Big Things on the Beach 2005

dccairns · Post by **dccairns** » 25 Jul 2005, 21:35

This year's installation, entitled PROGRESSION, will be launched on Sunday 31 July at 12 noon at the old paddling pool site on the Promenade. Come along to meet the artists and enjoy a refreshment. For further information about the work and the artists, please visit:

www.bigthingsonthebeach.org.uk

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 28 Jul 2005, 13:04

This from EN

OUT A SOCK ON IT

bellybabe · Post by **bellybabe** » 28 Jul 2005, 13:31

Out a sock on it, P? As in, "you're an lgbt sock and you should come right out and say so"...?

Looking forward to seeing this. We've just taken up running (in fact I may have been spotted, wheezing along the prom, as I decided to "out" my pol t-shirt at last! But only once...) and anything to distract our attention from the pain is a good thing. Noticed that the noticeboard at the end of the prom at Joppa is a bit outdated, though - I assume the moon picnic refers to August last year. Not to mention POD 2004. If anyone felt like changing the notices it would take my mind off my pounding pulse and aching legs...

bellybabe · Post by **bellybabe** » 28 Jul 2005, 13:38

I think there's also a bellydance beach party at the Dalriada this Sunday, so double reasons to head out onto the prom this weekend.

Post by **wangi** » 28 Jul 2005, 13:48

An air of similarity to Linda Thompson's work in June...

Post by **wangi** » 28 Jul 2005, 14:09

It is the first venture of its kind in Scotland and the Big Things on the Beach group wants to see Portobello beach become one of the best places in the Capital to see public art.

Can I be a bit negative for a minute (I think i've been very positive about BTOTB n the past)... Just how are temporary art works meant to draw people to Portobello to "see art".

You know, we're all still here the rest of the year when these temporary exhibits have been taken down and the tourists have gone home.

Â£20k for something that lasts 2 months (and last year's costs)? Ermmmm, compare to the giraffe sculpture that was unveiled yesterday outside the Omni - Â£70k for a permanent sculpture.

dccairns · Post by **dccairns** » 28 Jul 2005, 14:54

The installation will actually be on display until the end of October and actually cost Â£13k (according to the EN), not 20k.

I am hoping you will take some stunning photos of it when it is up.

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 28 Jul 2005, 14:57

I'm with Wangi on this one (see, I do agree with you sometimes

). 13K?????? And all those starving Africans? Ridiculous.

dccairns · Post by **dccairns** » 28 Jul 2005, 15:05

If you used that argument, there would be no art or theatre ever.

What about the millions of pounds spent on unneccessary policing for the G8? That money should have gone to Africa. Â£13K is a drop in the ocean by comparison.

Post by **wangi** » 28 Jul 2005, 15:36

I'm personally not against the spending of money on art projects, and argued that case on the thread last year. However that is a substantial amount of money for a temporary work and I would have thought a permanent work would have been a "better" use of funds.

I got the Â£20k figure from the 2005 brief which was circulated in Feb - "In the second stage each group will receive Â£300 to enable them to prepare a suitably detailed submission ... The total artists fee available is Â£15k. The materials budget is a maximum of Â£4k". I would have got something more recent from the committee minutes but they've not been updated since April

But yes, I am looking forward to seeing it and taking some shots!

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 28 Jul 2005, 15:40

Like Wangi, I'm not against spending money on 'art' as such but I do object to so much money being spent on something temporary. Portobello could do with some good, modern permanent sculptures.

dccairns · Post by **dccairns** » 28 Jul 2005, 16:20

I agree with you. The problem is with the funding as the money only becomes available in small amounts and BTOTB has to bid competitively to get a share of whatever money is around.

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 28 Jul 2005, 16:45

I don't think 13K is a 'small amount'. For that money I'd be willing to give it a go

Post by **wangi** » 28 Jul 2005, 16:48

This is something else:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/mers ... 639203.stm
http://www.antonygormley.com/menu.htm

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 28 Jul 2005, 16:48

Does any one else like the Omni Giraffes? I do.

Post by **wangi** » 28 Jul 2005, 16:51

Porty wrote:Does any one else like the Omni Giraffes? I do.

Certainly do! I was up yesterday evening (photos) having a good look at them - certainly got a lot of folk interested.

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 28 Jul 2005, 16:56

I love the giraffes and also the Paolozzi foot, and the pigeons.....I think they're all fantastic. We could have some bronze seagulls or cormorants, or even one of a drunk sitting on a bench on the beach or a krakatoke singer in full swing along at the King's Road end. The possibilities are endless.

teddygirl · Post by **teddygirl** » 28 Jul 2005, 17:26

I haven't had a chance to go up and see the giraffes in the "flesh" so thanks Wangi for the pics. They are fab, can't wait to see them for myself.
I love the pigeons too................fancy a midnight raid Epykat

One has been stolen already unfortunately

Post by **wangi** » 28 Jul 2005, 17:33

The article says there are eight pigeons... not for a fair while! At the most there are six, I think... But they would make a nice feature on the coffee table!

