Sarah Craske and Stacy Keeler’s ‘Shed Museum’, Substation Gallery

Will Sayel’s cyanotype photographs.

… and the less than welcoming face of one of Margate’s shell ladies infront of our beautiful old town architecture.

As one visitor commented last week:

At a fun packed Margate Rocks, I was accompanied by a first time visitor to Margate. He stopped dead in his tracks in horror at the site of the skirted ones.

Has anyone else noticed that all publications from TDC now go overboard to underline the public consultation process in chooseing the project? Did anyone here actually go or hear about the process that was on for a full 4 days at the library midweek?

The statue is now to be made of cast bronze. How much will that cost out of the 50k I wonder?

And what happened to the signage that was in the proposal?

So many questions…

Building Design, the architects magazine, has always shown a keen interest in the design of Turner Contemporary, and news has reached me of a quite excellent interview they’ve conducted with Victoria Pomery, Director of Turner Contemporary.

Victoria Pomery speaks extremely honestly about the Turner Contemporary project, discussing a broad range of topics that range from the crisis that surrounded the axing of Snøhetta and Spence’s original gallery design to the fast paced progress of the current David Chipperfield plans.

She describes the emotions of the scrapping of Snohetta and Spence’s design:

It was a massive shock, almost like someone dying. You work with something for a long time, you’re living and breathing it — then it doesn’t happen. It put a real strain on the team here. 2006 was a very difficult year.

And with regards to more recent progress:

Margate has some of the most deprived wards in the South-east. Lots of things can help turn a town around, it’s not just about new buildings. Our commitment to working with the community, as well as our education and training remit, are very important.

Other projects in the next 10-20 years will also help to move things forward, including plans for the Dreamland site and the lido, the government’s housing agenda and the future of key spaces such as the M&S building on the High Street, which is currently our project space.

It’s about thinking differently about the town — can it be that seaside resort again? If not, it should aim at something else. Obviously, I want the gallery to be a fantastic cultural institution. I also want it to support the wider regeneration of the town and east Kent, but it’s never going to be easy or fast. Turner Contemporary has done a lot to create confidence in the town, and change is afoot.

Whatever you make of Turner Contemporary, this interview is a must read for anyone with a passing interest in the project. Bravo to bdonline for their continued interest in Margate. Click here to read the full interview with Victoria.

And of course, the excellent Margate Rocks kicked off yesterday with a full day of events, and will continue to work to bring you amazing contemporary art throughout the next week and a bit! Make sure you keep up with the programme calendar!

Please do email me with your reviews, videos and photos of Margate Rocks!

Remember Mark McGowan? Yes, he’s the artist who, amongst other things, has rolled a peanut from Goldsmiths College to 10 Downing Street using only his nose, crawled on all fours around Manhattan wearing a George Bush mask and a “Kick my Ass” sign on his back and left a tap running in the backroom kitchen of a London gallery to protest Thames Water’s leakage problems.

Well now, supported by Margate Rocks, he plans to be buried up to his neck in sand on Margate beach for 48 hours, in a performance/protest to help save the Great British Holiday.

The traditional British seaside holiday is in decline, everyone is flying abroad, this year 30 million people will go on holidays abroad. This is due to cheap flights, sunnier climes and bargain bucket destinations. I am starting a campaign, which will include an art performance where i will be buried in the sand for 48 hours with a notted hankerchief on my head some Margate rock, holiday momento’s and fed fish and chips everyday, this is to encourage people to this year, when the time comes, dont just book a holiday abroad, come to Margate.

Mark will start on Saturday 3rd May at 12 noon and end at 12 noon on Bank holiday Monday 5th of May 2008.

Find out more about Mark McGowan on his website, and keep up to date with all the upcoming Margate Rocks events.

A short update, but an exciting one none the less.  Thanet Council have voted unanimously to demand the rebuilding of the Scenic Railway, deciding it’s restoration must should be made a legal requirement.

This is very encouraging news indeed - it’s rare for councils to commit like this  - TDC have said they think it is reasonable to expect the coaster to be repaired and operational by Easter 2009.

Members of the Save Dreamland Campaign were in attendance at Wednesday’s meeting, and have begun to post their reactions to the news on the campaign forum.

No doubt you will already be aware that the Scenic Railway caught light earlier this evening. I have just returned from the the sea front, and at the time of writing (7pm), the fire seems to have been extinguished and bought under control. I would estimate that at least a quarter of the railway has collapsed.

