Last Saturday, Dreamland Cinema played host to two packed screenings of “Exodus”, the Channel 4/Artangel film that was produced in the town last year. In attendance were townspeople and local artists who had worked on the film, as well as director Penny Woolcock and Artangel co-director Michael Morris.

So what about the film? Exodus is not a shiny happy film. There are no sequins or Hollywood smiles.

Exodus is grimy and political, and all the better for it. Have no doubts, this is a professional film with serious ambition – it’s beautifully designed and executed.
Antony Gormley’s Wasteman and the hundreds of extras look spectacular on film, and the scenic railway is utterly iconic as the backdrop for the Dreamland shanty town.

I heard alot of talk about Exodus acting as a launch pad for many local people – there are a number of faces that look great on screen and are bound to be noticed – and if Exodus wins any awards it must surely be for it’s direction and visual appeal.

The film is due to have it’s official première at the Venice Film Festival this summer; the earliest it will hit Channel 4 screens will be this December. It’s worth the wait.

Just a quick post from me today, to let you know about an article in today’s Daily Telegraph in which Dominic Bradbury talks to David Chipperfield about Turner Contemporary. It’s a worthwhile read.

British architect David Chipperfield is renowned for daring buildings set between land and sea – and his next is set to revitalise Margate. He talks to Dominic Bradbury

Margate is a place that could do with a bit of help. Its harbour front and stone pier feel neglected and disconnected from the rest of the town, while the rest of the seafront is dominated by amusement arcades and unloved blocks of flats with optimistic names such as The Arcadian.

Read more at the Telegraph website.

I’m proud to announce we are the first online/print source to display a full selection of hi-resolution images of the new Turner Contemporary building – a big thank you to the staff over at TC for these.

Bloggers and commentators were quick off the mark to analyse the designs based only on the small image released yesterday, so I hope seeing these designs on a larger scale will help give a truer representation of the building. (To repeat what David Chipperfield said yesterday – this is not the completed design, but in order to present these ideas to the public they are forced to give them an air of finality.)

(For full information and audio recordings of last night’s David Chipperfield presentation, scroll down to see our earlier post)

View of Turner Contemporary from the sea front.

View of model from sea.

Sketch of balcony and terraces by David Chipperfield.

View from the first floor terrace.

All images Copyright David Chipperfield Architects Ltd.

It’s arrived, but not quite at the state some of us expected. Even though we will have to wait several more months to see the completed design, David Chipperfield’s presentation seemed to hit the mark for most of the audience who crammed into the Winter Gardens to see the latest plans for Turner Contemporary.

Mike Hill opened the presentation with a brief introduction to the project. He spoke passionately about his role in the project, and despite the usual comparisons with St Ives and Bilbao, he came across as someone with a genuine determination to succeed.

[audio:mikehill.mp3]

Following Mike Hill’s introduction, it was time for Victoria Pomery, director of Turner Contemporary to reiterate the Turner vision. She estimated that 130,000 visitors would visit in an average year, bringing at least £2 million for local businesses each year – the gallery itself would have a permenant staff of 35.

“The building has been driven by the need to design a gallery for presenting historical and contemporary art of the highest calibre that also offers a fantastic visitor experience. What we’re creating is a destination, and a programme, that visitors will want to return to again and again.”

Most crucially she outlined the work it will hold – a range of temporary modern and classic exhibitions, and guaranteed that there would be works by Turner present all year round (sourced from the Tate and private collections). Construction is scheduled to begin at the end of summer 2008, with the gallery open to the public in 2010.

[audio:victoriapommery.mp3]

Eventually, David Chipperfield, the guest speaker for the evening, took to the stage. Below is a full recording of his talk, but here’s some of the most important points.

