'Dear Portrait' Mostyn.

 

 

 

This really could be a scene from Soho or Greenwich Village, it's very downtown N.Y or Hoxton even, not the scene that we expect in Llandudno, Victorian seaside resort, the Mostyn creation of straight streets in sympathy with the West Shore / North Shore. But Llandudno it truly is, back of the Mostyn - a great place for a band photograph, Pennie Smith style, cool but no graffiti and dereliction - classier than that.
This photo is The Clash post London Calling.
Black against the gold. The Mostyn sign above is only seen in glancing by passing cars, only seen from the department stores car park across the road - by Saturday shoppers -  they are looking for a bargain not art.
Around the front the red brick façade and this glorious commemorative plaque to an early archaeologist.

George Alfred Humphreys. Born in Cefn Bychan, Denbighshire in 1865 and the Census tells us he lived at Eglwys Rhos, Llandudno in April 1911 but nothing about the archaeologist - will have to try and find out more. They may well know something at Llandudno Museum - that will be a follow up mission.
This plaque is on the Post Office wall - low down - almost invisible - street level - you need to read 'Bloody Old Britain' and O.G.S Crawford - then you won't miss these wonderful things.

And there's another one, to Lady Henrietta Augusta Mostyn

So in we go, it's 'Dear Portrait', 'Annwyl Bortread' - they tell us its " a major group exhibition investigating the genre of portraiture in the sphere of the visual arts today". Heard worse. Art speak is my pet hate at the moment. Some of it is true (I'm sure) some of it is absolute (bollocks) I'm sure.
They have to do this. Or should Art just speak for itself ? Sometimes shutting up would do the Art more justice.

So we go into the art world, via Brutalist / Modernist / Stalinist / Concrete - from street to art world - via a tunnel, a perception warping grey thing that takes you the visitor into the light. Acually it's quite brilliant.

But first check out the amazing salads at the café upstairs. healthy, refreshing, non fattening and a 1st storey view over towards Mostyn Street, Alice not quite visible. Loved the café with a view. The staff very, very nice and spoke Welsh, it does help. Recognised a few faces - always good. This is a great place for arty chat over arty coffee. Must come here more often to arrange and discuss.

More Stalinist staircases before we get back to artland proper. Bloody technology (kind words) meant that 'Esgyn' or 'Uprisings' by Pant Glas artist Becca Voelcker is not visible (how cool is that, not the technology bit but an artist - from Pant Glas - wear it like a proper flag a big Red Dragon with a Fuck Off T Shirt - that's Pant Glas. The only other artist from Pant Glas is the big fella Bryn Terfel, Bryn T Jones on twitter).
http://www.beccavoelcker.co.uk/
http://beccavoelcker.blogspot.co.uk/
http://vimeo.com/44478995

We descend

We are drawn to the DJ, of course we are. Princess Julia by Wolfgang Tillmans, she looks good, loads of warpaint and fur (not real I hope) and pretty casual about the next disc. The idea here is that the subjects have all responded to their portraits. Nice twist. From 'famous' to Dads, that's quite cool. But like in museums, too much text at low level (eye level not literary) and it's just better to stand back. Yes it's good to hear from the subject matter - it does matter.

Shame we don't have Princess Julia sounds ricocheting around the Mostyn. That would be good.
Another popstar present and correct, if a bit quiet, quieter than usual, no feedback, is Lee Renaldo (Sonic Youth guitarist). But we can't have the DJ and the distorted guitar unless we have headphones, silent disco style.
Should have had a launch and a DJ or were we just not invited to the party. This is pretty damned cool for downtown North Wales. I hope people appreciate it does happen here, it's not all Manchester central - it really can be here - shouting distance from Snowdonia proper.

Saturday afternoon. Great time for art and chilled lunches. Antonia Dewhurst (artist) is present to greet us and it's lovely to chat, to chat to a fellow traveller from these parts. http://www.culturecolony.com/profile/491

Reminds me of a long time ago at the Mostyn, when they had portraits from The Face - way back in the 80's, a milestone in cultural events @ North Wales - still appreciated that it happened, that they came, that we saw and were inspired.