is cheap to live, but also that there may not be as much going on for some as may be desired, but the quality of life possible was so much higher, the way of life is so much more relaxed and conducive to creative endeavours but then perhaps there simply is not the level of opportunity in such a place. It would be an amazing place to live in later in life, and it was one of the most beautiful cities I have had the pleasure of visiting.


Good things I have seen:

















Many things have been said about the Anish Kapoor show at the Royal Academy, it was awe inspiring
The Wellcome Collection got me hot and excited
Felt like I was delving into a treasure trove of work I never thought I would, should, or could see at the Museum of Everything
2 shows at IKON in Birmingham, both funny, fascinating and inspiring; Claire Rojas and João Maria Gusmão and Pedro Paiva
The Grant museum, was truly like nothing I have ever seen, absolutely nuts.


Films:


















Ponyo!
Orson Welles' 'The Trial'
Hunger
The cook the thief the wife and her lover
The work of Yasujirō Ozu and Satyajit Ray


music I have been really enjoying recently:
court gamelan
Karl Blau
Nikaido Kazumi


Now Owl























I released my first Now Owl CD and the first Hair Piece release a bit ago. Just over 30 minutes of music from the last 6 months of me messing about on my own. Hand screen-printed cover and poster with mini zine featuring new drawings, limited to an edition of 40. I am happy with it.


VFT
























My band Vest For Tysso finally got round to recording some demos, find, download and listen to them from here.


CAS























We opened our show at the Contemporary Art Society back at the end of January. We were real happy with the show and it was so lovely that plenty of our friends could come down and quaff some nice wine.
See more photos here

and here is a free download of the piece of music I made for 'Rotate' at the Contemporary Art Society in London. It consists of two, fifteen minute passages recorded live. In the show it was on tape, in a walkman, with three pairs of headphones, so this is a rip from the tape, and is best listened to on headphones, with eyes closed.


Ball Game Songs (a) / Ball Game Songs (B)
Recorded live in two 15 minute sessions

Written and performed by William Edmonds, 2010
especially for Nous Vous at Contemporary Art Society,
‘Rotate’, January - April 2010
http://nowowl.blogspot.com


Draft
















I was in the third Draft exhibition at the artmarket, an event mentioned on here before but worth giving props again. Jay has programmed this series of events, in a space run by his girlfriend Zoe. Both Zoe and Jay in doing this do such an important thing in my opinion, in going a long way to bridge the gap between the very DIY efforts of some and the high end galleries in Leeds, offering a space for students, graduates and emerging creatives of any discipline and providing a well needed social and community space for young creative people in Leeds. Well done to both of them.

See some photos of my work from this on my flickr


Harewood






















I kind of feel like this at the moment, as the opening of our show at Harewood House is closing in. I still have a bit of work to do but I'm looking forward to the show. Will see us again stretching ourselves, exploring similar themes, in new, bigger ways, literally and physically.

We are also working on giving the Courtyard Café at Harewood a new identity and we had a tour round the old walled gardens there, as the café's menu will be based around produce grown here. It was really fascinating to be taken round the garden and glass houses and meet some super passionate, super friendly, super good people. There must be something in the soil there.





TPC

We constructed a large installation in our temporary studio (many thanks to the directors of PSL for this) for the artwork for the forthcoming release from Tokyo Police Club. Our first attempt failed, it crumbled, we (I) got a little grumpy, there were long days, late nights, dusty hands and cold bones. We built another one. Through failure, we found success. We photographed it and are super happy with the results. It felt good to be building something again. We hope these photos will surface soon.


Preston

A quick mention to say thanks to Steve, and Craig for inviting us to give a talk and workshop at the University of Central Lancashire last week. There was a super nice vibe there and the students were all super into it and positive and productive. It renewed my faith in Universities and teaching. We had a lovely day (and evening, beers and fizzy straws abound), in fact, we enjoyed it so much, we're going back next week. See you soon.


Somerset House















We are so so so stoked about being a part of this


Which kind of leeds me on to say that In April, depending on all things going to plan, I will be moving to London. I have been in Leeds since September 2003, over six years. I intend on writing a more detailed post about this next time, but suffice to say, I am excited, nervous, anxious, but most of all relishing the challenge and opportunity that will come hopefully come my way hand in hand.

Hopefully(?) it won't be so long till my next post,

Take care,

William