Wur at Oastler Market in Bradford – a residency and collaboration

7th – 18th July 2014

collage table

 

‘Wur’ in Scots means two things: ‘we are’ and  ‘our’

What is the relationship between’ I’ and ‘we’?
Can creativity connect and empower us?

I’m interested (among other things) in ideas of identity,  community and exchange. From 7th – 18th July I will be resident at Oastler Market in Bradford, inviting market users to collaborate with me to explore these questions through creative play and conversation, in a collaborative period of research.

Wur will attempt to be an active laboratory for collective enquiry – a  common space for all to explore and share creativity, knowledge and experiences. Everything done there will be collectively owned by all who take part.
Over a fortnight I’ll  host a wide range of creative and social activities in  Wur space, including exploring stories and memories with personal and family photographs through collage and assemblage, making self-published zines, gift actions and conversations.

This is an open invitation to join me in  Wur space.  Drop in for as long or short a time as you like, each week day between 11am and 3pm; or if you have an idea for an activity or conversation you’d like to do or try out, get in touch with me at  Jeanmariemcewan@gmail.com.  Activities will change each day, and a diverse group of people coming in to play and contribute. All are welcome.

A zine documenting these activities will be produced and circulated freely to market users following the residency.

The idea for this residency grew out of ‘Wur blog’ ) a collective multi-author blog about gift, exchange and generosity which I set up in 2012.

To find out more about the ideas behind the project and to follow the residency as it develops, visit the the microblog at http://wuratoastlermarket.wordpress.com/

Grateful thanks to Bradford Metropolitan Council and Bradford Markets for supporting the project.

Light Breaks Where No Sun Shines

 

 

‘Frieze of life, dance of death, to the drone of half forgotten images.’

A short film recently made in collaboration with my brother, musician Brian McEwan, in response to Dylan Thomas’ poem ‘Light Breaks Where No Sun Shines’. The film was commissioned by Longbarrow Press for the Laugharne Castle Poetry and Film Festival which took place 6 – 8 June 2014.

WE ARE ALIVE AGAIN at Dark Matter Institute, Oastler Market, Bradford

A selection of images from a site responsive installation commissioned by Art in Unusual Spaces for Dark Matter Institute, a temporary gallery at Oastler Market in Bradford which took place on 15th May 2014.

Comprising of collections of archival family photographs, posters, makeshift dioramas, assemblages, collages, everyday objects, zines, found props and projections, this work evolved from an experimental period of making at the Fabric Arts Lab (Bradford) earlier this year exploring performative and collage processes in working with personal and family archival materials. Market users were invited to ‘tamper with the work according to their needs, to perform a story for that moment, or that day.’

 

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Recipe For Reciprocity giveaway

I’m giving away copies of my text work Recipe for Reciprocity. The piece is a double sided black and white A5 print on 200gsm matt paper. If you would like one/some, contact me on Jeanmariemcewan@gmail.com, letting me know how many copies you would like, and your postal address.

 

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WE ARE ALIVE AGAIN #1

 

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Issue 1 of a new zine series of collage and drawing work which uses family photographs as source materials for stories, memories and imaginings. 36 page, full colour, printed on 120 gsm matt paper. Strict limited edition run of 50 copies only.

To purchase for £5 & postage visit my zine shop here

25 contributors wanted for zine project

cover

Wanted: 25 people to contribute £5 each to help fund the printing of issue 1 of WE ARE ALIVE AGAIN, a new zine series.
My aim is to get 25 contributors by 3rd March to allow me to get the zine printed and ready to launch at Leeds Zine Fair on 16th March.

Each zine in the series will be a  32 page, hand made, full colour, limited edition run of 50 copies only. I aim to produce 3 issues this year.

In return for your support,  each person will receive a hand -editioned copy of the  zine, will be named and thanked within it,  and will be offered a contributor only opportunity to buy Issue 2 at £2.50, half the retail cost.

The print costs of the zine is £125. I will sell the remaining 25 copies of Issue 1 at £5 each,  which will pay for the print costs of Issue 2. Normally I photocopy my zines  in black and white but I would really like to have  this new series printed in good quality full colour.

WE ARE ALIVE AGAIN, the zine, is part of a wider ongoing art project which takes family photography as a starting point for artworks, conversations and collaborations. More about the project here and here

To see examples of previous zines I’ve made, visit my zine blog  here

How to contribute:

Send £5 to my Paypal address Jeanmariemcewan@gmail.com. Please include your postal address, or email this to me. I will send you a confirmation email, giving you your edition number (1 – 25). I will then post you a  copy of the zine when it comes back from the printers in mid March.