tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70015300439872293792024-03-19T22:36:24.878-07:00OBSERVING AND DISCERNING: Thoughts on Economics, Culture & WorldviewsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14432313581517818093noreply@blogger.comBlogger72125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7001530043987229379.post-62764400194962684212016-04-20T04:34:00.000-07:002016-04-20T04:35:01.151-07:00The Observing & Discerning Blog has Moved!<div style="text-align: justify;">
I've recently moved all of my blogs, including this one and my photography blog, to Wordpress. You can find the new Observing & Discerning blog <a href="https://observinganddiscerning.wordpress.com/">here</a>. Same type of content - thoughts in the worlds of economics & politics and also observations on art, culture, religion and philosophy. </div>
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I also have a<a href="http://www.marybethsutter.net/"> new photography website</a> where you can find my new photography blog. And one more addition to my portfolio of life content: a blog about food, cooking, parties and food photography. You can find this blog <a href="https://chefnefblog.wordpress.com/">here</a>. Happy wonder hunting!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14432313581517818093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7001530043987229379.post-49034916806247959992016-01-15T04:50:00.001-08:002016-01-15T04:50:52.058-08:00Clever Bait & CaptureThis is the type of flyer/advertisement you see a lot of in January:<br />
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Yes, January always means getting fit and 'detoxing'. And though this postal flyer asserts that their programme helps people to feel free from toxins that would otherwise 'impede one mentally and spiritually,' it isn't clear that it's actually from a religious organisation. The leaflet refers the reader to the '<a href="http://www.purif.co.uk/">Purification Rundown</a>' with an invitation to take a 'toxic test.' In order to take this test, one must provide contact details. And there - they've got you. You have to look at the tiny small print on the bottom of the fourth page of the promotional material to see that this programme and the book for sale, Clear Body Clear Mind by L. Ron Hubbard, are being marketed by the Church of Scientology. Let me repeat that: the organisation that is recommending a body detox through fee-based books and education programmes is a church.</div>
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I don't have a problem with detox programmes or religion. But what I do feel is disingenuous here is that the Church of Scientology has never been upfront about what it believes about ultimate reality to prospective members. And why is that? I've been asking that question to those who send me emails from the CofS for years. And still don't have an answer. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14432313581517818093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7001530043987229379.post-24556216414373203562016-01-06T03:20:00.001-08:002016-01-06T03:20:45.109-08:00The Hemorrhaging of Political Capital<div style="text-align: justify;">
After hearing a speech given by a Member of Parliament recently in London, a couple of questions came to mind, though there wasn't time in the Q&A to ask on the night. I therefore wrote this person the following email:</div>
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I wanted to express my gratitude to you for speaking so eloquently last night at the [ ]. The talk was informative but also hilarious. I had two questions that I wanted to ask you but there wasn't time last night. These are in relation to political capital. Do you think that the public perception of politicians in Westminster has improved since the expenses scandal? Do you consider the public's trust of politicians important and if so, what can be done to improve this? Secondly, in general, how do you think the political class view the citizens of the UK? Did you ever see the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJEI7U_wrKg">episode</a> of The Thick of it when Hugh Abbot gives his opinion of the public? It would be funny were it not true But is it true for a high proportion of MPs? I think that when there's mutual disdain between the electorate and their representatives, we have a very serious problem indeed. I'd hate to see the UK go the way of America in this regard.</blockquote>
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This MP's assistant replied on his behalf. The MP pointed me to the Hansard Society's annual <a href="http://www.hansardsociety.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Audit-of-Political-Engagement-10-2013.pdf">Audit of Political Engagement</a> which looks into matters such as these. In the most recent report, the Audit 'depressingly' concluded that 'the results are...strongly indicative of public opinion. They reflect the downward trend in public attitudes to standards found in earlier studies.' See page 55 of the report!</div>
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With regard to my question about how politicians view constituents, the MP wanted to reassure me that he holds the public in the 'highest regard' and though he couldn't speak for his fellow parliamentary colleagues, he felt that the vast majority hold a similar perception of the public. </div>
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The MP also referred me to the analytical work of Professor Phil Cowley and Dr. Rosie Campbell from September 2013 which suggests that those who have contact with their local MP are likely to have a 'marginally more generous opinion of him or her than those who have not.' Direct contact, this MP surmises, between the electors and the elected can help 'bridge the gap between perception and reality.' So in conclusion, the MP disagreed with my impression that constituents and politicians hold each other in mutual disdain, though he believes that this situation has room for improvement through MPs ensuring that the voices of their constituents are heard in Parliament. </div>
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The MP concluded his note with the statement that 'it is, of course, impossible to please everybody all of the time, but this is a fact of life, not just of politics.' I agree, of course that's true. But it would please far more people if we felt that politicians behaved more transparently and did fewer horse trading deals with powerful individuals and sectors at our expense. We're just asking for politicians to act in the best interests of the majority of the British people over the long-term. That would go further to repairing the damage of scandal after scandal.</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14432313581517818093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7001530043987229379.post-16714138567275672532015-11-30T07:58:00.001-08:002016-01-01T10:07:40.211-08:00The Anonymous Million Mask March is Back!<div style="text-align: justify;">
Bonfire night in Trafalgar Square meant Anonymous were out in force again this year. There were many warnings by the Met for the protesters to behave. They were permitted to organise in Trafalgar Square, proceed down Whitehall, protest in front of 10 Downing Street, and then carry on to Parliament Square, ending in front of the Treasury. I have a great deal of sympathy for this group - particularly in their fight for economic and social justice as well as using social media to to disempower some IS members on the internet. One thing I do object to somewhat is the drinking and smoking some followers of Anonymous do before the march. It leads to some dangerous behaviour and whilst walking to Downing Street, I felt I had to march with the police rather than the demonstrators in order to keep my camera (and myself) safe!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14432313581517818093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7001530043987229379.post-37117563464041115902015-11-30T07:52:00.003-08:002015-11-30T07:52:18.436-08:00Living Cheek by JowlThe Evening Standard had an <a href="http://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/design/the-housing-lessons-that-london-can-learn-from-paris-can-good-city-planning-can-help-ease-us-and-a3123946.html">article</a> today about the differences in urban planning between London and Paris, saying that whereas the low income inhabitants live in the banlieues of outer Paris, whilst London is characterised as having a 'multicultural mosaic of rich and poor living cheek by jowl in borough.' I recently took a little expedition to the Ashcroft Square Estate above the Kings Mall and then on to Buckingham Palace where I knew there would be demonstrators raising awareness of objections they have with the visiting Chinese premier.<br />
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The Ashcroft Estate is the one you see when you walk from the car park to the Kings Mall. Whilst all of Hammersmith is quickly upgrading and resurrecting, the estate appears to stay the same. I really hope that at some point it will be included in the beautification of the borough - and allow the residents to stay.<br />
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I've never seen the Mall with the home flags of visiting dignitaries so I was looking forward to photographing those. Little did I know just how colourful and exciting the photoshoot was going to be. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14432313581517818093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7001530043987229379.post-26631908911951764142015-11-30T07:48:00.003-08:002015-11-30T07:48:40.210-08:00Powder Keg in Palestine<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
In light of the increased tension and violence in Jerusalem over the course of the past month (including 30 Palestinians deaths and 7 Israelis), a Protest for Palestine was held on the 17<sup>th</sup> of October on Kensington High Street opposite Kensington Palace Gardens where the Israeli Embassy is located. The demonstration was organised by the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War Coalition, Palestinian Forum in Britain and Friends of Al-Aqsa Mosque. I shot two not dissimilar protests last year (one directed at the BBC and one at 10 Downing Street). In their demonstration notice, Stop the War Coalition stated:</div>
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<i>We have come together to oppose this escalating attack on Palestinians. We welcome all who stand with us in our opposition to all forms of racism, including antisemitism and Islamophobia. Supporters of Palestinian rights encompass all faiths and none. Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Atheist, religions and non-religious people all stand together on this protest….We stand with Palestinians in their struggle for a future free of racism, colonialism and apartheid. There is no place for racism in a progressive movement fighting for justice and human rights.</i></blockquote>
