An exhibition by Emily Johns and Anne
Rouse.
Prints and poetry.
An exploration of the intricate relationship
between history, language and the geosphere; through the locus
of oil, Conscious Oil investigates
crude oil as a natural repository of the primordial past rather
than a commodity to be exploited at all costs, part of a shift
in consciousness which will increasingly mark humanity’s
new relationship with nature. We present events alongside the
exhibition. Below is a 14 minute video by Patrick Nicholson about
the making of the exhibition.
Exhibition and events: 19-31 May, 11am-5pm
Hastings Arts Forum, 36 Marina, St Leonards
on Sea, TN38 0BU
EVENTS
26-31
May: The Writing Room
The Writing Room is a quiet and relaxing space in which to reflect
on the art of Emily Johns and to respond imaginatively and at
leisure to the "fifth element". There will be oil from
a Sussex oil well on display, and writing materials available.
All welcome.
Sunday 22
May 2pm-4 pm
Carbon Generations. A performance by Benjamin D and Tim Fairs
from PLATFORM using intimate stories from family histories to
look at the rise and fall of coal, gas and oil across seven generations.
Thursday
26 May 7.30pm
Fuel on the Fire. Iraq expert Greg Muttitt will take us behind
the scenes to answer one of the most pressing questions: what
is happening to Iraq’s oil?
Friday 27
May 6.30pm-8.30pm
Private View
6.30pm Deconvoilution real-time manipulation of sound, image and
video by physicist Dr Patrick Nicholson.
7.30pm The Carbon Town Cryer 'sweetly revolutionary sounds' -
New Internationalist
Sunday 29
May 10am-11am
Children’s storytelling (6yrs+) A Story written in response
to the pictures and poems from the exhibition. Facilitated by
Mary Dawson.
Previous showings 22nd-23rd November Welsh Assembly's Climate Team event,
The Pavilion, Llangollen.
7pm: Jane
Manning, recently described on Radio 3 as "the iconic
soprano", will provide an original vocal rendering of Anne
Rouse's poem on oil and the zeitgeist.
Also Deconvoilution Real-time
manipulation of sound, image and video responding to the exhibition
and its local resonances by physicist Dr Patrick Nicholson.
SATURDAY 11 SEPTEMBER
Open 10am-6pm.
10am-11am: Geological
Qigong session with Annie Cryar. Rye is a focus of wind,
oil and nuclear energies: Qigong will introduce you to other forms
of energy. Annie Cryar is the principal of the Shiatsu
College Hastings.
12noon-2pm: Carbon
Generations Who was the first person in your family to
smell paraffin? Will your great-grandchildren recognise the sound
of the internal combustion engine? A performance by PLATFORM
using intimate stories from family histories to look at the rise
and fall of coal, gas, oil, across seven generations. PLATFORM
works across disciplines for social and ecological justice.
4pm-5.30pm: Writing
workshop With poet Anne Rouse looking at Emily Johns’
art as an inspiration for poems or other text on the mythology
of oil, and the artist’s process, Globally, oil has meant
fuel and catastrophe, but could it also signify something richer
and more poetic? All welcome.
6pm: Dance of Peace led
by Fiona Wright; a celebration of the evolving nature of oil.
(Suitable for all levels of fitness).
SUNDAY 12 SEPTEMBER
Open 10am-6pm.
11am: Children’s
story-telling (6yrs+) using pictures and poems from the
exhibition. Facilitated by Mary Dawson of Sareea,
a Hastings-based organisation which uses creativity to inform
and empower children to make a positive contribution in their
communities, in relation to global environmental concerns.
2pm: The
Carbon Town Cryer’s Tidal Suite. A song
cycle from a singer sometimes invited, sometimes not, hollering
fiery songs for a planet perhaps not yet too hot...
4pm: Oil
Crises Milan Rai, author of Chomsky’s
Politics, examines the role of Middle Eastern oil in international
affairs since World War II.
