Co-Realizers's blog

Dorothea Smartt (African Writers Abroad) joined the C Words closing Party and Benefit for the Canadian Indigenous Tar Sands Campaigners live via Skype. She performed her specially commisioned poem, A Sense of Denial, together with several other poems written specifically to the C Words season and inspired by the issues raised.

A Sense of Denial

Denial looks black, panelled, silver-edged
and gleaming. Car-washed in water
enough to quench a dying village’s thirst,  Read more

Two poets from African Writers Abroad were commssioned to respond to the C Words season. To craft the poem below, Simon Murray (Sai MuRai) borrows the title of Dorothea Smartt's poetry workshop "Full Circle" and draws upon some of the many words, phrases and themes that arose throughout the C Words season. The poem was performed live at the closing Party and Benefit for the Canadian Indigenous Tar Sands Campaigners on the 28th November.

*warning* contains language that some may find offensive

FULL CIRCLE

(for Jane Trowell, Dorothea Smartt & the C Words Family)

proposition I

enough words!  Read more

On 1st December PLATFORM's Agitpod mobile cinema will set off on it's return journey from Bristol to London, why not join us?  Read more

The last time I was in Bristol, a series of conversations and events brought this into sharp focus for me. The first was Friday’s Critical Tea Party. There were two visitors who’d been tempted upstairs by the offer of tea and cake. The conversation began with Pete and the Institute reflecting on the week, which started with an attempt at ethical shopping in the centre of Bristol. One of the visitors from Swansea, Greg, began to tell us how he ‘confiscates’ dates from Tesco’s on a regular basis. These are dates grown in the West Bank, by Israeli settlers.  Read more

Dorothea Smartt, one of the commissioned poets from African Writers Abroad, today releases a beautiful, inspiring poem created out of the 7th November creative writing workshop: Killing T.I.N.A, Embracing T.A.B.O.O (see below).

The ink is still wet but Dorothea's willingness to share this piece is testament to the amazing Creativity, Connections & Co-creations that are springing up with the C Words project.  Read more

C Words seeks to avert a future where climate refugees clamour in vain at sealed borders.  Read more

Together with other PLATFORM collaborators I have been spending time in the gallery, talking with visitors about their responses to the C Words exhibition. Today, one such conversation elicited a comment which has stayed with me all day: "It's interesting - but its not art is it." "Why do you say that?" James responded. "Because it's trying to make me believe something." I took this thought to today's C Words critical tea party where a lively discussion ensued.  Read more

Today PLATFORM opened a discussion on what happens after 29th November, when the C Words season at Arnolfini comes to an end.  Read more

Today I sat, I took time watch Ursula Biemann's film Black Sea Files. The film is showing as a video installation in gallery five at Arnolfini until Sunday 8th November.  Read more