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I was fortunate at be able to get right into the centre of crowd where several individuals were leading the chanting prior to speeches. What I find fascinating about these protests are the large range of people participating – from young to old and of all races. From a photographic point of view, what I found particularly ironic is the juxtaposition of this extremely serious subject with the seemingly carefree posh shopping area of Kensington.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14432313581517818093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7001530043987229379.post-8875335209891393462015-11-30T07:45:00.002-08:002015-11-30T07:45:35.901-08:00B2B in TW2<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Last month the Best of Richmond, a marketing, advertising, networking and reviewing firm, hosted a business exposition at Twickenham Stadium, as it has done for years. The event featured a presentation by business guru and owner of Watertight Marketing, Bryony Thomas, as well as 80+ stalls in which local businesses displayed, demonstrated and explained their goods and services. I had the great privilege of being asked to photograph the event and I had a fantastic time. The </span><span style="font-size: large;">atmosphere was one of high energy and a positive outlook about the future. I really do feel fortunate to be a small business owner myself in this patch of London – filled with other serious, hard-working professionals who love what they do.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">During the morning, I also got to meet and photograph Twickenham's new MP, Dr. Tania Matthias and made a collage for her to display in her office (whether at Westminster or locally). Despite the fact that I'm not a Tory, Tania is impressive - and has great fashion sense. </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14432313581517818093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7001530043987229379.post-87077413535071052772015-05-14T06:34:00.000-07:002015-09-07T12:35:30.023-07:00Golden Barbarians at the Gate<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I recently had the opportunity to accompany a group of photographers to the Thames Barrier located just downstream from the O2 in London. The outing was organised by, in my opinion, two of London’s finest photographers, Umbreen Hafez and Arpad Lukac. The view of the Thames Barrier with Canary Wharf in the background is probably one of my very favourite cityscapes in London. I’m not exactly sure why, but perhaps it’s to do with my fascination for the intersection of nature, the built environment and beauty. This gigantic series of gates is the second largest in the world (after one located in Holland) and its importance to the safety and welfare of London is immeasurable. I learned a lot in this project by just looking <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dvg2asACsG0">online</a> and also discovered that 2014 was, unsurprisingly, a spike year for tidal and fluvial flooding and therefore the closing of the gates. In comparison, in the 1980s there were four closures, in the 1990s there were 35 and in the first decade of this century there were 75. According to the Environment Agency, the rate of closures is above that predicted and is increasing rapidly.</div>
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Now getting back to the aesthetics of this structure, I’m so struck by how the piers that control the opening and closing of the gates appear at night. They’re like beautiful golden beacons or turrets guarding the city and its inhabitants behind them I’ve personally never seen anything like the Thames Barrier anywhere I’ve been to in the world. And the fact that it’s beautiful but also technologically complex and a vital component of London’s infrastructure make it all that more fantastic to me.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14432313581517818093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7001530043987229379.post-68533716413655385082015-03-27T04:37:00.001-07:002015-03-27T04:37:55.097-07:00Pushing Through Ideological Change by Stealth<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Since the Health and Social Care Act was passed in 2012, it has significantly grown the role of private companies in delivering health care services in the UK. Today Clinical Commissioning Groups are responsible for purchasing NHS services for patients in England. As such, they may commission services from any qualified provider via commercial contracts subject to competition law. But because certain private services operate under the NHS logo, it’s difficult for a patient to know whether their treatment is provided by the actual NHS or a private company.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Why does it matter? Cost and coverage. Estimates of regulating and administering the market range from £4.5bn - £10bn per year. Administration costs have risen from 5% of the NHS budget in 1979 to over 14% in 2010. Furthermore, the Act removes the obligation to provide comprehensive and universal health care. <o:p></o:p></div>
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My daughter and I participated in the enormous demonstration back in September 2014 and more recently I assisted 38 Degrees’ efforts locally on George Street in Richmond. For every person that walked past, there was another – often with children – who signed the petition on the spot. I applaud the wonderful 38 Degrees activists who have gone out every weekend since the end of February. They’re highly inspiring.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14432313581517818093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7001530043987229379.post-8006424872702844462014-11-21T14:27:00.002-08:002014-11-21T15:19:24.308-08:00Remember, Remember on the 5th of November: Inequality is Unjust<div style="text-align: justify;">
What better day that the 5th of November to stage a protest at the Houses of Parliament. Well, not so much day as night and not just Westminster, but Trafalgar Square, Whitehall and No. 10 Downing Street as well. This march was organised by the Occupy/Anonymous Movement and it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up for many reasons including socioeconomic, political, historical and photographic. I have great sympathy for sense of outrage that fomented this global cause. I appreciate how these activists have brought the injustice and unsustainability of inequality to light and I earnestly hope that we see real change in the near future – for the sake of young people and generations to come.</div>
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</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14432313581517818093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7001530043987229379.post-60242570640505181232014-10-04T09:02:00.001-07:002015-04-13T09:22:29.156-07:00Scientology: The Art of Obfuscating and Marketing<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
A few weeks ago we received through the letterbox a questionnaire
calling itself the Oxford Capacity Analysis.
It contained well over a hundred questions concerning personality as
well as mental, emotional and behavioural disorders. When I looked carefully at the small print I
noticed that the organisation which had devised this had nothing whatsoever to
do with Oxford University, but had come from the London-based Church of
Scientology. The flyer invited me to
complete the questionnaire, whereupon it would be analysed and the results
presented to me at no charge at its London centre on Queen Victoria Street. So as part of my personal project into
investigating as many places of worship in my area as I can, I thought this was
an opportunity not to be missed. I
filled out the form and within a few days was invited to meet a Scientologist
to discuss my problems – as this is what the Oxford Capacity Analysis
inevitably finds out about participants. She
was a lovely person – very professional and in a centre that seemed like a
cross between a hotel and a mausoleum. I
saw no other human beings in the centre besides my “analyst” and the
receptionist. It was a little
creepy. As a way of introduction I was
given a video to watch from which the only memory I have is a slideshow of all the stunning Scientology Churches around the world – most
photos taken at night and positively glowing.
Then it showed people reading books in what looked like Scientology
libraries. Oh, and there were lots of
smiling faces in the film. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">So back to the Oxford Capacity Analysis.</span><span style="text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="text-align: justify;">It’s set up to look at 10 categories of
emotions & personality traits with a sliding scale between the”desirable
state” and the “undesirable state”.</span><span style="text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="text-align: justify;">For
example, based on how you answer some of the questions, you’re ranked between stable
and unstable.</span><span style="text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="text-align: justify;">Okay, is that straight
forward?</span><span style="text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="text-align: justify;">Here are the other categories:</span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Happy | Depressed</div>
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Composed | Nervous</div>
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Certainty | Uncertainty</div>
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Active | Inactive</div>
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Aggressive | Inhibited</div>
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Responsible | Irresponsible</div>
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Correct Estimation | Critical</div>
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Appreciative | Lack of Accord</div>
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Communicative | Withdrawn</div>
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So in
presenting my results, it was pretty clear that I had some major issues to deal
with. Now, keep in mind, this is the
primary way that the Church of Scientology has presented itself – its beliefs,
teaching and methods - to me for the first time. The message is:</div>
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<ol>
<li>You’ve
got some serious problems that we’ve uncovered with our “scientifically” developed
analysis. </li>
<li>Don’t you want to free yourself
from these in order to be successful and reach your full potential?</li>
<li>We can help you do this.</li>
<li>Will that be cash or card for your
first course? </li>
</ol>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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I asked the
woman giving me my analysis to tell me what Scientology is about; I wanted to
understand what the philosophical basis of it was. Most religions and philosophies try to answer
these four basic questions: Why are we
here? What’s wrong with us? What can be done about it? And how’s it all going to turn out in the
end? I mean, even atheists can answer
those questions. But she just skirted
around these, repeating over and over that the only way to get to the heart of Scientology
was to practise it immediately – by reading the L Ron Hubbard books and
enrolling in a class. It was as though
the fundamental beliefs of Scientology could not be understood until you were
well and truly neck deep in it. And that
was something I was completely unwilling to do.
