From Matt Murtagh
Photos are posted here from the Birmingham Flickr community. Click on the image for more details.
Archive for January, 2008
The podcast from last week’s Pub Conversation with Douglas White and Justin Coombes has popped onto the grid. Subscribe using this link or listen with this widget:
[audio:http://pubconversations.jellycast.com/audio/play/18]
While Birmingham may criminally not have a photography museum or gallery of great substance we do, as of today, have a stupidly large and ambitious online photography project run, I’m pleased to say, by people who actually understand how these things should work.
On the face of it The Big Picture is one of those juggernaut public service projects that try to cast as wide a net as possible over society in the hope of drawing some kind of representation of it – “The Nation’s Favourite X, Y or Z”. Or, because of it’s size, fails to see the details. This one, hopefully, should avoid that.
The aim is pretty simple. To get 100,000 to be added to a giant mosaic representing the West Midlands. The key is they have to be submitted. And that’s about it. This ever growing pool of photos then forms the basis for all manner of events but, crucially, also provides a new layer of connectivity for people.
The centre of the project is photo-sharing site Flickr. There’s a Big Picture group but you can add your photos by simply tagging them bigpicture2008, or if you’re not using Flickr, directly through the Big Picture site. And, thanks to the glory of Web 2.0, the data that surrounds these photos can be used all over the place. You’ll see examples on the Big Picture site but where it’ll get interesting is when others start taking this stuff and playing with it themselves.
So while the 100,000 photo mosaic might be cool, that’s just an excuse to develop a massive library of photos of the West Midlands, built by the people who live there, for anyone to create new works with. Nice.
Those behind it have blogged:
Jon Bounds is the Online Editor (Jon is also Mr BiNS)
Stef Lewandowski built the website out of twigs and rubber bands.
A band to pout about. Well, wadaya know, a profile of Beestung Lips in the Birmingham Post. Given that the Post’s target readership is politicians and business leaders in the city it’ll be interesting to see what effect this has on their audience demographics.
I’ve written about Silent UK on my own blog but coming across his/their Deviant Art profile (courtesy, as ever, of D’log) made me realise I’d not brought him/them to your attention.
What’s going on here is urban exploration where folks gain entry, usually illegally, into abandoned buildings, underground tunnels and other areas not usually visited and make a record. Silent UK in particular takes the most wonderful photos and a fair few of them are in Birmingham. Like this one.
At some point I’m going to get off my arse, get a pair of waders and start doing this myself, but in the meanwhile it’s great to see others recording our hidden architectural heritage (though, unlike that above ground, it’s unlikely to suffer the trials of regeneration.)
I really should start collecting quotes which, while on their own might just raise a smile, together would illustrate why Birmingham’s a rather interesting place to be. So let’s start a series right here, starting with this one from the Facebook listing for Earth’s Birmingham gig. Support is Lash Frenzy, a side project of Andrew Parker of Einstellung.
“This project brings together 2 bass players and 3 guitarists to explore gravity and resonance. In homage to Earth, this performance will be played in the key of C, as the earth resonates in the key of C.”
Magic.
Any other great quotes you find lying about the place, let me know.
Animation Forum give notice of Looking Forward, a half day event this Wednesday for the audio-visual industry.
This is an excellent opportunity for Animation Forum members to voice their opinions on the skills needs of the regions’ animation sector, as well as discover the business support available. The Animation Group at this event will be chaired by an Animation Forum representative; Peter McLuskie of Light House.
John James was a photographer at the Birmingham Post who is now freelance. His website has the usual portfolios but is worth an extra look for work that betrays his history as a photojournalist. Firstly go check the “award winning” section for shots of riots, crashes and pig competitions in the 80s.
Then come back to the present in the “projects” section for his photo essay on the Eastside redevelopment and how it’s affecting the current residents.
Wonderful stuff.
I have to confess to not covering the world of Harry Palmer as much as I should and I have no excuse other that it’s often hard to get my head around exactly what he’s up to. Which is a terrible excuse as that’s a sign of someone doing good shit.
Here’s a good example. What the hell is he up to here?
You’ll note the launch is at 1.30am on the morning of the 23rd. (That’s tomorrow night.) In a city centre subway.
I can’t quite remember where the subway is on Bristol Street but it’ll be somewhere around here:
Triffic two part interview with cartoonist James Nash
(Personally It’s a joy to see someone from the Gary Panter / Matt Brinkman school working in the region.)
Missed it at the time, but Envy and Other Sins won that Mobile Act Unsigned compo in December getting them a contract with A&M. Cat Bray at 4Talent did a nice big interview with them. Well done, chaps!
Moseley Festival 2008 has been scheduled from 27nd June to 6th July.
Photos are posted here from the Birmingham Flickr community. Click on the image for more details.
It seems Tory MP Michael Fabricant got his facts wrong when he said the Birmingham Rep was “no longer going to receive it’s funding” in the House of Commons. Anthony Herron inquired and is happy to report “the REP is not facing cuts it is likely to get an inflationary increase.” Thanks Ant.
