Archive for July, 2008
Thanks to Inhabitat I’ve just come across this amazing idea for a hydroponic garden that doubles as a hatchery for freshwater fish. Grow your own fish supper with parsley dressing!
Interesting to read that the aquarium was exhibited at the Artists Space in NY from May to June. In the wake of Urban Gardening proving to be such a challenge I’d be really interested to know how their gallery stewards coped with looking after the fish and plants and how the idea worked in practice.
July 30th, 2008
The last time I came accross QRcodes I was studying Japanese culture and had just splashed out on a Sony C1 – a VHS sized laptop from Japan which came with QR reading software as sandard. It seemed like a cool feature but in Manchester there was never anything to scan with its built in webcam (how grandiose that seemed at the time)… but that could be changing.
Essentially QRcodes are a type of barcode developed for use in the car manufacturing industry and now frequently used throughout Japan. These seem to have rocketed back into the Nerdiverse thanks to the launch of the iPhone and its array of super cool software which includes an optional QRcode reader (not to mention the slick integration of the software used for downloading applications – do I hear the imminent clunk of yet another D&AD black pencil on Mr Jobs’ doormat?).
Using these weird looking jumbles of pixels you can physically attach a yourself and things around you to web pages and services. All you need is QR reading software loaded onto your smart phone (Nokia is also said to be pre-loading said software onto their new phones and stand alone readers are available for download). By pointing your phone’s camera at the code your browser will be directed to a webpage of the code owners choice. Essentially this allows you to hyperlink reality back to URLs without them being legible to the naked eye… but of course this is only useful if you have a mobile, user friendly device with you at all times and if the software is robust and reliable – currently a problem, even for iPhone owners (see comments on some of the examples).
Check out the projects pictured above for a few ideas of how they can be used and more info (hover over images for a brief description).
Already getting ideas about how I could use this in exhibitions and in an actual reality game around the city.
Note to self… if the Diesel Wall comes back to Urbis I have my entry…
July 28th, 2008
Manchester is the only place outside of London to feature in the top 10 places to live for culture and leisure according to The Guardian today (using a shot of Urbis to show how damned cultured we are).
The list, taken from a new report published by consultants Local Futures, warns that regeneration plans throughout the UK could be on a hiding to nothing if they don’t offer enough leisure and cultural facilities to attract the most talented people.
Click the table below to see the full report and find out where your town lies on the “Local Amenities Barometer”.
July 25th, 2008
The Royal Horticultural Society Flower Show at Tatton Park in Knutsford opens today celebrating its 10th year.
If you’re visiting keep an eye out for the Urbis stand extolling the virtues of Urban Gardening.
July 23rd, 2008
…in Hartlepool!
The Turner prize-winning artist Anish Kapoor is to create one of the world’s biggest sculptures by creating a space-age pedestrian bridge over the town’s harbour.
The steel structure, partially inspired by his earlier Cloud Gate for the city of Chicago (pictured), will span 520ft and is expected to have a highly polished surface that reflects its surroundings.
No visuals exist as yet but more details after the jump…
July 23rd, 2008
Le Corbusier, the legendary Swiss modernist will be honoured by a blockbuster international exhibition in October as part of Liverpool’s year as European Capital of Culture.
Although the exhibition started life in Rotterdam last year and Corb’s only British building was a temporary stand for the 1930 Interbuild exhibition, it will be given a special British twist in Liverpool.
It will explore a little-known dialogue between the arch-modernist and the great classical English architect Sir Edwin Lutyens, whose secret crypt below Liverpool’s Roman Catholic cathedral will be the exhibition venue.
The exhibition will run at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral’s crypt from 2 October to 18 January 2009, and then at the Barbican Art Gallery in London from 19 February to 24 May.
July 23rd, 2008
I’ve just got wind of this: on the 10th July the Sydney Opera House was literally brought to life when French artist Pierre Huyghe unveiled his large-scale masterpiece for the Biennale of Sydney – an indoor forest of real trees.
Looks like Urban Gardening is getting the nod from the arts establishment, even if they did only keep the installation in place for 24 hours…cowards.
6 months of greenery in a gallery - there’s a real challenge.
July 21st, 2008
Jay Rayner visits The Modern and I think he likes it…
July 20th, 2008
Out just in time for the summer holidays this exclusive publication is only available from the Urbis Shop now for just £1.50!
Stuffed full of ideas of things to do throughout the summer Urban Gardening News lets you know how you can take the ideas in the exhibition back to your part of the city.
Learn how to become an Urban Beekeeper, get instructions on how to make an upside down tomato planter and find out how to win the war against garden pests without ever reaching for the pesticide, amongst many, many other things.
Buy it now!
July 19th, 2008
Here at Urbis we’re extremely excited to be working with Manchester based experimental photographer Andrew Paul Brooks on the Hidden Manchester project which will be shown on our 4th floor gallery in December. Andrew’s work is allowing us to create incredible lighting effects in extremely confined spaces with a minimal crew (me and him).
It’s going to be a seriously impressive glimpse into the underworld of the city. See more of his work after the jump.
Watch this space for exclusive previews as the work is created…
For those of you that can’t wait some of Andrew’s work is currently on show at Salford Museum and Art Gallery in a show that will be travelling to Cube later in the year.
July 19th, 2008
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