This reminded me of some of the practices of New Age Spirituality, like meditation,
yoga, crystals, tarot cards and such. So
many don’t really explain the basis upon which their practices are built, but
rather give the message: you have a
problem; do this; you’ll get enlightenment when you’ve made sufficient progress. </div>
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I can also understand tithing to places of worship in order that they
provide for the less fortunate and other worthy causes. But it really wasn’t clear to me why
Scientology considers itself to be a church.
It seemed more like expensive self-help in a tax-free hotel. It’s not that I’m cynical; rather I think people
are actually being duped into believing that ultimate reality is about being a
person with Scientology-determined characteristics and without Scientology-determined
flaws; there really wasn’t much discussion in the area of ethics in those
posh halls. Yes, we all have problems,
some of which can be lessened with psychological counselling. But I strongly urge people not to base their
entire worldview on a “religion” that can’t even reveal what it really believes
in an hour and a half.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14432313581517818093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7001530043987229379.post-68599614486691435992014-09-20T15:04:00.000-07:002014-09-20T15:04:26.973-07:00Photojournalism outside Downing Street<div style="text-align: justify;">
On Saturday the 23rd of August I attended the demonstration in Whitehall against the continued selling of arms to Israel, organised by a range of organisations protesting against the current siege of Gaza. For the most part the event was peaceful, though without question one of high emotion and energy. There was only one small scuffle I witnessed between a single demonstrator attempting to cross the road heading towards the gates of 10 Downing Street. He was swiftly grabbed by Met officers as well as one of the protest organisers. This brings the newspaper headlines and television reports home. It also makes me grateful to live in a country where the freedom to gather and speak truth to power is an important part of the culture.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14432313581517818093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7001530043987229379.post-15968151654163671892014-05-19T06:26:00.000-07:002014-05-19T06:26:20.018-07:00SME Growth Accelerator Clinic<div class="MsoNormal">
This past Friday I had the privilege of photographing the
SME Growth Accelerator Clinic in the offices of PayPal in Richmond. Rarely have I attended a workshop as
enjoyable and worthwhile: its aim to help the vital SME sector address the
challenges that hinder their growth. The
importance of this segment of the supply side of the economy was underscored by
the presence and speeches by Vince Cable and Zac Goldsmith. Our local mayor, Meena Bond showed her support
as well. I found particularly vital and
interesting the talk about the importance and opportunity of sustainable
business practices and the unintended consequences of changes in planning regulations
to increase the housing stock. Many congratulations to Helen Roberts of CGP for a great event.</div>
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<o:p></o:p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14432313581517818093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7001530043987229379.post-83141382596427313572014-05-15T04:25:00.000-07:002014-05-15T04:25:00.794-07:00It's Local Election TimeTwo weeks ago our MP Zac Goldsmith hosted a Q&A session at a small local café in Kew Village. If you’ve never been here, Kew is very small – though 20 minutes from central London, the meeting had no more than around 30 people in attendance (including local councillors and an MEP). Zac had invited Greg Barker, minister for energy and climate change to talk about the current and future status of energy policy in the UK. He was late, but had a great excuse – he had to drop his child off at school. Oh, and he showed up with his pet dachshund who sat in his lap for the duration of the talk. Politics with the people just doesn’t get more cosy than that. Mr. Barker is an eloquent speaker, waxing lyrical about all the wonderful things happening in Germany and elsewhere in the UK in the area of alternative energy generation. What’s there not to like about that? Thing is, I think most people instinctively love hearing about sustainability and blasting the stranglehold the top 6 energy companies have on energy generation and distribution. Still, I think people generally are unaware of what’s been occurring under our noses over the course of the past few years in this area. There was time for very few questions so I emailed Zac my concerns after and I include these along with Zac’s responses.<br /><br />MB: Firstly, when talking about fracking, attention focuses largely on the environmental concerns. Understandable and important. But I think we must also understand the impact of fracking in the US has on the price of coal. Generators in the UK choose coal in preference to gas where carbon and pollution regulations allow. Gas consumption for power generation today is little over half the figure at the peak 2008 to 2010. There is currently more coal used for electricity generation in the UK than gas. Alternative energy is exciting and vital but prices of the various types of energy determine what is supplied. Longer term, LNG (from Australia and the US), LNG tanker availability and a truly more integrated European pipeline system as well as renewables will change this profile, but I don't think many have a clear idea of what's actually occurring today.<br /> <br /> ZG: <i>I should say first that while I share many of the concerns surrounding fracking, I don’t believe the issue is entirely black and white. For the short and medium term, gas will inevitably form part of the energy mix, even if we see a massive push for renewables and clean energy. No matter whose model you look at, there seems to be a consensus around that. If that’s the case, the gas therefore has to come from somewhere, and it is likely that British shale gas can make a contribution. But, I do have very serious concerns about the potential local environmental impacts of fracking, particularly in relation to groundwater, and more broadly, I think we would be very unwise to imagine that fracking is going to deliver the kind of price reductions described by some of my colleagues in Parliament. In addition, I don’t think that local concerns about the impact of fracking rig installation on landscape character and visual amenity should be simply ignored, and I have pushed for the Government’s new planning guidance, which gives a greater say to local communities over wind farms, to apply equally to fracking rig installations. I have also backed calls for the development of the best possible regulatory regime. </i><br /> <br />MB: Secondly, I'd like to know what Mr. Barker's relationship is with Ofgem. Does Ofgem have a strategic remit? Why do we hear so little from Ofgem and how would you and/or Mr. Barker rate Ofgem's performance over the past few years.<br /><br />ZG: <i>Ofgem work independently from the Government. They are a non-ministerial government department and an independent National Regulatory Authority, recognised by EU Directives. However, the Energy Act, which reached Royal Assent in December, was introduced to improve regulatory certainty, and it ensures that Government and Ofgem are aligned at a strategic level through a Strategy and Policy Statement (SPS). </i><br /><br />It’s easy to like Zac Goldsmith. He appears to care deeply about certain issues I tend to agree with him upon, such as the Recall Bill and opposing the expansion of Heathrow. It concerns me, however, that though politicians may speak passionately and articulately about issues, my sense is that there’s as much obfuscation as explication. When Boris Johnson spoke in Kew a few months ago, he responded to a concerned citizen’s objection to the new football stadium in Brentford saying that he would review these concerns, knowing very well that assent for the development had already happened weeks beforehand. For all Zac & Boris’s promises that Heathrow won’t be expanded, I have this sinking feeling that the horse trading has already happened. Call me cynical, but like so many in this city, we’ve earned our scepticism.<br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt;">
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14432313581517818093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7001530043987229379.post-7248076888112669942014-04-14T01:15:00.005-07:002014-04-28T12:15:02.401-07:00Cultural Community Centre Watch<div class="MsoNormal">
It seems that at least once a week I <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/culture-professionals-network/culture-professionals-blog/2014/apr/03/home-art-centres-communities-cuts">discover some new community centre project</a> in the UK, providing vibrancy and culture to local
communities. A recent <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/culture-professionals-network/culture-professionals-blog/2014/jan/13/public-funding-arts-plan-b">article</a> in the Guardian proposes a transformation of cultural
organisations into “vital, cherished hubs of their local community, making
their disappearances unthinkable.” Many
centres are already hives of activity including classes and workshops at the
Battersea Arts Centre and the Albany’s commitment to open its doors to the
people of southeast London.</div>
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Outside of London, however, the funding climate is
harsher. Annabel Turpin of the ARC in
Stockton insists that “arts have a much bigger part to play in the lives of
local people.” She plans to open up her
organisation as much as possible to the community, “giving people permission to
come in and use the building.” Her
centre provides activities for young, old and every demographic in
between. In a similar vein, mac
Birmingham boasts high levels of local engagement. Its multi-art form centre allows for a wide
range of activities.</div>
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A key asset of cultural community centres is obviously their
space. This is recognised by Chapter Arts
Centre in Cardiff and Farnham Maltings in Surrey. The director of the latter, Gavin Stride, said, “For us to thrive – to be truly popular –
we need to become relevant to more people and improve our usefulness.”</div>
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As public space shrinks, art centres remain some of the only
places that can be enjoyed without necessarily having to buy anything, a fact
many people are not aware. Some centres
are actively handing ownership over to local people, such as Contact,
Manchester where a group of young people from the area play a key role in how
the venue is run. This allows for a
greater interactive conversation with the audience as their voices are
increasingly being represented in the arts organisation’s decision making structures.<br />
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These anecdotes are a sample of some of the exciting new
ways in which local communities are coming together to produce and enjoy the
arts. Here’s hoping that these centres
remain vibrant, become sustainable and stand as examples for other communities.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14432313581517818093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7001530043987229379.post-42313885535713596642014-04-03T03:34:00.001-07:002014-04-03T03:36:58.451-07:00Ultimately, Reality is Personal<div class="MsoNormal">
Yesterday morning Rabbi Lord Sachs presented a provoking
<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01wpl4f">Thought for the Day</a> on Radio 4. In light
of new research and development at Ohio State University into algorithms that
identify human facial expressions, he asked what differentiates humans from
machines. A fascinating question to with
which all worldviews must come to grips, but which I think Christianity handles
in a more truthful and hopeful way, particularly in contrast to monistic faiths
and philosophies. Lord Sachs concludes
that the distinguishing feature of humans vis a vis technology is the <i>particularity</i> of love. Quoting his former philosophy tutor, Sachs
says:<o:p></o:p></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
We love individuals,
not types. We love what is unique and
irreplaceable, not what can be mass produced.
