material issues
Silvia Ziranek
It feels like no sooner are we back from our Christmas holidays than the Arts Show comes to another holiday; this time because the station is about to undergo something of a transformation. Xstream East is upgrading both its equipment and its output, and in order to prepare for the changes, the station’s closing for all of February. Thus, this week’s show was our last for a few weeks. We ended on a high note: the calibre of guests and performers alike was exceptionally high.
I am what I wear
Silvia Ziranek, whose form of live art is not easy to explain, even after an hour-long interview on the subject – it involves clothing and costume - was by far the day’s most colourful visitor: a glance at her picture from the day should suffice to make the case. Silvia is a polished act, and a veteran one, too. I chose not to push the question about the span of her artistic career – we had quite enough ground to cover already – but there were enough clues in the conversation to suggest a good few years of sartorial art being behind our conversation. I’m afraid it could be tempting, on first sight, to be dismissive of Ziranek; is her all-pink wardrobe not somewhat flippant? Well, no; in fact there is an authenticity to it. My guest quickly established a heredity for her clothing-centred form of expression - her mother was a tailor – as well as a deep-seated belief in one’s ability to wear one’s history, one’s selfhood. Ziranek (the name is Polish) read out texts that left one in no doubt of her sincerity, and in her belief of the power of clothing. I enjoyed our conversation, and found Ziranek herself at times nothing short of inspiring. She was at her most captivating when swept away by the theme of the plight of the live artist, on which she spoke with a passion. She was indignant that a gallery cleaner should receive better remuneration than the artists whose work inhabits the space. And yet, the cleaner must wear overalls.
As with my first guest, Alexander Wendt’s interview explored an area we’ve never previously covered: this time, sonic
Alexander Wendt
art. Often not music, you understand, but rather sounds created or sampled and mixed to form pieces that challenge and surprise. Wendt, a lecturer in the subject, talked easily and in depth about the techniques that allow him to create, marshall and purvey these sounds; from Californian architecture to micro-engineering; vinyl recordings to classical instrumentation. His knowledge is clearly encyclopaedic; his commitment complete. The comment I thought most telling, though, came before we started recording, when I asked him what his current project was. Bringing up two children, he said.
And then came Jennifer Kavanagh. I have to say (and here I run the risk of making my guest blush) I find Jennifer Kavanagh extraordinarily attractive. There are some people – very few, I think – who are both the centre of gravity wherever they happen to be, and who radiate a sense of calm and positivity: Jennifer Kavanagh is such a person. Whether this aura is a product of the many important community projects with which she has been involved or vice versa, I don’t know. That she is writing about the importance of home is entirely appropriate, however. It is a topic of great importance, whose complexity and subtlety neccessitate similar attributes in the questing author – these, she has. Also, Kavanagh, an attentive listener, has experienced very different sorts of home, has worked among homeless people, and has helped eastenders, both new and established, to a better standard of living: she has a range of reference others may lack. Her book – The O of Home – and the talks and musical gigs relating to it, are created by someone who not only knows her stuff, but has processed the information with sympathy for its sources and without the slightest condescension. I urge you to catch Kavanagh if you can.
Jennifer Kavanagh
The show was already my favourite ever, and that was before the wonderful selection of music it was my pleasure to be able to share. No description offered here could substitute for giving the tracks a listen. The acts performing on this week’s show – Halogen; My Second Head; The Penny Serenade – each has an idiosyncratic, rich, sophisticated sound; I’m hoping to get to play them again when The Arts Show returns, in March.
Listen to this edition of The Arts Show
Tags: Alexander Wendt, Halogen, Jennifer Kavanagh, My Second Head, Silvia Ziranek, The Penny Serenade
