Hull City Of Culture 2017

MY CITY OF CULTURE – MY HULL – WEEK 34

August 29, 2017August 30, 2017by anetesooda2 Comments

I am just going to pretend that it is Monday, although clearly I have broken the routine FIRST TIME IN 34 WEEKS by doing this on Tuesday.
My excuse – Bank Holiday and unexpected health issues.

The week was something between a recovery and back to work mode… so I packed in dose of culture in one day, predicting that no other days will be suitable.

I had a plan:
TIGER RAGS – THE FABRIC OF HULL CITY AFC

BLEACHED BY TANIA KOVATS

THE DINOSAUR EXPERIENCE HULL @DINOSTAR

THE HOUSE OF KINGS AND QUEENS

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When heading to the TIGER RAGS – THE FABRIC OF HULL CITY AFC display, I was pretty clueless that it will be about the famous Hull City. Which easily proves that I am not in the game at all.

For me the display perhaps didn’t mean the same as it would to true fans and believers, but I felt a bit of a legacy when entering a room. There was a family that looked at the whole history of the Hull City kits and memorabilia, watched the video about the players and I recognised the importance of the little exhibition in the most bizarre place.

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BLEACHED BY TANIA KOVATS as part of the day came on my way to Humber Street. The building, its location and potential to amaze me was present when approaching.

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Without making things up – genuinely one of my favourite culture visits in the recent weeks. There is no photo proof, but I had two guys helping me to soak the culture, we talked and chit-chatted, criticized and praised the work of Tania Kovats. Complete strangers, but the culture brought us together for those 15 important minutes. And the story behind their visit – old friends, both retired, now living in different areas, come together to see the culture and have a lunch/brunch/coffee/pint every now and then. How cool is that? This is why this year has changed things around, this is why everyone can find something beneficial about Hull 2017.

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Sculptures exploring the beauty of coral and its fragile position in the world’s ecosystem, was something that we evaluated as potentially upsetting – if beneath the white coat was real coral, we could not accept the sacrifices made to create the art.
Off course it turned out that The Deep was able to save a large quantity of modal (artificial) coral after refurbishment for Tania to work with, so the artist used representation to raise awareness of what could potentially happen with the corals if the humans don’t start to think environmentally friendly.

It remains stunning sculpture with exceptional amount of fine detail that I had the pleasure to view.

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The sculptures Ocean Bowls are just as stunning as the corals. And mystery at first glance. I thought that each metal piece has been saved from a different ocean and we see the different effects that it had created. But NO, under each piece was a great idea hidden for us to find…

Each piece has been cut out as Planet Earth, metal part being ocean and cut outs being land. So if pieced together it will create a planet that we know so far.

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As before – it was so interesting to puzzle this mystery with strangers that become your friends for the moment and find Great Britain, Philippines, Baltics or Mexico.

There was a third art display – a bit of paint on paper that we called to be a fish planet – because so many things are to do with water, sea, river.

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After the amazing experience I walked into almost electric skyline overlooking Hull Town and was in a good mood – being busy even with photo-jobs can sometimes be difficult, because there is no real freedom. However the culture photo challenge gives me the freedom, so something to celebrate.

And then it was spoiled – by Dinostar – The Dinosaur Experience Hull.
I am really sorry, but I was very shocked when I noticed the price for entry -not a symbolic £1 but £3 for an adult. And to make it worse, finishing my tour I felt like that was my worst £3 spent for an entry to culture.
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It turned to be funny – this place has always been on my sight, interested of what is hidden inside the building. Every time I walked past there, it was closed, so to finally get in should’ve made my day.
The whole thing is ridiculously outdated and 90’s entertainment. Even for children in our generation this must feel like a joke.
But then – I have seen some spectacular exhibitions and art spaces, so the stacks are high.

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I came out with my hands stamped with blurred dinosaurs and a conclusion – Dinostar need to apply for a funding and re-do the place, because the idea behind it is great and keeps the world of the mystery and wonderful alive for the kids.

