Scrimshaw for dead objects
Michael Dinges, interviewed recently in Hand Eye Magazine (‘Scratch the Surface’ Keith Recker, 2009) says:-
“In general, I’m interested in the technology and imagery of the mid 19th-century. When the industrial revolution was really rolling, people were migrating from the country to the city. This is the era Marx was reacting to and he was aware of the changing dynamic and resulting alienation between worker and task. This is the period where roles of labor and management were being set, and the environmental impact of industrialization began to be keenly felt. This was also the period in which Thoreau was writing, so these issues were in the air. This is when whaling was at its peak and with that efficiency of production came the eventual, near destruction, of the very resource that sustained us.
Alienation is a big issue for me in my work. I’m interested in asking both the viewer and myself about issues concerning our relationship with modernity. I want the viewer to ask himself or herself, when confronted with one of my altered computers, for example, “Is this what you wanted, is this the result you intended?” I intend this work to be a plea for mindfulness in the choices we make in our daily lives.”
Lost Skills Project
This is gathering pace and getting to be a really fun and rewarding project. The council have given us the FREE use of a stall in the market to demonstrate and encourage an exchange of skills to be passed on in short workshops. So far we have had zine making, pinhole camera, and crochet flowers…and rag rugs, fly fishing lures and traditional signwriting are in the pipeline.
Bex has also set up her fantastic ‘Community Quilt’ project within the stall, asking for participants to embroider their memories of Wrexham into a collaborative quilt, which we will show at Wrexham History Festival next February.
If you would like to get involved, the fb page is here and the blog is here
Look out for the September issue of a-n as there is a little article about the project by Emily Speed.
I will be talking about the project and learning how to extend and improve it at a conference on ‘Sustainability in Design Now!’ in Bangalore at the end of September.
The Ministry of Frogs
This is a new zine I am setting up to do with folk art and how it inspires contemporary practice. If you would like to submit work please check out the info on the fb page
I am already overwhelmed by the talent going into issue one…thank you everyone who has expressed an interest and/or sent in work already.
Please email submissions to theministryoffrogs@hotmail.com by July 15th thank you x
Stefan Kanchev
“The purpose of this project is to fill the information vacuum about the life and art of Stefan Kanchev. The quality of his works is so high that they are worthy to be shared with more people. Kanchev is the author of more than 1000 trade marks and symbols, 650 stamps, posters, post cards and envelopes, book covers, packaging and etc.”
Saddam’s Palaces
“The most interesting thing about the whole endeavor for me was the very fact that the U.S. had chosen to occupy Saddam’s palaces in the first place. If you’re trying to convince a population that you have liberated them from a terrible dictator, why would you then sit in his throne?”
Reality Studio
William S. Burroughs community link
Kulchur magazine archive…plus texts and essays …lots of good stuff
The Department of Illustration 
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