| craig_pancrack Posted on 26/5 22:46 | |
| middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
whats the word on mima? | |
| jax_1 Posted on 26/5 22:51 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
I'd still rather that they had built a decent theatre / music venue. | |
| craig_pancrack Posted on 26/5 22:55 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
totally!..with a reverse open stage for boro music live n theatre, mima was John Foster the old MBC chief exec's baby so im told... | |
| Link: But is it art, i mean ours? | |
| jax_1 Posted on 26/5 23:00 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
I'd like to know though why that car is always parked there - the one with the gold coloured cover on it. I wonder if it's the first exhibit. I had to laugh at the bit in the Gazette the other night, where a councillor or other council spokesperson said that they were still looking to make provision for a theatre. Well, why not stop building the art gallery and build something we want instead? | |
| Keitel Posted on 26/5 23:20 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
I wouldn't be surprised if mima has Arc written all over it. You can almost see read the script now - an initial burst of interest then ending up being temporarily bailed out by tax payers before closing its doors! How pesimistic do I sound there?!?! At the very least this building could/should have incorporated an art gallery, theatre and a music venue. Have you seen the size of it? Looks like it could comfortably have handled all three. Speaking of music venues I noticed Newcastle had recently quietly got itself another veunue. 'The Academy' is to open in the Autumn. It now joins Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Bristol, London and Glasgow as part of the 'Academy' chain of venues. Wasn't there somebody on Middlesbrough Council with the wisdom to try and compete for this? Doubt it. I realise it would have been a hard ask but it would have very welcome. | |
| jax_1 Posted on 26/5 23:24 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
I think you will probably be proved right Keitel. No one was that bothered about the art gallery or the craft centre that we already had. Why would we need a new one? Foolish councillors! | |
| mowbrays_number_4 Posted on 26/5 23:24 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
lets be positive about mima,we don't know how good it will be yet.as for a theatre,i think we'll be getting one soon enough. | |
| craig_pancrack Posted on 26/5 23:50 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
i haggled the council years ago for a multi-purpose building as did rob nichols and studio 64 but to no avail...it would have succeeded compared to arc cos m'bro is just a tad more cosmopolitan than stockton and more centrally located within tees va...teesside....the thing is look at the legacy of absolute incoherent unjoined up planning..which is eveytihng planning is supposed to be...the 80s...a new lawcourts the size of a stadium, nearby 2 tax buildings, a poll tax office and a benefits agency building...all surrounding a lake and the now defunkt 'central gardens'...and so we get the gallery and because doc browns puts blues bands on, this whole becomes known as the culture quarter. UGC and JJB and McDonalds is known as 'Middlesbrough Leisure Park'.. it gets better, 'the historical quarter' is where they pulled down one of our most important buildings to drive a fkn motorway thru in 85....and now of course its great to live in a valley...and all the suits who cocked it up for decades take the money and creep home to the burbs to die.....THE END. | |
| jax_1 Posted on 26/5 23:55 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
Absolutely spot on Craig. I couldn't agree more. Have you ever thought of standing for council? | |
| jax_1 Posted on 27/5 0:01 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
Incidentally Craig, come and visit roll call and bring us all up to date with your news of tour dates etc. | |
| Gillandi Posted on 27/5 0:05 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
Bravo Craig. | |
| ridsdale Posted on 27/5 0:10 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
Craig, you are just bitter because they have not opened an iron ore mine. Unless it attracts hundreds of Tracy Emin dirty birds, I am not that sure about modern art. I think we should model ourselves as the Amsterdam of the North. A smart modern red light area, and a good supply of herbal smokes. | |
| Keitel Posted on 27/5 0:13 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
"cos m'bro is just a tad more cosmopolitan than stockton" - Hey, we've got our own KFC now yer know  Seriously though I always thought Arc wouldn't have had any real problems if it had been put on the Teesdale site near Dunedin House, just the other side of the foot bridge over the Tees. It would probably have survived on lunchtime meal/bar sales alone from all the office workers over there. Not to mention the Durham University/Stockton Riverside College population. The other big plus is that it would have been just off the A66 pretty much right inbetween Stockton and Middlesbrough, accessible to all. When you came out of the old Dovecot (or the new Arc) you had fingers crossed that your car hadn't been broken into, if it was still there at all! | |
| craig_pancrack Posted on 27/5 0:13 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
