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[pullupachairluton]

New blog site

Hi all! The blog has moved site. You can now read about what I’ve been doing in Luton here...

https://pullupa.blogspot.com/

[pullupachairluton]

Day 3

Today my schedule is to 

- meet Angela at Revoluton

- have lunch with ‘local artist’ Keith Piper

- Go to a speech bubbles information event

- Go to a ‘networking event’ called I like Mondays at the White House Pub

Today 

- I’m going to try to write less...

- I’m going to include more photos

- I may include my internet search history

This is what I wore today for the schedule. 

Another windy day. A long and beautiful wise looking stick on the pavement outside the house where I stay. An omen?

To start the day I have a meeting with Angela at Revoluton. It was a great day to meet the Revoluton team as everyone was there for a lunch and meeting with ‘local artist’ Keith Piper. (Actually it turns out that it was a meeting with the legendary artist Keith Piper!!!)

Before lunch me and Angela talk through the schedule for the week and we go on a tour of the building. It has a really interesting history and is run by Marsh Farm Outreach. Angela told me a bit about their history and how they used to run raves, and have carried the community ethos forward until today when they now run a really strong community outreach programme. And they have a bar onsite! Im really looking forward to meeting them.

I had a brilliant welcome by the Revoluton team and felt really touched. It was really wonderful to experience such a positive greeting and welcoming. Really special - thank you all! 

Then we had a lunch and meeting with Keith! Full of positive energy and it all felt very generous and exciting - below are the before and after shots of the lunch table. 

Then onto Speech Bubbles at the Hat Factory.

What an interesting programme. I love it. Its a drama intervention programme for children (Key Stage 1) who struggle with communication. They work with a Teaching Assistant and drama practitioner in group session of 10 children. Each child tells a story that is transcribed by an adult, then the rest of the children act the story out.

I think the process of transcribing is magic. The act of really concentrating on what someone is saying. To really value their words and then for their words to come to life in another way and be peformed. This is wonderful. I don’t even like doing drama but I think everyone should do this. 

I love how Adam who started the project talks about it. He is political. He talks about the wider social and political climate at the moment - and how narrowing the curriculum is anti-joy. I really love it! Its really clear what the project is, and what effect the project has (the effect of the project is supported by numerous studies). I really hope this happens in Luton.

 https://www.londonbubble.org.uk/parent_project/speech-bubbles/

Then lastly I went to Wetherspoons in town for the networking event called ‘I Like Mondays’. 

All I know is that I should wear red and meet people at the right of the bar.

I’m 10 minutes early

There are lots of young people here.

Maybe students

there are quite a lot of middle aged men in groups or on their own. I don’t really want to be here. I hope it’s not some weird dating thing that I’m going to. I have my red top in my bag. Im not going to wear it. I’m told to meet at the right side of the bar. No ones here. I don’t want to meet middle aged men at wetherspoons on my own.  I’m glad I’m wearing my worn jacket. I’m not feeling the joy.

Wetherspoons is a good place in many ways. Its £3.50 for a pint, not £5 and it means that more people can afford to drink here. But I remember watching an interview with Owen Jones and the owner of Wetherspoons - Tim Martin who when asked about why he doesn’t pay his staff a living wage he evades the question multiple times and says that Owen Jones is asking childish questions. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=285&v=mJ2BMEMiO9s&feature=emb_title 

I have a mixture of feelings towards Wetherspoons. 

I remember coming to Wetherspoons when I was 16-17-18. Underage alco pops. Winking at boys. A night out leading up to a drama at the end. Everyone drunk on the train home. Smoking out of the train windows. My friend once got punched outside a Wetherspoons - we were speaking about peace and then felt so impassioned we tried to break up a fight. My friend got punched. 

