Richard Shields- The Future is Bright The Past is Colourful- Preview Thurs 12 July 6-9pm at Paradise Works.

In many ways he went ‘too far’ becoming physically, spiritually and mentally involved with the small town of Cushendall- but that is just where he needed to go. His art practice burns as bright as the fire that burns and it comes from the very centre of his being which also burns as bright as the fire that burns as bright as the brightest fire that burns.

The Curfew Tower 2017 Resident Richart Shields is showing a new body of work born of his EVF project devised during his IMPOSE|LIFT residency. Shields is a Manchester based artist from Northern Ireland and was selected for this residency based on his explorative, research based practice combining drawing and performance. This residency focused on the socio political situation of The Curfew Tower and we knew Richard would explore all of the corners of this without holding back.

Shields describes that he has continued to explore issues surrounding the fractious history of his country, offering an alternative Ulster, in which art movements are at the centre of the troubles. Parallels are drawn between what some consider to be elitism within the arts and the secretive nature of Ireland’s paramilitary and masonic style fraternities.

We have had a sneak peek of his new film which is layered with outstanding wit, moments of brilliant connection- wiping our slates clean and welcoming us into a new future.

Join us for the preview this Thursday at Paradise Works

https://richardshieldsartworks.org/The-Future-Is-Bright-The-Past-Is-Colourful 

Superbia present Visual Aids -Alternate Endings, Radical Beginnings.

Date: 1 Dec 2017 – World Aids Day

Time: 7-10.30pm (2 part event with HIVideo- see below).

Venue:

The Penthouse at Paradise Works

Paradise Works (2^nd floor)

East Phillip Street

Salford

M3 7LE

Donation entry:  £2 to George House Trust (entry to both Visual Aids & HIVideo).

Tickets: Free from Eventbrite (booking essential). 

This event is included in Manchester’s first Day With(out) Art programme from Superbia which you can read more about here. 

Newly commissioned videos by Mykki Blanco, Cheryl Dunye & Ellen Spiro, Reina Gossett, Thomas Allen Harris, Kia Labeija, Tiona Nekkia McClodden and Brontez Purnell premiering on World AIDS Day 2017.

ALTERNATE ENDINGS, RADICAL BEGINNINGS is the 28th annual iteration of Visual AIDS’ longstanding Day With(out) Art project. Curated by Erin Christovale and Vivian Crockett for Visual AIDS, the video program prioritizes Black narratives within the ongoing AIDS epidemic, commissioning seven new and innovative short videos from artists Mykki Blanco, Cheryl Dunye & Ellen Spiro, Reina Gossett, Thomas Allen Harris, Kia Labeija, Tiona Nekkia McClodden and Brontez Purnell.

In spite of the impact of HIV/AIDS within Black communities, these stories and experiences are constantly excluded from larger artistic and historical narratives. In 2016 African Americans represented 44% of all new HIV diagnoses in the United States. Given this context, it is increasingly urgent to feature a myriad of stories that consider and represent the lives of those housed within this statistic. ALTERNATE ENDINGS, RADICAL BEGINNINGS seeks to highlight the voices of those that are marginalized within broader Black communities nationwide, including queer and trans people. 

The commissioned projects include intimate meditations of young HIV positive protagonists; a consideration of community-based HIV/AIDS activism in the South; explorations of the legacies and contemporary resonances within AIDS archives; a poetic journey through New York exploring historical traces of queer and trans life, and more. Together, the videos provide a platform centering voices deeply impacted by the ongoing epidemic.

This screening is programmed back to back with HIVideo by Balaclava.Q - A Global Exhibition of Video Art for World Aids Day. HIVideo is the moving image strand of Balaclava.Q- an international Queer Art Project and collective. HIVideo seeks to promote contemporary dialogue(s) on World Aids Day via video art from both a local and global perspective. HIVideo complements current discourse and the de- stigmatization / -criminalization movement by creating dialogue about HIV/AIDS via art – and the attendant aesthetics and politics.

SKIN

The Penthouse

1- 2 May 2014

Thursday 1st May

The opening night will start at 6pm with drinks.

Followed by music from 9-10pm.

Friday 2nd May

Exhibition open 11am- 6pm.

Artist talk by members of SKIN collective at 6.30pm (doors open from 6pm).