whats roll call? as for the council....hmmm....after the next movie in 2006 when hordes of the great unwashed will emerge from the UGC with fire in their hearts, torches blazing and mebbe a few miners lamps and march on the town hall and demand stuff n all that. right im off lads gotta get shuteye as one is doing a siginig sesh at asda at south bank tomorrer...pinch me someone! | |
| craig_pancrack Posted on 27/5 0:17 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
keitel i totally agree - more complete buffonneery of planning...TDC, all that fanfare and backslapping about 'Teesdale' and the river...Arc wouldve been perfect there, it could have had a car park, wouldve been like a pleasant area to visit n stuff, a big reversible stage for the riverside festival...christ the river is there innit! Frank Wilson flipping heck what a dummy. | |
| Keitel Posted on 27/5 0:27 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
I remember Frank Wilson looking like a kid on Christmas morning when Arc opened but he soon scarpered after the problems arrived! The thing about a car park on the Teesdale site if Arc had been put there shouldn't be underestimated, it's such a massive aspect of planning for any building like this. What was Mr Wilson thinking! --- Post edited by Keitel on 27/5 0:28 --- | |
| craig_pancrack Posted on 27/5 8:26 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
..and the galling thing is..he did a crap job and still got paid handsomely im sure... --- Post edited by craig_pancrack on 27/5 8:27 --- | |
| towz Posted on 27/5 9:42 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
I agree wit what you are saying regarding previous cock-ups by the council. They ripoped out the heart of the boro to build shyte like the cleveland centre and the 66 wiped out half of the towns best buldings. The area down there still has a lot of potentila mind, riverfront office space, smart bars, shops and stuff. They just need to sort out St Hilda's first. Anyway, i digress. I reckon MIMA will be grerat for the town as long as people support it. I'm not really an arty fop but i have visited a few galleries and always found it interesting. I think it's important that they ctaer to local interests, industrial art, sculture, mebe a Lowry exibition. Something people can identify with. Hopefully there'll be scope for music and theatre to be staged through MIMA, either using space within the building or another venue. I hope it's a success and i'll be one of the first through the doors when it opens. | |
| rob_fmttm Posted on 27/5 9:55 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
I agree with Towz. I'm keeping an open mind, in fact I'm looking forward to it. Surely the Gallery will work with local artists. It would be utterly stupid not to. But I'm not going to complain about us getting an art gallery over a theatre or gig venue. At last we're getting a public building in the middle of town for everyone to use and enjoy. I know where Craig is coming from and yes I did help push for a M'bro music venue for years but I stopped when we got one - initially the Arena and now we have The Empire as well. It's unfortunate there are not more pub venues (the Princess Alice has just reopened to gigs along with Liberty's of course). They come and go don't they. Anyway, we do have a theatre and gig venues already we'll never take these forward unless people go out and inhabit them. I manage to see 2 or 3 top quality gigs a week on Teesside at the moment. You don't believe me? Just look at my live music column (today) in Gazette. The music scene is very healthy - just ask Sophie, Cobain, Bororeds etc. If we want more venues or more use from existing ones (I'm talking about the Town Hall) then we have to pack out the ones we have already. In my view that is happening. | |
| shaun_84 Posted on 27/5 10:11 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
Well, I'll visit it  Why the pessamism? "but let's face it, as a tourist destination, Teesside will always struggle so long as chemical plants stink beside the A19" Hmmm maybe attractions such as this are needed to increase visitor numbers... just a silly thought? | |
| towz Posted on 27/5 10:14 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
Tourism should only by a welcome by-product of the gallery. It's there for local people, to bring a bit of culture into the area. If people don't like the chemical plants (which produce much of the things that make your life better and is the lifeblood of Teesside) they can feck off somewhere else on their jollies. | |
| goughla Posted on 27/5 10:24 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
A couple of things: There is an opportunity here for local talent I feel, if its overlooked then it'll be a waste but I'm hopeful that finally something positive will happen. It would be great to comission local artists to do pieces about the area for its opening, I'm not sure what forms they're planning on showing but it would be ideal to use print, video, sculpture, computer graphics..the works. There's people on Teesside capable of it so it would be foolish not to harness it - it would be a nice statement to make as well. People like myself will use it but I think the important thing is to get other folk using it, get my dad for example to think to himself 'I'll go down and see what it's like' etc - there inlies a challenge and for it to be really useful to the community local art needs to be seen by local people. We've already seen the reaction to CIS so it's not like the people on Teesside arn't wise enough to 'get it'. | |
