The Trebuchet Time Machine?

Link to David Pollock's piece in The Independent - here

Scottish Community Alliance

NothingAboutUs has had its fair share of press attention - for which we have been very grateful....one piece of coverage that we are particularly pleased about is to be covered in the weekly briefing by the excellent 'Scottish Community Alliance' - this is an organisation that we have huge respect and admiration for. Their homepage is here and the coverage of NothingAboutUs is here

Clyde Connections in The Scotsman

Today 'Nothing about us without us is for us,' features in The Scotsman... in an article by David Pollock.

'A day of strange, creative activity hopes to help Govan reclaim its voice...The result of weeks of preparation, it consists of a bold attempt to communicate across the Clyde using various non-electronic forms of communication, including marine signal flags, roaming choristers, a “human megaphone” – one speaking voice amplified by the repetition of many more – a trebuchet – a medieval siege catapult – nicknamed the Charm Offensive, and the Govan Armada: a fleet of small boats made from reclaimed rubbish.'

The whole article is available to read here.

Something about 'Nothing' in the Evening Times

'Nothing about us...' was featured in this article by Deborah Anderson in the Evening Times yesterday (that's our trebuchet in the background!)

"A Govan Armada will be taking over the River Clyde this weekend as part of a major public art event. Events will be held to link up both sides of the river and get communities involved in their heritage. Govan will be bombed with messages delivered by two medieval siege catapaults, or trebuchets. St. Kilda mailboats and a soundscape of sea shanties will also be some of the attractions at Saturday's event.  Even extracts from Upper Clyde Shipbuilder's hero Jimm Reid's speeches will be broadcast across the water."

Have a look at our flyers...

Hot off the press! The flyers for "Nothing about us...' have arrived!
Flyer design by Bakkal
www.bakkalisopen.org

You can download this flyer as a pdf here

'Nothing about us...' BBC.co.uk

We've been featured by the BBC again... this time on their website - in an article by arts correspondent Pauline McLean.

"Down on the Clydeside, Matt Baker and Tara Beall commandeered a ferry, and Captain Thomas - not to mention some singers - to give us a taste of their work Nothing About Us Without Us is for Us.

They've spent months working with the community in Govan to create a piece which will involve firing language across the river, using unusual or obsolete technology - everything from choirs to flags to medieval catapults (their trebuchet is well under way in a nearby lockup).

The results can be seen on 28 April in a busy day of activities."

Read the full article and watch the video here.

'Nothing about us...' in Urban Realm Magazine!

We're pleased to be listed in Urban Realm's online diary of events, especially following on from the excellent feature article on Govan in last month's magazine, investigating how creative and community led practice is making an impact in creating a shared vision for Govan’s sense of place.  We're very proud to be part of this...

Art and Architecture Journal

Interesting coverage of the the GI Festival in the Art and Architecture Journal - including a goodly chunk on NothingAboutUs. Read it - here

Jan Patience on GI - under starters orders

Freelance Scottish Art Critic, Jan Patience gives here thoughts on Glasgow International Festival of Art - NothingAboutUs features strongly.....full piece - here

Jan describes NothingAboutUs as 'gloriously gallus' - for the benefits of non Scots speakers:

gallus (ga·luss) Dialect, chiefly Scot ~adj.
1. self-confident, daring, cheeky.
2. stylish, impressive (esp. Glasgow “He’s pure gallus, by the way“).
3. Orig. derogatory, meaning wild; a rascal; deserving to be hanged (from the gallows).

Glasgow, Art, TV and Govan

Matt Baker and Tara Beall ...contemporary art as a collective action

BBC Scotland's Newsnight last night looked at the launch of the Glasgow International Festival of Visual Art and featured NothingAboutUs - you can watch the clip here (you need to scroll to 16 mins 40 secs)

Newsnicht - NothingAboutUs

BBC Arts Correspondent Pauline McLean with ts Beall and Frank the cameraman on board the Govan Ferry 19.04.2012

We were delighted to welcome the BBC to the Riverside today....they saw a bit of flag signalling and choir practice - you'll just have to watch the show BBC2 Scotland 11pm TONIGHT

'The most literally combative show'...is us?

