Art Exhibitions

Face Value: An Exhibition of Work by Anna Berry

Anna studied Philosophy & Experimental Psychology at Oxford University. Having spent several years in publishing and teaching, she now works as a commercial photographer. She has exhibited pieces at galleries including The Royal West of England Academy and The Strand Gallery, London, and is a member of The Catchlight Collective. Anna exists in Milton Keynes.

Anna’s work is concerned with the nature of reality. It questions our assumptions about the world as we perceive it, asking “What is this underneath? What is it really?”. It explores whether conscious perceptions are in fact misinterpreted conceptions.

Face Value explores these ideas through two media – photography and sculpture. A series of dark portraits capture thoughts, emotions, or character traits leaking out from the subject’s inner reality, contrasting with the consciously-controlled faces that they present to the outside world. In some instances, these are outtakes from commercial projects; images which portray the subject very differently from how they would choose to be seen.

Meanwhile, a collection of paper sculptures using reincarnated texts examines how function (as opposed to content) can create identity; how one object can be transformed into another without changing state. The inclusion of plants underlines the dynamism and fluidity of reality, and how divorced the nature of a thing can be from its constituent parts.

'Silent prayer' opens January 6th
Private view on the 7th Jan from 2.30pm to 5pm

Biography
I have been teaching since 1984 and prior to that I studied at Loughborough College of
Art for the BA Honours degree then at Leicester to complete my PGCE and ATD. I have been teaching at St Paul’s Secondary school since 1989. I have had exhibitions in a variety of places in the UK and abroad and also have work in private collections in Ireland, America, Italy, France and of course the UK.

The work that I am creating at the moment consists of a variety of images that follow a similar theme. I am developing two areas of art landscape and still life, all the work follows a similar theme that of Aesthetics; the appreciation of what is beautiful. All images are a direct response to what I call the OMG factor. We all experience this whether we believe in God or not; it’s when you we view an object that just takes your breath away, when you pick up a stone, a shell from the beach, or you take a photograph of a beautiful scene, put a found object in your pocket and hold onto it, memories perhaps or just silent prayers?

I mainly work in oil paint and have developed a technique that consists of layering thin glazes of paint with a little impasto work.

Through the lens of the Catch Light - Ian Allen
I first found out about the Catch Light Collective through one if its members, Frazer Waller. Over the last 15 years, he has taken countless promotional shots of various bands and projects that I have been involved with. He was also responsible for the photography used on one of my record sleeves, a 12” single called; ‘Access no Areas’ by Environmental Science (1999 Bi-Partisan Recordings). His attention to detail and knowledge of technique has always impressed me. When I bumped into him at an Arts Gateway mingle earlier this year, he explained to me that he was now part of group, who sought to push each other’s application of technique and encourage experimentation.

When the opportunity arose to organise my first, non-music related event at Madcap, it seemed obvious to me that this could somehow involve the Catch Light Collective. It wasn’t long before I found myself with the responsibility of having to curate my first exhibition.
The task that I set the group was fairly simple;
‘Use Madcap as a starting point for your work’

I left it up to each individual member to complicate this exercise as they saw fit. I supplied them all with a potted history of the building and encouraged them to develop a theme that they could ultimately bring to the walls of the Gallery.

 Many of the collective fell by the wayside. There were the usual issues regarding time restrictions and other commitments. In the end, only three members of the Collective developed their work as far as the final exhibition.
I am genuinely impressed at what has been produced and displayed here, but what do you think?

The Catch Light Collective Exhibition runs until 30th November.

Shelly Wyn-De-Bank - New Drawings

Shelly completed an MA Fine Art at Central Saint Martins University of the Arts in 2009.
Since then she has mainly been making small intricate drawings made using found images and combining them with more surreal elements of fantasy and myth.
This is a showcase of new drawings as well as older established works made during her studies. shellywyndebank.weebly.com  Shelly-Wyn-de-bank-BA-Hons-MAFA-CSM (facebook)

Madcap is working with The Stables on an exciting new project “The Milton Keynes Urban Orchestra”
 
The Milton Keynes Urban Orchestra is offering free workshops and the opportunity to be part of a major performance to be held on November 27th 2011 at The Stables.

The Urban Orchestra is for anyone interested in exploring music beyond the norm. Whatever style you are in to, be it Dubstep, Metal, Hip Hop, Folk, Classical, there’s room for your ideas.

You will help to write an original piece of work which you will then perform live with an orchestra of other players using the latest electronic wizardry and more traditional rock and classical instruments.
 
Contact Gawaine Parker on 01908 320179 or gawaineparker@madcap.org.uk

Madcap welcomes Equity!
Madcap is now the home of the new local branch of Equity - The Milton Keynes and District General Branch
 
There are many professional actors and entertainers in Milton Keynes and surrounding areas. This new branch aims to provide a meeting place for members and a place where exciting new projects and activities can really take off. With a professional theatre company based at Madcap whose policy is to employ local actors and provide quality training we are already attracting many new members. So it you are an Equity member or are planning to join why not come to our next meeting on Thursday 29 th September Madcap Theatre 7.30pm. There’s a licensed bar and very good company!

