And so having set the challenge for incoming @firstsite Director Matthew Rowe, here’s something to remind us as to the reasons as to why we still LOVE the Golden Goose here at The Chronic.
A lovely video has appeared online, explaining the original architectural vision behind the building with the work of Rafael Viñoly. Professionally produced by Colchester based business Kinura, it’s an ACE insight as to what the infrastructure sets out to achieve.
Many of the original ideas are still relevant. The Cultural Quarter quest gets a little carried away – remember that firstsite was originally conceived when anyone doing anything remotely associated with regeneration was given an Arts Council grant.
The plans for Queen Street appear a little vague – firstsite may have been built, but St Botolph’s is still in desperate need of some support to try and keep up with the pace of change in this part of town.
MUSA meanwhile is perhaps the one pessimistic retrospective viewing. The idea of a high-class evening restaurant was never really going to work as we entered into a double dip recession. Here’s hoping that this particular menu can be revisited at some stage in the future.
The challenge or incoming Director Matthew and his team will be to reassess the original architectural vision for firstsite, and then take this forward and make it work under very different economic trading conditions – make no mistake: firstsite is a commercial enterprise.
This will all hopefully start next month when the fifth season opens at firstsite:
Nigel Henderson & Eduardo Paolozzi: Hammer Prints Limited 1954 – 1975
…may appear a little rambling, but at least it frames the artistic reference points so that you know precisely what you are getting.
“In 1954 artists Nigel Henderson and Eduardo Paolozzi formed a creative partnership under the company name of Hammer Prints Ltd. Over the course of the next seven years the two artists established a commercial venture, collaboratively designing patterns and working with industry specialists to produce wall papers, fabrics, ceramic tiles, furniture and tableware using their designs.”
The prints of Paolozzi should hopefully transfer well here in Sunny Colch. The town has a long tradition of print based artists, with new talent such as Tristan Howe still carrying on this tradition. The workshops around the fifth season should at least be interesting.
Onwards…
One Comment
I think the entrance to Firstsite is very badly designed. On a sunny day one passes into the shadow of an overhanging hulk, somewhat like the prow of a great liner, which one would not normally wish to encounter at that angle. It looks threatening and dangerous, and the fact that it is always in shadow, being north-facing, exacerbates the depressing effect.