Back to now. Maybe others are sitting here with their red top beneath their jacket. Ready to bust it out when it turns 7 o’clock. I’ve drunk a third of a pint. More students (i think?) come in - who did you kiss? that’s the first question someone asks someone else who just arrives - ‘some guy called owen’ they reply.... do you have a picture of him ? Instagram or anything? I stop listening. It doesn’t feel right to overhear and transcribe what they are saying. I remember the buzz of the snogs with random men, fading images as we cling on to a sentence they said. It’s 7 o’clock. No one’s here. I see someone in a maroon top walk to the bar. I think he’s just getting a drink. Half pint left.  7.02pm. No ones here. Yes! Maybe it’s not happening!? Someone wears a red top on the tv screen. A man in a fluffy black jacket stands up and looks anxious.  Maybe he’s got a red top in his bag. He’s looking at his phone. Looking around. ‘Networking event’. How long do I wait? Some guy next to me has ordered table service using the app. Maybe this makes it better for people working here? No throng at the bar on Friday night? The argument says that it means people talk less but this guy said thank you to the bar staff, so that’s not much less that what people would normally say. Table 10? A round comes to my next door neighbours. 3/4 pint gone. Do I wait till 7.15? What’s the professional thing to do? It’s a really delicious pint. The guy in the fluffy jackets date / friend arrives. He looks happy. I’m between two tables of a group of students and a middle aged man. I remember how much I love going out for a drink with my friends. Conversation and alcohol and group chat. Lovely. The middle aged man starts singing on the other side of the table. I smile at the man in the fluffy jacket and the girl leaving. They look happy. I look at the man on the table next door to me - he has his headphones on. Is he happy? I like his singing. 

The middle aged man is very friendly. He knows the staff here and chats to them.

Ok pint finished I walk around to check if anyone is here.

It’s not a thing tonight. I’m going home. (Its 7.27pm)

Things I have been thinking of when I have been not been thinking of Luton. When I’m not present?

[pullupachairluton]

Day One and Two

Hello. I’m Alex and I’m in Luton for the next 26 days. I’m a little late to starting to write this blog and I’m catching up on day one …  on day two of the residency. I’ve been procrastinating. How do I start? (the classic line) How do I talk about what I am doing, have seen, and have felt?! I’ve been thinking a lot and writing is a lot slower than thinking… It’s hard to start.

I have never written a blog. I write emails, essays, applications, and text messages. I’m used to writing really quickly or really slowly with a long time to edit. I don’t know what my blog voice is.

I’m going to start with a list of statements.

I am in Luton for 28 days I have a schedule that I must follow I must write about my experiences every day I am partnered with an organisation called Revoluton Quiet Down There has commissioned me to do this project with Revoluton I am staying in an Air B and B in which all the rooms in house are Air B and B rooms There is an artwork hanging in my room that says ‘stay wild’ There is a noisy road outside my window I have a miniature kitchen in my room I think I will have a lot of ideas for art projects I have already been late for two things on the schedule (arriving in Luton and watching the film tonight) I want to be disciplined to write. I have got an interview on Tuesday via Skype with another residency I am thinking about 5 other projects I am thinking about applying for another project while I’m here I will miss my boyfriend and my life in London. I will turn 35 next Sunday 1st March I am really glad I have a phone and can ring my friends and family I have got a minor obsession with the Netflix show Sex Education and it was really hard for me to not watch it when I arrived back from the day today. It is also good that I am away and I can watch it all, as my boyfriend didn’t really like it so now I can watch as much as I want without compromising and watching something else. I am really happy I bought some food today on a break in my schedule so I can make packed lunches. How honest should I be in this writing? How can this writing be helpful? How do I want this writing to be received? What’s the point of this writing? Do I write and make notes whilst I am at events? Do I write the blog in my breaks in the schedule? I have a bike that I love, and I brought it from London where I live. I have some bungee cords to tie bags onto the rack of the bike and I used this for my food shopping earlier. I live on a boat on the river lea. The river lea also runs through Luton I am an artist who also is an educator I teach on a foundation course in art I see workshops as art practice Revoluton have asked me to research the theme of ‘joy’ I am interested in political potential of joy I brought several books with me. They are Dancing in the Streets A History of Collective Joy by Barbara Ehrenreich, Akenfield by Ronald Blythe, Being Ecological by Timothy Morton, and The Old Ways by Robert Macfarlane I am wondering how to write this I am a middle class artist who lives in London Why should I be a voice for experience of Luton? What do I have to contribute? Is it easier to write about somewhere if you don’t live there? Writing lists is easier than writing paragraphs I think structure will be good for me, and am happy that I have a schedule for the next month I think I’ll go to things that I may not normally go to I think writing this will be a challenge I am exploring what it might mean to be present in a place and how the internet affects my relationship to place I am looking forward to learning something new about myself I have a Skype conversation tonight about another project with a friend

I studied a BA in social anthropology and the question of who is writing about who and what is it for came up a lot. Social anthropology as a discipline is rooted in a history of colonialism (to write about is to dominate and was used as a tool to do so). After university I travelled and wanted to create projects exploring place yet I was conscious of the problematics of a singular voice writing or making work about place - particularly as a passing through traveller. I started a project called The Knowledge Shop, which was a mobile workshop space set up in public spaces in which I invited passers by to draw a picture about the place we were in. Drawings from other places I had travelled to were also shown in the space. I wanted to not use spoken or written language (particularly English language) and I wanted to explore how drawing might express things that words may not. I also wanted to show multi authority viewpoints on a place. http://alexandraparry.co.uk/index.php/project/the-knowledge-shop/

Here I am 12 years later in Luton with a blog aware of this platform given to me to talk about my experiences. I’ve been grappling with this. So I’m going to include writing about myself that I wouldn’t normally share. Perhaps this a fair exchange because I am publicly writing about a place, and therefore I should do the same to myself?

