Beatles badges by Sarah Fordham

Beatles badges by Sarah Fordham, specially made for, and on sale at P.S. I LOVE YOU.

Sarah Fordham is a designer-maker who specialises in Cross-Stitch jewellery and accessories. Born and raised in the south, she then moved to the north to study Fine Art where she found her passion for embroidery. She can now call celebrities such as Fearne Cotton fans of her work.

She now sells her jewellery online at the following sites:

www.notonthehighstreet.com/magasin
www.mamagasin.etsy.com
www.folksy.com/shops/mamagasin

Tam Dean Burn @ P.S. I LOVE YOU

Tam is presenting "All Paul is Saying..." - a specially devised video piece at P.S. I LOVE YOU

Tam Dean Burn is an actor, theatre director/producer and cultural activist. His appearances in the North West of England include "You'll Have Had Your Hole" by Irvine Welsh at West Yorkshire Playhouse in 1998, his one man show of Welsh's "Filth" at Contact Theatre, Manchester in 2000 and his adaptation of 'Venus As A Boy' by Luke Sutherland at Unity Theatre, Liverpool in 2007.

Janie Nicoll

Janie Nicoll uses a variety of collage techniques and installation to rework iconic lyrics from selected Beatles songs.

Janie Nicoll is a visual artist based in Glasgow. Her work employs a range of collage techniques across a variety of media; often taking the form of site-specific installation, using multiple digital images, wall paintings, video projections and sculptures that involve a process of translation.

http://www.axisweb.org/artist/janienicoll
http://www.myspace.com/janienicoll
http://smallthingsthatmakeupabigthing.blogspot.com/
http://www.consequencescreening.org/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/janie_nicoll/

http://twitter.com/JanieNicoll
http://community.thisiscentralstation.com/Janie Nicoll
http://www.shoutdocuments.com

Ursula Cheng

I have remained to love Strawberry Fields Forever for many reasons ,its confused and dreamlike nature creates such a sensitivity that advocates this longing of a time past. My intention for this piece was to harness a sense of childhood nostalgia and a naive existence within an escapist reality. These romantic sentiments somehow always draw back into my personal work. I have employed a mix of media and collage in parts. I was keen to bring layers of visual exploration for the viewer, where images end another meets,shapes,patterns, colours and many eyes become key in suggesting the happiness of our reality and a willingness to connect meaningfully to the existing world around us.

Hi, I'm a creative designer originally from Ireland but having spent part of my childhood in Hong Kong I find my work takes a lot of influence from visits to China and also Japan. Specifically vibrant uses of colour ,literature and even old japanese silk screen compositions.
After studying at University of Ulster, Belfast, I decided on a move to Scotland to study Illustration at The Edinburgh College of Art .I graduated in 2009 with Honors in Visual Communication(-Illustration) During this time I also worked and studied in Boston, Massachusetts.
I also Spent a summer doing an artist residency in the Netherlands collaborating with Jewellery designer in Amsterdam and working within collectives creating several events and exhibitions to showcase our work.
I'm now based in Leith, creating mainly personal work in my studio there. I spend my time screen printing at the Edinburgh printmakers and also working on collaborative projects and looking for interesting creative projects to be part of.I'm currently working on apparel design and plan to move into this field with my imagery. In the future I really hope to work as part of a design team working on diverse projects with a combination of different medias and just having fun thinking and creating the unique.

Ursula Kam-Ling Cheng
http://ursula-ursblah.blogspot.com/
ursula.kl.cheng@googlemail.com

Fabio Sassi, 'All You Need Is Love'

Former bluesman, visual artist since 1990.

I make acrylics with the stencil technique on canvas, board or other medium such as old records.

I use logos, icons and shades to create weird perspectives.

I have been very active in the Mail Art network with more than 1000 projects joined along 20 years.

Fabio Sassi
Bologna, Italy

jazzyfab@yahoo.it
www.fabiosassi.blogspot.com

Louise McLennan

A vector giclée print inspired by the song ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’. Incorporating imagery from the Beatles and Britishheritage it is strongly influenced by the animation ‘Yellow Submarine’.

