New Routes to New Markets: The New Consumer Majority

Jane McCann, Dave Taylor and Chris Lewis are in Friedrichshafen in Germany at outdoor 2011 (http://www.outdoor-show.de) to undertake research for the Design for Ageing Well project and to present an industry focused breakfast seminar with four keynote speakers from the international outdoor sports industry.

The speakers include:

the CEO of an international brand holder, Stephen Cann of the Bollin Group, who is speaking on 'the issues that brands have connecting with the older customer.'

International supply chain coordinator Rick Fowler of one of the worlds biggest OEM manufacturer in the outdoor sports sector, YoungOne who is speaking on the 'the supply chain perspective on the importance of addressing the needs of the emerging active ageing Market.'

Claudia Bieker from Germany's Generation Sport, speaking on the 'size and nature of the active ageing market.'

A representative from WL Gore (the worlds leading technical waterproof fabric brand) speaking on 'how this materials driven industry can address older users needs'.

Newport's Dave Taylor will be facilitating the seminar and leading the post presentation discussions. The seminar has been organised by Vanessa Knowles of Pebble International.

Arab Revolutions: Photographs by Lynsey Addario, Andrea Bruce, Yuri Kozyrev, Guy Martin, Dominic Nahr, Ivor Prickett and Laura El-Tantawy

30 July – 4 September 2011

Opening Night Preview: Friday, 29 July, from 7pm

In late 2010 very few would have predicted a revolution in the stable regimes of the Middle East and north Africa. A string of these countries was to be rocked by a series of uprisings that brought the masses to the streets and spawned the condescending term 'twitter revolution' to the front pages of worldwide media. The first signs appeared when protesters took to the streets of Tunisia after the immolation of MohamedBouazizi in the city of Sidi Bouzid in December. By February, Tunisia, Egypt and Bahrain were experiencing protests of a scale unheard of in the last decades. The revolutions spread like wildfire through countries linked by high unemployment, a young population, and oppressive, long-ruling governments. Syria, Libya and Yemen quickly turned bloody as those in power resorted to force in order to quash the discontent. Jordan, Morocco and Saudi Arabia were mostly peaceful.

As of today, the revolutions have overthrown the governments of Egypt and Tunisia. Libya is engulfed in what can only be described as a civil war, pitting the remains of the loyalists of Colonel Gaddafi against a poorly armed militia backed by international powers. Syria, a most inaccessible country, is experiencing the most severe violent backlash from the Government against its own citizens. Yemen is in complete chaos and its ruler has fled. In these revolutions, 255 million people are forging a new, unpredictable future.

Arab Revolutions presents photographs and video footage from the civil demonstrations of Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen and Bahrain, the clashes of the Syrian cities and the desert warfare of Libya. It features works by some of the world's most renowned photojournalists working on the front line, and by citizens of the countries who have chosen to divulge their footage online. The exhibited photographers are Lynsey Addario (VII Network), Andrea Bruce (VII Network), Yuri Kozyrev (Noor), Newport graduate Guy Martin (Panos Pictures), Dominic Nahr (Magnum Photos), Newport graduate Ivor Prickett (Panos Pictures) and Laura El-Tantawy.

Third Floor Gallery
Address: Third Floor, 102 Bute Street, CF10 5AD, Cardiff
Open: Wed-Sun from 12 to 6pm

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Hidden Cities Photographic Exhibition by Gareth Kingdon

“Hidden Cities is a long-term project attempting to identify positive aspects of the world’s largest slum communities whilst also
recognising that residents remain living in challenging and harsh environments. The project aims to show what we in the West
can learn from slums and their residents, whilst highlighting what will be lost in relation to community, culture, innovation and
industry if the world’s mega slums are redeveloped. My desire is for Western viewers in developed nations to look upon the lives of
slum residents and focus not on the great differences between them, but to realise that in this global neighbourhood “they are just
like us.””

Waterloo Gardens Teahouse was established in 2008 with the aim of sourcing the finest tea from around the world and delivering
them in an informal environment. Along the way Waterloo Gardens Teahouse has sourced local products from independent traders
and start up companies. Winning the Best Coffee Shop in UK 2009 highlighted how far the Teahouse had come in a short space of
time. The art gallery has developed into a space which has represented internationally known artists as well as the first time
exhibitors.