Police are regarding the fire as suspicious- what with Dreamland’s recent firey reputation, it seemed only a matter of time before an attempt would be made to clear the listed structure.

I’ll go out on a limb, and suggest that any arson attempt has fallen short. The majority of the coaster is still intact - we must of course wait for any police verdict, but it should now pass to Thanet District Council to put their foot down and stand up for Thanet residents, by demanding the swift repair and restoration of Margate’s most treasured listed landmark.

We need to take action here, to resist further demolition and for everything the Save Dreamland Campaign has worked for. Those that care for Margate and for Dreamland simply can’t lie down and admit defeat - the interests of a few businessmen cannot be allowed to dictate. We must be vocal and demand that the interests of local people are at the forefront of any decisions made regarding Dreamland’s future.

Update
09/04/08: Thanet Police have confirmed that they are treating Monday’s fire as arson.

Despite this, I regret to say that I have needed to edit several potentially libelous comments regarding the fire. I would ask you to please keep any accusations non specific.

News reached me today that Turner Contemporary and University College for Creative Arts at Canterbury are looking for people interested in taking a free twelve week art and design course, on Mondays and Tuesdays from 21st April, 10am till 2pm.

Working with artists Sara Wicks and Kevin Jones , you will be able to develop your creative skills through experimenting with art materials, visits to leading London galleries and designing an exhibition of your own work in Turner Contemporary’s Droit House gallery.

Esther Collins at Turner Contemporary describes the course as ‘a fantastic opportunity for people to develop their creative skills and to get a taste of life working in the Arts’.

At the end you will be awarded a nationally recognised qualification which could lead on to other courses or jobs in the arts. No news on how many places are available, so if you are interested in participating, get in there quickly and contact Esther Collins on 01843 294305 or email ecollins@turnercontemporary.org

Frankly, I think this is an amazing opportunity for anyone interested in art and design - I attended University College for the Creative Arts at Canterbury for part of my art education, and couldn’t recommend it enough.

News reached us today that planning approval has been granted for David Chipperfield’s design for Turner Contemporary. Work will begin on construction this autumn, ahead of an opening date of 2010.

In support of this, work by Kent Highway Services to transform Fort Hill to a single carriageway will begin in April. The work is intended to improve connectivity between the Old Town and the seafront and will improve pedestrian access to the gallery site, the stone pier and the rest of the Rendezvous site. The area around the entrance to the Rendezvous site will be landscaped and high quality materials will be used for kerbing and footways.

KCC Cabinet Member for Community Services Mike Hill said:

“This is a tremendous step forward and we remain on schedule for the creation of this landmark building for Margate. A vast amount of work has gone into this project and we will soon see it really taking shape using David Chipperfield’s superb designs.”

Planning approval is great news for the town - finally, investors and businesses can start work with a greater confidence in Margate’s future.

If you’re interested, it’s well worth having a look at the planning application by visiting the UKPlanning website, and searching for application reference 07/1600.

A new exhibition, “Love Letters for Margate”, opens today at the Sandy-Wiches cafe in Cliftonville, which intends to express people’s love for Margate. Show your support for local art, and if you see any of the work, let us know what you think.

It’s not the first time that an artist has proclaimed their love for Margate - in 2003, Tracy Emin was commissioned by Turner Contemporary to create a neon sign for Droit House.

Alas, Emin’s sign, blazing in pink neon the words “I never stopped loving you”, was denied planning permission by TDC, who felt it was inappropriate on a Grade 2 listed building in the old town. Early plans were made to find it a new home in the town, but as to my knowledge, the plan didn’t progress any further. Does anyone know what happened?

Good news… Margate Rocks is back! The 6th Margate Rocks Festival of Contemporary Visual Art will take place between 2-11 May 2008. Situated in and around Margate, this year’s festival explores the relationship between ‘Art & Ecology’.

Showcasing cutting edge work by emerging and established artists, the festival will highlight areas of social, environmental and cultural fact and fiction. The programme aims to create a multidisciplinary dialogue that audiences of all ages can access through a variety of exciting commissions, exhibitions, events, talks, films and workshops.

Participants include Heather & Ivan Morison, Franny Armstrong, Billy Childish, Mark McGowan, Michaela Crimmin, Andrew Kötting and Dr Mark Miodownik. Work will be sited in an assortment of exhibition spaces – from historical to disused, conventional to alternative.