Louise McLennan is a student and aspiring freelance illustrator from Aberdeen, Scotland. She is influenced by Pixar, Star Trek and early 90s video games. Inspired by colour her work is always bright and upbeat.

http://lemclennan.com/

Lindsay Perth, YesterdayTomorrow

'YesterdayTomorrow': video work showing at P.S. I LOVE YOU

This single screen piece uses a clip from a film where the heroine has a transitional scene, a point of awareness about her future and her conviction to get back that which she wants. The scene gets twisted by using the sound from a music box, which when turned plays 'Yesterday'. But it becomes clear that the music box, when turned, actually plays her voice and the song Yesterday seems to be part of the films soundtrack.

http://www.lippi.org/art-yestoday.html

PS I LOVE YOU programme

P.S. I LOVE YOU is a multi-disciplinary programme of arts events dedicated to The Beatles, taking place at Bradford Playhouse 27th April  - 9th May, curated by artist filmmaker, curator and self confessed Beatles anorak Jean McEwan.P.S. I LOVE YOU combines cutting edge performance and visual art with live music, games and workshops, dressing up, karaoke, DJ sets, a special edition zine and much much more to provide an immersive experience which explores, deconstructs, dissects and celebrates the cultural, societal, emotional and mythic impact of the Beatles.
Inspired by The Beatles themselves, P.S. I LOVE YOU is democratic, eclectic, provocative, avant-garde, inclusive and celebratory.
 
EXHIBITION 27th April - 9th May
The P.S. I LOVE YOU exhibition brings together an eclectic range of creative responses to The Beatles from established and emerging artists working nationally and internationally, including : - artists films - painting -  bespoke furniture - infographics - video installation- photography - animation - multiples -  participatory projects - illustration  - performance video - digital drawings  - from:
 Sybil Aadelaja   Gary Birnie   Morgan Beringer      Tam Dean Burn     Maria Cobo   Ursula Cheng   Michael Deal   Sarah Doyle   Alan Dunn      The East Dumbartonshire  String Ensemble      The East Morton and Riddlesden Sunday Painters Association    Carla Easton     Emily Farncombe      Laura-Jane Foley   Sarah Fordham   Claire Grant   Alex Hetherington    Seiko Kato     Callum Kellie     Louise McLennan      Natalie Murray-Hurst          Tamsyn Mystkowski     Janie Nicoll     Bill Parker     Lindsay Perth      Genevieve Ryan       Sea of Monsters      Fabio Sassi            Robert Steven           Katie Thomas      Ryan Thompson  Bella Wood   James Wright
 A special limited edition P.S. I LOVE YOU zine will accompany the exhibition and be distributed at the  P.S. I LOVE YOU events. The zine will feature original artwork, Beatle fan fiction and memories from The Beatles concerts at The Gaumant in Bradford,   from: Bruce Barnes   Samantha Beswick    Maria Cobo   Sam Hart   Graham Hoyle  Robert Hope   Kath Gill   Lucy Munro  Catherine McEwan  Jean McEwan  Nicola Smith   James Wright
 
 EVENTS

Tuesday 27th April:           
Exhibition and Zine launch  7-9pm
 
Wednesday 28th April:  
Beatles Fan Social 7pm  - 11pm
A friendly informal get-together for Beatles fans of all ages. All welcome.

A Hard Day's Night Film Screening         8.30pm
A very special screening of Richard Lester's 1964 classic comedy .
A Hard Day's Night was nominated for two Academy Awards, and featuring the Beatles in their feature film debut, is one of the greatest rock-and-roll comedy adventures ever. The film takes on the just-left-of-reality style of a mock-documentary, following "a day in the life" of John, Paul, George and Ringo as fame takes them by storm. Witty one-liners, classic pop songs and world-class charm build up to happy-go-lucky moments of liberation that capture the sheer exuberance, innocence and rock n’ roll spirit of four young men trying to make their own rules in a world determined to confine them.
 
Thursday 29th April:           
Classical Indian Concert         7.30pm - 9pm
Experience a very special evening of sublime traditional Indian classical ragas and melodies that inspired The Beatles with Kamaljeet Ajimal on the santoor (Indian hammered dulcimer) accompanied by Kousic Sen on the tabla.
www.myspace.com/kamaljeetajimal
 

Saturday 1st May:              
 P.S. I LOVE YOU extravaganza   7pm - late
An evening of performance, art, happenings and high jinks dedicated to The Fab Four.
Audience members will be invited to freely roam around the Bradford Playhouse multi story venue, from the main auditorium to the black box theatre to corridor and foyer areas to encounter unexpected art, performances, and happenings, including:
 -Storytelling with Bruce Barnes
-Far out improvisations and poetry by Nightdiver and Christine Bousfield
-The chance to be Ringo for a night with The Karaoke Beatles
-Live Beatles mashups from santoor player Kamaljeet Ajimal and tabla player Sukhmani Rayat, bringing you Beatles songs like you've never heard them before
-Accoustic  Fab Four and Rutles favourites by Clive Lucas
-Live music from The Delvaux
- The chance to take part in the Bed Peace living installation
 - Free Jazz Beatles improvisation with The Centre St Sound Project with audience participation
-Mysti Valentine’s Helter Skelter of Lurve:  Bradford’s one and only drag goddess will cover a special selection of famous and infamous Beatles numbers in her own unique diva style.
 Plus:
Fab Four DJ sets from Justin Waterhouse
Installations
Quiz
Games
Dressing up
Crafts
Singing // Dancing // Laughing
 
