Flux-on A United Front
 A weekend of performances by Alison Knowles and Alan Bowman

Newcastle’s High Bridge Street will be the centre of a performance marathon, including sewing, cooking, music, film and creative chaos on Sat 19 May 2007 from 10am - 11pm. Events will take place in and around the Little Jewel Cinema, led by Fluxus artist Alison Knowles and Alan Bowman (Curator Emily Harvey Foundation, Venice). Alison is a founding member of the Fluxus live art performance group (1962) which includes artists such as Yoko Ono and Nam June Paik.

Alison will be performing Shore Line, sitting in the window of 31 High Bridge, stitching garments together on a sewing machine, creating a line of clothes from noon onwards.  Passers-by are invited to bring clothing and soft objects to be included in the work and watch it stretch out on the streets of Newcastle at 3pm.  When Alison created this work on Miami beach it stretched over ¼ of a mile.

Alan Bowman will perform Zyklus river water performance especially adapted for Newcastle using river water from the Tyne and Newcastle Brown Ale Bottles, transferring water from bottle to bottle in an endurance performance, which only ends when all the water is lost! He will also work with local busking musicians to create sound performances throughout the day.

Fluxus films chosen by Alison and Alan will be screened in the Little Jewel ‘peephole’ Cinema and Mobile Cinema Caravan throughout the day and evening of Sat 19 May. The films and performances will continue into the evening and are part of the Late Shows in which museums and galleries across Newcastle and Gateshead are open until 11pm with special events to encourage evening visits.

The Fluxus weekend launches the third season of the Little Jewel Cinema programme. This, the Sapphire Season, includes films made by regional film-makers especially for the ‘Peephole Cinema’ commissioned by Piggyback.  Other films on a Fluxus theme will screen on a fortnightly rotation until 8 Aug 2007.

Alison and Alan will also be creating a ‘Messy Meal’ with students on Sunday afternoon in the Little Jewel Cinema, and there will be a closing event at the Star and Shadow Cinema, Byker, screening new and vintage Fluxus films, followed by a discussion, performances and a social with Alison Knowles and Alan Bowman on Mon 21 May 2007 from 7pm.

There are a number of places for students, artists and musicians to work with Alison and Alan creating sound and performances over the Saturday and Sunday in High Bridge Street. For more information contact Waygood (see right).

Timetable of Events

Sat 19 May 2007 10am -11pm
Performance Marathon & Fluxus Films
Including Shore Line by Alison Knowles
Zyklus by Alan Bowman
At Waygood’s Little Jewel Cinema & High Bridge, Newcastle

Sun 20 May 2007
Messy Meal with Alison Knowles & Alan Bowman
At Waygood’s Little Jewel Cinema & High Bridge, Newcastle

Mon 21 May 2007
Films, Performances, Discussion & Social 7pm
At Star & Shadow Cinema, Byker, Newcastle.

Sat 19 May – Wed 30 May 2007 10am - 10pm daily (except Sundays)
Fluxus Films chosen by Alison Knowles & Alan Bowman
In the Peephole Cinema.

See also: Harker Herald Billboard artwork @ Waygood