Identity, Sexuality & Sensory Experience

SKIN is the first exhibition curated by a newly founded collective comprising of four third year filmmaking students from the Manchester School of Art. As well as exhibiting their own work, they are passionate about showcasing the creative talents and artistic pursuits of their fellow peers. They feel that it is of the upmost importance to be able to provide platforms for emerging artists to express themselves, and to create new stimulating creative communities.

Their upcoming exhibition will include work that opens up new discourses around the theme and title of the exhibition - SKIN. The work which will be showcased redefines notions of identity and sexuality, and examines our sensory experiences of the exterior world. The exhibition will be thought provoking and challenge the perceptions we have of ourselves, probing us to reconceive our experiences of the world around us. The members of the collective will be doing an artist talk on the closing night of the exhibition to further convey the themes within the work and their intentions as a collective.

The collective

Celia Wickham is a documentary and artist filmmaker based in Manchester. Working primarily with archival materials, her work explores the themes of memory, familial relationships, identity and mental illness. She is very interested in exploring the re-contextualisation of autobiographical materials, such as the family photograph and the home movie, through the filmic medium, and addresses personal narratives within her practice. You can find her work at: https://www.cargocollective.com/celiawickham  &  https://vimeo.com/celiawickham

Laura Milner, working under the pseudonym of ‘Starbelly’, is an experimental filmmaker and creative who works within the 'portrait’ documentary strand of film practice. Her main focus is capturing realistic portrayals of intriguing subjects as well as exploring themes of identity. Alongside her documentary work, Laura enjoys experimenting with music and rhythm, creating chaotic audio-visuals with undertones of surrealism. You can find her work at: https://lauramilner.wix.com/starbelly &  www.vimeo.com/lauramilner

Ella Deacy is an experimental artist and filmmaker whose work explores texture, sound and colour. Her work’s themes include the human condition, sexuality and the fetishising of the body. Light and water often feature in her pieces, which delve into ideas of birth. Ella is interested in physically creating visual, and sonic layers and textures in her films. She creates soundscapes using tactile objects to add different facets and guide audiences in unexpected directions. You can find her work at: www.cargocollective.com/elladeacy  &  www.vimeo.com/elladeacy

Abi McVeigh is a filmmaker and visual artist whose work focuses around light and colour. As a director of photography she likes to exercise the use of light, the colour of light in particular. Her interest in light art has also enabled her to incorporate the use of space in her work. Alongside this, her craft encompasses the use of distorted sound design in order to initiate uncomfortable reactions within an audience.
 Mental illness is the theme of work that Abigail is exploring at the moment, and she has created a link between sound and visuals aided by her recent research into colour psychology. You can find her work at: www.cargocollective.com/abigailmcveigh & www.thursdaynightfridaymorning.tumblr.com

The Penthouse

An independent not for profit artist led work and project space in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. A place for making, doing and sharing by artists Rosanne Robertson and Debbie Sharp. 

Our outside projects such as working with SKIN support new artists with early exhibitions and provide the resources and networks for showcasing exciting new artists, collectives and their work from our dedicated artist led space.

https://thepenthousenq.com/Directions

Access: There are 3 steps on the ground floor of Hilton House. There is lift access to the 5th floor and a wheelchair access toilet on the 3rd floor of the building.

Further Information:

Links:

https://skinexhibitionmcr.tumblr.com

https://www.facebook.com/skinexhibitionmcr

If you have any further questions/would like any further content for media/ promotional purposes please contact Rosanne Robertson at:

thepenthousenq@gmail.com

www.thepenthousenq.com/SKIN

QUEER SHOW 4!

Is exploding into it’s 4th year!

Fri 23- Sun 25 August.

The Queer Show was spurred into existence by artist Debbie (Elvis) Sharp because of a noticeable lack of Queer, DIY, artist-led activity in the city during ‘Pride’ paired with a collective dissatisfaction with the lack of engaging direct expression. This show aims to question and provide a counter platform to the culture being cultivated during 'Pride Festival’. 

All family friendly, dog friendly, free, open, inclusive. 

Friday 23rd - 6-9pm 

Queer Art Show 4: Exist- launch

ft. artists 
Debbie Sharp, Gary Fisher, Sian Williams, Andrew Adshead, Rachael Field, Jez Dolan, Stephen Kelly, HOMOCULT, Coral Short and Homosexual Death Drive. As part of The Queer Art Show Rosanne Robertson will turn her studio into 'Such A Queer Noise’- inviting artists to join her in sound making and installation building. 