That is what gives love its poignancy: its inseparable connection with
the possibility of loss. It’s what makes
human life sacred: the fact that no one is a substitute for any other.</blockquote>
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This calls to mind the dystopian vision of the film <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Never_Let_Me_Go_%282010_film%29">Never Let Me Go</a> in which clones are produced and raised to ultimately perform the
task of supplying organs to their originators.
Loads of moral and ethical ideas here on the nature of what it means to
be human. I’d really like to hear how
monism addresses some of these. From
what I know of some of this thinking, reality and the particularity of the
individual are supposedly <i>illusions</i> which would seem to indicate that the clone
concept might not be much of a problem at all.
The particularity of love means that it is <i>personal</i>, that ultimate reality is between individuals/among
community. I think many people assume
that the foundational notion of compassion in Buddhism is akin to empathy or
love, but this isn’t the case. As Marcia
Montenegro explains on her <a href="http://christiananswersforthenewage.org/Articles_BuddhismAndChristianity.html">website</a>:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Many admire Buddhism because its teachings on ending suffering often include references to compassion. Compassion, karuna, arises from wisdom and in Buddhism, wisdom is "understanding or discernment of the Buddha's teaching, especially the teaching of anatta, no self." Compassion is the desire to free "all sentient beings" from rebirth. "Sentient beings" include all living creatures, including animals, residents of all the realms (similar to worlds of spirit beings), and demi-gods. One must be human to attain enlightenment, so compassion is needed for these non-humans (including demi-gods) to be reborn as human. </blockquote>
It seems that if the goal of monism is an ultimate reality where all life is freed from rebirth into enlightenment, then ultimate reality wouldn't be characterised by love, but perhaps something more akin to an endless void, dare I say a world of algorithms and nothing else.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14432313581517818093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7001530043987229379.post-26227561849189775292014-03-28T03:33:00.000-07:002014-03-28T09:23:52.045-07:00Community Arts Centre Watch<div class="MsoNormal">
Plans for a multi-story mixed use <a href="http://www.richmond.gov.uk/major_regeneration_plans_give_arts_and_culture_in_twickenham_a_welcome_boost">arts and residentialcomplex</a> have been unveiled for central Twickenham, just across the street from
the rail station in a former Royal Mail sorting office. These include spaces for a theatre, cinema
and performance space as well as 82 new homes, 16 of which will be affordable
housing. The art centre is meant to host
social and community events which makes
me - watcher and unashamed cheerleader of venues/projects such as these - very
excited.</div>
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Since the scheme allows for less than a fifth of the
new homes to be affordable there has been controversy. Councillor
Geoffrey Samuel said, "only the conservatives will restore the arts
to Twickenham” and that if plans are approved, the project will be completed by
the spring of 2016 as part of the Twickenham Area Action Improvement Plan (scheduled to
last until 2027). Councillor Stephen
Knight, leader of the opposition in Richmond is critical of the plans for
ignoring affordable housing needs and requiring funding that might jeopardise other current arts centres such as the Orleans House Gallery. The reservation is that most homes in the
new development will go to investor buyers rather than owner occupiers. There has been a doubling in the number of local
families being relocated to bed and breakfasts in the past year. </div>
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It’s a shame that this project is such a political
football. We desperately need community
involvement in the production and enjoyment of the arts. <i>We also desperately need the talented
artistic members of our communities to stay in London. </i> That won’t be possible unless housing that’s affordable to hard-working talented individuals/families is more plentiful and available. Surely Richmond councillors could have come
up with a more equitable, sustainable and vibrant solution. I know it’s hard when you’re sitting on a
gold mine of real estate, but please think about the long-term vibrancy, legacy
and sustainability of this patch of southwest London that I love.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14432313581517818093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7001530043987229379.post-41748556413042489292014-03-21T03:18:00.000-07:002014-03-21T03:29:51.336-07:00Effective Altruists or Extreme Paternalists<div class="MsoNormal">
Rhys Southan is swayed but thankfully not completely
persuaded by ‘Effective Altruists’ begging of the question: ‘is it OK to make
art?’ in his <a href="http://aeon.co/magazine/living-together/art-is-a-selfish-waste-of-time-says-effective-altruism/">article</a> appearing in Aeon
recently. The foundational principle of
the EA movement is that all human action should be focused on the alleviation
of suffering. This might sound a
laudable goal, particularly if the action is directed toward reducing global
poverty and injustice and promoting health and well-being. But this activist movement is much more than
raising awareness and encouraging charity.
Rather, it makes some naked assertions about the meaning of life - that it is the sum total of subjective
well-being – and purports to be in a position to direct how individuals should
make their livelihoods. </div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
EA wraps itself in a blanket of moral imperative, without
providing a firm foundation of such, other than its own ethical judgments,
based on monetary metrics. Furthermore,
we’ve learned from decades of mismanaged, misdirected and miscoordinated aid
efforts that development is a complicated business. It’s often institutions and governance which
are the heart of deprivation and suffering.
In certain circumstances these might be better addressed by changes in
terms of trade, taxation, labour laws as well as corporate, federal and local
governance reform. What people in
poverty need more than anything else is to participate in their local, national
or international economy with the skills and talents they possess, not to just
receive aid from high earning individuals.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I find the stance of EA to be not just paternalistic but
patronising and imperialistic. The
argument that a forex trader working for a large investment bank manipulating
libor, but giving a tenth of his or her income to charity is somehow worth more
to the world than that individual conducting an orchestra but making less money
is absurd, particularly if that manipulation causes hundreds of small
businesses to go bust.<o:p></o:p></div>
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EA would argue that if the orchestra conductor can make more
money as a forex trader, but really enjoys making music, well tough. What about the suffering the forex trader
inflicts on his friends and family of doing something he/she doesn’t’ really
want to do but is dictated to do so by the strictures of utilitarianism – like some
overarching karmic dictator, always calculating, quantifying the monetary worth
of every second spent earning. There’s
also the presumption that all suffering occurs in developing countries. What about all those in poverty in London,
pushed out of affordable housing by rich forex dealers and Russian
oligarchs? What about all those
suffering at the hands of very rich, donating domestic abusers? <o:p></o:p></div>
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By their own criteria, EA appears to ignore the enormous
economic engine that are the creative industries. In the UK, these sectors generate as much as
the financial one. Not to mention the
scores of jobs and spillover into services and manufacturing that creatives
produce. EA, do your research. See the work of <a href="http://bop.co.uk/">BOP Consulting</a>. In addition, it’s widely recognised that the
arts are one of the most powerful ways to address mental illness and emotional
abuse – see the work of the <a href="http://www.arttherapyalliance.org/">Art Therapy Alliance</a>.
