1.Mary & Coco! I'd found an picture of some graffiti from the wall down at the skatepark proclaiming "Without friends and the one you love, life is just a ticking clock" and it rings so true, especially in 2020. Before Covid was really a worry we'd adopted a little black cat from Mrs Murrays Cat & Dog Home and she's been a constant source of joy. Little did we realise we'd be spending almost every day with little Coco who's taught me the importance of sitting still and just enjoying some purry lap time. And Coco certainly likes to be involved in whatever we're doing but especially enjoys sitting on laptops and doing zoomies at 5am. My partner Mary has also been a real star, reminding me to turn off the computer and to get outdoors, especially during our allotted hour of exercise time. She's been working on projects and paintings throughout the lock down and I couldn't think of a better person to be locked up with for 10 months.
2. ADP South Mural by Mary & Shelagh! Of course we did have some respite as restrictions were lifted and life got back to normal, for a while at least. During this period Mary & Shelagh Swanson were able to finish a special mural for the ADP South Community Forum in Banchory. The mural is the culmination of workshops with local community groups, school kids and Drug & Alcohol recovery service users and elderly residents at the care home. Being able to enjoy the sun and watch the artists paint was a great relief after months stuck inside. I also took my old racer bike along and made my own way back to Aberdeen, exploring various tracks and landmarks along the way. It's the longest cycle I've done and I learned the hard way about cycling with a full backpack. The mural was finished in September and can be seen at the Bellfield Community Garden. The little Italian place across from the park is worth checking out too!
@achesdub ##art ##artist ##spraypaint ##oddlysatisfying ##trippy ##fyp
♬ original sound - achesdub
3. TIKTOK! While Trump threatened to close down the platform thousands of us downloaded TikTok and tapped into a new social media outlet. Where I find Facebook & Instagram annoying with their feed the beast algorithms which result in content being suppresed, TikTok seems to be way more democratic in how users content is shared and indeed the potential to reach a wider audience is massive. You'll find an abundance of viral cat videos and the like but also savage political critiques of pretty much every political party (I see mostly liberal leftists taking on Trump & Boris), artists like Aches who you can watch above and a whole host of users who are sharing their life experiences, from recovering drug addicts to people living with severe physical disabilities. This last group especially have found a platform to not only tackle the negative stigma associated to their disabilities but are actually showing off the real people behind the disabilities in a way that's elevating them to celebrity status and rightly so. Being able to share their voices and experiences, indeed you can apply this to people from every marginalised group has exposed me to a whole new world, but it also provides a nuanced appreciation for the lived experiences of others. This has been invaluable, especially with the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020 and understanding how racism is prevailant in our everyday lives.
4. Dr.d & BSMT Space. This year should have seen dr.d - Subvertiser celebrating his 20th anniversary of putting up the most visceral and politically charged street art in the UK, alas it wasn't to be. Instead he organised a bunch of print raffles and raised £1600 for local foodbanks who are helping those in need. When I met dr.d. during Nuart I was struck by how thoughtful his pieces we're and he revealed his giving nature with the mini oil drums which he left around the city, the finders of which could claim a free gift. Throughout the lock down he's been working on the streets to remind us that power corrupts and it needs to be called out, from Westminster to Buckingham Palace and beyond his work has been a rallying call against the very worst of our society! The planned joint exhibition with Benjamin Irritant and Edwin was due to take place at BSMT Space who've been curating an impressive line up of shows from some of the UKs leading underground & street artists including Sweet Toof & Mighty Mo. Be sure to check them out and here's hoping we can celebrate with the Dr soon!
5. V2k Art! When it comes to street art in Aberdeen there's certainly been a lot of activity over the last few years and a few new faces began to emerge like V2k. With the whole country in lockdown V decided it was the perfect time to hit a few prominent spots with his unique form of street poetry and stencil works. Of course the streets weren't as quiet as we'd hoped but the police seemed to have other things to worry about. That first weekend in April kicked off a little run of street art projects and you can read more about my V2k adventure here.
