What a year it was. Being the international year of biodiversity MMX was definitely diverse.
A 7.0 magnitude earthquake flattened Haiti. Dubai officially opened the worlds tallest man made structure. There was the particularly melty winter Olympics in Canada, global warming indeed. Then North Korea starts some crazy shit with many incidents happening throughout the year – appeasement doesn’t work world. “that” Icelandic volcano, BP oil disaster, Greece goes broke but still “Nude, green leaves and bust” by Picasso sells for a record breaking $106.5million. The UK General election - we were so full of hope that we could all make a real difference to the way the country is run, oh so naive. Louise Bourgeois died. Some football thing? The first 24-hour flight by a solar powered plane, who needs oil? Wiki-leaks causes Pakistan to flood. 33 Chilean miners become worldwide celebrities. The LHC traps anti matter without destroying the world (yet). Ireland goes broke but still has plenty of potatoes. Students go mental in London and damn right to, starting a worldwide trend for protesting, which is still going on today. Fair enough elsewhere they’re causing revolution but us British are a bit more polite than that. A trait we really do need to drop ¡Viva la Revolución!
And now to put all that nonsense into context here is a little review of my year of artodiversity.
January saw me finally bite the bullet and become a proper self-employed artist. Proper scary shit but with the wonderous support from the princes trust the big leap was made. I set up www.lozatkinson.co.uk featuring photos, exhibition info and an online shop. Then with a few fairs under my belt some of my photography work was selected to be displayed in the Cavell centre Peterborough, which happens to be a mental health unit, how befitting this association would become later in the year.
Then the huge news of the year, the Elephant Parade London and the creation of deliverance. Travelling down to the elephant and castle (perfection) shopping centre to an empty shop studio, avoiding the crazy random visitors (one of which asked another artist to come to his flat and paint him naked for money) deliverance soon came to be. With her apocalyptic clouds and freed caged birds symbolizing hope within despair away she went to be displayed outside the royal festival hall on London’s prestigious Southbank. Other artists/designers involved in the project included Marc Quinn, Jack Vettriano, Sir Terence Conran, Diane von Furstenberg, Johnny Rocket, Lulu Guinness, Mackenzie Thorpe, sir Paul smith, Peter Beard and many others. With over 250 life-sized baby elephant sculptures dotted all over the capital it became London’s largest outdoor art event and attracted an estimated 25 million viewers. All for the conservation of the Asian elephant that could become extinct within 50 years if more isn’t done. With many famous supporters spreading the word about the project such as Goldie Hawn, Sarah, Duchess of York, Hugh Grant, Joanna Lumley, Stephen Fry, Boris Johnson and many many more plus the super hard work of all at the charity the event raised more than £4million to go towards buying habitat and helping other projects to help save this magnificent creature.
Deliverance did her part by selling for an amazing £10,000 and living happily with her new owners. With this came my first proper dealings with the press going on live radio for an interview was a bit scary but amazing fun no less. Being featured in local press and even a photo of deliverance appeared on a national newspapers website. Although some things fell through I hope it got a few people interested in the cause and got them to sign the petition as I am asking you now if you haven’t already follow the link and add your details! More excitement ensued with being invited to an artist’s day and party. hanging around my elephant and meeting the people spreading the good word. Even signed my first autograph for a little girl named Hayley and posed for a few photos.
Meanwhile back in the real world a proposal of mine had been accepted for the SO festival in Skegness and I’d been invited back to display yet more work at the Cavell centre. Here are a few other snippets of exciting occurrences in no order whatsoever
- Celebrated my second wedding anniversary to my most brilliant husband Mark.
- Went to the opening of Damien Hirst - Print Maker at the Bowes museum in Barnard Castle.
- the 'one and other' book which accompanies Antony Gormley's fourth plinth project from 2009 came out. So featured in two books in one year can’t be bad. The other being the elephant parade book.
- Attended the welcoming party for the new head curator at the MIMA.
- Harvesting a homegrown 5kg pumpkin.
- Donated some work for a charity auction with all the proceeds going to LOROS a local Leicester hospice helping terminally ill patients and their families.
- Fossil hunting.
- New works in photography and painting in the making with plans for more large-scale digital works.
- Fantabulous party for Bex and Wayne’s works 25th anniversary.
- Went to the opening of the Gerhard Richter exhibition at the new walk museum in Leicester. Just on a giddy stupid note I met Sir Nicolas Serota there FYI he’s the director of the Tate!
- My wonderous new mermaid turquoise hair.
- Protesting against the EDL then later to save the city gallery.
- Being nominated for a leicestherday trust jubilee award, celebrating the women of Leicester.
- Networking.
- Meeting Derren Brown and getting deliverance mentioned on his blog.
More arts fairs ensued in November and then what ever happened to set me on a downward spiral of despair and fear happened. So putting me out of action of which I’m just getting back into things as we speak (proof being this review of the year being a month late oops) but I’m sure all you lovely people out there will forgive a girl a bit of specialness and give her a bit of time to get her head straight and her ideas worthwhile again.
Some exciting 2011 news to be announced soon! You’ll be the first to know.
