barnesandbarnesstudio@gmail.com
Over the lockdown we have published a small book for our extended family. It’s called George and Margaret Hagan – a brief account of their lives and tells the story of them meeting in the war and their life together in Sheffield. Sorting out the family photos was the stimulus for writing it.
These eight digital images were commissioned by electronic music pioneers Cabaret Voltaire to accompany the release of four new records.
We were particularly pleased to be given this commission as it is Cabaret Voltaire’s first release under their own name for nearly 25 years.
The releases are on the Mute Records label and are entitled Shadow of Fear, Shadow of Funk, BN9Drone and Dekadrone.
‘The Flourish of Liberty’ was the title of an exhibition organised by Patrick Wildgust, the curator of Shandy Hall in Coxwold, North Yorkshire. Shandy Hall is the home of Laurence Sterne, famous as the author of The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy. This exhibition was the fourth in a series that explored responses by artists, writers and composers to certain pages of the novel.
‘The Flourish of Liberty’ refers to the image of a looping line made by the character Corporal Trim who flourished his stick to illustrate the notion of freedom.
102 exhibitors took part and each produced a page representing their idea of freedom on a blank page the same size of the original printed page in the book. The catalogue includes reproductions of all these images in postcard format nicely presented in a black box. Our contribution was ‘A Pigs Tale’ shown below. The tail copies Trims flourish.
Have a look at the website to find out more about Shandy Hall. Well worth a visit at any time. https://www.laurencesternetrut.org.uk
Recently made friends. Believe they are both retired academics.
Cooling towers towering above like monuments to giant industrial power. The shot seemed to call for a back and white treatment with its old ‘wet process’ associations – anybody remember Ilford FP4?
By way of contrast a dramatic distance shot with end of day sunset colours. This time reflections are of the train carriage interior making a sharp modern design contrast to the billowing clouds of steam.
The title of this set of seven photographs derives from a composition for two pianos called ‘Seven Amens’ by Olivier Messiaen. We were fortunate to attend a performance of this piece whilst on holiday in Lucca, Italy. Coincidentally we were looking for ‘modest’ but intriguing imagery that might speak of the ambience of a town of religion and music. The photographs have a mood of quiet contemplation and hope to give a sort of ‘palimpsest’ effect regarding centuries of faith.
Another in the Train Train series taken between York and Doncaster showing one of the many cooling towers. Reminds us of the days when the funnel on the train engine would look like one of these and rail tracks seemed to be everywhere.
Just visited the Art in the Gardens at the Botanical Gardens in Sheffield mainly to see the Northern Potters display. I (Janet) had one piece on display which actually sold! I am delighted even though I was sad to see it go. See below.
Art in the Gardens was a great success this year despite Covid. There were two timed slots in the day so that meant you had to make sure you looked round at everything rather than dipping in and out. Very well organised and a very pleasant morning. Northern Potters reported that sales were good this year and thought this was due to people being more focussed on the exhibitions rather than just having a social day out.
Another in the Train Train series showing the layered reflections in the carriage window with the railings speeding by in a sort of visual echo of the rail track.
“A very lucky universe”? – Apparently some physicists would agree, because the cosmos seems to be in a unique balance. No other conditions would apparently allow for the development of life.
