That Was The Year That Was; Personal Memories of 2011

My personal memories of 2011.


1. The public uploading of all new ‘Cracktown v2.0; Bitter Stimulus‘ art work (two Cracktown Blog updates still to come), with much more bolder distressing techniques and splashes of colour on the work than the previous set of work in the series.

2. The police making an appearance on location at the Basix Global photoshoot whilst I was on my hands and knees, my arse in the air and a camera in one hand, photographing two masked men in an abandoned factory complex (I have yet to be accosted on any ‘on location’ shoot – but give it time).

3. Spending an afternoon tearing up a vintage 1930s collection of maps to make a background for the performer Gemma B‘s commissioned studio shoot.

4. Venturing over to Gilbert & George’s house when exhibiting at the Brick Lane Gallery in London over the Summer (they weren’t answering the door, but Gilbert was visible near the window – so I left a couple of presents for them before feeling like a dreary stalker and leaving with great haste).


5. The superbly drunken OOTB Curators meetings and the subsequent sweltering Opening Event of the International Open Exhibition ‘Facing Hard Times‘ in October (the first of its kind in West Norfolk, so, umm, that was nice). Which was also quite drunken and hectic. Hmmm, seems like a theme going there…

6. The proper launch of the Barrington Arts Facebook Page, with more exclusive & immediate updates (such as the rapidly shot-then-uploaded Phil Barrington Christmas Card in collaboration with the great Suzie Wildfire), and more regular brand new work on show there than anywhere else. Making new friends through such a platform too, whether they are part of the art-life or not.

7. My new work “My Life Amongst The Metal Trees” being chosen as part of the judges’ official selection for the 2011 ‘Px3 Prix de la Photographie Paris‘ competition. I have always thought my work had its natural home in Europe, so it was just nice to get a slight nod in that direction.

8. Sprinting through a Sunday morning in a rural town with a painter’s table under my arm, heading to our OOTB Curator’s stand at the Greyfriars Art Space Festival in August.

But, sadly, goodbye to all that fun. Ever onward, as 2012 approaches…

Thanks to everyone who has supported me during this very strange, but often quite positive, year.

PBx

P.S. My Pop Culture Highlights of 2011;

Best Artist; Maria Papadatou.
Best Artwork; ‘Unknown Title‘ by Francesca Grace McLeod.
Best Film; “I Saw The Devil“.
Best Album; Trent Reznor’s 3-CD “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” Soundtrack (or David Lynch’s ‘Crazy Clown Time‘).
Best Song; “Bird of Flames” by Chrysta Bell & David Lynch.
Best Heroic Car Crash Voyeurism; Charlie Sheen.

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The Phil Barrington Christmas Card


My personal 4-sided Christmas Card to you all. Season’s Greetings and Happy Holidays everyone. Let us hope that 2012 will bring our ailing Global Society the start of a fresh new way of thinking, as [perhaps] hinted at by the good old Mayans. If not, I shall spend the final moments of the End Times at a bar with my loved ones, sipping a glass of absinthe; my insides warming to its potency as I watch the outside world brace itself for the Full. Stop.

PB.

“Festive Fugue” aka “Confusing Memories”.
“A fugue state, formally dissociative fugue or psychogenic fugue, is a rare psychiatric disorder characterised by reversible amnesia for personal identity, including the memories, personality and other identifying characteristics of indivi…duality. The state is usually short-lived (ranging from hours to days), but can last months or longer. Dissociative fugue usually involves unplanned travel or wandering, and is sometimes accompanied by the establishment of a new identity.

Fugues are usually precipitated by a stressful episode, and upon recovery there may be amnesia for the original stressor (Dissociative Amnesia).” Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition.

“Descent/Purgatory (Season’s Greetings)”.
Polielettronica print.

“At the innermost core of all loneliness is a deep and powerful yearning for union with one’s lost self.” Brendan Francis.

“Turn to Shadow”.

“All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsions, habit, reason, passion, desire.” Aristotle.

“L’s”.

“The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mode, but the true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows. The beauty of a woman grows with the passing years.” Audrey Hepburn.

All images from my ‘Online Christmas Card’ collaboration with Suzie Wildfire, December 2011.

PB.

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Photographs from the Co-Curated “Facing Hard Times” International Exhibition

Please find below, a selection of photographs taken from the Phil Barrington Co-Curated “Facing Hard Times” International Exhibition, which was open to the public in October 2011, in East Anglia, UK.

It was a greatly received show, with high numbers of visitors, and great media attention throughout. It was also the first International Open Exhibition ever held West Norfolk, attracting artists from far off places around the globe.

For more information, please visit (and ‘Like’!) the Facebook page;
www.facebook.com/OOTB.Curators

For more information, including more details of winners’ works, please visit (and ‘Like’!) the Facebook page; www.facebook.com/OOTB.Curators

PB.

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