Belén and the record machine

During the last artist’s Exchange in Cork, Belen new already what was going to be her next project.

In the first image, she is rehearsing with an electric piano, playing the same musical chord that will be with us all week long from the beginning to the end.

The next Belen’s demand was a baby trolley where she placed the piano and a black doll, tied all together with tape, cables and ropes. 

With the time, the trolley was filled up with objects that she has had recycled with an order that only she new about it.

Belen and Jessica's Trolleys

Finally, in Madrid after a year and a half, the process has been repeated. Belen has reproduced her Records Machine, and she uses it together with Cai Tomos, an artist from wales, as she did in the past with the musicians Katie Whelan y Mick O´Shea, giving a continuation to the process happened in Cork.

Belén Sánchez and Mick O´Shea

New record machine

Belén Sánchez and Cai Tomos

Mario acting Garnet character

The first sing of Garnet was in 2015 in Tabacalera, during a mural painting session, when preparing the first workshop in Madrid.

Since then, Mario has been working on this animating character, a new process was slowly been opened.

In Mario’s work we can see a lot of similarities with AIM (Bristol), around the story and its representation through the clothing, being more precise with the work of Betty Sargent.

Garnet's weak

Detail of Garnet's weak

Garnet's globes

Most recently the clothing elaboration on the process of Garnet (weak and globes) has gone a further step in the imitation of the character.

At the moment, Mario together with the wales artist Cai Tomos, is starting the first movements in the representation of the character.

Mario Batanero acting Garnet, together with 

Cai Tomos (Nave 10, Matadero-Madrid, 2017)

Working with needles

There are already 3 artists working on sewing.

Marina Solana, Mercedes Serra and Rúl Hernández are opening the path in this field, substituting drawing materials by needles and fabrics. These artworks are personal tales and the three of them relating to the mothers. Marina’s mother is from Japan and she is sketching in fabric all the Japanese family. Mercedes is working with the memory of her mother who died a year ago. In her embroidered portrait, you will see her mother holding her grandchild. Raul’s work is more abstract, but he likes sewing because her mother was a dress maker and he comes to the workshop with a fantastic sewing box with plenty of colourful threads 

Marina Solana 

Mercedes Serra

Raúl Hernández

Examples of some of the Tea Service plates

 

 

 

 
 
 

The Tea Service Launch

The first tea services at Spike Island Open Studios have been a great success, some fascinating conversations complimented by tea and cake. 

The artists working with AIM developed the idea for this project. We also invited our partners from Debajo del Sombrero and Gasp. 

The project was a creative way to engage with other groups, organisations and local community networks to discuss and share ideas about a wide range of topics including art, disability and local history. It was also a great opportunity to share the work we had been dong through our European exchange.

The central focus of the artwork consists of a purpose-made tea set, created by the artists through applying their painting, drawings, writing and photography to china whiteware by using ceramic transfers.

The artwork will tour to a number of venues in Bristol; art institutions, creative spaces, community centres and schools where the artists will invite others to join them at the table for art, tea and discussion. Maybe in the future maybe it could even tour to Madrid and Cork.