'Hidden Cities' will be on display until August 1st 2011.

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The journey starts for Transform@Lab participants

For nine hand-picked media graduates, the creative and physical journey from Wales to Budapest to Paris begins next week as the exclusive Transform@Lab cross-platform development programme is brought to life.

With MEDIA support and coordinated by Skillset Media Academy Wales,  Transform@Lab is a 17 day programme which will take place over six months at three prestigious European media schools: The University of Wales, Newport; Maholy-Nagy University of Art & Design (MOME), Hungary; and Gobelins, L’École de L’Image, Paris.

The nine participants will travel to each of the host universities for an eclectic programme of masterclasses, development labs, networking events and studio visits, with hands-on support and mentoring from the leading names in new media practice.

“We are delighted to announce the participants selected for Transform@Lab”, said Skillset Media Academy Wales project manager, Anna-Lisa Jenaer, coordinator of the programme. “The graduates selected bring a wealth of different experiences and skills to the programme, from animation to scriptwriting to producing.  The scheme was promoted through the UK-wide Media Academy network, and we are pleased to include five participants from the SMAW network in Wales.

“Nick Clackett and Miriam Lewis are skilled animation graduates from the University of Glamorgan.  Also from an animation background is Richard Blades, a graduate of the University of Wales, Newport whose experience lies in stop-motion.  Joining him from Newport Film School are Leyla Pope and Chiara Carbonara, who bring scriptwriting and live action experience respectively.

“From England we have selected Jake Hobbs, a talented animation graduate currently working for Wonky. From MOME, Budapest, we welcome two highly skilled animation graduates, Bella Szederkenyi and Kati Glaser, to the group.  And from Gobelins, Paris, we have Francois Klein, whose background in producing will be an interesting addition to the group.”

The first week of the programme will take place at the impressive new City Campus, University of Wales, Newport, on Monday 20th June. Here, the participants will hear from some of the leading names in UK cross-platform development, including Iain Tweedale, BBC Interactive, Mark Taylor, former Head of Networked Media, Sky Movies, and Saint John Walker, Computer Games, Animation and Facilities manager, Skillset.

Aside from visiting new countries, the participants can look forward to working with the top multiplatform content creators in Europe, as well as making new contacts for future co-productions.  Glamorgan BA Animation graduate, Miriam Lewis commented:  “It goes without saying that to gain a job at the end of this programme would be excellent, but my priority is with gaining every bit of knowledge I can. I'm looking forward to meeting new people and visiting new places as well as learning about just what a cross-platform project means to this particular course and seeing what we can come up with as a team.”

Two lecturers from each university will play an active role in the four week-long sessions. Speaking on their behalf, programme leader for the BA Animation course at Newport Caroline Parsons said:  “In the Transform@Lab, we have created a space where a diverse range of practitioners, trained in conventional media, can come together to explore new digital production and distribution methodologies. The applicants certainly fit the bill, coming from disciplines such as live action, stop motion, and 2D drawn animation.

“With input from professionals working in convergence media, who have a variety of experience in bringing media concepts to market, the students will work together in groups to develop prototypes, which will be pitched to a panel of judges at the end of the programme.”

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MA Student Auctions off Money Flag

MA Film student, Brazilian Lourival Cuquinha, has found success with his Jack Pound Financial Art Project. 43 investors bought shares in his work, a flag made up of 39 £10 and 122 £5 notes stitched together by hand. Exhibited on the A Gentil Carioca stand at the Frieze Art Fair in London last October, the finished piece was auctioned off by guest auctioneer Christie's, for £17,000. Read about the project in Lourival's own words at http://lourivalcuquinhajackpound.blogspot.com/, the follow on with:

Searching For Goodness - Part II: Dream India

Catch up with the second instalment of Documentary Film & Television student, Stephan Kuehn's trip to India. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQzjylhYOJo

Read more at http://www.mediaacademywales.org/index.php?id=786

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And the winner is...Animation Graduate Rhiannon Evans

Animation graduate Rhiannon Evans, director of the winning short film Heartstrings received the money prize at the Youth film festival, for her compelling and touching story that teaches us how to manage the delicate strings of love. http://www.jeugdfilmfestival.be/en/nieuws/97

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Professor Mark Durden Art School Seminar

WIRAD The Art School Seminars

Mark Durden

May 25th 4pm to 6pm  Lecture Theatre 1, Swansea Metropolitan University.

