#lloyd-wilson

[artisthouse45]

new year - new Trajectory of the Everyday

[artisthouse45]

Broadcast Bartender | @ProjectRadio

& Model, 19 East Parade, Leeds, LS1 2BH

Wed – Sun, 7 – 25 October, 12 – 5pm

www.projectradio.uk

As part of Project Radio at & Model, Lloyd & Wilson have built an installation, Broadcast Bartender, located within ground floor gallery back room that will act as a platform to host public interaction and reaction for the duration of the exhibition.

Borrowing heavily from the socially conducive architecture of the public house* this environment will encourage alternative conversation modes to blur the customary roles of artist & audience, guest & host, whilst simultaneously presenting and creating material for broadcast.  

Visit

Broadcast Bartender will be open throughout Project Radio opening times:

Wednesday – Sunday, 12 – 5 pm

Listen to Broadcast Bartender

Sunday 11th October, 2-3pm | The Pub and the People

Sunday 18th October, 2pm | Do we need a new kind of Public House?

Saturday 24th October, 2pm | Fabricating the social (or why networking events rubbish)

Guest Bartender

Broadcast Bartender will host weekly sessions where the bar will be managed by an invited Guest Bartender. If you would like to attend one of these sessions contact Lloyd & Wilson at [email protected]. These sessions are privately recorded sessions that will feed content for the following weekend Broadcast.

*The Public House:

Largely unchanged since before the industrial period, the pub is essentially a public building which in the simplest of ways caters for ordinary people to meet and talk freely without formality

[artisthouse45]

Notes on a green patch

Andrew Wilson, 3rd April 2015

Perhaps Albert Square isn’t the best example, given the notoriously miserable nature of EastEnders, but it is difficult to imagine this particularly long serving TV fiction running for over 30 years without it. The Square, located within the fictional London borough of Walford, but based upon the real life Fassett Square in Hackney, is a fenced off green space, consisting of park benches and trees. It is where the residents run away to escape home, school or the workplace, and where they bump into and engage one another. Acting as the central point for communal interaction within the everyday lives of Walford’s fictional residents, Albert Square is also surrounded by other familiar hubs of social engagement (The Queen Vic, Kathy’s Café, etc.). Try to imagine a TV soap without such meeting points and you’d quickly end up with a cast of individuals sat at home, alone - most likely depressed – and, as Toby mentioned, all social gathering would be forced to develop around the Post Box, like they used to in Brookside.

The Green Patch outside of our home in the Garnets, South Leeds, consists of three long strips of land left vacant since the demolition of 76 occupied council homes some years ago. Once demolished the basements of the homes were filled with resultant rubble and covered with a very thin layer of top soil and grass seed which now offers the illusion of Community Park or Village Green. Leeds City Council have recently proposed plans to re-develop this land for 25 new council homes. Since we moved into the area, just a few months back, we have observed that this vacant hole, disguised as green space, was overgrown with weeds, covered with all manner of litter, from large smashed sheets of glass to the odd abandoned dis-figured child’s toy. Despite the vast openness and much appreciated light and space this green patch offered, it’s fair to say it also acted as a toilet facility for neighbouring dogs (and their owners) resulting in a daily eye-sore, albeit a curious one, for all those who passed.

When Toby wrote an article published within, local community newspaper, South Leeds Life outlining our desire to clean-up this ‘green’ space it was met with varied comments of discontent. Brian, a resident of the Garnets posted in response ‘Waste of time … shouldn’t the Council be doing this?’ Paul presented a dichotic approach by contrasting ‘green space v family homes’ as if there were simply no option but one or the other. Refusing to acknowledge or imagine a compromise where a combination of the two could be accommodated within the plans. Paul reluctantly concluded, from his winner takes all scenario, that he has to side with the council because ‘not having a home has a greater mental and physical impact on someone’s health than not having a green space’.

Less than a few minutes after it had arrived residents began bringing out old furniture, sideboards, electric’s and garden waste to be thrown in the skip. As Toby and I began the clean-up weekend by litter picking, igniting mass nostalgia for secondary school rituals of regular detention duty, Angela, who lives a few doors down came and introduced herself -  ‘I have wanted to tidy this space up for a long time but felt foolish alone’. We were then joined by Simon who also lives within the area – ‘I often pick litter up around here, always have done wherever I’ve been, but when you do so, people look at you as though you’re strange. To come out and do it together cuts through all of that’. Throughout the day a diverse range of individuals came out and supported the clean-up. Most were residents living within the area or neighbouring communities plus 1 or 2 from further afield.