• The design is still in the process of development – there is still work to do.
• “The rendezvous site is blessed. We couldn’t have a more beautiful view of the sea”
• One his major challenges is to connect the site with the town. The fort hill carriage way may be altered to make the gallery more accessible from the old town.
• They have quite a limited area to build in – they have to make room for the lifeboat slipway.
• Yet with every problem comes a hidden benefit – they have to set the building 2 meters above the ground level to avoid flooding, so they are planning a large ramp which will act as as access to gallery as well as acting as a large public square/terrace with outdoor artwork.
• He wants to build a “cultural community centre” – his has no problem attracting people already into art, his main aim is to draw those who aren’t.
• On the previous design: “You can make an idea of what you want to build – but without rubbing salt in the wound – to some degree that was the strategy of the first project – there was a bold beautiful idea that then tried to be realised – but the technical issues were not black and white” – Chipperfield has worked the other way round – he has accepted the complicated conditions of the site and worked from that basis.
• There are conflicts between designing a building and a gallery – gallery curators don’t like windows, but architects and visitors do. He has to find the middle ground between these points.
• There will be a large cantilever balcony/terrace on the north (sea) side.
• There will be three floors. The ground floor will be a multifunction space (including a lecture space, cafe and shop), the first floor will be an educational/didactic floor and the second floor will be an environmentally controlled “sanctuary” where works by Turner and other major exhibitions will be displayed.

[audio:davidchipperfield.mp3]

David Chipperfield is the architect of the moment – he has designed some of the best recent examples of contemporary architecture and is involved in the creation of countless more. He was down to earth, rational, witty and pragmatic – he has an architectural reputation for perfection – his bold design for Turner Contemporary showed clarity and confidence.

“We are very excited with the designs. The challenge has been to create a building that responds to the opportunities of the site. We are confident that this design makes the most of site’s potential and remains sensitive to its unique setting.”

With barely time to catch his breath, the audience was permitted to put their questions to David and the other speakers (as well as other officials including Roger Gale and Sandy Ezekiel). Some of the more interesting points raised during the Q&A session included:

• The issue of transport between Margate station and Turner Contemporary. Sandy Ezekiel confirmed that investigations are being made into a shuttle service and a walkway between the two sites.
• Mike Hill stated that a landscape architect is involved in devising a plan for the rest of the rendezvous site – we can expect a total transformation of the whole area.
• Work is already under way to connect the Rendezvous site with the old town – at the moment it will be done with schemes of lighting, paving and banners – closer to the time this should become more substantial (including alterations to the fort hill carriage way).

The best exchange of all was from Wendy Allen – one of a trio of curmudgeons from the Independent Action Party who had been generally discourteous throughout the entire presentation. She offered a wonderfully turgid record of her local campaigning, from which she concluded that 99% of Thanet residents were opposed to the gallery, to which she received a strong rebuke from Sandy Ezekiel and Mike Hill (who in turn received the biggest applause of the evening). You will understand I don’t mind criticism towards the plan, but this was particularly cringe worthy – here it is in it’s glorious entirety.

[audio:question.mp3]

Until the embargo on images is lifted, I am unable to post the latest plans, but they will be posted as soon as they become available.

Look back over the history of the Turner Contemporary, and see the events that stand out:

• The unveiling of the Snøhetta + Spence “blob” (31.10.01)
• Installation and subsequent washing-away of the test sculpture (24.01.05)
• U-turn over Snøhetta + Spence design – “back to the drawing board” (08.02.06)
• David Chipperfield chosen to design new gallery with £15 million budget (27.07.06)

After nearly a year of waiting, we will soon be able to add the “unveiling of the new Turner Contemporary design” to the time line.

David Chipperfield will present the designs for the new Turner Contemporary tonight (18th June). Turneround Margate will be present at the presentation, and we plan to bring you a comprehensive digest of all essential information, opinions and plans very soon after.

The presentation begins at 6pm till 8pm at the Margate Winter Gardens. Entrance is free but space is limited. It will be followed by an exhibition of the designs at Droit House, open Friday to Sunday, 10.00 – 17.00 from 22 June until 2 September.

Don’t forget to read our guide to some of David Chipperfield’s previous designs and what we could expect for Margate.

As you are no doubt aware, the self styled ‘Margate’s Big Event’ takes place over this weekend, filling the gap left after sponsorship troubles led to the cancellation of the annual air show which had proven to be a popular summer event.

In certain respects this should be a great success story – particularly since it’s free – and something that the organisers can be proud of. When I visited this evening, palm bay was already host to fair ground attractions and commercial stalls ready for the air show and variety acts to commence at the weekend.

Can I be the only one thinking it’s a shame the council can commit to supporting a second rate travelling fairground but have so far failed to stick up for Dreamland?

The airshow, fireworks, parachute display, quad bikes, birds of prey should, as Cllr Latchford has said, prove to be superb free event for the whole family.