Phil Miller of the Herald covered NothingAboutUs in his trail piece for the GI Festival in this morning's Glasgow Herald - dubbing us the festival's 'most literally combative show'

Read the full article online here 

The picture shows Ricco from The GalGael who is masterminding the Trebuchet build....big shout out to the GalGael tonight - their reception event at the Scottish Parliament should be great!

 

A message from one of the voices of Govan

Writer Ian Pattison

We are honoured to have received this message of support from Govan writer Ian Pattison - best known as the man behind Govan's finest....Mr Rab C Nesbitt:

‘’ It’s great to see people in Govan reclaiming the river in an imaginative way as part of their daily cultural landscape. As kids we would travel on the two ferries, the passenger ferry at the foot of McKechnie Street and the traffic ferry at Water Row, over the ocean to exotic Partick. Back then, the river seemed as busy as Sauchiehall Street. Latterly it’s had all the atmosphere of the average urban underpass. This river deserves to be celebrated. It’s been good to Govan and has earned its moment of veneration. Every rusty rivet or buckled bike dragged up from its silt is a battle scar. Thank you, River Clyde.’’   – Ian Pattison

His Rabness

 

Press Contact, Media Release, and information

Press information

For further information, interviews and hi-res images contact our communications admiral:
Heather Macleod
words@heather.uk.net
07891144157

Press Release available for download:
(download should start automatically)
as Word .doc
as pdf

'In with the New: the Highs of 2012' by Jan Patience The Herald, 02.01.2012

We were super-chuffed to be listed in an article by Jan Patience in the Herald's 'High's of 2012' in January. She refers to 'Nothing about us...' as  'quirky, yet strangely grounded' and we will forever be grateful for that. May it be as she describes...

Below is the excerpt from her article which lists loads of stuff to look forward to as part of GI 2012:

Scotland has its fair share of visual arts festivals, ranging from the Glasgow International Festival of Visual Art (GI) from April 20-May 7 to the Spring Fling event in Dumfries and Galloway (June 2-5), which sees around 80 arts and craft studios fling open their doors to the public.

GI has already announced solo exhibitions by Glasgow-based Turner prize winner, Richard Wright at Kelvingrove Art Gallery, 2012 Turner nominee Karla Black at Glasgow’s Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA), Mexican artist Teresa Margolles at Scottish Sculpture Studios and Dutch artist Folkert de Jong at Glasgow School of Art.

Graham Fagen builds on a relationship forged with the National Theatre of Scotland last year on The Missing to work at Tramway again, this time with theatre director Graham Eatough and renowned Scots cinematographer, Michael McDonough on a unique collaboration that blends art installation, promenade theatre and film-making.

Also within GI, there is Henry Coombes at House for an Art Lover and the quirky yet strangely grounded Nothing About Us Without Us Is For Us, a public art event led by Matt Baker and TS Beall, which will see (or hear) attempts to hurl language from one side of the river to the other by means of obsolescent technology.

Jan Patience's Blog

‘Govan: Shipshape’ by Tom Manley Winter issue, 2011/12, of Urban Realm Magazine

We're honoured to be mentioned in this fantastic article by Tom Manley in the current issue of Urban Realm – below are excerpts, but you can read the full article here, along with beautiful images (also by Tom):

"...With creative partnerships bubbling under the surface in Govan, an opportunity exists to sustain a culturally planned future where the considerations of all groups within the community are respected and channeled into its development. 

Echoing this belief, artist Matt Baker recognizes Govan's inherent assets and resources. Drawing on a tangible link with everything positive about old Govan’s unique story, and what made it prosper, he is collaborating with fellow artist t s Beall, on a commission by Glasgow Housing Association to work with community members of Govan’s Riverside estate.  Their art practice aims to improve the environment, reawaken connections to the soul of the place and support local people to be part of the wider changes in the area. 

To the East of the Riverside estate lies an urban wilderness. The mysterious landscape of the derelict Graving Docks, stirs in the wind. “It reverberates as a silent anchor to Govan’s industrial memories’’ Matt Baker told me. The stone dry docks offer a glimpse of the immense activity that once occurred here. I can’t help thinking this should be the public gateway into Govan." 

"...Nothing about us without us is for us is a phrase being used for a unique collaboration between artists Matt Baker and t s Beall, for The Glasgow International Festival of Visual Art 2012..."

Tom Manley is an urban and architectural photographer with a background in architectural practice.

Urban Realm Magazine
Tom Manley Photography