Whilst heading to THE HOUSE OF KINGS AND QUEENS I bumped into something really cool – Building Block Hack!

The workshop run by artist and FORMCard founder Peter Marigold is part of the States Of Play Workshops – the incredible exhibition that I visited few weeks ago [see the photos here: MY CITY OF CULTURE – MY HULL – WEEK 29]

In short – kids and grownups playing with Lego’s and bits of melted plastic creating monsters, hero’s, unicorns and random bits.

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The last one of the day was THE HOUSE OF KINGS AND QUEENS.

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First impression – stunning display and beautiful photographs covering a content that surprisingly remains taboo amongst society [noticed that when hanging about near the entrance – parents by accident brought kids thinking that it is the States Of Play exhibition and rushed out as soon as realised that the story behind the heartfelt photographs is transgender].

But I loved it. I truly did. First of all the photographer Lee Price has done an amazing job with storytelling through photographs, curating the notes underneath the photographs. Secondly – the context is easy to relate to. You don’t have to be transgender or gay to not feel free in today’s world. There are so many other reasons why people feel like that. I found it touching and really encourages me to be more open mined.

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Also seeing this exhibition I really need to find out more about Sierra Leone and its relationship with Hull. It has popped up before in my culture wonders, or event at Uni. Now it is time to find out more, so a little homework for coming weeks.

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This exhibition is 10/10. Thank you for the viewing and observing experience.

THIS WEEK IS THE FREEDOM FESTIVAL 10th ANNIVERSARY AND I AM SO EXCITED TO WORK WITH FREEDOM FESTIVAL THIS YEAR.

I might have a bit of none Freedom Festival culture for you – THE HESSLE ROADERS

but we’ll see.

HAPPY CULTURE PEOPLE

Hull City Of Culture 2017

MY CITY OF CULTURE – MY HULL – WEEK 33

August 20, 2017August 20, 2017by anetesoodaLeave a Comment

LATE SUNDAY AND I AM DETERMINED TO QUICKLY DELIVER SOME CULTURE -WEEK 33

FASHION & FREEDOM – IN PARTNERSHIP WITH 14-18 NOW by Freedom Festival Arts trust

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One of the most radical changes during the war was the huge change in women’s lives. With the men away fighting, more than one million women went to work for the first time. These new responsibilities led to a new look, and a century later, this era has inspired Fashion & Freedom, an ambitious, multi-faceted exhibition that examines the fashion legacy of the First World War.

Exquisite craftsmanship courtesy of fashion stalwarts Emilia Wickstead, Holly Fulton and Sadie Williams are also on display.

A series of specially commissioned original short films complement the garments, including films by directors from Nick Knight’s award-winning SHOWstudio and Luke Snellin, who wrote and directed First, which reimagines a young woman’s first day as a bus conductor.

Source: Hull 2017

This fashion exhibition is like breath of fresh air in the Princess Quay Shopping Centre and for once the exhibits come together nicely with what people visit the shopping centre.

Most of the dresses are a pleasure for the eye, some are so tempting to be touched and put on.

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The same day I had a look at the new arrival in Princess Quay Shopping Centre
Artist Claire Morgan has created the new artwork, named Elephant in the Room, which highlights Hull’s relationship with the sea and reflects on the environment and sustainability. It has been hand crafted, created from 12,000 fragments of paper and 4,270 individual threads.
It is pretty impressive, but you need to know about it, otherwise it just seems like an early Christmas decoration.

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On Thursday I had a stroll down Hull Marina/Fruit Market/Humber Street in the search for a new arrival – graffiti by Calvin Innes and Spray Creative.

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The graffiti murals liven up the place and I like the ever changing face of the streets. + both artists are pretty cool people too.

The morning was a bit dull and quiet – a different scene from few weeks back at the Humbers Street Sesh back when streets were buzzing with people. Humber Street Gallery had its doors closed and it was soooo quiet.