You can find the full programme of events at the Thanet Council Website.

Anyone walking through the old town recently might have noticed the addition of two new shops taking early advantage of the creative-quarters plan that is in place for the area.

The first is Harbour Monkey, a well presented little shop selling hand made cards, photographic prints, jewellery and bags – it’s worth a trip if you are in the area. You’ll find it on Market Street, just off Marine Parade, Margate.

Just a few feet up from Harbour Monkey, a florists shop called The Flower Lab is in the final stages of preparation before they open (which by the looks of it won’t be long). I believe the owner, Thomas Reeves, already owns a florists in Canterbury so I’m looking forward to seeing their work and hope that they do well in this new location.

Like with any new venture, the first few months are the most crucial, so when you’re in the area why not take a look and support our independent local businesses.

I’m thoroughly impressed by the diy-style music events that are going on at the Pharmacy Gallery down in Margate old-town.

For those of you after something rather different to Eurovision, then headlining tomorrow’s show (12th May) is Lords, who will be supported by a variety of other bands – Brain Dead, Lakes, The Pluto and local band Cubs. The show starts at 8pm and costs £4… and might I say – great flyer!

Whilst thrash metal isn’t quite my cup of tea (I’m an indie lad myself) this is exactly the kind of independent event that should be happening in Margate, and the organisers are onto a bloody good thing if they can keep events like this going.

I recall a comment on an earlier post which suggested that we needed to see arts events being organised from the bottom-up – I think we might be starting to see it; and with uncertainty still surrounding the future of the Lido, events like these are good news for music in Thanet.

Mike Nelson who has previously exhibited in Margate has been named in this year’s Turner Prize shortlist.

His 2005 installation “Spanning Fort Road and Mansion Street – Between a Formula and a Code”, which was commissioned by Turner Contemporary, saw Nelson occupy a large portion of Fort Road (just off Margate seafront) to create a dark, mysterious maze of hydroponics and primitive dark rooms.

The installation, called Spanning Fort Road and Mansion Street: Between a Formula and a Code, also includes rooms kitted out as primitive darkrooms, hung with hundreds of photographs of the sea, sky and buildings of Margate, as if the result of a covert, obscure and possibly deranged surveillance project.

Nelson said at the time,

“Maybe people will hate it here… But I think people like digging round in old spaces. If they can get past the horrible idea it’s art I think they’ll enjoy it.”

Regardless of your view towards the Turner Prize, it is hugely encouraging to see that Margate continually attracts artists like Nelson, who go on to great acclaim.

Other Turner winners and nominees to work in Margate include Antony Gormley (1994 winner and proponent of The Margate Exodus), Jeremy Deller (2004 winner behind the Steam-Powered Internet Machine) and of course Tracy Emin (1999 nominee) – I’d better give Turner, the man himself, a mention too!

Read about “Spanning Fort Road and Mansion Street – Between a Formula and a Code” on Guardian Unlimited (and more on Mike Nelson) and this years Turner Prize shortlist at BBC News.

Update 24/05: Victoria Pomery, Director of Turner Contemporary said

“We are delighted that Mike Nelson is on this year’s Turner Prize shortlist and are committed to working with artists to create new and innovative works in Margate”.

Polling Stations (and in Cliftonville even an Olling Station) opened across the country this morning, with about 39 million people entitled to vote in the local elections. The number of visitors to local blogs is proof that a growing number of people care about Thanet, so take a little time to vote today, and have your say in how this are done.

And just a quick apology for the lack of updates recently, they will resume shortly!

If you happen to spot a film crew around the isle this week, it’s probably Medb Films, the Ramsgate based production company working on their next short film, Lullaby. Medb are best known for the recent films Gypo and Ruby Blue, both of which were made in Thanet.

The company recently finished work on their new post production facility which will be offered for the use of other independent film makers. I think its great that companies like Medb are investing in Thanet and providing film makers with resources that might otherwise be out of reach.

Check back in the near future for more information and news on this latest production.

Oh, and if you see the film crew, why not leave a comment telling us where and when!

Updates
(16/04/07): The crew were out filming by the towers at Reculver today.
(18/04/07): The crew wrapped yesterday at St Peters having filmed at Joss Bay earlier in the day.

With reference to my last post here’s some further information about the fantastic Coast on Camera walks and exhibitions.

