Culture Diary w/c 16-09-13

Ming Wong, After Chinatown @ the Cornerhouse

Monday  The London Design Festival @ various venues across the city (London)

Launched last Saturday, The London Design Festival gets into full swing this week; celebrating its 10th anniversary, 2013′s installment squeezes in an impressive 300 or so events across various London venues, including its V&A base. Helpful then that a smattering of the design community have eased the navigating task with their top 10 picks for the week ahead. We like the look of Design Lithuania 2001-2013 at Arup, from today.

PICK OF THE WEEK: Tuesday – Double Indemnity @ the Cornerhouse (Manchester)

Not to be confused with, but rather inspired by, the Billy Wilder film-noir of the same name, Double Indemnity is the latest exhibition at Manchester’s home of film and art mash-ups, the Cornerhouse. Kicking off last weekend with a 24-hour noir-athon, the show features genre-inspired work from Ming Wong (including a new edit of his Liverpool Biennial 2012 work, After Chinatown), Anicka Yi, Laurel Nakadate, Hito Steyerl, Emily Jacir, Sharif Waked, Bunny Rogers and Filip Olszewski. Do not miss this.

Wednesday – Punchcard Economy: A Worker in Progress 10 am @ FACT

A precursor to the Time & Motion – Redefining Working Life exhibition later this year (12th December 2013 – 9th March 2014), Punchcard Economy is the latest project from artist Sam Meech. Concerned with the heritage of the NW textile industry as well as the reality of being a freelance creative in digital times, here Meech takes a sideways glance at “contemporary working patterns within the digital economy”.

Thursday – Hawking plus Q&A 7.20pm @ FACT

Diagnosed with motor-neurone disease at 21 and given just two years to live, Stephen Hawking turned 71 this year. This film, with contributions from him and some of those closest to him, considers the astonishing life and achievements of one of the greatest (and most talked about) living minds of our times (includes live satellite Q&A appearance from Professor Stephen Hawking).

Kawabata Makoto’s Mainliner/The Left Hand/Fortunatus/Norweb 8pm @ Blade Factory £5

Perhaps best known as the founding member of Acid Mother’s Temple, musician Kawabata Makoto is also the driving force of noise-rock (or, as they much more wonderfully describe themselves, “psychedelic solid free attack group”) outfit Mainliner. With brand new material in the form of album Revelation Space, and a great line-up of support acts, it’s one of our gigs of the week.

Friday – Uperitive! 6pm @ the Kazimier Garden £4

Subtitled “An Italian Electronic/Dub/Reggae Aperitive w/ DJ Derek,” this latest happening from the Upitup Records crew is characteristically eclectic and affordable. That your entrance fee gets you not only the iconic purveyor of ‘60s rocksteady, reggae, ska, dancehall and soul, DJ Derek, but also a free hot and cold Italian buffet, surely tells you most of what you need to know about whether or not to go.

Cao Fei: Haze and Fog @ Eastside Projects

Saturday – Cao Fei: Haze and Fog @ Eastside Projects (Birmingham)

“A new type of zombie movie set in modern China,” you say? Intrigued by the work of multimedia artist Cao Fei, we recently included Haze and Fog, an attempt to convey the “rapid and chaotic changes” of Chinese society, in our 10 essential autumn exhibitions. Opening Saturday, you have until mid-November to check it out.

Sunday – INPRINT Exchange 12pm @ Camp and Furnace

The usual opportunity to buy original art-work from some of the best, most exciting up-and-comers in print is augmented by ‘music, workshops and exhibits’ at the latest, greatest Inprint Liverpool. Joining the local names will be those of the design students of Dessau University, Germany, leading us to hope for some modern takes on classic Eastern Bloc archetypes.

The Last Picture Show 6pm @ FACT

Directed by Peter Bogdanovich and starring Jeff Bridges, 1971′s rites of passage classic, The Last Picture Show, offered a tantalising hint of what Hollywood’s New Wave might hope to achieve, while also paying homage to a time gone by: that of tinsel town’s ‘Golden Age’, using the closure of a small-town movie-house as metaphor. As Graham Fuller says in his excellent essay,The Last Picture Show: In With the Old, ”The Last Picture Show bids farewell, with its symbolic shuttering of the Royal, to Old Hollywood.”

Posted on 16/09/2013 by thedoublenegative