‘Mashing Up’: Art+Labour

October 22, 2010

My Birkbeck colleague Sophie Hope is co-organising a quite interesting forthcoming public event on 9th Novermber 2010 at the Glasgow Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA) on the topic of ‘Mashing Up’: Art+Labour. We all hear so much about the cultural and creative industries these days – yes, even still in our current recessionary condition – [...]

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CBC iconography as fodder for beer advertising

October 14, 2010

I was completely astounded earlier this year when I saw that the classic, old-school CBC logo had somehow become fodder for a beer advertisment, courtesy of global beer flagship Stella Artois. Recyclage de luxe indeed.

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Neo-neoliberalism and the politics of ‘The Big Society’

October 11, 2010

It is amazing how quickly the whole notion of ‘The Big Society’ has gone from Conservative Party platform, which was actually treated fairly sceptically during the recent UK elections, to catch-all label which can be ascribed to almost any of the coalition government’s policies. Generally, at least in my read of the situation, the label [...]

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It had to happen eventually…

October 6, 2010

… the design is ever so generous in providing the space for it. Culture jamming that is. Of the Boris bikes, seen here in Bloomsbury near my office.

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Reflective light media

October 4, 2010

I was going to simply post this photo along with a pithy caption… but it reminds me of how I’ve always been enticed by the idea of mediums of light, even if that light does not necessarily communicate in some identifiably semiotic way [Update: I've later realised that I unintentionally lifted this basic idea straight [...]

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Television, city and the British countryside

October 1, 2010

Came across an interesting forthcoming symposium at the University of Derby on Saturday 13th November entitled ‘Television explores the Hinterland’. The main themes of the conference (appended below) appear to focus primarily on those programs that explore Britain’s countryside – such as the excellent BBC/Open University program Coast (which will be discussed in the symposium) [...]

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Commit no nuisance

September 29, 2010

A painted wall sign in an alley – Melbourne, Australia. The ‘No’ repainted at some point.

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Media production sites and urban public space: or, stumbling into The Apprentice

September 28, 2010

Earlier today, as I approached Euston Station in search of a bite to eat, I was approached by a woman politely offering a very small container of mixed fruit. She didn’t state a price, though I later learned it was on sale for a seemingly steep £2.50. I walked on … and in my fast-paced-negotiating-London-myopia, [...]

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The heat of approaching term time

September 26, 2010

I am on the precipice of my first full and proper new teaching year since joining Birkbeck College in January 2010, and I must say, I can feel the heat. But I have good reason for my senses to be a little on the edge – I am starting two (more or less) completely new [...]

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B.S. Construction

August 31, 2010

Construction hoarding – Manchester, I think.

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