7. Black Lives Matter Aberdeen! In the months leading up to George Floyd's death it seemed like every other video I watched featured a black man being murdered by the police. Names like Breona Taylor & Ahmud Arbery we're already gaining traction with mainstream news outlets covering both of their murders (at the hands of police) but the killing of George Floyd sent shockwaves across the globe. Defenders of the state were quick to point out his previous criminal convictions as if this somehow justified a police officer kneeling on a mans neck until he died. In almost every case you'll find those willing to try and justify these actions based on racial stereotypes and deeply ingrained prejudices. After watching a few documentaries about the racial inequalities in America a lot of the powers that created these things began to make more sense. For many of us we see posters of Martin Luther King and think that racism was ended in the 60's. The reality of course is very different and the whole police and prison system in America seems designed to target, antagonise, victimise and incarcerate black people. You can also see strong elements of this system when it comes to dealing with knife gangs in London and elsewhere which target specific groups with very little evidence to justify the reasoning. The rhetoric around race issues has been both disheartening and up lifting, on one side those who want to deny the lived experiences of black people and people of colour but on the flip side we've seen whole communities come together to share their support for the movement and more importantly for our friends who are affected by these issues. Seeing the hundreds of posters around Aberdeen and the BLM march on Union Street felt like an important moment where Aberdonians weren't just passive spectators of world events but were prepared to take a stand and to be on the right side of history. Thankfully more so than the handful of folk who held an anti lockdown protest a few months later with more police than protestors.
9. Future Islands! The chaps in Future Islands provided a musical highlight with their new ablum 'As Long As You Are' dropping in September. I was a bit slow off the bat and had only picked up their previous album a few months before but both have been on regular rotation at the studio and at home. The new album gave me something to look forward to although I didn't go for the live stream album launch, opting instead to wait for a chance to see the band in the real world again. Their gig at the Beach Ballroom a few years back is still one of the best live show's I've seen.
11. Travelling with The Jaunt! In a year where none of us could travel very far, The Jaunt provided a gateway to exotic lands and unfamiliar cityscapes. Their concept is simple, send an artist to an inspiring city or location for a week where they take inspiration from their experiences (good & bad) and produce a limited edition screen print. Fans can sometimes pre order a print and in turn help the guys to keep sending artists to fun places and you get a suprise print in the mail. I recently supported by purchasing prints by Evan Hecox & Swoon although their archive has me wishing I'd looped into their mission a lot sooner! Along with sending artists away they've also produced a couple of books which provide a nice insight into some of the artists trips along with photos, sketchbook pages and the finished prints. Founder Jeroen Smeets has done a great job throughout the lock down in adapting the Jaunt model and instead bringing the viewer into artists studios and local hoods, something which will be continuing as 2021 is off to a stinker already. But you can't keep a good artist down!
12. Rediscovering the landscape! It was funny to watch as the Government told us not to go outside that we all went and did the opposite. Of course we didn't all head to Loch Muick (I know some of you did!) but it appeared that there's a whole new list of places to visit many within walking distance of the city center along with a few interesting locations just a short drive away. I'm sure none of us wanted to take the Covid situation for granted but being able to get out on these short walks and adventures certainly helped keep me sane. There is truly something very calming and healing about being out in nature, something I think we've maybe forgotten. Hopefully we'll be able to do more of this in the summer and the Covid situation will finally be under control. If its not you'll find me in a wooden lean too up in Cluney woods hiding from the world!
13. John Walter Lockdown Tarort! An email pinged into my inbox with an update from London based artist John Walter. I'd been wondering how artists like John were faring with the constant lock downs and most 2020 projects being either cancelled or put on hold. And all things considered he's been flourishing as he kicked off October as the Kavli Artist in Residence over in the Netherlands where he's exploring the 'Nanomemetics of the Paisley Pattern' which will be wrapping up at the end of January 2021. The arrival of my Tarot deck reminded me of how inspired I was by John guest at grays talk many years ago and how he always makes me think about things in a different way. I'd say that's one of the big reasons I enjoy being an artist and meeting other artists, the ability to see the world with a different view. In John's case that world is sometimes located in a VR head set where he spends hours created his own unique VR painted environments. Anyone who took a dive into his 'Fourth Wall' at Look Again 2019 knows just how epic the results are. As for deciphering what the future holds, I'm not very good at reading the tarot but at least its nice to look at!
