DESIRE LINES
Saturday 20 May 2023 6-10pm
Presented as part of The Late Shows
‘DESIRE LINES’, performance, The Late Shows 2023
Craig Stewart Johnson, David Howcroft, Eleanor Cully Boehringer, Graeme Hopper, Joe Murray, Jorge Boehringer
‘DESIRE LINES’ is a group exhibition documenting the process of creating an exhibition as an artistic form. Drawing outwards from an initial meeting, artists record their experiences visiting Vane to capture, track and reflect upon this process. Trails of material emerge and dovetail, moving back and forth between Newcastle and Gateshead, and merge toward a collective assembly presented as part of The Late Shows on Saturday 20 May 2023.
NOTHING HERE NOW BUT THE SOUND(S) was a preparatory performance event that took place at Vane on 23 February 2023. Performances were captured by archivist David Howcroft, in addition to individual journeys to and from the gallery. The performance has been archived as part of ‘N-Aut’, in keeping with the process of the archival project. The journeys and a copy of the performance have been posted to musician Joe Murray to create a new sound work for ‘DESIRE LINES’ at The Late Shows.
The exhibition features connected and collaborative elements of sound installation and performance, accompanied by archival and visual works by Craig Stewart Johnson, David Howcroft, Eleanor Cully Boehringer, Graeme Hopper, Joe Murray and Jorge Boehringer. These artists are all active in the DIY experimental arts and music scene, occasionally referred to as the ‘no-audience underground’. This rhizomatic scene advocates improvisation, collaboration and an openness to experimental forms, characteristics which weave their way into the processes and work of ‘DESIRE LINES’.
‘DESIRE LINES’, performance, The Late Shows 2023
‘DESIRE LINES’, performance, The Late Shows 2023
Craig Stewart Johnson is an interdisciplinary artist and researcher. His work revolves around experimental art forms and DIY underground cultures, threads which influence both his artistic and research output. He has recently shown work at Newcastle Arts Centre as part of the exhibition ‘Our Lives, Ephemera’. Craig runs the record label Invisible City Records and has released numerous records under the names Rovellasca and Liminal Haze. His audio and visual works are concerned with nuance and detail, often involving everyday textures and places, ultimately searching for beauty and catharsis in minimal, abstract forms.
David Howcroft is an archivist documenting the ‘no-audience underground’ scene in Newcastle and Gateshead through his label, N-Aut. The archive is in keeping with the DIY ethos that no-audience underground artists follow, with a desire to capture the improvisation, collaboration and openness of experimental forms. David has presented his work at the 2018 TUSK festival in an exhibition of Mail Art Action based on a recording of the band Nurse With Wound. He presented a performance for the 2019 TUSK fringe inspired by Cup and Ring marking in Northumberland. David continues his archival and creative practice as part of ‘DESIRE LINES’.
‘DESIRE LINES’, performance, The Late Shows 2023
Eleanor Cully Boehringer is an artist and composer from Norwich, based in Newcastle upon Tyne. She makes performances, compositions, installations and music. Eleanor has written for various artists and has had her own work broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and Resonance FM. She has worked collaboratively with choirs, ensembles, visual artists, community groups, young people, and galleries towards new installations and composition projects. Envisaging the relationship between her work and its surroundings, Eleanor often seeks ways of framing and enhancing the listening environment in iterations of her work.
Graeme Hopper is a Sunderland born artist and musician whose work focuses on exploring a slow reveal style through his photomontage practice. He has exhibited across the UK and Europe and has also been featured in several International publications. His work has been commissioned for album covers by acclaimed performers such as Moor Mother, Field Music and Alison Cotton. Hopper's audio work currently explores the acoustic properties of sound, using different methods of production to highlight certain tones and textures through performance and rhythm. Within this, layers are hidden with rhythmic expressions and melodies.
Joe Murray is a musician who plays under the name Posset. His work focuses on the inherent sound properties of cassette tape, dictaphones and language to create indistinct yet evocative soundscapes. Posset has released almost 100 tapes and CDs on numerous DIY labels over the last 20 years and is a frequent collaborator in one-off and longer-lasting collaborative projects (see Molar Crime and Papal Bull). Recently his work has explored ideas of accessibility, inclusion and privilege in the underground music scene.
Jorge Boehringer is a sound artist, noise fanatic, amp worshipper, music composer, environmental artist, (for installations and ensembles or soloists (with or without electronics [and/or computers]) and/or self as solo performer (viola, guitar, objects, percussion, voice, electronics)); writer, researcher, educator. Themes: {morphological: pattern formation & recognition (plant, animal, water, weather, mineral)}, {phenomenological: (visible & invisible, temporality, real and unreal situations and circumstances)}, {environments: (ecology, interactivity)}, {(pre-) history (& post-)}.
As well as the exhibition at Vane, the evening also offers the opportunity to experience work by the many different creatives based at our neighbours in our home at Orbis Community – Ampersand Inventions and Atlas North East studios – across two venues at 65 High Street and West Street in Gateshead town centre.
The Late Shows is an award-winning, free, late-night culture crawl. During The Late Shows, museums, galleries, studio collectives and heritage venues come together to offer one-off events including activities, behind-the-scenes tours, performances and parties. It’s the perfect way to sample the best of Newcastle and Gateshead’s cultural offer in short taster visits.
Share this page