ALL EVENTS ARE FREE
 
Jean McEwan is an artist filmmaker and independent curator. She is one half of artist led collaboration 'popup', which organises projects and events to showcase moving image, sound, performance and multi-media work by artists and filmmakers  in West Yorkshire. She is also a member of the team behind experimental arts showcase events "Hatch", and 'Hatched in Bradford'.
http://community.thisiscentralstation.com/Jean McEwan
 For more information on participating artists, visit www.psiloveyoubeatles.blogspot.comFor more information about Bradford Playhouse, visit www.bradfordplayhouse.co.ukJoin the P. S. I LOVE YOU facebook group for more programme information and regular updates:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3691340&id=737888308&op=1&view=all&subj=359243181952&aid=-1&oid=359243181952&saved#!/group.php?gid=177347382641&ref=ts
http://twitter.com/Jeanmcewan

Graphic series by James Wright

One of a series of 12 posters showing lyrics from one love song taken from each of the 12 Beatles UK studio albums. When the posters are arranged in the chronology of their release, a clear visual development is evident in the timeline. This represents the band's musical development through their career.

James Wright is a graphic designer specialising in typography and layout for both publication and high impact. His aim is to inform, educate and entertain through the visual representation of words and to communicate a message to an audience.

Mysti Valentine

Saturday 1st May

Mysti Valentine’s Helter Skelter of Lurve: Bradford’s one and only drag goddess will cover a special selection of famous and infamous Beatles numbers in her own unique diva style...

Mysti Valentine is a diva-with-a-difference, gender illusionist and drag goddess. In her vodka-soaked ramblings she digs the dirt on some of her nine failed marriages, the highs and lows of her career as a diva, and why she hasn’t given up her search for Mr.Right. Ms.Valentine takes you to the dark side of romance and then renews your faith in love (or at least in love songs).

www.myspace.com/mystivalentine

the Delvaux at PS I LOVE YOU, Saturday 1st May

Of an age unsuited to gym pumps and over-taut legware whilst eschewing all things hatted and bearded in the “alt“ stable, the Delvaux look eastward to European idiosyncrasy and historical ephemerata. Doyens of the lyrical cul-de-sac as opposed to the cultural thoroughfare, the Delvaux ply their craft amidst pop’s esoterica.

Julian & I had an uncle who was the exactly the right age for the Beatles and he had all the singles and LPs. He also had a guitar which was the first one I ever picked up.. By the time we were old enough to be interested in pop music in the 70s the Beatles were the obvious choice. It is pretty strange to think that we regarded them as ancient history, even though they had only split up a few years earlier. The exuberance of the first albums, their coolness (particularly John & George) on the sleeves, the mysterious sounds and instrumentations on Rubber Soul/Revolver/Pepper seemed much more interesting than a lot of the contemporary pop. I see these years as a kind of grounding in pop music. Recalling all of that stuff now and the fact that much of the material still sounds cracking today is pretty incredible.

www.myspace.com/thedelvaux

The Karaoke Beatles

The Karaoke Beatles, performing at P. S I LOVE YOU on Saturday 1st May.
The Karaoke Beatles are Martin and Keith Naylor and Alan Collins, or John, Paul and George. The fourth Beatle, Ringo could be you.
The part of Ringo is played by any member of the audience who wants to get up on stage for one night only to become part of the Fab Four.

Across the Universe

'Across the Universe' by Sam Hart, showing at P.S I LOVE YOU.
Digital composite of a mixed media and collage on paper

Sam Hart is a german-american artist based in Los Angeles. She manufactures environments from simple materials that strategically place her audience within grasp of a greater understanding of their own histories. With a background as a musician and recording artist, Hart frequently sees music as an integral part of her creative landscape and also uses carefully rendered drawings to prompt questions about the point at which collective memory begins to serve the purpose of autobiography.


www.plastiksphinx.net

Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow by Carla Easton

video still from a new video work by Carla Easton showing at P.S I LOVE YOU.
'Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow' explores the forgotten dialogue between sixties girl groups and their fans post Beatlemania through the manipulation and recontextualisation of found footage.

Carla Easton works within the media of video and sculpture, utilising an aesthetic language of humour, pathos and childishness. She lives and works in Glasgow.



www.carlajennifereaston.com

John Colony by Alex Hetherington

John Colony: new video work by Alex Hetherington, showing at P.S I LOVE YOU


Alex Hetherington is a performance-based visual artist. Recent shows includes: A Million Lies; Once and Only Revealed After Death (Triangle of Need), Inspace and Heavy Influence, Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, both EAF 2009; Warehouse of Horrors, The Embassy, at SWG3, Glasgow and I Am Kurious Orange, David Cunningham Projects, San Francisco.

www.alexhetherington.net

Artists confirmed so far...