“Misplaced Indentity”
An exhibition by artist Spike Wyn-de-bank
2nd – 14th August

This body of work represents a selection of pieces that I've produced across the previous academic year; it is a mixture of both final outcomes from projects and pieces that have been made independently or as experimentation. The primary concern with all of the work included in the show is gender; specifically the deconstruction of binary gender norms, and conceptually the body displacing itself. The notion of challenging gender roles is throughout the work both physically, laborious sewing considered to be traditionally a female premise, and conceptually, utilising cross dressing and the abandonment of gender. The work is an exploration of feelings of gender dysphoria and the lacking of gender archetype.

Biography
Spike Wyn-de-bank is an art student who has just finished his ABC foundation in art and design at Milton Keynes College. He was recently accepted to both Central St Martins, University of the Arts London and Goldsmiths, University of London; both for a BA in Fine Art. In September 2011 he will start at Central St Martins studying for a BA in Fine Art.
Spike's artwork is inspired by the personal exploration of feelings of genderlessness, identity and sexuality. These feelings are immersed throughout the work he produces. His practice encompasses painting, drawing and object making. Photos from the private view. 

Ian Allen - Secret Screens Album Launch

The Secret Screens ‘Relics’ project is an attempt to join the dots and twist together the various influential strands and forces that came to bear on a hypothetical forty-something. This person was there when hip hop was born. He experienced the coming of acid house, rave and drum and bass. None of these things had existed before. Anyone older had only to deal with revelations that rock and roll and punk had brought. But in this case, in the space of 15 years, our friend had to deal with so much. It was quite a ride. Relics (Parts 1 and 2) is a lost diary, the unfinished memoirs of a child of the second beat generation. The album itself is a collision of breakbeat, britcore, hip hop and acid house.
The Secret Screens’ collaborative production team include ‘Spatts’ (The Criminal Minds/Environmental Science), ‘Morlando’ (Dirty Rhythm Syndicate), ‘Stevie Vega’ and Drum and Bass war-droid ‘DSP’. The ‘Relics’ project also features a diverse roster of supporting characters, trouble makers and attention seekers.

Playwriting Surgery

A new project at Madcap is a playwriting surgery, the brain child of Sally Luff, dramaturg and playwriting tutor from Concrete Cow Productions, who has teamed up with director Rosemary Hill of The Play's The Thing Theatre Company to work with budding playwrights to help develop their work.

Pepper's Ghost Theatre Company selected as part
of the RSC's Open Stages Project

Pepper’s Ghost Theatre Company, Madcap’s adult drama group, has been selected to be part of the RSC’s Open Stages Project with their production of William Shakespeare’s
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream”.

The company recently performed the show on 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th May to packed houses. The theatre was transformed into a magical forest with the audience seated within it. You can read the review here.

“RSC Open Stages is a new project that aims to embrace, develop and celebrate amateur theatre, re-forging the bond with the world of professional theatre while opening up access to Shakespeare for performers and audiences alike”.

Micheal Boyd
RSC
Artistic Director

“We are so thrilled to have been chosen to be part of this exciting project. It’s such a fantastic idea and can only succeed in generating even more enthusiasm in participants and audiences for our wonderful literary heritage and this greatest of playwrights - William Shakespeare” says Rosemary Hill, director of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”.

Pepper’s Ghost Theatre Company is an inclusive company based at Madcap Arts Centre exploring all aspects of theatre. The company has built an enviable reputation for its high production values and exciting productions. This production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” provides a magical design concept and we worked with a new young choreographer from The Royal Academy of Dance.

Open Stages will culminate in a national celebration, when selected participants will be invited to perform their productions at the RSC in Stratford- Upon- Avon, as part of the World Shakespeare Festival, alongside the Company’s own festival productions and those from theatre companies around the world.

The project is funded by the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation.

MADCAP Performing Arts Centre is pleased to announce that it is now registered as an Arts Award Centre

The Arts Award supports young people to develop as artists and arts leaders and is available throughout England. The Arts Award is a nationally recognised qualification at three levels Bronze, Silver and Gold.

The Arts Award shows your commitment to your art form, your interest in developing your skills and understanding, your communication and also your planning and evaluating skills. Colleges, universities and employers are always looking for people with these skills.

You do your Arts Award at MADCAP Performing Arts Centre with one of our trained Arts Award Advisors.

We want the Arts Award to be accessible to all young people who want to take part. We believe every young person can develop their creativity and leadership skills. The Arts Award is about personal challenge and development and not a competition.

It's flexible and can fit around other commitments such as school, college or just a busy social life.

For more information or registration for the Arts Award, please contact Gawaine Parker on 01908 320179 or email us.