The festival organisers are inviting emerging and established artists, artist groups and curators to submit proposals for exhibition during the festival. You can find out more about Margate Rocks, or join their mailing list by visiting www.margaterocks.com

In the coming months I’m sure you’ll be seeing alot more of Margate Rocks around town, and we’ll continue to post more news about this years festival as the time grows nearer.

After what seems like years of talk about bringing the Margate Harbour Arm back into use, it seems as if work has finally begun.

The harbour arm houses thirteen units, but currently only one is in use - the work now underway will convert the units for a variety of new uses, including a cafe, a resteraunt, four retail spaces, two artists studios, a gallery and two stores for commercial fishermen.

It has already been confirmed that the new gallery space will house Gallery IOTA, who left their cliff top home in Ramsgate last year. IOTA had a fantastic track record in Ramsgate, so I can only see their relocation as a boon for Margate.

The work will also introduce a new artistic lighting scheme to to illuminate the lighthouse, droit house and the upper walkway of the arm. The scheme will comprise of 40 multicolour LED lights, which visitors will be ale to control the colour, pattern and frequency of via text message.

I covered Nobert Attard’s light installation last year and suspect that the new lighting scheme could be along similar lines.

Cllr. Roger Latchford, Cabinet Member for Culture and Economy, said:

This project will provide a major boost for Margate’s regeneration and is the latest sign that the fortunes of the town are improving. The Harbour Arm is something that everyone sees as they arrive in Margate and it’s vital that we use it to its full potential. Creating units that can be used for catering, retail and arts here, while retaining space for the fishermen, will help to do just that.

You might get a better idea of the work by viewing the planning application.

Due to the huge response to last month’s story regarding Ann Carrington’s “Shell Ladies”, I am working on a post focusing on the shortlisted projects that lost out. It should arrive some time next month.

In August I mentioned Thanet Council’s competition to commission an innovative artwork to signpost the way to the Old Town area of Margate. The idea is to brand the Old Town and create a cultural trail through the town, which I suppose will work in conjunction with the work being done to widen and improve pavements leading to the area.

Well, after much consideration, the judging panel finally selected Ann Carrington’s “Victorian Shell Ladies”. She says:

Years ago I purchased a beautiful shell ornament in the shape of an Edwardian lady from a souvenir shop on the sea front. There is something about these sea side ladies that epitomise Margate - they have that ‘Kiss me Quick’ kitsch of this quintessentially English sea side resort, yet they are beautifully crafted with an air of the fine ladies and gentlemen who once inhabited the grand historical buildings that are central to the town.

Ann’s proposal includes a 10 feet tall shell lady sculpted from copper to sit in the the market place area of the old town, as well as twelve more shell ladies made from real giant scallop shells to direct people towards the old town.
To accompany the kitsch overload, she plans to use derelict window fronts to feature signs painted by local sign writers reflecting an array of historic graphics unique to Margate - from classic Amusement Arcade frontages to the signage of the Sea Bathing Hospital.

I love the hand painted signs, and totally agree that Margate should make more of it’s heritage of seaside art, but I can’t pretend I actually like her plan for the permanent shell lady in the old town.
This said, Ann Carrington is an interesting marker for where art has reached in the town. Ann is a well regarded and successful artist working from a studio just off Margate high street… and now her work is being used to help improve the town - it’s a scenario you wouldn’t have envisaged five years ago, but it illustrates the well worn history of artists working where the rents are cheap and then watching their work help improve the community as a result.

You can download Ann Carrington’s proposal for the shell ladies, alongside some of her existing portfolio, by visiting her website, and clicking on ‘Current Projects’.

Despite this week’s grusome discoveries in Margate, it would be remiss of me not to remind you that ’Exodus’, the movie filmed in Margate last year will air on Channel 4 on Monday 19th November at 10pm.

Read more on the Channel 4 Exodus website, or at the film’s official website.

Substation Gallery, just off the high street at 6 Bilton Square, is hosting a group exhibition titled ‘Hugging for the English’.

Many of the works and events have been inspired by various different influences from within the town itself. Whilst it is situated in present day Margate, the nostalgic past is not forgotten.

The exhibition is intended to transcend the boundary between the viewer and the artwork to the extent that without the viewer, much of the work would remain incomplete.

In the run up to the exhibition, artist Victoria Foster’s ‘Sovenir Swap Shop’ is open and inviting you to contribute an item. Head down to the Substation Gallery to satisfy your curiosity!

The exhibition opens on Saturday the 17th at 6pm, and is then open from the 21st November until the closing events on the 30th November.

Visit the exhibition website for more information.

