Space Reading Group

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Comment by Julie Warburton on March 31, 2012 at 19:32

Re ‘Seven Days Till Dawn’ and unexploding bombs/control of space/military intervention, try watching ‘The Battle for Algiers’ as a comparison.  Whilst definitely nothing like 1950s Britain (!!), it certainly shows other aspects of what we were discussing following the film last night and it highlights what we didn’t discuss in any detail – the impending loss of colonial power.  Lots of terrorist bombs explode in 'The Battle for Algiers' a particular space in the city (the casbah) confines/controls the Algerians as regulatory checkpoints are set up, and the rebels also willfully retreat into the casbah to try and disappear/evade capture.  Space here is filled up, as opposed to being evacuated.  This transgressive ‘other’ space of tall buildings, steep stairways and labyrinthine alleyways also contrasts with the westernized spaces of the city that are open and modern.  Crowd scenes – of all kinds – leisure, rioting, day-to-day activities - are in abundance on both sides of the divide.  The presence of a controlling military authority and its torture methods also appear as aggressive and invasive as they try to regain control of the streets and as they blow up parts of the casbah.  The film of this revolutionary uprising says a lot about the buttoned up British film made just a few years earlier where everybody conforms and everything is conveniently back in its place by the end of the film.  The viral aspect of more recent films also takes on form as the military commander compares the Algerian FLN to a tapeworm that can only be destroyed if its head is cut off – destroying sections of it does not eliminate it so it is not contained in the same way as the ‘Seven Days’ bomb that is neatly packaged in a briefcase and is carried by a (supposedly crazy?) establishment figure.  The ‘Battle of Algiers’ is an explosive film in more ways than one and shows up a post-war Britain where control is definitely under threat – particularly where colonial power is concerned.  Sorry if rambling but I hope that those there on Friday will get my gist....  you definitely will if you watch it.

Comment by Julie Warburton on October 31, 2011 at 22:27

'House of Leaves' on the radio - 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01694p2/Friday_Play_Recording...

Comment by Julie Warburton on July 30, 2011 at 19:42

Couldn't decide whether to put this on space or rubbish, but as this is the site advertising the threshold films event, it has ended up here

 

http://www.movingimagearchivenews.org/bill-morrison-revivifies-deca...

 

Decasia - a symphony in decay

 

http://www.decasia.com/

 

And here are another couple of references for Terri and anyone else interested in domestic ruins.  The film is advertised more in terms of the study of a daughter/mother relationship, but the decay of the space is more or less  inseparable from them and their eccentric way of life.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_Gardens

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mumWYU5aHBU

Comment by Tony Venezia on January 24, 2011 at 10:35

This may be of interest, it's a podcast interview with Chris Ware, speaking with his more laid back contemporary comics artist and sometime Chicago-ite Daniel Clowes. 

 
"The fact that TGI Fridays have made it to the UK is chilling to me."
 
Panel Borders: the deconstructed American male

Continuing Panel Borders’ month long look at depictions of Masculinity in American Comics, Alex Fitch talks to award winning graphic novelists Chris Ware and Daniel Clowes who both publish their work first as chapters, in periodicals Acme Novelty Library and Eightball respectively. Ware’s graphic novel, Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth, won the Guardian First Book Award in 2001, while Clowes’ Art School Confidential and Ghost World have both been adapted as American Independent films, the latter seeing the author nominated for his Best Adapted Screenplay at the 2002 Academy Awards…

Please note: following the regular audio podcast of this episode at www.panelborders.wordpress.com, a video podcast will follow, this weekend, at www.youtube.com/panelborders

5pm, 20/01/11, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com

Comment by Zara Dinnen on November 30, 2010 at 11:25

Digital Is...

(Reflections on literary, performance, and visual cultural practices in the digital era)


A one-off chance to hear from four esteemed practitioners of the digital arts:

Joahnnes Birringer (Director, DAP-Lab at Brunel; Artistic Director, AlienNation Co.); Kate Pullinger (Author; Reader in Creative Writing and New Media at DeMontfort); Thomson & Craighead (Artists; Lecturers at Goldsmiths, Slade School of Fine Art); and Tim Wright (Digital Writer; Cross-platform Producer).

For one night only the Contemporary Fiction Seminar (in collaboration with the Birkbeck School of Arts Graduate Lecture Series) brings these speakers together to discuss their creative digital practices and the critical issues that surround their work.

The event will be chaired by Dr Nick Lambert (Lecturer in Digital Art at Birkbeck).

Details:

Thursday 9th December 2010
7.30 - 9pm (followed by wine reception)
Rm 538, main Birkbeck Building, Malet St., WC1 (map)

All are welcome.

If you have any further questions please contact Zara Dinnen or Tony Venezia (co-ordinators of the Contemporary Fiction Seminar).

Hope to see you all there!