DAY ONE I arrived in Luton It’s really windy and my bag feels heavy. I’ve got one bag on my back and another strapped to the bike I don’t know the roads and they are busy Is it going to be easy to cycle here? There’s a beautiful church. It’s chequered and surprising opposite a huge mall. I’m tired as last night my boyfriend opened a café and I stayed too late. I already feel behind and I’ve just started. Are people friendly in Luton? Of course they are! But I don’t know anything and its dark and my battery is running low on my phone.

I arrive at my Air B and B, codes for the room and front door. It has very white walls, and there is an artwork in my room saying ‘stay wild’. Its warm and I immediately feel raggedy in my clothes, which probably smell of wood smoke, probably have a stain and a hole. I am very happy I have a house shower! Not a boat shower! I meet Marta, a Polish woman who is in the UK about to do an acting course in London and she lives in the property more permanently - she is not Air B and B’ing . She is incredibly friendly and she has her friend round in the kitchen. It feels good to have a conversation and hear about what she is doing. 

I’m already late, so I leave to walk to the hotel near by. I call my boyfriend on the walk over there. I have been asked by the schedule to buy a coffee and cake but they don’t have cake so I buy a tea and my dinner. I write a letter to QDT as requested. It’s a slightly rambling letter about my hopes for the residency, but it feels good to write. In the background is Saturday night entertainment TV. It's brilliant. It’s a competition about dance and I recognise the host singer Alesha but I dont know the show. There is a sound clash of music as some other music is playing in the bar. But I’m loving the TV. I think this is joyful. I love this genre of TV. The genre of TV where people who aren’t famous show their talents. Masterchef, Bake Off, and Goggle Box (well I think so). They are all brilliant dancers in this show. I feel really good. I see people arriving, lots of groups of people. I think people are excited about coming to the hotel. Its quite glamorous and there’s a spa. I love seeing people dressed up, lipstick … perfume. I sit on my own suddenly conscious I am sitting on a table meant for 5.  I’ll move if a group needs the table. I’m happy in the bar. I made it to Luton! I’m writing the letter. I’m doing the task. Drinking tea. Eating dinner.

Back in the Air B and B I watch 3 episodes of Sex Education on Netflix. It’s difficult to stop watching it. Its 11pm – I know I need to stop watching.

DAY TWO

I get dressed for the day. I know from the schedule that I’m going to a church and a classical music concert today. This is what I decide to wear.

The Church The church is a very beautiful building. A historic gem I saw it when I cycled here I wonder if I can take my coffee in. Someone greets me I know the church space - what it feels like to be in one. I don’t feel nervous about going in. I go inside and take a seat near the front Powerpoint is on. The vicar looks tired. There was a youth lock-in last night. I think they stayed up all night. He said his head feels a bit fuzzy My head feels fuzzy I reflect on how the message of love goes beyond religion. I think of my friend who was a Christian for so many years and has trauma from being told that non-believers like me were going to hell amongst other things. I think of how sad this is. It’s difficult to reconcile the two images/ideas/feelings I have in my head about Church. I think perhaps all versions of church exist at the same time. I think of how nice it is that there are so many ages of people here old and young There is a rock band playing hymns? A boy dances in the isles People open their palms out to the sky I don’t really understand what they are saying. I find it hard to concentrate. I make recordings and write, feeling self-conscious at my removal from being in the place. The writing becomes a means to separate My observation becomes a way of separation Thinking about separation makes me feel anxious I think of how wonderful it is to go weekly to something where your spiritual values are shared with others I think of how I would like to have a place to go to do this, which isn’t a religious space but is communal. Some people talk about how they have a place in which they can feel a connection with spirit/god/something beyond than the material world, but if you are not religious, perhaps this space is often an individual space, it isn’t shared. I think it is sad that it isn’t shared. I think about future projects. I think about a project Sam Jacob did about creating a space intended to explore death, loss, and grieving I think about Fleabag. Perhaps that has got some people coming to church that wouldn’t normally come? The hour and half is so well performed and curated. Many people take the stage. The rock band plays 3 songs. There are different voices and personalities all playing a part. The vicar gets annoyed that the person controlling the Powerpoint is not keeping up. It’s quite nice to see the vicar getting annoyed. There is no communion non-alcoholic wine because of coronavirus I see a guy who put his hand up when asked a question about a passage in the Bible is on his phone a lot. He looks like he’s on Twitter but perhaps there is religious pictures he is looking at. I can’t really tell but I’m intrigued by how much he is using the phone, and also how knowledgeable about Christianity he is. The church has tried to be accommodating spatially. There is a good baby area at the back with toys to play with.