The arts have been one of the most productive and powerful ways in which
deprived individuals have been able to work their way out of poverty.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<br /></div>
Effective altruism is an ideology based on its own strict ethical
judgments. They base their denouncement of
the arts on the notion of replacability – that most artists aren’t very good
and that they are easily replaced, ergo there should be fewer of them. Sounds
like they’ve ditched the importance of freedom so beloved of John Stuart
Mill. Radical ideologies lead to serious
problems, and EA is just such a one – radically reductive and effectively paternalistic.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14432313581517818093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7001530043987229379.post-25265399919020069472014-02-18T03:00:00.000-08:002014-02-18T03:00:02.368-08:00Cultural Centre Watch: Drink, Shop & Do It's heartening to see that barely a week goes by and there's news of a new multi-offering venue in London. <a href="http://www.drinkshopdo.com/">Drink, Shop & Do</a>, located in King's Cross, is a cafe, shop and dance hall! It looks clean, lively and inviting - so much more appropriate for children than the quotiiden coffee bars. There are dance classes, vinatage hair & makeup sessions as well as hen dos and tea parties. This placees just sounds so wonderful - please, please could someone open something like this in TW9??<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14432313581517818093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7001530043987229379.post-22585224902798438022014-02-17T01:17:00.002-08:002014-02-17T01:17:52.601-08:00Cultural Patch Thriving in N1Another sighting on my community culture watch: <a href="http://www.theproudarchivist.co.uk/">The Proud Archivist</a> has opened on Regent's Canal near Haggerston Overground Station. The venue is a combination of gallery, bar, restaurant, cafe and events space. It says it was:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>built around an engaging and versatile concept - designed and programmed to echo, emulate and revive the traditions of London's grand 17th and 18th century coffee houses.</i></blockquote>
This space combines so many of the things I envision as keys to future community centres across the country: a simple cafe, art display space and library aesthetic, overlaid, they say "with a diverse fringe cultural and community programming." The Proud Archivist wants to reflect the interests and passions of the people who make up their locale. Its aim is become "a thriving cultural and entertainment hub at he heart of the community."<br />
<br />
I for one, can't wait to experience this place.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14432313581517818093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7001530043987229379.post-57645850669941662422014-01-08T09:03:00.004-08:002014-01-08T09:03:49.493-08:00Inclusive Palaces<div class="MsoNormal">
Following on from my <a href="http://marybethsutter.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/your-communitys-got-talent.html">blogpost</a> of the 25th of September, I have been utterly delighted to read two articles recently
that wax lyrical about the idea that the UK has large pools of untapped talent,
ready to rehabilitate local communities.
</div>
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Nick Miller <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/culture-professionals-network/culture-professionals-blog/2013/nov/21/volunteers-crowdsourcing-arts-venue-omnibus">reported</a> on how crowdsourcing in Clapham has
enabled a community to turn an old Victorian library into Omnibus: “a vibrant
new arts centre.” </div>
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I’ve seen many
architecturally stunning churches converted into luxury flats in my patch of
town, so it’s heartening to hear of a project in which local residents
campaigned for SEVEN YEARS to have their council grant them a lease for the
arts centre. Volunteers have been at the
heart of the Omnibus project in marketing, fundraising and production. </div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>The approach was very much that everyone had
something to offer – some skill or knowledge to share…The common link between
the Omnibus volunteers is that everyone has given their time and knowledge
because they believed in the mission of the organisation - namely, to create a visible new destination
for the arts that enriches the lives of a diverse group of people.</i></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I also discovered that the idea of the collective arts
venture was promoted decades ago by Joan Littlewood and Cedric Price. They thought up the notion of a <i>fun palace</i>: “a
revolutionary venue, housing culture and science, encouraging engagement,
debate and enjoyment…the fun palace was about public engagement at its most
inclusive.”</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Though Joan’s fun palaces were never built, owing to cost,
the concept is appearing now and again around the UK. By taking advantage of underutilised spaces,
the new Fun Palaces project consists of more than 150 venues and companies and has enlisted independent artists, theatre-science makers and producers. Stella Duffy reports in her <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/culture-professionals-network/culture-professionals-blog/2014/jan/06/fun-palaces-joan-littlewood-culture">Guardian article</a> of the 6th of January:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>These creators will work with local people and
organisations, combining arts, culture, technology and science to create local
fun palaces. Our aim is to connect them
all in tone and spirit, and also digitally through an online fun palace that
will be part-game, part-content, but all-engagement.</i></blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I completely agree with the writer Ms. Duffy who believes
that cultural participation isn’t just something is done for us or something we
passively consume. Rather, creative
work – by all ages, but particularly the young and old – is something we all do
and can enjoy.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14432313581517818093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7001530043987229379.post-74117951297620645042013-12-03T04:35:00.001-08:002013-12-03T04:51:27.685-08:00Who are Your Homies?<div class="MsoNormal">
I was recently able to view an exhibition of the work of the
artist Madge Gill at the Orleans House Gallery in Twickenham. Ms. Gill, who lived from 1882 till 1962, is
described as a medium and visionary; her artwork in pen, ink and painting was prolific.
She’s held up as one of the premier British exemplars of outsider art, also
known as brute art. This genre has
received great interest and press of late, including a significant seat at this
year’s <a href="http://www.aarts.net.au/news/1720/140/Outsider-Art-sizzles-at-Venice-Biennale/">Venice Biennale</a>, Alan Yentob’s excellent <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03js57h/imagine..._Winter_2013_Turning_the_Art_World_Inside_Out/">Imagine </a>show of the 19<sup>th</sup>
of November and the <a href="http://www.wellcomecollection.org/whats-on/exhibitions/japanese-outsider-art.aspx">Wellcome Collection’s exhibition</a> earlier in the year. Some of the ‘outsiders’ have mental
disabilities, others emotional health problems and still others, visions or voices.
They’re a myriad of people with ‘issues’ who feel compelled to create
and often their production is prodigious. Carl Jung famously induced hallucinations with drugs and other conscious-changing techniques in order to enter into altered states; his works can be seen in a
collection called <a href="http://quinncreative.wordpress.com/2010/02/21/carl-jung-raw-art-psychologist/">The Red Book</a>. </div>
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There is much to celebrate about outsider art: not just that
the disabled are able to find purpose, though that in itself is something quite
wonderful, but that the art itself often has the quality of honesty in its
anguish, longing, urgency, obsessiveness, humour, confusion, elation and
sometimes despair. In some esteemed works of contemporary art, we can sometimes find more calculation, more self-consciousness,
more disdain or cynicism – characteristics which have their place as well. It’s just great to see those with an
alternative vision of the world given some attention, and in some cases some
critical recognition. Artists from
<a href="http://creativegrowth.org/category/news/">Creative Growth</a> in Oakland have been featured on Oxford Street and many others
have been shown by the <a href="http://www.musevery.com/">Museum of Everything</a> here and abroad. </div>
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Now to get back to the work of Madge, because she has a
special interest to me. Her works are
best described by one of her biographer’s, Roger Cardinal thus: </div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Gill’s frenetic improvisations have an almost hallucinatory
quality, each surface being filled with checkerboard patterns that suggest
giddy, quasi-architectural spaces.
Afloat upon these swirling proliferations are the pale faces of
discarnate and nameless women, sketched perfunctorily, albeit with an apparent
concern for beauty, and with startled expressions. </i>(from Cardinal's The Life of Madge
Gill) </blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Madge Gill had no training nor aspirations to fame as many
of her drawings were produced in secret.
