In an extension to their usual festival, Bath Fringe, in conjunction with Fringe Arts Bath, is running an exciting programme of exhibitions, performances and installations at 5 Broad Street this summer. Running from July to the end of August, the exhibition space is open Wednesday to Sunday from 12pm to 5pm, and there will be live music on Saturdays from 3pm to 6pm and special free ticketed events on Wednesday evenings. To help you plan your activities, Wendy Matthews from Bath Fringe shares her five must-sees at This Is Not a Shop…
1. Exhibition: Kate McDonnell
24th July to 8th August 2021, Wednesday to Sunday, 12pm to 5pm.
Creepy, ominous, entangled clouds of energy form Kate McDonnell’s three-dimensional objects and environments. In her practice, ephemeral matter is rendered worthless by overworking and near-destructive actions. It’s a cycle of redacting, tearing, twisting, crushing and erasing – purposeless and laborious activities – underpinned by regret, shame and wasted time. McDonnell’s practice is firmly rooted in process art and influenced by post-minimalist artists such as Richard Serra and Eva Hesse.
2. Artist Talk: The Redux Project – Richard DeDomenici
Wednesday 4th August, 7pm to 8pm.
In 2013, artist Richard DeDomenici launched The Redux Project, his attempt to disrupt the cinema industry by making counterfeit sections of popular films, and unlike most derivative works, his fakes often receive better reviews than the originals. During this 60-minute talk, DeDomenici will divulge the behind-the-scenes secrets of the low-budget and site-specific project, and explain how he ended up broadcasting ten Reduxes live on BBC4 from Television Centre.
3. Artist Talk: All Roads Lead to Rome by Chris Dobrowolski
Wednesday 11th August, 7pm to 8pm.
Chris has lovingly repaired his family Triumph Herald Estate so that he can drive it from his childhood home in Braintree to Rome via Turin, where this quintessentially English car was designed. Part investigation into his father’s time as a Polish soldier in the Italian Campaign and part muse on consumerism, All Roads Lead to Rome brings together car mechanics, a road trip, dictators and the fetishisation of possessions in a solo performance using old photos, new film and surprising mechanical objects.
4. Exhibition: Automatic Sight – Autofókusz
24th July to 27th August, Wednesday to Sunday, 12pm to 5pm.
Inspired by Anna T Szabó’s poem Autofókusz, this exhibition, curated by Anne Murray, takes shape in three solo shows, much like the process of autofocus in a camera; it brings the visions of three artists during this epic moment of world crisis, from a distance, middle ground, and foreground, each taking a part in the whole of perception. These three distinct solo shows showcase the works of Amy Sands in the USA, Svetlana Ochkovskaya in Portsmouth, UK, and Zolt Asta in Budapest, Hungary.
5. Music: Amadou Diagne
Sunday 15th August, 2pm to 5pm.
Multi-instrumentalist, composer, singer, songwriter, Amadou Diagne has the traditions of West Africa at his fingertips. Amadou Diagne can trace his music roots through a long family line of Griot musicians and praise singers. A former full-time member of L’Orchestra National du Senegal, Amadou regularly performed as a percussionist in concerts, cultural events and on television for the top West African stars, as well as becoming a busy session musician on the vibrant Dakar music scene. Since moving to England, Amadou has been busy forging his own musical identity inspired by meeting, playing and collaborating with musicians from diverse backgrounds and musical styles.