generation snes

Our excellent friends Jo Fernandes and Steve Daoud sent us some wonderful mail art. They have created a band called 'generation snes' and made us this one-of-a-kind EP.

Thanks Steve and Jo. I can't stop listening to it!

dowry

Last week, Olly Watson and I went to Cheltenham to be recorded as Tiger & Panda by our friend Phil Dodd for an EP called Dowry, which we are hoping to press onto vinyl 10" some time this year.

It was lots of fun setting stuff up and recording in the area between their living room and kitchen and we were very pleased with what was recorded. Phil is a master.

Thanks very much Phil and Tish for having us. It was the best weekend.

wabi-sabi

I was kindly given a copy of Leonard Koren's book about Wabi-Sabi by Frances' parents for xmas.

Wabi-Sabi is a combination of two Japanese words: Wabi, meaning roughly 'the misery of living alone in nature' and Sabi, meaning 'chill', 'lean, 'withered'. While Wabi refers to the spiritual and the subjective, Sabi refers to the physical, material, and objective. The term roughly translates as 'stark beauty' but there is no true English translation. The examples here, I have taken from Koren's definition in his book, which I recommend. Otherwise, there are good overviews here and here.

I only knew a bit from the internet, and this book is really helpful. I was originally interested in it because it seemed to be outlining aesthetic principles that I had identified with and tried to write about. I called a lot of what I've been making 'modernist' but there were a lot of places where my work did not correspond with that idea, not that I want to make work that is definitively anything.

I'm looking forward to learning more about Wabi-Sabi this year, and maybe doing some more writing after I've finished reading.

prism vol.1 issue.3

A nice end to the last year was the completion of vol. 1 of Rosa Tyrhurst's prism zine. All three issues are soon to be available together with a special prism vol. 1 tote bag.

In issue. 3 each contributor seeks feedback from their chosen artist for the work they created in issue. 2. For vol. 2 the contributors from vol.1 must nominate their successors. I think I have an idea who I'll be nominating...

something to remember from last year

great art is not a lesson but a reminder