In her letters and diaries she claims to have been inspired by an ethereal
spirit guide called Myrninerest. The focal point of the exhibition at Orleans
House Gallery is her giant scroll – over 10 metres long – called The
Crucifixion of the Soul featuring Gill’s signature doodle-like drawings and
female faces. </div>
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Her early years were
difficult as being an ‘illegitimate’ child in Victorian times meant that she
was placed in an orphanage at the age of nine and subsequently shipped off to
Canada to work as a domestic servant on some Ontario farms. She returned to London later and lived with
an aunt who introduced her to spiritualism and mediumistic practices. It was after the still-born birth of her
fourth child and her own illness which cost her an eye that Gill claims she was
first possessed by her spirit guide. She
says that Myrninerest remained in contact with her for the rest of her
life. </div>
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In 1926 her son records his mother’s
first experience of delirious trance-states which she apparently found
overwhelming and frightening. The
manifestation of these states was not only drawing and painting, but writing,
knitting, crochet-work, weaving and piano-playing as well. In 1922 Gill was treated in a women’s clinic
in Hove where her work was brought to the attention of the Society for
Psychical Research in London. The expert
opinion at the time judged the drawings to be “more of an inspirational than of
an automatic kind.”</div>
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Madge Gill lived with her sons and also a brother-in-law who
was an ardent follower of astrology.
From around 1930 she became known as a medium in her Upton Park
neighbourhood, organised séances at her home, drew up horoscopes and offered
spontaneous prophecies. Her work was
displayed at galleries including the Whitechapel and even turned down the offer
of a show in a prestigious West End one, explaining that her works could not be
sold, since they all belonged to Myrninerest.
It’s believed that in her later years she worked in her bedroom through
the night, viewing her work with her one good eye, succumbing to “a seductive
auto-hypnosis which distracted her from reality.” Some neighbours claimed she had a disturbing
gaze, eccentric remarks and deranged behaviour.
Over 200 of her works are conserved in the Newham municipal archives and
much are preserved in public collections such as the Collection de l’Art Brut
in Lausanne and the Aracine collection in Lille.</div>
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When you enter the exhibition at Orleans House, you’re met
with The Crucifixion. Since much of this
is done in pen on faded paper, it looks very different from huge paintings or
murals you see in museums. There’s dreamlike
quality to her work that reminded me of Chagall and also a child-like feeling
that called to mind the drawings of the author and illustrator of children’s books,
Lauren Child. There were some that were
colourful, decorative and design-wise, very pleasing. When you’ve passed along the upper gallery,
you then enter a room full of bits and pieces of occult paraphernalia
including ghost photographs, a Ouija board, a séance trumpet as well as modern
day spiritualist painters. This room
epitomises where Madge Gill was coming from – this was the worldview that she’d
been drawn to as a young woman and it was from the occult that she derived her beliefs,
values, identity, relationships and her art. </div>
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The following are a selection of other mystically-influenced contemporary artists on display at the Orleans Gallery: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNA6DB9xWBNR0YwK-a_bw3PpUlCy8EVHOVMo-aY-YE9-30MM_z1TBARKV-Hwu8kvOeDwyS9LrzlaUDXIHcZdByKjAylrGcHR0FrU6lIIIfxIyD0g7hGgatB8TuIbflKR6w40bcisXZ1jTF/s1600/2013-12-03_0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNA6DB9xWBNR0YwK-a_bw3PpUlCy8EVHOVMo-aY-YE9-30MM_z1TBARKV-Hwu8kvOeDwyS9LrzlaUDXIHcZdByKjAylrGcHR0FrU6lIIIfxIyD0g7hGgatB8TuIbflKR6w40bcisXZ1jTF/s640/2013-12-03_0002.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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After viewing this collection, I remembered a lecture I attended last year by Marianne
Williamson at St. James’s Church Piccadilly.
Ms. Williamson’s worldview is based on A Course in Miracles and is
peppered with phrases and terms which sound traditionally Christian such as
God, love and forgiveness. But make no
mistake, the ‘universal principles’ she refers to are anything but. When she makes her run for Congress, I’ve no
doubt many will erroneously believe that her religious convictions are of the liberal Christian variety. But look carefully at the company she
keeps. Her workshops are advertised in
publications like <a href="http://www.alternatives.org.uk/Site/Default.aspx">Alternatives</a> which also hawks the seminars, workshops and
lectures of mediums, psychics, tarot card readers, pagans, alchemists and those working with crystals, angel cards, dowsing, mindfulness, scrying, divination, out-of-body
experiences, Gnosticism, channelling and palmistry. These are varied practices, but what they
share in common is a devotion to the occult; these are the homeboys of Ms. Williamson and
were those of Ms. Madge Gill as well.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14432313581517818093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7001530043987229379.post-41400806399734850032013-09-25T07:02:00.001-07:002013-09-25T07:18:42.133-07:00Your Community's Got Talent<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
The most powerful message which the Occupy movements around
the world brought to our collective attention is that the gains from economic
growth and prosperity have not been shared fairly among its producers and
contributors. The outcomes are
apparent in the statistics on wealth inequality, stagnating wages, squeezed
living standards, job insecurity, long-term joblessness and the
disenfranchisement of the young to name a few of the most prominent and
problematic. </div>
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Though a good proportion of the growth in unemployment during
recent years has come about as the result of weak demand, this has exacerbated the underlying trend of technologically-driven unemployment. Economists
<a href="http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2011/11/technological-unemployment">Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee</a> of MIT have found in their research and described in their books that new technologies
are making more jobs redundant than they're enabling and that due to Moore’s
law, trends in technology-embedded aspects of life will only increase. Examples that come to mind are clerkless
checkouts and the imminent driverless cars. Though over a longer horizon technology will
enable innovations that will benefit humanity, the interregnum will be unsettling
as the chronic under and unemployment are likely to be personally and socially
corrosive. </div>
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What ICTs can do very well, as pointed out by Kal Raustiala
and Christopher Sprigman in their new book <a href="http://marybethsutter.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/fakes-are-fabulous.html">The Knockoff Economy</a>, is often to lower the costs of innovation,
sometimes dramatically. Making music
used to require a large costly studio; now it can happen with a keyboard, laptop and
Logic software. Digital files can be
uploaded to an artist’s website or YouTube and distributed easily anywhere with
an internet connection. Likewise for
photography and some forms of art: </div>
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<i>Sometimes technological advances like these make it
possible for one person to do what many did before...other times they allow
many individuals to do what one (or a few) did before, by permitting
large-scale tweaking...Perhaps the most important effect of technological
change, however, is it reduced the cost of making and distributing creative
work. </i> </blockquote>
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I propose a possible solution, not only to the issue of
social exclusion of the young and unemployed, but also the deterioration of the
British high street in the form of a new type of community centre: a fusion of
coffee house, open mike night and art exhibition space: a multi-sensory,
multi-talent shop and theatre. I’m talking about working around established
channels of commerce and the traditional media.
