Art For Art's Sake (news and views,gigs and songs)

I came across this definition (see below) of the modern artist on the walls of an art gallery in Barcelona, which I think is fitting for all the musicians, painters, photographers, theatrical types, comedians and film makers, that I've met in the north west of England, particularly Preston,  over the last few years.

It was in the midst of a historical and cultural tour of the city being given by Catalan musician Marta Canellas, a friend and a cello player. I've been gigging, practicing and recording with over the last few months and feel lucky to have met her. She took me to the Museu Nacional D'Art Catalonia in February and this description was in my favourite modernist section .

  "The modern artist defines art as a religion –art for art’s sake– and himself as a non-conformist opposed to the conventions of bourgeois society, although the truth is that art is an essential part of a market in luxury goods for which the bourgeoisie are the only clients. In marked contradiction to this, the life of the artist comes across as bohemian –in other words, someone who identifies with the fringes of society. The modern artist comes across as a Gypsy (which in fact was the original meaning of the word ‘bohemian’), drifter or actor in a play featuring fools, visionaries or madmen, beings seemingly possessed, like him, by inspiration."

taken from a statement on "The Rise of The Modern Artist" at the  Museu Nacional D'Art Cataluyna

http://www.museunacional.cat/en/new-display-modern-art

Francesc Serra, Clarasó, Rusiñol, Casas i Canudas, 1890

Although as a full time music "worker" doing a bit of this and that - or being versatile and flexible in the market place if you prefer to define it in positive free market terminology- I actually think it'd be more honest for me to fit people like myself into the self parodying sociological category of blank collar worker (see below).

If you earn money through the likes of gigging, running music nights and teaching guitar (as I've done for the past eight years), painting, poetry, arts venues, whatever, you tend to drift if you don't get a grip on the creative exploration (and hideous isolation...and the poor pay). 

NB: Having said that, I know plenty of people who deeply resent placing themselves in this category as it denies their everyday consumer dogma of individualism to have any aspect of their being categorised  as being part of a measurable flow of people (it works perfectly well for the marketing and advertising departments which promote this mainstream notion of consumer individualism in mass produced products, it has to be said). 

This defintion below does it for me. And it made me smile.

Blank-collar workers (n) The new post-class class. They are a future global monoclass of citizenry adrift in a classless sea. Neither middle-class nor working-class – and certainly not rich – blank-collar workers are aware of their status as one unit among seven billion. Blank-collar workers rely on a grab bag of skills to pay the rent. By the time they’ve died from neglect in a badly run care home, they have had 17 careers, none of which came with a pension.

http://www.theguardian.com/education/shortcuts/2015/feb/22/glossary-for-extreme-present-online-world 

Blank collar worker or  artist or musician, or entrepreneur, here is a list of gigs and projects, or is it work, that I'm doing over the next few months? Either way I'm not invovled in arms dealing with dictaroships and never have been, music feels generally benign if not ricidculously pretentious at times, but let's get that straight...

Filming In Catalonia

Having recorded an acoustic version of the song "History" with Marta Canellas on cello, I decided to make this the soundtrack for a music video

(engineered and mixed by Elliott Dryden).

Cellist Marta Canellas

I flew out to Barcelona and we drove to the town of Artes. After a night's sleep, we then got up at 6.30am to catch the morning light and film ourselves splaying on a rocky overhang to a backdrop of the snow covered, spectacular spiked peaks of the Monserrat Mountains and a wide valley.

The cloudless blue skies, exceptional light and fresh air made the whole thing a pleasant adventure. Let's hope it looks as good as it felt and who knows when it'll be up on youtube but I'm looking forward to having a decent film. Especially after Blackburn College lost the last film Sweeney Astray made having promised to edit it for us it us for two years.You never know. I have to admit Imagine it'll never happen. Can you blame me?

And just to let you know...I'm still gigging, writing new songs and teaching the guitar, all genres to students of all ages and all levels, in and out of schools,  who want to have some musical fun and learn something new (for lessons phone 07760888050)

Forthcoming Gigs

  to listen to the music, just click on the links below

 https://soundcloud.com/mike-kneafsey-songwriter
 http://www.reverbnation.com/mikekneafsey
http://www.sweeneyastray.co.uk/

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Acoustic Spring Sessions. at Preston The Attic Roper Hall

Date of concert: Wednesday 11th March 2015

A live music gig taking place at The Attic Roper Hall upstairs Artists include Rev. Chunky and Mike Kneafsey of Sweeney Astray. 

 

Ticket Agency	Buy Tickets Link:	Event
	Prices from: £4.00 Status: Available	Acoustic Spring Sessions. Acoustic Spring Sessions at Preston The Attic Roper Hall 12344979

http://www.thewonderwall.com/tickets/event/2015-03-11-Acoustic-Spring-Sessions-at-Preston-The-Attic-Roper-Hall.html

 

Venues and times tba for Leyland Live on Friday March the 27th and Saturday March the 28th

Plus...

1. "Guest performer" at Number 39 Hopstar Brewery Tap Darwen on Thursday April the 26th 

   https://www.facebook.com/pages/Number-39-Hopstar-Brewery-Tap/100163583416336

And...Live at the Grand Clitheroe on Saturday April the 25th

Event Info

Marc O'Reilly & Special Guests

Information

25 April 15

Genre:

• Music

Ticket Type: 

Standard

Price: 

£8.50

Tickets: 

£8.50 advanced ticket (+ BF)

Book Now

Marc O'Reilly is a budding sensation of Irish acoustic roots music. His debut album "My Friend Marx' was included in many 'Best of 2011' lists and his superb follow-up, Human Herdings (2014), revealed a more electric-inspired tone, bringing a full band to the fore. His spellbinding guitar playing and emotive vocals make him a must-see live performer. He appears with full band and special guest support from Sweeney Astray, The Remedy and Nyima Murray
 
Doors: 7pm
Stage: 7:30pm
Price: £8.50 adv +BF
Seated (unreserved)

Catch you sooooon

Mike Kneafsey

PS. I am also going to be involved in helping to run and play at a couple of small Lancashire festivals in June, I'll give out more details nearer the time...