15. Twilight Sad & Mogwai live albums! These are two of my favourite bands and i'll be listening to their music until I'm an old man. Both bands released free live albums in 2020 as a thank you to their fans and I've been blown away by them. The Twilight Sad album is taken from their tour finale in Edinburgh in 2019 and showcases the incredible live sound the guys have developed over the last decade. Featuring a selection of tracks from their last album along with live favourites, the last few songs on the album capture the spirit of the gig with a special tribute to Frightened Rabbit singer Scott Hutchinson who sadly passed away in 2018. My connection to both these bands goes way back and is intertwined with my own grief at losing a close friend in 2009. Some of my fondest memories are listening to both their albums back to back on a road trip up to Findhorn with Moose who bought them in One Up a few months before his passing. The emotion of the live performance is like a cut that opens old wounds but it's allowed me to be in the moment with everyone who attended the gig, to feel the love for James and the band and to continue to feel connected to my friend.
17. Natives (Race & Class in the Ruins of Empire) by Akala! I picked up a copy of this book from radical print house Dog Section Press and got to reading it towards the end of 2020. I don't read many autobiographical books but after seeing the numerous video interviews of Akala, breaking down politics and racism it seemed like a good way to learn more about his life experiences and some unsavoury British history. I was shocked to read about Akala's time at school from primary through to secondary and the issues that he faced, comparing those with my own experiences from the same time. I'm the same age as the author and although I faced a few challenges growing up, none of these were caused by the colour of my skin or percieved ideas about my cultural background. Certainly the whole Black Lives Matter movement has called into question how we've managed to teach history to our children for centuries yet the true horrors of it have been glossed over or at the very least told from the view of the victors and the legacy its created. It's important to get a grasp of that history to understand how those in power manipulate the people to foster racial tensions, to maintain racial inequalities and to continue the empire state of mind which we've seen play out and potentially ruin the UK with Brexit. The Daily Mail, The Sun etc have a lot to answer for. Natives should be recommended reading for everyone, especially in schools and for anyone who thinks the UK doesn't have a problem with racism!
18. Good friends & neighbours! Where would any of us be without good people around us. I'm thankful to those who bring their good vibes into my life, whether the old school friends who are settled down with families or the funny neighbours who I chat with in the garden, you guys have made sure I was never alone in 2020!
19. The Mandalorian! Few things have got me as excited as season 2 of The Mandalorian. As a kid who grew up watching the original Star Wars trilogy and playing with Ewoks & Darth Vader figures it's been a hard road keeping up with all the chops and changes in the Star Wars universe but it seems like a lot of the wrongs are being righted. Also the end titles with the shows concept art have been incredible, I hope there's book of them coming soon. Mando & Grogu saved 2020!
20. Making art and making marks! I set out at the start of 2020 to get my arse in motion as far as painting and exploring creative ideas. Although I made some progress I didn't get nearly as much done as hoped but that's ok. I think 2020 is the year that we can lament for its lack of motivational factors. The journey continues.
So that's a wrap for 2020. It's been a year. There's been a lot more people and things I've been thankful for but ill be hoping to give them some shine via the blog over the coming year. I'd actually planned to wrap up the blog to focus on myself for a while without feeling like I'm letting folk down but after a bit of thought I've decided to keep pushing forward and to keep trying to highlight all the wonderful artists and creatives that make Aberdeen a good place to be but also exploring more of the international artists we've met and worked with over the past 12 years. I have to remind myself that folk with much more resources have come and gone since I published my first blog post and that even if I only do 1 post a month it still has some value but if anyone wants to help then give the socials a like and share something you like from the blog, leave a comment or simply say hi when you see us out and about. Woooo 2021, its a stinker already but we knew it would be!
