MANCHESTER ARTISTS' BONFIRE. This is the project space for the 2012 research project, all pledges to the bonfire will be housed here.

EVENT: 26 January 2012. Bonfire 6-9pm, After Event 9pm-1am. Islington Mill, James Street, Salford.

From main page click bottom section (date) of image for full pledge.
Pledge #4 Sonny J Barker. Practice:  Installation Blog:  http://organicrobotix.blogspot.com/ Title of art work:  Maquette for possible public structure Description of art work:  Piece of Painted MDF with Plywood Squares. This was the maquette for a piece of public art that was scheduled for July 2011. It was abandoned due to timing and logistical issues.This piece spells out the word [TOUCH] in squared braille and at life sized would have been a three-tiered cement block structure. Pledge: Through destruction we have further construction..I am aiming to sacrifice previous thoughts in order to supplant a more phoenix-like process of working. I needed to get back to why I love art and by doing this I have started a more personal and defined project…
7 ♥ / 3 January, 2012
Pledge #3 Katherine Horrex. Practice:  Poetry/Music Website:  www.soundcloud.com/stickpin Title of submitted art work:  Schtick Description of submitted art work:  Album - a CD of neo grunge pop rock songs due for release in 2012.   Pledge: I am burning this because the business side of the art world has a nasty habit of disenfranchising artists, which undermines the pleasure of creating. It will be cathartic to see the music in flames, in spite of money-oriented pressures to preserve. I am also burning it because, in this digital age, there is no reason to fear the destruction of work. Art is now, more often than not, fully retrievable, burned or otherwise, and this is a demonstration of that.
4 ♥ / 30 December, 2011
Pledge #2 Michael Troy Practice:  Self employed artist Website:  http://www.all2art.co.uk/ Title of art work:  The Visit Description of art work/Pledge: I have for years tried to grasp the nature of “what sells” and in desparation ended up following trends of other artists. It was one of my lowest points. I still remain conflicted as I see the likes of Tracy Emin produce line drawings that but for her “name” would be classed as rubbish. Yet Sir whosoever claims it to be wonderful. I could do that kind of crap in my sleep! I must strive to be myself and while accepting that I am influenced by all that I have experienced, must not become a slave to “fashion” and trite “artistic” rubbish in the effort to make a living from this world.
31 ♥ / 28 December, 2011
Pledge #1 Topp & Dubio Practice:  Conceptual artists Website:  www.topp-dubio.nl Title of Art work:  All Your Favourite Projects Description of Art work:  Artist book - 24 x 36 x 2 cm Pledge: All your favourite projects is an artist book on the ephemeral art projects we have executed for the last four years. We never create art that lasts very long, so it feels kind of weird to make a book out of it. 1 - After finishing the book in October, we didn’t really know what to do with it. We hate book presentations, so we decided to launch the book by shooting it with a two and a half meter high cannon, made out of cardboard.  2 - In November the book was part of an exhibition. As the printed book became more of a physical art object to us, we decided to shoot the book with pistols and rifles from a 50 meter distance and exhibit a copy loaded with bullets.  3 - But deep inside we really wanted was to give the book a decent place in time and space. We thought of bringing our book into a permanent orbit around earth.  We tried to contact the Dutch cosmonaut Andre Kuijpers who was scheduled to leave earth in December for a 6 month mission to the ISS space station.  Unfortunately we were too late and he left on December 21 without our book.  The Manchester Bonfire is our last hope for eternal flame.  This is our chance to finally get our book into space (for art’s sake).  We would appreciate it very much if you will help us counting down for lift-off… 10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1… ]]>]]>
4 ♥ / 28 December, 2011