| shaun_84 Posted on 27/5 10:30 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
I dragged people to the art gallery on Linthorpe Road many a time over the years, and they actually liked it. People do like art because it's all about opinions, and people like expressing their opinion. Modern Art even more so, because people enjoy saying its all sh|te. A dead horse in a aquarium? Sh|te. | |
| Fischer Posted on 27/5 10:34 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
No wonder it was dead. A horse in an aquarium is like a fish out of water. | |
| Piquet2 Posted on 27/5 10:36 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
Unless it was a Seahorse of course? | |
| shaun_84 Posted on 27/5 10:38 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
or a sea horse in a field, I suppose. Will modern art ever be contemporary art? Yes, PK --- Post edited by shaun_84 on 27/5 10:38 --- | |
| craig_pancrack Posted on 27/5 20:19 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
Towz - "it'll be a success if local people support it" is bang on. A local artist big bang launch is one way to do it even if the punters dont like the art, they will dig the local flag flying vibe as ACIS has shown. Plus a bias of the art towrds the interests/tastes of local people is crucial too. AND throw in some mad outthere stuff too absolutley. Rob - the problem with the music scene is most rock n roll kidz wanna leave Teessdie at their first given oppo once they discover the outside world plus there has never been a true alternative quarter in the Boro, no central hub...so having a local music scen culture has never been built on...the cornerhouse was great BUT surrounded by square bars maan! Shaun 84 - i agree, mima will make a difference to M'bro's attractions but will mima totally THRIVE on tourism alone? It comes down to just how much of an impact do they want to make, will they be content with a conservative shuffle of feet thru the door? Will GOUGHLA'S dad go, that is the big question??? GOUGHLA - and my dad too! the people of teesside want outlets to celebrate being from here, my flim was proof and was the only (?) other way apart form going to the boro match to do so. When Boro played the first ever home game in Europe, the first ever local film packed out the UGC at 2pm, 5pm and 8pm the same day! mima could be a massive deal if launched right from the start but the show is already in place and it aint Boro-centric. | |
| Piquet2 Posted on 27/5 20:30 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
"Teessdie"...a freudian slip Craig?
| |
| Gillandi Posted on 27/5 20:30 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
Craig - I was one of those people because I came out from the UCG, or was that floated out on a cloud of civic pride and within seconds was spending 10 minutes shaking hands and taking photo's with a large family of Ostravians. Seemed appropriate. | |
| craig_pancrack Posted on 27/5 20:36 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
oops i meant TEESVALLEY die Cheers Gillandi...you any relation to Andy Gill? | |
| Gillandi Posted on 27/5 20:41 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
Yes I am Craig, joined at the hip. | |
| tetleytea Posted on 27/5 23:17 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
It wouldnt bother a Horse Fishcer, it would probably enjoy it, so long as after about an hour it could hook its legs over the side of the aquarium. It would help with Sheath Cleaning also. | |
| SophieBoro Posted on 28/5 18:23 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
"But I'm not going to complain about us getting an art gallery over a theatre or gig venue" Indeed - the empire, arena and now the cornerhouse again are putting on top quality gigs, not to mention the ku bar and georgian in stockton. there's also some good performances put on at middlesbrough theatre and at the arc in stockton, so I think we've got both of those areas covered for the time being. I think its a great idea to build an art gallery in the centre of middlesbrough, as art - particularly local art - doesn't get much of a look in at the moment, which is a bit unfair since we have some great artists about. | |
| craig_pancrack Posted on 28/5 18:30 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
sophie lets hope they get a their just share of proper limelight..and not just the community room round the back somewhere... | |
| SophieBoro Posted on 28/5 18:33 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
I think they'll have to almost rely on local artists, I think they'll find it difficult to fill it all the time with more well-known artists. I just hope they get some 'proper' local artists working there, not just people ranging from all over the north east. | |
| craig_pancrack Posted on 28/5 18:39 | |
| re: middlesbrough institute of modern art? | |
i think we should bring in massive names form all over just like the football club but big up the local artistic talent because i cannot see how something by mackenzie thorpe or len tabner or can be deemed inferior to a Emin bed thang...and who can say it is or isnt art ??? or is better or worse??? | |