Professor Mark Durden will introduce and present his recent video work with Common Culture, The New El Dorado. Commissioned for Manifesta 2010 in Murcia, Spain, Common Culture’s video critically responded to some of the problems of such global biennales, especially the often naïve expectations that artists can have meaningful engagements with another country’s local culture.

Mark Durden is Professor of Photography at Newport, University of Wales. He has written extensively on photography and contemporary art. With David Campbell and Ian Brown he is part of the artists’ group, Common Culture.

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Stephan hopes films will aid the plight of Mumbai slum kids

Newport BA Documentary Film & TV student, Stephan Kuehn has braved cancelled flights, stomach bugs, and searing temperatures for his love of film and adventure on a life-changing four-month work placement in the Indian capital of Mumbai.  He’s taken a break in the shade to give us an update on his trip so far…


Things are going really well so far. The original plan was that at this time, I'd already be shooting in Mumbai. However, just a few weeks ago, a friend of mine told me he'd be getting married on the 1st of May in New Delhi and invited me to his Hindu wedding!

A firework bigger than everything I've ever seen before, horses and camels, 200 musicians, 140 different dishes, a location the size of 8 football grounds and almost 5,000 visitors (yes, five thousand) who have been dancing for weeks - that's what a wedding in India is like - it's unbelievable! But being the only white person in this celebration is even more incredible! I've never experienced such a hospitality and warm-heartedness before.

A couple of days ago, I finally arrived in Mumbai and met with Akshay, the CEO of the company making these documentary films. On Monday, I will start making films for the  ;Searching for Goodness Project’ (short documentaries on "local heroes") and if it wasn't so hot here in Mumbai, I'd almost say "I can't wait to go out there and shoot!"

The picture here is one I took this week: two of more than one million slum children in Mumbai, a number none of us can really imagine. But if these films only do help 50 or 100 of them to survive the next year and/or get proper education, I think it's already been worth it. These kids will be the focus of my filmmaking during the next four months - I'll get back to you as soon as I have my first piece of film ready! All the best from Mumbai and take care...

Kind regards,

Steven Kuehn

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Reflex 2: Howard Gardens Gallery

Photographic Art and MA Documentary Photography graduate Colleen Ford-Ellis is exhibiting in 'Reflex 2' - Howard Gardens Gallery, Cardiff 6th - 20th May 2011.

The exhibition is a practical mechanism to examine visual ideas and directions.  Reflex 2 has no underlying narrative, or theme, the unifying element is the use of the photographic image by all exhibitors. Richard Cox, Director of Howard Gardens Gallery, has bought together artists whose work he has seen over recent years, into a single group show without the rational or justification of a central theme none the less acknowledges that the work deserves a closer look.

(He writes in the show's catalogue that Coleen's work was seen for only three days at Ffotogallery last year and clearly deserved a bigger audience).

Coleen's Work


Land of Our Fears examines how, in the early Twenty-First Century, and in our own environment, society prepares to respond to perceived threats and within that, a military perception of reality.

Land of Our Fears documents the largest military training site located in Wales. In the post-9/11 era, society’s definitions of conflict, threat and resistance have been re-shaped, changed and in many ways blurred.  Whilst spaces such as this are often unseen and little understood, society must acknowledge that they are necessary in maintaining both a deterrent and a response to these threats.

The training environment stands out as an example of mastery over space and nature, but the subtext is mastery over fellow man, achieved through means of violence that are incongruent with the sublime nature of this place. Military intervention is directed to achieve a sense of a particular reality, an appropriation of space and meaning wrapped up within a fantasy scenario.  Training sites are in many senses the reality of the imagined, with an immediate tension between the reality of the landscape we observe and the secretive fantasy that is created in that environment.

Coleen has also been selected to exhibit at Parallax AF, held at La Galleria, Royal Opera Arcade, Pall Mall, London from July 1st - 10th 2011 (http://www.barlowfinedrawings.com/ford-ellis.html). 

