Culture Diary w/c 03-03-2014
What’s hot this week? Our pick of the listings from around Liverpool and the rest of the UK…
Monday — Ruin Lust @ Tate Britain London — £11/£9.50
This new “brilliant but bonkers exhibition” from Tate Britain reflects an artistic obsession with ‘derelict porn’ — ruins, broken columns, fallen temples and forgotten wastelands. Expect colourful, romantic responses from artsists as diverse as J.M.W. Turner, John Constable, Patrick Caulfield, Eduardo Paolozzi, Rachel Whiteread and Tacita Dean amongst others.
Tuesday — Florian Roithmayr Book Club 5.30pm @ Site Gallery Sheffield — FREE
Artist Florian Roithmayr’s residency at Site is aiming to explore action, experience and the limits of language in the learning process. He hosts a reading club this evening, inspired by Hungarian polymath Michael Polanyi’s book The Tacit Dimension (1966), and will discuss Polanyi’s belief that ‘creative acts, especially acts of discovery, are charged with strong personal feelings and commitments.’ No pre-reading required.
Dial M For Murder 7.30pm @ Liverpool Playhouse — £12/£23
‘When murder calls…hang up.’ Starring Christopher Timothy as Inspector Hubbard, this version of the perfect murder gone wrong (made famous by Hitchcock) comes from acclaimed director Lucy Bailey (whose previous credits include The Postman Always Rings Twice, and the Royal Shakespeare Company’s The Taming of the Shrew and Julius Caesar).
Goldfrapp: Tales of Us 7.30pm @ FACT Liverpool — ticket prices vary
Inspired by her new album of the same name, Alison Godfrapp presents this previously unseen music video, followed by an exclusive (live via satellite) performance of new and classic songs. Compared to their game-changer record Felt Mountain, this is apparently a return to form. Listen out for haunting tracks like Alvar and Drew.
Wednesday – Be Kind, Rewind @ Django’s Riff Liverpool — FREE
Free entry, free popcorn, and with a promise of everything from cult classics to documentaries (and keen to hear your suggestions for future screenings), this alternative Orange Wednesday is worth a look. Tonight it’s Michel Gondry’s homage to VHS, the local video shop and ‘sweding’, courtesy of comic duo Jack Black/Mos Def (2008).With 20-30 seats, it’s a first-come-first-served kinda deal.
Thursday — Haim Steinbach: Once Again The World Is Flat @ Serpentine Gallery London — FREE
Showing pieces from his 40 year career, the highlight of Steinbach’s retrospective is surely his dedication to assemblage. In other words, odd installations on shelves; weird, colourful, wide-ranging objects (children’s toys, masks, salt and pepper shakers, cans) placed on intricate, specially designed (and equally as colourful) units. Wonderful.
Friday – SITUATIONAL AESTHETICS: THE ART OF SITCOM @ AIRspace Liverpool
A cheeky celebration of classic sitcoms like Porridge and Some Mothers (as well as a gentle poke at the artspeak used by some contemporary exhibitions), this new show fuses film, installation, painting and drawing to ‘expose the ever-present subtexts of humiliation and thwarted desire’. A showcase of genuinely local talent, including Michael Lacey, Laura Rushton, Golden Harvest Industries, Sean Wars, Tessa Norton, Michael Aitken and Will Daw.
Saturday — Queen of the Track Zine Launch @ Mary Mary Liverpool — FREE
Hotly anticipated as ‘Vogue on crack’, this new indie women’s magazine launches on Saturday (International Women’s Day), aimed at creative and thinking women, and featuring everything from fashion, comment, gender politics, history, interviews and literature, all wrapped-up in a beautiful design. If you (like us) are sick of the usual drivel sold in your local WH Smith, make sure you’re there to collect this first issue hot off the press.
Bugged Out Weekender @ Pontins Southport — 4 bed chalet £159 pp/£39.50 plus BF
“An absolute belter of a party” celebrates its 20 year anniversary this week. Founded from a love of dance music by the journos behind Jocky Slut magazine, it quickly expanded from ambitious clubnights in Sankeys Soap, to becoming a northern powerhouse at Cream, with regular big league performers like Chemical Brothers. With crossover alternative DJs and live acts including Abandon Silence, Julio Bashmore, Dusky, Heidi, Paul Woolford and Sasha, expect on site chalets, pool parties and general mayhem.
Sunday — Lift-Off Film Fest 2pm-late @ The Kazimier Liverpool — FREE
Having seen a good mix of docs (excellent), comedy (poor) and drama (ok) at the press event for this year’s Lift-Off launch, expect a diverse programme of screenings and filmmaker Q & As from the main event, in addittion to a selection of winners, all of whom receive automatic Official Selections at London, Las-Vegas and Los Angeles Lift-Off Film Festivals. Keep an eye out for their as-yet TBC programme.
