AU TRAVAIL / AT WORK

Nine Trades of Dundee artist Ange Taggart has brought this project by Dominic Gagnon to my attention. I looks really interesting http://www.atwork.enter1646.com/
AU TRAVAIL / AT WORK is a project based on a call for collaboration which is open to all. This experimental project urges artists and workers to consider their workplace as a site of artistic residence. In all cases, the place of reflection, production or intervention becomes the space of the employer.The members of the collective appropriate the culture of their work environment within the very framework of their daily lives. Utilizing or subverting the cultural or technological means that are available to participants in their workplace.


Here is a funny one which seems to say that telesales workers might be taking out their frustrations on their disposable cups! http://www.atwork.enter1646.com/ccd.pdf

Chris Dyson award

We would like to congratulate Nine Trades of Dundee artist Chris Dyson on his award from the Scottish Arts Council for the development of new works. Well done Chris and we look forward to seeing the work! Chris has been researching the industrial past of Dundee and we are working on finding a host organisation for his project.

Deacon Brodies for welcome lunch

As a big get together and welcoming for new Nine Trades of Dundee artists David and Ange we had lunch together with Ben and Alan who have been working on their Nine Trades project for a while. Deacon Brodies was the location - and we were served by Kate who had given David the low down on they life of the bar earlier in the day....its a potential partner venue for his project.

Here is a picture of the outside of the bar - its on Ward Road. I was wondering what the name comes from and found this text online explaining whay the respectable tradesman Deacon Brodie may have been the inspiration for Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde! A larger than life, 18th century Edinburgh "character", William Brodie was a pillar of the community by day. But he led a dissolute life of drinking and gambling by night which was leading to his bankruptcy. So he turned to burglary and by taking wax impressions of the keys to houses in which he was working legitimately as a wood-worker, he was able to perpetrate some spectacular thefts. He was eventually uncovered and sentenced to hang. But afterwards, there were rumours that he had cheated (or bribed) the hangman and was said to have been seen later living in Paris.
The double life of Deacon Brodie as the respectable tradesman and daring thief is said to have been the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson's story of "Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde".

Nori Salon visit

It was very good to visit Nori Salon yesterday and see the works in the staff room and chat to Alan's colleagues. Nori himself commented that it was great to have Alan around and that it was sparking off lots of conversations. We saw the staff portraits that Nori and DJCAD graduate Steven Crichton had taken in the photoshoot they had set up.

Alan's been thinking about the work involved in the trade of hairdressing and has posted a special Comment of the Week this week - a text about the skills and dedication needed. There is more info on his blog:
http://ninetradesalan.blogspot.com/

Advertures in Clubland

We went to Fat Sams with Nine Trades of Dundee artist David Yu last night. First time in years. There were about 500 people having fun.
This is kind of what it looked like (taken from Fat Sams website). David has walked miles through the streets of Dundee, checking out pubs and bars and speaking to the owners and patrons. He has come up with a list of a few who are up for doing the project so its all coming together.
David took some photos so hopefully those will be on his blog soon!

Ange and David settling in!

We welcomed Nine Trades of Dundee artists Ange Taggart and David Yu to Dundee yesterday. Both are working on finding host organisations and have meetings with different businesses this week. We had a good tour around a few of the town's pubs and bars to check out locations for David's project http://www.ninetrades.com/projects/DavidYu.htm and we heard some stories and saw some sights (and some unusual decor!). We are hoping something comes together for him soon so we can announce asap. There are some great bars in Dundee - here is a couple of pictures of The Speedwell / Mennies (Laura from the Nine Trades team used to work here!) Images courtesy Speedwell-bar.co.uk

Jordan Baseman's film Born to Run

Brilliant film by Jordan Baseman, featuring interviews with two people at work in their roadside food stall

http://www.jordanbaseman.co.uk/index.php?id=8