The service ends. The man who greeted me asks why I’m there. He asks is it for historical reasons? I say yes. He kindly shows me on a small tour around the church, talking me through historically significant artefacts. It is historically significant but I can’t remember what he says. I’m sorry - I should have written it down. I leave the church.

It’s a windy Sunday in town. I go to the supermarket on my bike and stock up on a few meals. The Lidl is very good here. I then make my way to Wardown House, Museum and Gallery for the concert. I love bike lanes. And I can get there via a park. It’s very beautiful. There seems to be a lot of green spaces in Luton.

Wardown House is very beautiful. There are beautiful trees outside. There are historical figures talking out of portraits in the rooms on digital screens. There are some families visiting. Sunday activity. I go and have tea and sit down to reread my letter I wrote yesterday. Its so scrawly written I wonder whether QDT will be able to read it. I try to make it more clear by adding dots on I’s and crosses on T’s. I relax in the calm room. It’s very beautiful. I really enjoy my earl grey tea. There is a very nice floor here. Mostly people here are people probably over 70, perhaps with their children or friends. It’s a day out place. I look around the cabinets, snapping what’s there. I have never taken so many pictures of things. I feel like I’m using the camera instead of my eye. I wonder whether people who are really into Instagram do the same thing all the time. The concert. I think I’m bored as a starting point. Then I try to be present. Am I bored? No I’m not. It’s a space to relax and Harpsichordist Terence Charlston who is leading the concert is very good. He explains things in-between songs, he gives each song and the composer context. He is interesting and passionate and calm. He chooses compositions by several women. Jacquet de la Guerre. A song called The Mysterious Barricades. I love this. People seem to like this. Its hard to know exactly what people think but gentle smiles and a positive feeling suggest people really like it. A quiet joy? I write down my codes for the air b and b again on a different piece of paper Gentle afternoon. I close my eyes. Sitting in the drawing room. Light blue walls. Lots of complex cornicing work on the ceiling. I can go into my own head space. Half hour break! Lovely. I explore the museum. Different things catch my eye. Hat industry. Material Culture. If this museum was not to exist what would happen to all these objects? Do people really engage though? Do people feel this is important? Is this just another trip for people - a tick box thing to do? I think I have felt like that a lot in musuems. Right now I try to appreciate what I am seeing and experiencing. I love seeing the straw plait work from the hat industry - famously from Luton and some embroidery by different young people. There is one with these words,

‘In time of wealth protecting power

From pride and every ill defends

And in afflictions keenest hour

Be thou our comforter

and friend’

I dont really understand what they are saying, but it seems pertinent to contemporary life. Wealth and Power. I notice that it was a child that made it, and marvel at the changing of skills through generations. What young peopels creativity is today. I’m confident that there are many young people saying as profound today - but in another form. 

There is a painting in the drawing room of the Town Hall on fire. I read about it upstairs. It happened on Peace Day in 1919 and happened because of rising tensions due to food shortages and the first world war, and as the information panels says some shopkeepers ‘gave preference to wealthy customers. Poorer women had to queue for hours. While soldiers were fighting and dying for their country, other people were making a profit from the War’.  It is a shocking picture of the Town Hall in flames painted by an artist M WJ Roberts. Now its sitting in the drawing room near to portrait of a young ballerina and a painting by the Nigerian painter and sculptor Ben Enwonwu. It’s a conflicting mix of images. 

On my way out I overhear that there is a suffragette dress here. I’m too shy to ask so I google whether there is one. 

This has taken me so long to write. I don’t know what I thought but its 11.15pm now. I didn’t have time to watch the film set for me called ‘Blinded by the Light’. I hope there is time to watch another time. Sorry!  I may need to change my approach to writing. I guess I should write in my breaks in the day. I’m going to try a different approach tomorrow.

LASTLY I said that I was going to stop using the internet whilst I was here on residency. I haven’t done that yet. But I have decided as a first act towards this, I will document my internet browsing history from today. This is what I have been thinking of when I haven’t been present.