Using human ingenuity combined with technology, social media and vacant
high street premises, the unemployed could, without enormous investment or cost,
turn talent into a living and reinvigorate their local community.</div>
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<br />
<a href="http://www.cebr.com/reports/arts-and-cultures-economic-contribution/">Analysis</a> by the Centre for Economics and Business Research found that the arts and culture deliver a significant return on relatively small levels of government spending and directly lead to at least £845m of spending by tourists in the UK. Arts Council England commissioned this research to determine the economic impact of the arts along with the National Museum Directors' Council. The chief executive of ACE, Alan Davey commented that the report:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>quantified what we have long understood - that culture plays a vital part in attracting tourism to the tune of £856m a year; that arts centres and activities transform our towns and cities and drive regeneration, making the choice to maintain investment in culture a forward thinking one for local authorities; and that the arts support the creative industries and improve their productivity.</i></blockquote>
Some other findings of the report:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>turnover of businesses in the arts and culture industries was £12bn in 2011 which in turn led to an estimated £5.9bn of gross value added to the UK economy in the same year. </li>
<li>the sector provides more than 110,000 jobs directly or 260,300 once indirect impacts are included</li>
</ul>
<br />
Another key finding is that art and culture improve national productivity: "Engagement with the arts and culture helps to develop people's critical thinking, to cultivate creative problem solving and to communicate and express themselves effectively." It's clear from this report that there are enormous tangible and intangible benefits of the arts to the economy and to individuals who create and enjoy the arts and culture. <br />
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I’m also drawing on the work of Tyler Cowen in his new book,
<a href="http://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2013/09/diane-coyle-reviews-average-is-over.html">Average is Over: Powering America Beyond the Age of the Great Stagnation</a> in
which he poses a remedy to problems caused by disruptive technological
change. The thesis of this book is that
better outcomes are available when people are able to discern which capabilities
they have which are special – and particularly human – and which aspects of their
activities are better accomplished by computers. The obvious reason for this is that there is
a great deal of evidence now that routine work done in formerly middle-income
and skilled jobs has been taken away either by computers or offshore production. The result has been a hollowing
out of the middle of the income distribution. A recent <a href="http://www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications/low-pay-britain-2013/">report</a> by the Resolution Foundation found that in the UK a two tier workforce has emerged: the lower tier being characterised by low-paid, low-skilled work which is often temporary, part-time or self-employed. Early signs of an economic recovery are having little impact on this trend with rates of part-time or temporary work among new employees (those starting or returning to work) remaining high. The median hourly wage for a new employee stood at £8.42 in 2009; today it is under £8.</div>
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Empty shops in the high street could be converted into
comfortable, stylish community centres, designed, decorated and furnished
through local donation and contribution (this is done beautifully every Wednesday in <a href="http://www.stjohnsegham.com/whats-on/the-kitchen/">The Kitchen</a> in Egham, Surrey). It could
serve as a cafe with entertainment, including music, comedy and poetry readings, and offer artwork, sculpture, baking and cooking for sale. Professionals and the retired could donate their time and wisdom to advising on artistic as well as business matters. Marketing could be via local newspaper, flash mobs and social
media. Parking should be free for a set period of time. Such a centre would be a sort of permanent pop-up shop or
indoor farmer’s market of talent. It could be set up as a social
enterprise, either subsidised through the council or crowd-funded. It would provide not just
vocational development, but an outlet for creative energy as well as
foster a greater sense of community, something sorely needed in these days of depleted social capital.<br />
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Those performing at, producing goods or art for or serving at
the community centre could gradually expand their audience or customer base and could eventually become entrepreneurs in their community and mentors to the
centre. An important advantage of the new
community centre is that it offers a <i>physical</i> space to accommodate development
and showcase talent – an advantage beyond what Kickstart and other social
enterprise schemes offer.</div>
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The <a href="http://www.vineyardcommunity.org/contact-us.html">Vineyard Community Centre </a>in Richmond-upon-Thames offers
some of what I’m talking about, though I would suggest that having a centre on
the high street would offer greater footfall and profile and stir up greater
local excitement and community involvement. I'm thinking less drop-in centre, more Le Quotidien with art, music, dance and crafts - perhaps even unique fashions. I'd love to pop into a local high street community centre like that.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14432313581517818093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7001530043987229379.post-3270915476074837642013-09-24T01:42:00.000-07:002015-09-07T13:08:12.818-07:00We don’t need no (eastern) meditation<div class="MsoNormal">
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On the 12<sup>th</sup> of September Project Syndicate
published an article called <a href="http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/a-new-model-of-human-behavior-by-tania-singer">Beyond Homo Economicus</a> by Tania Singer, Director of
the Department of Social Neuroscience at the Max Planck Institute for Human
Cognitive and Brain Sciences. She leads
something called the ReSource Project which calls itself a “unique, large-scale study on
Eastern and Western methods of mental training.” The methods promoted by this project
are designed to:</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>enhance attentional control, body- and self-awareness,
healthy emotion regulation, self-care, compassion, empathy and perspective
taking...Overall the aim of the training is to improve mental health and social
skills. It may reduce stress, improve
mental clarity, increase life satisfaction, and lead to a better understanding
of others’ views and actions.</i></div>
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The article was apparently one of the most read of the many
that Project Syndicate posts, having 859 likes on Facebook alone. No doubt there were even more eager followers on the website and via email. Professor Singer isn't alone in challenging the concept of homo economicus – the principle used in traditional economic theory and modelling that humans are rational actors who make decisions based on
narrow self-interest. As the discipline
of economics increasingly draws on the research findings of psychology and evolutionary
biology, new frameworks are being proposed to capture the biases in our decision making, our oftentimes herdlike behaviour and how networks cause knowledge (and emotions) to diffuse through populations. Other research programs such as Professor Singer's attempt to take into account the human capacity for
altruism and pro-social behaviour. Entirely
new fields are cropping up, including neuroeconomics, social and affective neuroscience
and contemplative neuroscience which have found that humans can be motivated by
pro-social preferences such as fairness and concern for others’ welfare or
rights. So far so good and kudos to laudable research.</div>
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The problem is that organisations such as Max Planck, the <a href="http://www.stanford.edu/group/ccare/cgi-bin/wordpress/">Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education </a>at Stanford University,
the <a href="http://marc.ucla.edu/">Center for Mind-Body Medicine</a> at UCLA, the <a href="http://www.instituteformindfulleadership.org/">Institute for Mindful Leadership</a>, the <a href="http://www.mum.edu/default.aspx?RelID=607074">Center for Brain, Consciousness and Cognition</a> at the Maharishi University of Management and Meng Tan’s <a href="http://www.siyli.org/tag/meng-tan/">Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute</a> seem to have abandoned established psychological methods such as CBT as a means of challenging debilitating negative thinking to alleviate excessive anxiety
and depression and are instead promoting eastern meditation, yoga and mindfulness. The goals are apparently to make people more empathetic and compassionate as well to help them manage their emotions and thoughts - to quiet the so-called 'monkey
mind'. Other outcomes promised include greater calm and focus which are meant to make people nicer, more creative, more focused
and better leaders. That’s one tall order. Professor Singer's project is classified under the emerging
field of ‘contemplative neuroscience,’ which has ‘begun to produce evidence for the plasticity of pro-social preferences and motivation.’ The ReSource Project website claims:</div>
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<i>...training programs aimed at boosting
pro-social motivation have led to increased activity in neural networks related
to positive emotions and affiliation, as well as to reduced stress-relevant
hormonal responses and increased immune markers, when participants are exposed
to distress in others...such mental training programs make participants more
efficient and more focused while improving their capacity to cope with stress.</i></div>
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I agree that we face moral and ethical failings of both individuals
