The John Cale workshop at Y Consti

View from the Tram

I usually get invites in my email to exhibitions around the area. I'm going to be honest here in saying that most of the time I do not go, because they usually clash with other events that I am involved with, or that I promised to attend. Funnily enough, I managed to attend the talk by Bruce Haines who curated the Venice Biennale (representing Wales) with John Cale, who was a member of Velvet Underground. It was held at the Y Consti restaurant at the Constitution Hill.

Despite having no idea who these people were or what Velvet Underground was (yes, guilty as charged. I have been away from the Contemporary Art world far too long),  I decided to go. It literally took me a minute to get up the cliff railway station. I sat in the car with four other people, but I had a cubicle all to myself. It was a breathtaking view moving up the hill, though at times I doubted they'd ever maintained the railway after all these years. Still, I enjoyed my short move, and as usual, I decided to take some photos:

When we reached the top, I took some more photos, so this is the gorgeous Aber people are talking about... It only comes from Spring to Summer so if you've ever wanted to visit this place, I suggest you visit it NOW, cause it's simply beautiful!

IMG_6416

IMG_6417

IMG_6418

The talk was supposed to have started at 8pm but for some reason they procrastinated before the lecture... so it started at 9pm instead. I didn't really know anyone there, aside from Colin, but he had his own table to sit so I sat on my own with my mug of tea and slice of cake. Pretty good cake, though.

IMG_6430

IMG_6431

The event was organised by Cafe Artistique (Axis) and Aberystwyth Arts Centre. Bruce Haines talked about John Cale's life in Wales and in America, where he lived for a very long time. He mentioned Cale's work and how dedicated he is to his art regardless whether it would bring him any commercial profit. They also talked about some of the displays at the Venice Biennale and how difficult it is to get people to visit the Welsh pavillion at the event... even Welsh visitors. It was interesting to hear people's suggestions at the end of the lecture, but I thought that it all went too long.

IMG_6437

The audience was invited to participate in the installation set up during the event. There were six musical players on a very long table (record players, cd player, mp3, walkman). Each person was invited to choose a track to listen to with headphones, but that output is also mixed together with the other tracks chosen by the other people by the table. The result of the song is then played in the room.

I tried it out for a few minutes, but as it was getting late I had to leave. 10.30pm and I had work to prepare. Oh well. I had my fun. I took a few more pictures before I boarded the tram down the hill.

IMG_6451

 

Comments

[Hafeez]

"The audience was invited to participate in the installation set up during the event"... that's mighty awesome. I'd love to do that.

John Cale - I always believed that he is a keen student of Andy Warhol's art form/style, whatnot with The Velvet Underground actually being Warhol's art project to be precise.