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AND OFF COURSE I HAD TO SEE THE SOLAR GATE SCULPTURE AT QUEENS GARDENS THAT EVERYONE WENT MAD FOR.

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Solar Gate is the latest addition to a host of new public realm artworks, including Shane Rhodes’ poem The City Speaks which encircles the newly-installed fountains in Queen Victoria Square.

I thought that setting out an artistic gallery from few photographers of the giant being installed was pretty rushed and even when I visited it did not looked finished. Patience, patience people.

I think it looks fantastic, Queens Gardens might be the next hot spot for visitors and well deserved – the park is beautiful.

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THIS WEEK MY CULTURE VENTURES ARE RUSHED – I WAS RUSHED ALL WEEK AND MY HEAD OCCUPIED WITH MAD THINGS.
BUT I AM STILL LOVIN’ MY PHOTO CHALLENGE AND SOON I WILL HAVE SOMETHING NEW TO SHOW OFF.

GET CULTURED AND KEEP CALM

Hull City Of Culture 2017

MY CITY OF CULTURE – MY HULL – WEEK 32

August 14, 2017August 17, 2017by anetesoodaLeave a Comment

HELLO GOODBYE HELLO

The plan for this week was to take it steady – recovering from the Humber Street Sesh 2017, editing, working on the new website n’ stuff.

I wanted to visit something very cultural, something that will educate me as well, so the Larkin: New Eyes Each Year @Brynmore Jones Gallery was the perfect fit.

The biographic exhibition at the University of Hull, where Larkin spent three decades as Librarian, lifts the lid on the life of one of Hull’s most influential creatives or as I might say – gives a cool and current perspective to Philip Larkin’s life and work.

The exhibition is cleverly set out – to the point that I got lost in it in the best way, amazing work from the curator Anna Farthing. The exhibition is also very intimate and personal.

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This very image of Larkin’s socks raised questions if he had a women in his life and talking to the volunteers it seemed like he few.
Person who is in love with books in general will have an interesting journey through selection of books, some caught my eye and made me consider to find time for reading ASAP.

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The exhibition is interactive following Larkin’s life through the little pink posted notes placed around the book shelves with quotes from him.

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My highlight off course was the lawnmower on the wall with. And the poem. At this point I was excited meeting Larkin – he must have been a cool guy – mows his own lawn.

Story about the lawnmower – the one on the wall belonged to Larkin. Poetry is a process of trimming and cutting back so they have rigged it on top of his working notes for his poem Toads which is about the tension between having to work for a living and writing poetry. Larkin wrote about cutting grass, and was very upset about killing a hedgehog [poem The Mower]

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And I guess this was a second point where I felt connected with Mr. Larkin. I still have to work as no-photographer part time, to make sure I don’t end up living under the bridge. For those who manage to do what they love for living – you are a winner in life. And I will be a winner full time one day.

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On Friday and Saturday I was working in North Point Shopping Centre for Freedom Festival and both days I had The Gold Nose of Green Ginger 5 m away.

On Friday I admired the little gallery space and caught a little performance, but rushed back to work – so no actual nose. The nose and story behind it came on Saturday when I curiosity took over.

Long considered an urban myth, The Green Ginger Fellowship made this momentous discovery while delving into the large cache of Land of Green Ginger crates currently under investigation.

The last concrete sighting was documented 50 years ago, when building work to lay the foundations of the first house on Bransholme unearthed a small casket with the Gold Nose lying within.

Source: Hull City Of Culture 2017 website

No it has been brought back to Bransholme.
+ you can write a wish to the nose [there is a myth that it brings good luck and makes wishes come true] and put it in secret letterbox.

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There is no Gold Nose of Green Ginger photo – you must go and see it for yourself.

Saturday was a mixture of different culture mixing in the North Point Shopping Centre bowl, so I met a very fake Elsa from Frozen, Brighhouse bears and ladies in headscarves.

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