and institutions, the latter particularly requiring reform to re-establish trust
and foster greater cooperation among constituents. But
believing that personal transformation via eastern mindfulness methods
is tendentious and problematic. Professor Singer asserts in her article:</div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>given that brains are at their most malleable during childhood, beginning
mental training in school would help to create a solid foundation for the kind
of secular ethics that would contribute to the development of a more
compassionate society. But mental training
also has benefits for adults, so businesses, political authorities, and
research institutions should collaborate in establishing “mental gymnasiums.”</i></div>
</blockquote>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
The methods used by the ReSource Project and the myriad
others that teach mindfulness meditation present them as secular techniques, supported by
scientific research and, since they’ve been around for millennia, have apparently passed the test of
time. The metaphysical underpinning of
these methods is seldom revealed to the initiate. This is simply dishonest and
irresponsible. Have countries where
these methods have been practiced for centuries become more compassionate, cooperative
and peaceful than others? Of course
they haven’t.</div>
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Eastern philosophy is based on the idea that the primary nature of life is suffering and that the purpose of life is its
alleviation. Ironically, what often makes people more compassionate (in addition to what nature and nurture set down) is their own experiences of loss, pain and suffering. In the furore over the nursing staff at Mid-Staffodshire Foundation Trust, many called for a change in the culture - to make it more caring. It's very unclear that such a change could even come about without having professional,
well-trained, equipped rested and who are supported to the extent that they have the emotional space to be more caring. The structure can have a direct influence on the culture.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I’ve been alarmed by the Harvard Business Review’s blatant promotion of
mindfulness/meditation techniques for executives among others promoting the practice; I’ve mentioned this before in
earlier blogposts <a href="http://marybethsutter.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/coping-with-leadership.html">here</a> and <a href="http://marybethsutter.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/beware-risks-of-mindfulness.html">here</a>. The
Financial Times recently featured an <a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/32e0b9b4-1c5f-11e3-8894-00144feab7de.html#axzz2fhzP8ONH">article</a> on the topic, profiling high
flying executives who swear by these techniques. It's worrying because highly competitive types like top executives strive to emulate the most successful. Fortunately,
at the end of the FT article, reporter John Paul Rathbone remarks, “Meditation
may be one way to “go deeper.” Certainly
it seems to have increased the willingness of some to explore their
interiority. Whether that will make a
difference to the ethics of the financial world is an open question.” Indeed.</div>
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Another inherent contradiction of the meditation bandwagon is that it often appeals to those in search of a quick fix to a particular problem. In this <a href="http://www.openculture.com/2013/04/david_lynch_explains_how_meditation_enhances_our_creativity.html">video</a>, David Lynch gives a long answer to a short question: how can meditation enhance the creative process. This is the instrumentalisation of ultimate reality - a key feature of self-help and New Age (also called emergent, integral or evolutionary spirituality). </div>
</div>
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What really bothers me is that meditation research centres
and consultants seem to indicate that eastern metaphysical techniques are the
only if not the best way to reduce cortisol, a hormone related to stress. Walking in nature would have the same if not
bigger effect. If a reporter from the
FT, a blogger on the HBR, David Lynch or Oprah recommends a technique because
successful people swear by it, others jump on the trend, hoping the fairy dust
will sprinkle on them. David Gelles,
<a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/d9cb7940-ebea-11e1-985a-00144feab49a.html#axzz24qhy2p1Q">reporting</a> on corporate giants using meditation to lower healthcare costs
and boost worker productivity, says what many seem to use as a catchphrase: “it
seems that eastern wisdom – stripped of its religiosity and backed by scientific
research – is becoming an accepted part of the corporate mainstream.” </div>
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When it comes to eastern meditation
techniques, we’re really talking about
more than psychology, more than mental health. We’re talking about metaphysics
and eternity, whether you believe in these things or not. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14432313581517818093noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7001530043987229379.post-3143469629656642812013-08-10T04:06:00.002-07:002013-08-10T04:10:45.509-07:00Note to self: take notice of the artist behind the post-it note<div class="MsoNormal">
Back in July my daughter and I made a pilgrimage to
Bermondsey to see the White Cube which we’d heard so much about for so
long. We had high expectations as our
gps guided us from the tube through the back streets of east London. The cube, however, was closed. So we decided to visit its sister space in
the West End. On display was the work of
Brazilian-born conceptual artist, Jac Leirner.
Now my daughter, the artist, feels strongly that art should be able to speak for itself - that we should be able to ascertain whether it is either good or bad based soley on what we see before us. I used to think that,
but have found that when I know the artist’s back story, it often increases the
contemplative possibilities of viewing for me.</div>
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In the one of the galleries were some pieces which looked to
us like a sets of different coloured post-it notes, arranged in a large rectangles
with military precision. We looked at
one another in despair, feeling as though we were being humiliated by the
artist. I later learned that these weren’t
post-it notes at all but rather gummed Rizla papers and that Ms. Leiner, one of
Latin America’s leading conceptual artists, has an obsession with accumulating
ordinary found objects as materials for her art. Her works, or 'interventions' adopt ‘formal
rigour and aesthetic to the way she collects, arranges and assembles.' Her cigarette paper grid titled Skin “references both the habitual, repetitive activity of rolling papers and the
physical, tangible nature of this material: a delicate and translucent syphon
used to smoke tobacco and pot.”</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtBdGZ3HpFz3gNsQ9uhAKxGW0MgafbYFaxxsbzcpH7Jl7m2i9WwbZTet12WLVqwW7aTVDKjBYrb4hwQWntnTZLcY-fT_IB5wf_CpbiCh0K-fNCYX5565pMDrM1gBX5WSU7fAWwsyhUAPJ/s1600/Jac-Leirner-Skin-(Juicy-Jays-Cotton-Candy-King-Size-Slim)-2013-(medium-res)-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtBdGZ3HpFz3gNsQ9uhAKxGW0MgafbYFaxxsbzcpH7Jl7m2i9WwbZTet12WLVqwW7aTVDKjBYrb4hwQWntnTZLcY-fT_IB5wf_CpbiCh0K-fNCYX5565pMDrM1gBX5WSU7fAWwsyhUAPJ/s400/Jac-Leirner-Skin-(Juicy-Jays-Cotton-Candy-King-Size-Slim)-2013-(medium-res)-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Leirner follows in a long tradition of ‘found object’
artists, including Marcel Duchamp, Damien Hirst, Gabriel Orozco and
Picasso. Last year I was able to hear David Nash speak about his work at a lecture
he gave at Kew Gardens. Like
Leiner, Nash mostly uses found materials,
only his have been from nature – predominantly fallen trees. Unlike Leiner, however, his works are
monumental and designed to last, particularly in the elements.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKp7MNQIKxJFptCiHHTeiWxwcBIYz5AycXxuLdjJBP-jocZDYnKOhLtyYkc1TXmMFaVypxF-B9HUzac2bQBzIlSpgMs5zT3qfW3NhD3sBxkzg-PX2vkwAEgmM5YOT7Q-ynXJWw-GxTjXHa/s1600/download+(5).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKp7MNQIKxJFptCiHHTeiWxwcBIYz5AycXxuLdjJBP-jocZDYnKOhLtyYkc1TXmMFaVypxF-B9HUzac2bQBzIlSpgMs5zT3qfW3NhD3sBxkzg-PX2vkwAEgmM5YOT7Q-ynXJWw-GxTjXHa/s400/download+(5).jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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On another cultural excursion off the Piccadilly line, we
saw the brilliant BP exhibition of young artists at the National Portrait
Gallery. The works were truly impressive
and mesmerising; we even went around twice it was so good. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFhfDhU4-JT0QLV1FN08BMVd30BuAJm34gizCWx6IMkYEmWMzwtkl0EfBece8ouh2Kzds4KIsgXUs_TadXtKvkcEzOd7g6U8t7HdoPDzpxsErKPry375pwKznR_NkZ7WXRVK3S_RtvnAe/s1600/Large_BP_2013_1576_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgFhfDhU4-JT0QLV1FN08BMVd30BuAJm34gizCWx6IMkYEmWMzwtkl0EfBece8ouh2Kzds4KIsgXUs_TadXtKvkcEzOd7g6U8t7HdoPDzpxsErKPry375pwKznR_NkZ7WXRVK3S_RtvnAe/s400/Large_BP_2013_1576_edited-1.jpg" width="327" /></a></div>
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And then we ventured down into the crypt of St.
Martin-in-the-Fields. It’s now like
Victoria Station down there now, with a huge cafe, gift shop, throngs of diners
and tourists and an art gallery off to the west side. When we entered the space we noticed that
several walls were covered with yellow post-it note and we responded, quite
appropriately and spontaneously, in gales of laughter. A young man explained to us that for £10 we
could purchase the chance to remove one of the post-it notes and have one of
several of his colleagues sketch and sign a doodle on the note for us to take
home. Eventually, when all the notes
were removed, there would be a grand work for all to see. Now I’m sure that these were all fantastically
talented artists and that they were undertaking a novel approach to
participative art; it just seemed like a pretty high price for which to take part. </div>
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I told the pop-up artist about the exhibit at the White Cube
and encouraged him to go see it; after all, it seemed like there was some
symmetry there.</div>
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