First Collectors' Corner event this Sunday

Collectors' Corner, 2.30pm

Geoff Dudman - Oriental Rugs and Carpets

If you're looking for something interesting and a bit different to do this weekend, why not come along to the Pavilion on Sunday to the first in a series of free Collectors' Corner events? Designed to complement the current Tomoko Takahashi exhibition in which disregarded and seemingly inert objects are reappropriated into illuminating artworks, these events invite the general public to bring their weird and wonderful collections into the Gallery.

This sunday join Geoff Dudman as he shares his fascinating collection of Oriental rugs and carpets. Geoff specialises in tribal rugs produced during the late 19th and first half of the 20th centuries.

“Although there are a large number of tribes (or collection of social groups) spread across the middle east from Turkey in the west, through Iran to Turkmenistan and Afghanistan in the east I have concentrated on those produced by the Baluchi in north east Iran and the Turkoman of southern Turkmenistan. I especially like the formalised abstraction in their weavings and subtle colour combinations which local vegetable dyes give to earlier pieces. Many of the examples I will be bringing to the Pavilion will be bags, a useful reminder that these were nomadic tribes and all their possessions had to be 'bagged up' and loaded onto a camel or mule when the group moved to the next grazing area. I hope you can feel the thrill as I can from seeing such vibrant and exciting works of art produced mainly on very basic looms simply framed up on the ground at each grazing halt.”

Free

TOMOKO TAKAHASHI INTROSPECTIVE RETROSPECTIVE

GALLERY INTERACTION SESSION SUNDAY 4th JULY 2010

KNOWING CHILD
I watched Tomoko during the opening party yesterday. Most of the time she was either dancing or talking to children. Means her heart is in the right place! Makes a change from other starchy gallery openings I have known. And hated! Seems just right that her forename means 'friendly child' or 'knowing child.' Feel sure she would approve of my plan to take a playful - irreverent? - approach to this 2nd Gallery Interaction session for Introspective Retrospective.

THINGS HAVE A LIFE
Brought along some of my favourite things. Mainly small musical toys and odd little souvenirs that remind me of happy times. Played that game where you try to memorise objects on a tray, close your eyes and then try and identify which object has been removed. Would Tomoko notice if something was removed - or added - from one of her works? How carefully, for example, has she placed the objects in Clockwork? Or is it all more or less random? The game prompted great discussion! And some very moving stories about ... things.

TIME SPENT LAUGHING IS TIME SPENT WITH THE GODS
Played a game with quotes about the theme of Time - including above Japanese proverb. Players pick a quote from pre-prepared Quotation Cards, then pick 2 points on a clock in its cycle of a minute. When the seconds hand reaches their chosen points, they 'perform' their chosen quotes. It's a game combining rigorous order and utterly random elements. Very Tomoko!

CUT & PASTE
Played a game using sentences that Tomoko and writers on Tomoko have said about her work. It's a cut and paste exercise. Splice and graft. Take words and phrases out of their original context. Re-arrange them. Give them new meanings. Give them a new life. Enlightening results - like nonsense verse or weird modern music!

Hours of Patience provides hours of fun!

Tomoko Takahashi's Hours of Patience event provided hours of fun last Sunday as hoards of people descended on the Pavilion to take part in the popular card game.

Around fifty people participated throughout the day, from Bexhillians to visitors from all over the world. There were people of all ages too; young children and families as well as those in their later years. Everyone was given the opportunity to learn a variety of Patience games taught by instructors and Tomoko herself, our current exhibiting artist. Visitors also took home a special booklet containing over 300 games of Patience, designed and illustrated by Tomoko and artist Ella Gibbs.

Tomoko laid down the gauntlet by offering a prize to the player that played the longest. Two participants were that engrossed by the challenge that they played for over three hours each! In the end Tomoko was so impressed by their efforts that she awarded each dedicated player with the special prize of an original artwork she had created especially.

People shared stories of playing Patience at different times in their lives and some told us afterwards that the day had inspired them to pass on their new-found knowledge of the game to others.

Tomoko Takahashi's exhibition has been one of the most successful exhibitions since the Pavilion's re-opening in 2005 with around 11,000 visitors over the first two weekends.

For more information about Tomoko Takahashi's work please click here

Exclusive talk this Saturday - BOOK NOW!

Talk: Everyone's a Collector, 2pm

All of us gather things as we go through life and these objects acquire great significance and meaning. Join Dr Louise Purbrick - Researcher in material & visual culture and Principal Lecturer in the History of Art & Design at the University of Brighton - to explore our relationship with the objects we keep and value.

This is an exclusive talk relating to the themes and issues touched on by Tomoko Takahashi's extremely popular exhibition Introspecive Retrospective, now on at the De La Warr Pavilion.

Tickets £5. Places limited, please call the box office on 01424 229 111 to book or you can book online here.