We have heard numerous opinions and often conflicting stories about the exact details regarding the green space, yet from all of these conversations each and every one of them resulted with at least one alternative use, from its current state, and most proposed a combination of both green space and social housing. Unlike how Paul decided to view the development as a decision between ‘social housing or green space’ the majority of the residents we have spoken to acknowledge the need for  housing but are disappointed with the short-sightedness of the development plans presented by Leeds City Council (which did not include a community green space).

Prior to Clean up event, based on the many conversations that we’d had with our neighbours, I took the liberty to redraw the architects development drawings provided by Leeds City Council to see if it was possible to include both the 25 new homes, incl. private gardens, private driveways, etc., as well as a central space which could host a community garden and playground for children. We presented 3 slightly differing plans to our neighbours here over the weekend and they were met with supportive optimism. We have since shared them with Leeds Council City Development, Elected Councillors for the City and Hunslet ward and Member of Parliament for Leeds Central Hilary Benn. At the time of writing we are still awaiting for a response.

As the sun went down over the Garnets and we all began to Marvel at the fruits of our labour local resident and Charity worker Ed Carlisle passionately ignited a bonfire providing a social hub for the evening. Much to the amusement of the youngsters who earlier pushed wheelbarrows of waste to from the skip, now happily chased each other with flames on sticks. As the night rolled on we, a newly formed collective rabble of neighbours, sat on old disregarded sofas from the neighbourhood (which the council kindly took away the next day) and cheerfully discussed an all manner of subjects; the possible futures for the green space (both short and long term), limited access to local playgrounds, life in Ghana, busy roads, teaching in Japan to the positive and negative attributes of Polish Lager.

One of the key characteristics of the Queen Victoria (according to its Wikipedia page) is the view that it provides, and how often, especially throughout dramatic storylines, the residents are known to look out over Albert Square. As I set myself down to bed after the clean-up weekend I too look out over the vacant plot, disguised as a green patch, and feel all the better for the web, however fragile, of community that has been nurtured over the previous two days.

[artisthouse45]

Lydia's Birthday

Andrew Wilson, 9th March 2015

Tuesday evening: Supply and demand, hung parliaments, art,  that football moment, the queen, her death, or supposed abdication, eating meat before and after John Berger's gaze, the queen mother, her death, a minute’s silence, clapping. The barmaid brings the drinks on a tray before we slope back into more obvious work chat,well Leeds Visual Art Forum, again. The circular sliding openness of barroom chat. Unsaid ponderings blurt out, without a sense of form, or ownership, this is a nails free soup and were all swimming in it. It takes a short while for the membership cards to be shared, tonight approximately 4 pints, before we shake off the formalities, roles, myths and expectations, strip bare and submerge ourselves. I read once that drinkers get paid more than non-drinkers.Beer, after all, is not inexpensive.

Wednesday afternoon: Headache from hell, only relief is the sharp taste of bile running out and down under my chin. The stomach pump pushes every ounce of its content, out. Filled kitchen bin, head under the toilet seat. I've got grains of rice forcing their way out of my nose. The headache came on yesterday, hours before I force fed it excessive pints of frothy beer in jovial company. Were they connected, I wondered, the headache and the bile?  Or was it the chips we consumed on the way home, from the man with grey eye sockets. As saggy in size as his cheeks are round. After a long pause... ‘do you two fellows smoke weed?’ the saggy eyed chip man sheepishly asks. ‘No’ we respond, ‘do you?’

[artisthouse45]

Leeds Citizens

Andrew Wilson, 27th February, 2015

We are in a Mosque, Toby and I, we have been led upstairs to the main hall, without our shoes. Having tramped across town in good time, keen to arrive promptly, we have built up a fairly good level of body perspiration.We strip down to all but one layer of clothing before taking our seat. The room, in this relatively recent build, resembles and feels as much like a large office as it does a place of worship. The dome, beautifully decorated with brightly colored Arabic calligraphy, occupies the centre of the room. It impressively reaches up into the skyline with a generous serving of both mystique and admiration.  Contrastingly the surrounding ceiling tiles and artificial UV lighting resemble the municipal 9-5pm office block, normally reserved for the daily, suit wearing, institutional laborer. There are hundreds of chairs, blue chairs (some black), laid out especially for the evening, all in rows, facing front, like a church or a cinema, set out in such a manner which will remain familiar to the experienced passive audience member. This is perhaps the first clue of how the evening will follow. Looking down, my shamrock green socks contrast and compliment the gold and blue intricate detail within the carpet. The ruffle of a disturbed microphone, I assume, indicates the evening is about to begin.