Of course there are the similar sculptures up at Fort K too...

teddygirl · Post by **teddygirl** » 28 Jul 2005, 17:40

I liked "the stump" picture. It looks like an elephants foot surrounded by a leopard skin

Dakota · Post by **Dakota** » 28 Jul 2005, 18:58

<Dragging us back on topic, kicking and screaming>

Temporay installations can really grab the imagination. Remember the Temple of Tyre at Leith
http://lab.slais.ucl.ac.uk/~p017rhb/temple.html
or Rachel Whiteread's House.
http://www.johndavies.uk.com/artwhiteread.htm
I saw both of them in situ, and they had real power (as does the insatalltion Wangi highlights above).

But a load of dayglo buoys floating in the water..?

I'm looking forward to Saturday's unveiling... sort of.

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 29 Jul 2005, 19:31

Dakota - are those dayglo balls part the "installation"? Some of us thought they were to do with jetskis

Anyway, two of the windsocks are up tonight. Certainly living up to their name in this weather!! I'm looking forward to seeing the cormorants drying their wings (or sunning themselves or whatever it is they are doing) on top of them!

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 29 Jul 2005, 19:36

Poopy - Was Dakota not referring to last year's bargain work of art?

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 29 Jul 2005, 19:46

teddygirl · Post by **teddygirl** » 29 Jul 2005, 21:11

Saw the windsocks tonight and very colourful they are too, but not what I would call "art" I'm afraid.

Post by **wangi** » 30 Jul 2005, 10:23

http://www.pbase.com/wangi/image/46918175

Dakota · Post by **Dakota** » 30 Jul 2005, 11:46

If it looks like a windsock, and works like a windsock, and is in all ways generally indistinguishable from a windsock, it's a windsock. Not a sculpture.

Sorry guys, I want to love it, but I can't.

ecm · Post by **ecm** » 30 Jul 2005, 12:48

Dakota wrote:

If it looks like a windsock, and works like a windsock, and is in all ways generally indistinguishable from a windsock, it's a windsock. Not a sculpture.

Sorry guys, I want to love it, but I can't.

Agreed!

Are the windsocks it then? The Big Things link for "Progression" says

"Artists Euan Harvey and Malcolm Hosie have created a major artistic installation based upon the industries which have contributed to the growth of Portobello over the past century. Five giant banners will be erected along the beach using designs derived from various graphic languages. Reaching to a height of eight and a half metres these dramatic and colourful banners will be visible from many parts of the coastline from Musselburgh to Leith.

Although each element can be viewed independently the visual impact and placement of the banners creates a dialogue and interdependency reflecting the harmonious notion of a community."

Just what are graphic languages anyway?

What do red, black and yellow stripes represent in terms of local industry?

The last paragraph is absolute gobbledegook to me.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 30 Jul 2005, 12:55

ecm wrote:The last paragraph is absolute gobbledegook to me.

Then again, we could say that about you and every paragraph.

Yep, its a nice windsock but a windsock all the same. Looking at it I think its actually a reverse windsock, the wind appears to be blowing in a different direction from that indicated by the windsock.

dccairns · Post by **dccairns** » 30 Jul 2005, 12:58

There will be explanatory boards for each banner describing its significance in terms of local industries.

Hope to see lots of you at the launch tomorrow at 12 noon at the old paddling pool site. You will get the chance to meet the artists and quiz them.

I like wangi's photo obviously taken yesterday with the stormy seas.

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 30 Jul 2005, 13:28

dccairns wrote:I like wangi's photo obviously taken yesterday with the stormy seas.

So do I. How did you achieve the black and white look to the photo with the only colour coming from the banners Wangi?

Post by **wangi** » 30 Jul 2005, 13:42

I didn't, that's what it looked like - It was 8pm last night and it was pretty wild, all the spray from the sea was making everything naturally grey. Here's a B&W too.

I wanted to get a shot like Dakota's, up close... But there was no chance of that last night

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 30 Jul 2005, 13:50

wangi wrote:I wanted to get a shot like Dakota's, up close... But there was no chance of that last night

Ha! Dakota's obviously not scared of getting his feet wet. Or maybe his zoom is bigger than yours?

Dadaist · Post by **Dadaist** » 30 Jul 2005, 15:14

Marya wrote:
wangi wrote:I wanted to get a shot like Dakota's, up close... But there was no chance of that last night
Ha! Dakota's obviously not scared of getting his feet wet. Or maybe his zoom is bigger than yours?

OO-er - you're just the Collins Dictionary Of Smut these days missus.

And anyway, it's not how big your zoom is, it's the angle you take the photo at and how well you have mastered your tripod. And in some instances, whether you have put in the right batteries etc etc etc

Edit - next thing you'll be telling us that "Big Things On The Beach" sounds rude as well. Honestly.

Porty · Post by **Porty** » 30 Jul 2005, 18:06

Dadaist wrote:And anyway, it's not how big your zoom is, it's the angle you take the photo at and how well you have mastered your tripod. And in some instances, whether you have put in the right batteries etc etc etc.

Its Finnbar Saunders.

Talk Porty ~ Portobello

Big Things on the Beach 2005

Big Things on the Beach 2005

Put a Sock on It