The event is organised by Sheffield
Art Forge, a non-for-profit social enterprise offering arts
programming and professional artistic development. Every second Sunday of the
month artists and musicians will fill the rooms at Creative
Arts Development Space with eclectic sounds and thought-provoking
art and performance.
Billy Christmas, a Fine Arts student at Sheffield
University, runs The Cucumber Lounge for Sheffield Art Forge. Billy said he was
inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland
in which there is a club called Cucumber Lounge. “It’s playful but surreal and
as the event is on a Sunday evening I thought ‘lounge’ was quite appropriate.
It’s a chilled out event that is about appreciating a bit of culture rather
than getting wasted,” said Billy.
Sheffield Art Forge runs the arts programme for Creative
Arts Development Space, a multi-purpose arts complex in Shalesmoor.
Dan Butlin, Sheffield Art Forge curator and event organiser said this event is
part of their outreach programme. “We’re trying to broaden the appeal to people
who aren’t the contemporary art crowd by creating a synthesis between art and
music.” Dan said that they are also creating opportunities for artistic
development by giving artists like Billy Christmas the opportunity and freedom
to run an event with the support of Sheffield Art Forge.
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| Entertainment at The Cucumber Lounge |
The first Cucumber Lounge kicked off last Sunday
with music from Meat, Motherfolkers and Loveboat accompanying art exhibitions
from Jessica Wong and Stuart Faulkner. There was also free face
painting, poetry by Stan Skinny and an art performance by
Stephen Milligan.
Jessica Wong’s exhibition featured installation art
exploring the idea of things that are beautiful and ugly at the same time. Her
work explores items such as the human body, which is both beautiful in the way
it works and yet its guts and gory insides are also ugly. Stuart Faulkner’s
exhibition included paintings with a subversive pop-cultural reference,
including a painting of Harry Potter with the body of an imp. This painting
refers to the American Christian reaction to J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter
novels.
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| Stuart Faulkner's exhibition |
The music included a mixture of folk, punk and an
eclectic mix of everything in between. Performance poet Stan Skinny, who
ensured the atmosphere remained light-hearted and relaxed, entertained the
audience between bands.
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| Stan Skinny |
Billy has many ideas for future events. “I want to
have people walking around with platters of cucumber sandwiches and I also
wanted to have a poet selling custom poems for shrapnel, but he couldn’t make
it this time.” Billy also hopes to incorporate The Cucumber Lounge into other
Sheffield arts and music events like the SKINN
festival and Tramlines or Peace
in the Park.
If any bands or artists would like to get involved
in future events you can email Billy Christmas at cucumberlounge@gmail.com
Photos by www.joebream.com
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