Participating artists are so far

Sybil Aadelaja
Kamaljeet Ajimal
Gary Birnie
Bruce Barnes
Morgan Beringer
Maria Cobo
Ursula Cheng
Michael Deal
The Devaulx
Sarah Doyle
Alan Dunn
The East Morton and Riddlesden Sunday Painters Association
Carla Easton
Emily Farncombe
Laura-Jane Foley
Claire Grant
Sam Hart
Alex Hetherington
The Karaoke Beatles
Seiko Kato
Callum Kellie
Clive Lucas
Louise McLennan
Natalie Murray-Hurst
Tamsyn Mystkowski
Janie Nicoll
Nightdiver and Christine Bousfield
Lindsay Perth
Genevieve Ryan
Robert Steven
Ryan Thompson
Mysti Valentine
Bella Wood
James Wright

Plus

More to be confirmed very very soon

community, connections

In the process of confirming artists and content for the programme this week. Spending lots of time on facebook twitter central station etc making blogging and setting up groups for the project. I really want the artists taking part to have the opportunity of connecting with the project and each other so its a kind of a personal experience even if people dont get to meet. There are artists taking part from Bradford Leeds Aberdeen Glasgow Edinburgh London Brighton New York Madrid and California. It feels like an opportunity to build some kind of virtual community even if its just a temporary one!
After all The Beatles engaged with the world in an inclusive and communal way. Devin McKinney says in his occasionally brilliant but often bonkers book "The Beatles in Dream and History":
"Their natural instinct was, very simply, wholesale involvement - in whatever form that might take, within whatever population. In this way, The Beatles would take the idea of a mass community to the limits of possibility".

Well Devin, maybe, but I'm hoping that the artists taking part in PS I LOVE YOU have an opportunity to make connections in some way.

I cannot explain

I was born the year The Beatles split up, in 1970. When I was 17, a friend gave me a mix tape with some lesser well knowm Beatles songs on. For the first time, I listened properly to The Beatles. I experienced an instant epiphany. This music was vital, alive, full of attitude, humour, anger and slyness. Not the banal pop fluff I had previously regarded The Beatles as. I was hooked. From that moment on, I began a process of investigation which over 20 years has dipped in and out of periodic obsession.
I am obsessed by The Beatles. This curation is in part my own personal investigation into why.
After listening to the songs over and over for years and years, reading countless biographies and studies, from the esoteric to the hagiographic, watching documentaries, mockumentaries (well, one) and wearing out my Anthology DVDs, I am no closer to being sated. But I cannot explain why The Beatles mean so much to me.
PS I LOVE YOU is an attempt to understand, to uncover and examine this question. By working with other artists, making my own work for the show, and also by documenting the process of the project, I am trying to understand myself and my own peculiar obsession (ok I know I'm by far not the only one). Having the opportunity to play with the wealth of Beatles 'stuff' ,which they generated directly as cultural product, and indirectly in the world's response, allows me to move from a position of passive awe to active investigation, interpretation and exploration of the question -
why do we need to be fans?

Never needed any other way

A page from my diary. I was reading 'Here There and Everywhere", by Geoff Emerick, an account of his recording work with The Beatles, and I wrote down phrases from the book which resonated with me. My favourite is something John says in the search for a particular sound he is after for "Being For the Benefit Of Mr Kite" -
"What I want is some kind of swirly music, you know?"

P.S. I LOVE YOU programme

P. S I LOVE YOU has had a huge number of submissions national and international artist working across a broad range of disciplines. I'm really excited about the quality and breadth of the work.

P.S. I LOVE YOU will combine cutting edge performance and visual art with live music, film, games and workshops, dressing up, karaoke, DJ sets and much much more to produce an immersive experience which explores, deconstructs, dissects and celebrates the cultural, societal, emotional and mythic impact of the Beatles.
Inspired by The Beatles themselves, P.S. I LOVE YOU is democratic, eclectic, provocative, avant-garde, inclusive and celebratory.

Throughout the course of the week's programme, audience members will be invited to freely roam around Bradford Playhouse multi story venue, from the main auditorium to the black box theatre to corridor and foyer areas to encounter unexpected art, performances, and happenings.

Audiences are offered opportunities to participate in a living re-enactment of Bed Peace, do a Beatles quiz, see graphic art dedicated to the song “Strawberry Fields”, join in with The Karaoke Beatles, witness a live santoor set, make themed crafts, take part in a Lennon-McCartney tug of war contest, take away a ‘zine of Beatles inspired drawings and writings, be filmed in the Beatles Diary Shed, dance to DJ sets and Beatles inspired live music, and much more.

Further artists and content still in the process of being confirmed, details of all participating artists will be posted by the week's end!