Expo:03 – Exhibition Summary & Reviews

For OneFiveEight’s third art exhibition we asked people to supply pieces of their music to provide inspiration to a range of visual artists from across various disciplines. The supplied tracks range from ambient experimental pieces to dance floor bangers by signed and un-signed artists alike. We randomly distributed the tracks to 24 different visual artists with a simple brief, create a visual response to the music through any medium. This project culminated in an exhibition at the Kraak Gallery in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, on Saturday 17th May, 2014. Each piece was displayed next to a QR code to allow the visitors to listen to each track whilst looking at the artwork.

Exhibition Review

I was invited, or rather I volunteered to photograph the artwork which had been submitted to 158: Expo 3. Although I was disappointed to have missed the two previous expo’s due to being on an adventure somewhere, I had a good idea what to expect having been to previous 158 exhibitions, including one at Kraak. Upon my arrival I was handed a delicious rum and ginger beer, (courtesy of the sponsor Old J Spiced Rum) to make me feel welcome. Kraak gallery had a relaxed, friendly atmosphere filled with smiling faces and audio and visual delights.

The first piece which struck my eye was the set of light boxes which had been created by Joe Smith featuring the words one five eight in a “deconstructed 3D type”.

Having previously listened to the track list of music submissions, which were to be the inspiration for the exhibition, I was excited to see what the artists had produced as a response. The results were varied, some artists produced a literal take on the title of the track, like Becki Miller‘s beautiful lady with fern for hair in response to the track “Fern”- Indigo, or Dan Birkbeck‘s piece featuring “Blue Dot”s in response to Aidan Barrett’s tune of the same name. The more conceptual pieces which were the artist’s interpretation of the music included Mary Stark who created a video using old 16mm footage in response to Raikes Parade’s “Long time comin'” or Josephine Ford who created a photographic installation for Werkha‘s track “Lacy’s caves”.

I spoke to David Healy aka Infected by design who’s piece in response to Denis Jones’ “Sketch” was obviously different to his usual style and he told me this was deliberate choice. He listened to the track and illustrated what came out of his brain. For me the standout piece was by Mike Newton who built a laser etched Gramophone (which actually spins) in response to “Sonant” by Elizabeth Vince. It provided the centrepiece of the room, and stood out as the only sculpture in a room of predominantly 2D art. After enjoying the visual part of the expo we all moved across to the club space to enjoy the music and have a good old fashioned knees up.

The After Party

Review by Caroline Teasdale

Cameraline photography dropr.com/cameraline/

[email protected]

Exhibition Pieces

1. Double Exposed Fuji Velvia 35mm 

By Joe Smith. joeolismith.com

Inspired by the track: Peaked By Ruane Maurice

2. Hand illustrated, laser etched gramophone

By Mike Newton.

Locally sourced wood cut and supplied by Got Wood. Electrical fabrication by Ed Lill [email protected]

Inspired by the track: Sonant By Elizabeth Vince

3. Thinkin’ Of Plissken

By David Healy AKA Infected By Design. facebook.com/InfectedByDesign

I heard 3 versions of the track, but it was the first one that influenced me the most. When I listened to that one, it made me think of Escape From New York and Snake Plissken’s glider dive into the city. The pulse beat is reminiscent of John Carpenter’s soundtrack as well.

Inspired by the track: Sketch By Denis Jones

4. Untitled

By Bella May Leonard. bellamayleonard.com facebook.com/BellaMayLeonard @BellaMayLeonard

Inspired by the track: Tokens By Yellow Herring

5. Bomba Face 1 , Bomba Face 2, Bomba Face 3

By Hannah-Marie Quartermain. [email protected]

Inspired by the track: Bomba By Luke Leadbelly

6. Falling through noise

By James Hayes.

£1000

Inspired by the track: Koh By Cutterz

7. Untitled

By Joe Ford.

Joe Ford is a visual artist who works with analogue film. This work was created using cross processed fuji chrome slide film and inspired by the rhythmic loops of Werkha’s track Lacy’s Cave. The piece of music conjured up images of new cycles of life and of spring arriving. She has experimented with the visual feedback loop by recapturing her photographs in the environment where they were first realised.

Inspired by the track: Lacy’s Caves By Werkha.