The first walk between the Lido and Margate Harbour takes place on Tuesday 10 April, starting at 11am on the green opposite Fort Crescent in Cliftonville.

The Ramsgate walk meeting at the obelisk by the casino on Sunday 13 May at 2.30pm will take people from the Royal Harbour to Dumpton Gap.

The third walk taking place on Sunday 9 June, starting at midday. The meeting point is the slope to Botany Bay at the end of Botany Bay Road and the walk will take a route around the coast towards Kingsgate Bay.

The final walk is on Saturday 7 July at 11am, meeting at the green opposite Fort Crescent in Cliftonville. This walk, which will take in the stretch of coastline between the Lido and Margate Harbour, is aimed at the under 16′s, who must be accompanied by an adult to take part. Each walk will last two and a half hours.

You can book your place for the Coast on Camera walks at www.thanetcoast.org.uk or call 01843 577672. You should bring your own cameras, but I’m told there will be disposable cameras provided if anyone needs one.

Thanks to last year’s successful SeaART exhibition at IOTA, our coast will be caught on camera this spring as part of a coastal walks scheme organised by the Thanet Coast Project.

The Coast on Camera walks will be led by artist Ruth Cutler and the aim is to use photos taken on these walks as part of this summer’s SeaART 2007.
SeaART 2007 will feature contemporary art works exhibited by local artists inspired by the coast. The exhibition will take place this August and is run in conjunction with Isle of Thanet Arts (IOTA). The Thanet Coast Project is keen for local people to snap images for a complementary photoSeaART section to the exhibition, and the three themes include:

• The nature of our coast
• Human impact on the coast
• Textures and light

To record your interest to submit an image, contact the Thanet Coast Project before 21 July on 01843 577672 or thanet.coast@thanet.gov.uk

“Donovan Slacks”, filmed in Thanet and New York is to get it’s world première later this month at the International Film Festival of Uruguay.

The film’s central character, Donovan Slacks, “a man with a fragile head” is sent to Margate Sea Bathing Hospital. On arriving in Margate he falls in love with a fishergirl, but his life goes into free-fall when he rediscovers the terrible secret of his past. In the eye of the storm he breaks free to win the woman he loves and leads the local fishermen in an uprising against the government.

The film is an astonishing achievement when you learn of the obstacles that the director, Kivmars Bowling, overcame. Over several years on next to no money, his team recreated 1920s Thanet, complete with period cars, trains and a bathing machine, and populated it with a cast of 25 actors and over 50 extras.

Bowling, originally from Thanet, said:

“Thanet has beautiful areas to it, but has always had a rundown air, a sense of faded glory. All the films that had been made there exploited this in a very obvious way. Last Resort, Last Orders, Gypo – the titles say it all really. That’s not to say these are bad films on their own terms, I just wanted to challenge the dominant view of the area. I don’t like the assumption that a film depicting social problems necessarily tackles those problems.

Putting a region on film has a validating effect, regardless of the story, be it sweet love story or violent dystopia. Which is to say, all the filmmaking presence in Thanet is a positive one – but I think there are more interesting and original ways to use that history, those locations, that beauty for differing stories ”

The film is released later this year. Find out more at the official Donovan Slacks website.

Earlier this week I was contacted by an undergraduate writing her dissertation about The Margate Exodus. We talked about how the project had been interpreted by Thanet residents and whether A.A Gill’s view that it “smelt of Victorian cultural imperialism” was justified. It got me thinking.

It should be no surprise that my response to her was mostly positive, but I’m keen to know what you think. What will the legacy of Exodus be? Before you add your comment, let’s remind ourselves of the project’s aims.

Here’s how Michael Morris, Co-Director of Artangel, describes it:

“The legacy is not in bricks and mortar – the legacy is to do with relationships and people. People working together who would never normally be on the same side of the street – there will be all kinds of things coming out of that which we cannot predict.”

I can’t agree with this more, and I worry that some have been to quick to dismiss it. I can personally vouch for the fact that Exodus provided the excuse for people in our community to get together and learn new skills and create fantastic art and music – lots of us are working to continue this work and keep the wheels rolling. 2007 will be the year that the legacy kicks in, I’ll keep you posted on events as the news reaches me.

Every project has it’s critics, and Gill’s cultural imperialism argument persists, but in cases like this its all the more satisfying when they can be proved wrong.