Now the credits have rolled for the final time, the Thanet Extra reports that Roy Jackson, the manager of Dreamland Cinema believes the cinema would make an ideal alternative site for Turner Contemporary.

Mr Jackson is absolutely right in his view that the art deco cinema building deserves a grand future, but I’m not sure I agree that it ”fits the bill as a high profile centre for the Turner Contemporary”.

The Dreamland ‘fin’ is an utterly iconic fixture of Margate seafront, but totally unsuitable as a gallery. In terms of modern gallery aesthetics and vision, the cinema building falls short of what is required - if Margate is to house a successful gallery it should be in a building fit for purpose. It must encourage contemporary art (both internationally and locally) and act as a catalyst for the further regeneration of Margate.

What is certain is that considerable thought must now be directed towards this fantastic old building and it’s future.

The newly renovated Theatre Royal played host to a packed presentation of the finished Turner Contemporary design yesterday evening. In the helm was David Chipperfield, the project architect and recent recipient of the Stirling Prize for Architecture.

We had an exclusive few minutes to speak to David before his presentation, and asked him to explain the progress he and his team made since the last presentation.

I think we’ve developed the project in a very positive way - the figure of the building now has much more character, its got an identity now, which I think was slightly lacking in the preliminary scheme.
To be fair, I think in early schemes we were consumed with the site issue, whereas in the last month we’ve been much more concerned with the working of the building and how we can give it character, and I think that’s gone very well and I think it will be a much more acceptable solution – I think its actually quite a friendly building.

Copyright David Chipperfield Architects Ltd

So what to make of the design? Throughout the entire process Chipperfield has rallied hard against a blind focus towards ‘iconic buildings’ - he is much more concerned with producing beautiful buildings that first of all suit their purpose and surroundings.

What is fundamental to this project is that the gallery must become an important public building – it must be a building that serves the community. So we are looking at what it will do for Margate and how it will regenerate the town (and I am convinced it will) - but first of all it must serve the community – and that’s not an easy thing to get right - we must confront the issues of how to make sure that this building is a popular place that people want to go to.

I could go on and on about the technical specs of the design, but really I should cut to the chase and get to the core of my post - Turner Contemporary is beautiful.

The six interlocking blocks that form the building will be clad in a remarkable opaque milky glass that will give the building an ‘almost magical’ appearance. The glass is totally recycled and about an inch thick, which means it will be durable enough to cope with it’s exposed position as well as giving the building the unique airy appearance.

What should we clad this building in? It was a struggle – there were a lot of considerations – the biggest was the durability of the building in such an exposed place – how does a building weather in our climate and how do we deal with it? We looked at lots of different materials, and finally we felt we should talk about light again and went full circle back to Turner’s paintings – if the building is trying to capture light inside shouldn’t it also be concerned with capturing it outside?
So we looked towards a solution which is a white recycled glass – thick glass, like slabs of marble – panels of white glass – and this starts to show the building on the one hand as real, but slightly magical – the milky whiteness will glow on the best days but also on the grey days.

Chipperfield described the design process as like making a ‘light cocktail’ - how could they make the most of the light that Margate is famous for? In the previous presentation he mentioned that they were considering giving more shape to the roofline of the building - and it is clear that they have. Each interlocking block now has a distinct silhouette:

The idea of light became more and more of our agenda – if we are to refer to Turner our responsibility is to make reference to him who more than any other artist tried to capture the qualities of light. We were interested in making the building bigger in form and stop it from being a simple box – and it is coincidence in a way if we can make the most of the views from the north and take this ‘friendly’ light (light is not friendly to museums) – this configuration allows us to bring light in but it also starts to give the building a character, a figure, a silhouette.

Copyright David Chipperfield Architects Ltd

Over the next few days I hope to give some more thought towards the design and post some of the finer details that we heard about on the evening - and as with the last presentation I will endeavour to make audio recordings of the presentation available.

I’m hugely impressed with the appearance of the building, and equally as impressed that David Chipperfield continues to take the time to take part in these consultations. Roger Gale didn’t go far wrong in describing them as a “master class in architecture”.

I could do no better than to end with Chipperfield’s closing sentences which serve as a fitting tribute to the project so far :

Building something like this is a test of the people – this isn’t something easy, otherwise the country would be full of interesting buildings – things conspire against projects like these – a building doesn’t just just land and show up one day – the delivery of the building is part of the thing itself. It needs inspiration, it needs a community that wants the building – you need to go against the grain, it needs the community to help and to want it.