8. On Top

By Jude Ward

I instantly loved this tune – heavy beats and bass driving lighter melodies and vocals – it’s full of motion.  It made me think of man-made versus nature; the motion of machines and living organisms.  I wanted to show these two elements working together.  I wanted to show nature coming out on top.

Inspired by the track: OneFiveEight By M-Waves & Bricky Mortar

9. Untitled

By Heather Fitt

£80

Inspired by the track: Marble Shards by Inky Aftermath

10. Ambush

By MrHass.

If Thud Dub’s song were to score a story, this would be the scene it would go with.

£250 framed original

Inspired by the track: Rainy Sticky Dub By Citizen Mace AKA Thud Dub

11. Fern

By Becki Miller AKA Moze.

Offers

Inspired by the track: Fern By Indigo

12. Long Time Comin’

Video by Mary Stark for the track: Long Time Comin’ By Raikes Parade

13. Blue Dot

By Dan Birkbeck

Markers and fineliners

Original work £200 (unframed) A3 prints @£25 (unframed)

Inspired by the track: Blue Dot By Aidan Barrett

14. Chaos 001

By Mark Jermyn AKA Moderate Twat Kissa.

I have been looking into Chaos Theory so I wanted an image that would show how chaotic the world can be in the most natural ways. While listening to the Big Mista Doom song I kept on drifting down a river in a small wooden boat with the world passing by. I combined a satellite image of the Mississippi River Delta and a piece of simple design, made without trying to think of the outcome. What do you see? Chaos.

Un-Framed – £20 Limited to 22

Inspired by the track: Receipts By Big Mister Doom

15. Untitled

By Kerry Howarth

Fascination with the interplay between colour and music dates to Hellenic times, when musical consonance was studied in relation to the harmony (or disharmony) of colour combinations.

After researching how Isaac Newton associated vibrations produced by colours of the spectrum with tonal intervals I incorporated the theory into my response to track from ‘Basic Kid’.

Inspired by the track: Repel by Basic Kid

16. Untitled

By Catch 22

Inspired by the track: Djembe Slipper by Lost Property

17. He was a scientist, No name, Production sampling secrets

By Vane Julian.

Inspired by the track: My First Sample Lesson From Dilla by Mr Mutley

18. Growth Concerned

By HeDreamtMars.

£65

Inspired by the track: Haberdasherie by Third Thumb

19. Bannana Lips

By Michael Holland

After hearing Mike Xtra’s beats I decided to make a fun small collage with some parts that I’d been toying with for a few weeks, in various arrangements. I tried to imagine what Mike Xtra might look like in New York though I’m bound to be way off in reality because no person I’ve met has lips made from bananas. I emailed mike the little collage and he enthusiastically replied so I just went with that original idea. Fun cut ups to reflect the way a hip hop producer makes his tracks.

Inspired by the track: Art For The Keys by MikeXtra

20. Tanktop’94

By Tankpetrol

Stencils and spray paints on flattened Montana’94 box.

£70 framed

Inspired by the track: No Going Back by Outpost

21. Nothing But Light

By Helen Peart.

Original hand printed photograph made in the black & white darkroom using a photogram paper negative and enlarged 35mm film.

£75

Inspired by the track: Nothing But God (David Shurr, Eau Claire) by Equals

22. Kickin’ It

Hand pulled screen on Fabrino stock

By Luke Breen.

Noel Edge & Seymour have created a concept E.P. based around a character spiralling out of control in a drug and alcohol fuelled daze. Profits made from the sale of the E.P. will be going to the charity ‘Shelter’.

I have illustrated my interpretation of the character, and produced a limited run of screen prints to help generate some funds for a very worthy cause

£20 unframed (£10 to the Shelter charity)

Limited to 50 prints

Inspired by the track: Bucket List by Noel Edge & Seymour

23. Tortoise did not want to go to the party

By Tasha Whittle.

The idea for this image stems from when you literally flake out on your friends because something doesn’t feel right inside, a melty sinking feeling…

£45 unframed. Edition of 10.

Inspired by the track: Flaking On You by Cameran Malloy

24. Fluctus

By Jody Hartley.

£30 each

Inspired by the track: Wave by Ashley Askin