(More artists tbc. Please note we are still accepting ideas from artists- email Debbie Sharp at thepenthousenq@gmail.com )

Saturday 24th- 3pm-3am 

We have a temporary licence for this day so The Penthouse Pub will be opening its doors for your pleasure,  so please don’t bring your own booze.

Jumble Auction 3-6pm (with plenty breaks for tea/cakes/drinks)

Jumble Auction!- hosted by our fabulous auctioneer Alison Kershaw. Everything must go. Bid for bric-a-brac. Bag a bargain. This jumble auction is the heart of The Queer Show this year- and stands at the centre as a reminder of how and why 'Pride’ started in the first place- as a jumble sale outside of The Rembrant for a local HIV ward. Proceeds go to a HIV charity (charity tbc). 

(Jumble currently being dropped off at The Penthouse- please email thepenthousenq@gmail.com to arrange a drop off time if you can donate some jumble).

6pm Stirred Poetry

Stirred will be performing feminist, queer poetry Featuring Sarah Logan, Rebecca Audra Smith, Anna Percy and others tbc. stirred.poetry@facebook.com

7-9 pm Queer Noise in Suite 1 with Rosanne Robertson and invited artists. 

9pm-12am Queer Show 4 gets the disco lights out for: 

Trash Kit
German Techno Lezbians
Wachi Wachi
ILL
2 koi karp

Followed by DJ's 

Trash-O-Rama

Sunday 25th 3pm- 9pm

3-6pm film screening/ Queer Art Show continues

6-8pm Reclaim Pride? Panel Discussion. Panel tba

This panel discussion follows a recent horrific and disappointing move by 'Pride’ to book a racist, homophobic, sexist, misogynist and hateful act named Queens of Pop. The reaction to this and the discussion that has surrounded it highlights many reasons why the Queer Show exists in the first place. The booking of such acts has caused many to further question the relevance of Pride to a diverse and progressive community. Key individuals in the campaign against having racist, homophobic and hateful acts allowed to play our community events such as Pride are in the process of being selected. This event aims to give offline life to a very layered and important conversation and campaign that has been taking place via facebook, twitter, change.org and email campaigns. We hope to provide a platform to further orchestrate this campaign and strengthen community. 

8pm onwards- film screening tba

Please note that all gaps will be very soon filled. Please note this event is being ran voluntarily. Please note this event is DIY and requires people to chip in. 

Money raised via refreshments will go towards some modest artist and production costs- ALL other proceeds will be donated to a charity (currently being researched/decided). ALL proceeds from the Charity Jumble Auction go to >Charity! Please don’t be tight. 

Check out this article we are featured in- The Skinny Beyond The Barriers

Beyond The Barriers- a great piece on alternative activities over ‘Pride’ wknd by @TheSkinnyNW featuring QUEER SHOW 4 curated by @iamdebbiesharp for a 4th year in a row- this year to be held here at The Penthouse. ___Announcement of line up and events to follow.  x

Deep Water. 

Olivia Glasser has chosen the film Deep Water to show this Sunday as part of her residency for From the Rooftops. 

Come and join us this Sunday, 4th August- 9pm.

Part adventure yarn and part metaphysical mystery, Deep Water is the true story of the first solo, non-stop, round-the-world boat race, and the psychological toll it took on its competitors. Sponsored by the Sunday Times of London, the much-ballyhooed event attracted a field of nine, including amateur sailor Donald Crowhurst, who set out to circumnavigate the globe in late 1968. Battling treacherous seas and his own demons, Crowhurst comes apart as he faces the isolation of nine months on the high seas.

This is a free event, donations always welcome. 

Join us as part of Olivia Glasser’s residency,  to watch a film in our corridor space, against a Manchester skyline sunset backdrop.Olivia Glasser will be presenting Slacker, a 1991 American independent comedy-drama film written and directed by Richard Linklater. Sunday 21st July from 9pm. 

(byob)

A uniquely structured and seemingly plotless film, following a single day in the life of an ensemble of mostly under-40 bohemians and misfits in Austin, Texas. The film follows various characters and scenes, never staying with one character or conversation for more than a few minutes before picking up someone else in the scene and following them. The characters include Linklater as a talkative taxi passenger, a UFO buff who insists the U.S. has been on the moon since the 1950s, a JFK conspiracy theorist, an elderly anarchist who befriends a man trying to rob his house, a serial television set collector, and a woman trying to sell a Madonna pap smear.

x