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ANimation Day 23 June 2011

 

Our ANimation day is on the 23rd June 2011 at the City Campus from 2-8PM

The students have made a fantastic blog as follows with details of all films and info about the event..

http://animationnewport2011.wordpress.com/

Click here to play this video


the timetable will be as follows :

2 – 3 PM Industry Panel

A panel of professionals will talk about new directions in the Animation industry. This will be in conjunction with the transformat lab. (EG. St John Walker/ Dinamo rep/ Sarah Cox/ dneg rep)

3-4 PM  recent graduates

Recent graduates will talk about how they got on the ladder.

(EG Mike Ford (Dneg)/ Cai Matthews/ Helen Simm/ Tom Brown (holbrooks)/ Martha Ford/ kerry Dyer (Aardman) Niyaz Saghari (Dinamo) Warwick Hewitt (rushes)/Nic Rogers/ Matt Tempest, etc)

4 – 5.30 PM Tour and look at work

5.30 – 6.30 PM : Awards ceremony (Lecture Theatre)

6.30 - 8 PM drinks reception (A Floor)

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iPrint: the best that contemporary printmaking has to offer


Mayhem by Martyn Webb

You are warmly invited to the first exhibition by iPrint, a collective of staff and student printmakers committed to the exploration of the best that contemporary printmaking has to offer. Join us for a glass of wine at the Riverfront on Saturday 14th May at 2pm. For more information go to http://www.resistexhibition.tumblr.com

The Riverfront Theatre and Arts Centre, Kingsway, Newport, South Wales NP20 1HG Tel. 01633 656757 Email: the.riverfront@newport.gov.uk

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Andreas Rüthi - Forthcoming Exhibitions

Andreas Rüthi

 
Curatorial Contrasts 2
Bayart, Bute Street, Cardiff, 30.4.- 27.5.2011; www.bayart.org.uk
 
Four established but very different artists - Cherry Pickles, Paul Rosenbloom, Andreas Rüthi and Sue Williams - have each nominated several emerging artists to exhibit together in one show. Each of these chosen artists has previously been taught by the above artists whilst studying painting at various art schools.
 
Oriel Mostyn Open
Oriel Mostyn, 21.5.- 9.7.2011, Llandudno, www.mostyn.org
 
Welsh Artist of the year 2011
St.Davids Hall, Cardiff, 6.6.-6.8.2011

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Dr Paul Jeff Seminar: Performed Photography

Wednesday 4pm to 6pm
11th May 20011

Lecture Theatre A9
City Centre Campus
Newport School of Art, Media and Design

Performed photography is an inter-disciplinary genre that highlights the relationship between the performative act and the act of photography. In performed photography the act of photography is collapsed metaphorically into the time of the event recorded, so that the event and its record can become a single utterance. The common currency of performed photography is performance, duration and the document as a creative act, whereby photography meets live-art. By concentrating and promoting the inherent act of performance implicit in all photography it is hoped that the medium can be re-invigorated as a signifying process and the balance between the spatial and temporal concerns of photography can be readdressed.

Dr Paul Jeff is Head of Post-Graduate Taught Studies.
Faculty of Art & Design.

Director, IPCRES.
International Project Centre for Research into Events and Situations.

Swansea Metropolitan University.

The Art School Seminars are a series of lectures/screenings/events that are concerned with exchanging research practices within WIRAD (Wales Institute for Research in Art and Design).

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The photographs of Stuart Bailes in Berlin

"Things move around things. My works are the pauses in these movements. They perform outside of this world but perhaps looking back into this world as vivid reflections.”

Tent, Flank, Trench, Vessel, The Flagship and the Decisive … The photographs of Stuart Bailes are present and ungraspable, all at once. Their imagery and their title leave ample space for meandering and contemplation. Pausing is as essential here as trying to get somewhere. Possibly there is not even a ‘getting somewhere.’

Stuart Bailes (b. 1985) holds an MA Photography from the Royal College of Art in London and a BA (Hons) Photographic Art from the University of Wales, Newport. His photographs have been exhibited in France, Italy, the US, Holland and across the UK. Stuart has been the recipient of multiple awards and grants including the Flash Forward 2009 Award for UK artists from the Magenta Foundation. He lives and works in London. The Flagship and the Decisive at 401contemporary in Berlin will be his first solo exhibition.

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