Cyclists Dismount

Cyclists Dismount, the exhibition showcases the work of Apartment Collective; Cath Corlett, Paul Harfleet, Zac Ingham and Hilary Jack; this term refers to the artists who have researched, developed and made work specifically in reference to issues surrounding Apartment's location. Through discussion and collaboration the collective are able to act as producers, facilitating ideas from members. For Cyclists Dismount a selection of work and ongoing research is presented and also includes the work of two artists who are recent additions to the collective; Cherry Tenneson and Maeve Rendle.

Cath Corlett

'Flat' by Cath Corlett; using A4 sheets of typing paper white-tac and sellotape Cath Corlett, Paul Harfleet, Zac Ingham and Hilary Jack covered every surface of the emptied living room of 49 Lamport Court. The resulting covering was then cut and bound into a three volume document which becomes a physical record of the interior space. For 'Cyclists Dismount' video documentaion was shown along with the three bound volumes.

Above the video documentation projected on the living room wall. A special thanks to Janet Griffiths for lending us the projector.

Hilary Jack

'Sparrow House' by Hilary Jack; The alarming decline of one of Britain’s favourite birds; the house sparrow, to less than half its population in recent years has prompted the British Ornithology Trust to appoint a “Sparrow Tsar” to investigate. Alongside many modern day problems facing the birds, which prefer to live in large colonies, is the loss of nesting sites in urban areas. Hilary Jack has responded to this ornithological crisis by designing and installing a utopian, multiple occupancy bird house in a tree on the Lamport Court housing estate in the hope that they will return in large numbers to the area.

Maeve Rendle

“Too up too down” is an example of dependency, a pursuit of independence and a resistance of free will. With 72 flats under the roof of Lamport court, a consistent and dedicated economy of space is preserved. The compact and repetitive packaging of the residents at Lamport court is where Maeve’s interest lies. A darkened space lit by a bulb alludes to a sense of mobility; the freedom of this mobility is compromised by the subject’s lack of intent or inability to leave certain parameters. A continual internal route from connection to connection, up or down, left or right joins and restricts each resident through their use of house hold appliances.

Paul Harfleet

Apartment’s balcony overlooks a recently refurbished area which is intended to ease student’s passage through the newly merged Manchester University campus. The attention the grounds have received contrasts to the area surrounding Lamport Court, as the works end abruptly at the boundary to the estate. This visual distinction emphasises the social structures that coexist with mutual disregard. Paul Harfleet has photographed the Cyclists Dismount sign directed at, and consistently ignored by cyclists to draw attention to the complexities of these relationships.

Paul Harfleet and Hilary Jack

For ‘Ascent’ Paul and Hilary have chosen a fragrance to spray whenever they use the lift. This anonymous action will contribute to the aromatic experience of using the lift, creating a fragrant signature that will slowly seep into the resident’s sensual experience of the block, extending the emerging mythology surrounding the activity of Apartment within Lamport Court.

Cherry Tenneson

Cherry Tenneson explores the written word through her work; from authoritative street signage to subconscious automatic writing Cherry is fascinated by the hierarchical meaning and significance of language. For this show Cherry wrote on the bathroom walls, the content of the writings are a record of inane internal ramblings which act as a comfort to Cherry as she deals with an intense fear of heights experienced whilst in Apartment. Also shown on the bed is a sign that humorously comments on street sign parlance.

Above the remnants of 'Joined' by Zac Ingham were recovered from the estate and placed in a jar. Please visit the February 2005 archive for more information about 'Joined'.

Breaking News

It is with some sadness that Apartment must reveal that on July 14th, almost exactly nine months after first being installed; 'Joined' by Zac Ingham, snapped. The nylon thread that spanned the estate above is no longer in place. A combination of extreme weather conditions and general wear and tear appear to have taken its toll. Initial evidence suggests that it may have broken at Apartment's kitchen window. The thread has become tangled in a tree near Lockton Court. We are presently in the process of retrieving the thread to avoid any potential environmental damage.

Above is the expanse that was connected by 'Joined':
(a) = Lamport Court, where Apartment is situated;
(b) = Lockton Court.
White line = the nylon threads trajectory across the estate.

We estimate that approximately 500 people saw this piece of work, many more hearing about it through the press and word of mouth. Thank you to all those who came to see the work over the last nine months. Any comments can be left on the blog and for more information about 'Joined' see below, including images and press coverage.

The article below featured in a recent issue of City Life shown above.