 We’re at the first Leeds Citizens delegate’s assembly. Leeds Citizens is a collective of self-organized institutions and organisations from the Leeds area, comprised of faith groups, churches, mosques, small businesses, charities, schools & co-operatives among other forms of community group. Based upon The Industrial Areas Foundation set up in the U.S in 1940, Citizens UK was set up in 1989, originally known as London Citizens, and has been very successful in securing many small and large victories on issues which civic institutions, such as Central Government or City Council, may have not had the resources or will to carry out themselves. In 2010 for example, Citizens UK successfully lobbied mayor of London Boris Johnson to commit to ensuring London’s Hotel and Hospitality sector pay the Living wage in time for the London Olympics. Citizens UK has since spread outside of London and has now branched its way north, right now, here in the Makkah Masjid mosque, Leeds.

 We had been pointed in the direction of Leeds Citizens as a possible ally for some of the issues surrounding the councils plans to develop social housing on the underused green space, right on our doorstep, here in Artist House 45 Beeston. Existing from a vacuum of demolished housing just off Dewsbury Road in Beeston Hill, the Garnets Green Patch is surrounded on almost all sides by traditional back to back family homes and largely used a dumping ground for dog excrement, empty lager tins and the occasional un-wanted fridge. Nevertheless local residents are passionate about the area, and the open space it offers in an otherwise fenced in neighbourhood. The council hopes to start regeneration in May despite many objections from the majority of the residents; especially since the loss of additional green space, most notably the land being developed into an Aldi and the recently fenced off play area, now only accessible via a private car park

 The evening is opened firstly by a number of faith leaders, Sue Hoey of Leeds Churches Together in Mission greets, while introducing the evenings agenda. Dr Qari Asim welcomes us, here, to his Mosque -The Makkah Masjid, informing us that the intricate calligraphy is in fact the largest collection amassed, in one single location, anywhere within in the UK. Then Tony Parry of The New Testament Church of God takes the microphone and urges us to clap, to clap this group, or that group, to clap the large number of school kids at the front of the room, all of those at the back of the room, the guests from other cities who have been undertaking Citizens training and the new comers, us (Toby and I among others).

 Leeds Citizens is a relatively new branch, and this is our first interaction with the group. Prior to this evening a number of meetings have taken place across the city and surrounding areas in a number of different halls, rooms, places of worship & study over the last 12 months or so. As far as we were aware, tonight we were the only representatives from the area of Beeston, made evident from our loud, but solitary, cheer earlier in the evening when Tony Parry asked if there was anyone in attendance from South Leeds. Our vociferous response possibly brought on from our unseen seated position at the back of the room and our will for representation.

 The agenda consisted of Five specific issues which had been drawn up, from previous meetings and formulated into action plans for all of the Leeds Citizens to rally behind and push for action. These 5 issues were delivered to us, the audience, as 5 minute presentations which endeavoured to outline the essentials, whilst also proposing tangible action points. Then, underneath the banner of democratic procedure, each delegate organisation castes a vote in favour of the issues they felt strongest about. The 3 issues which tally the highest number of votes will be the issues that Leeds Citizens will unify their energies and collective support behind. What exactly happens to the other two, now redundant, issues remains unclear.

 We were keenly hoping that Parks & Community would be one of the three options designated as action priorities for Leeds Citizens, thus enabling us to put forward the case of the Beeston Green Patch. We anticipated that with the support of Leeds Citizens behind the residents’ objections to the Councils plans the success of retaining a green space could present a relatively early success opportunity for Leeds Citizens as well as an investment of much needed skills and support for us local residents of the Garnets in Beeston. Unfortunately however Parks & Community did not make into the final selection, narrowly pipped to the post by a very convincing, if not slightly over the 5 minute mark, presentation from the Transport team. Nevertheless both Toby and I offered our names and support to the large group gathering around action for Poverty & Debt.  

 The evening was drawn to a close with a message of thank you from the evenings hosts, followed by one last round of applause. We made our way down the stairs; approximately 2 hours since we’d came up them earlier. We're impressed with the ability to keep within the allotted time frame yet disappointed with the distinct lack of space to challenge or disagree with the proceedings except in the silent refrainment of clapping or voting. We locate our shoes from the abundant racks amassed from this evening’s assembly and as we step away from The Makkah Masjid, the cold air pushing the blood flow away from the surface of our skin, we began to reflect.