Thing? The Thing? Things? Things, plagues, red things, red issues, lighthouse keepers?

Some TRACEY MOBERLY Mobilography ready for Red Revised

We’re revising Red ideas, building up to Red at Cultivate, getting the place as Red as red can get, meanwhile TRACEY MOBERLY will  be with us again, following on from her Mobilography prints that featured in the Yeastie Girls and Spring show (that ended today)

“Work RED-READ Mobilography prints for sale  Opening night RED REVISED at Cultivate, Vyner Street,  London E2 Thurs 28th March 6-10pm, First Thursday 4th April 6-10pm www.cultivatevynerstreet.com“

And as Tracey just  told you there, we open this Thursday evening at 6pm (until 9pm) and then usual gallery opening times for the next two weeks  (including another late night opening on First Thursday April 4th) Artists featured  –   BEN JONSON, EMMA HARVEY,  GABRIEL PARFITT, JAMES REYNOLDS, JODIE MASON. JULIA MADDISON  JOSE GOMEZ, LOOLIE HAPGOOD, LOUISE PATEY,  MADELEINE STRINDBERG, MIA-JANE HARRIS, MICHELLE MILDENHALL, PAUL FENWICK, PIKY, SEAN WORRALL, TRACEY MOBERLY and ZOE CROSSE. Other artists and pieces may be added as the show evolves  Some of it might be left on the street, not all art belongs in a gallery

A red exclamation left in Vyner Street

Meanwhile elsewhere in East London, the day before Red Revised opens at Cultivate, over at Signal Gallery, ‘The Way We Were’ two man show, featuring Matt Small and Fran Williams.

“We are delighted to announce that Matthew Small and Fran Williams will be showing their work together for the first time in a two-man show at the gallery. The show called ‘The Way We Were’ finds the two artists in top form, producing powerful works in their distinctively intense styles. Both artists have largely concentrated on portraiture as their main stylistic medium. There is also an underlying melancholy and soulfulness in both their works, which sits very well together, even though the technical means of achieving this atmosphere is quite different.

Fran Williams studied illustration at Swansea Metropolitan University and since graduating she has shown in across the UK solo and group shows and at a number of important Art Fairs, notably the London Art Fair. Her unique blend of ethereal beauty and painterly technique, have found her a place in the Urban Art scene as well as in the Fine Art community. The artists says about her work ‘I relentlessly explore the emotive qualities of paint, surface and form. My ethereal figures that take the viewer on a journey within. The paintings are a visual diary of my life experience so far, as I aim to capture and trap my feelings and emotions in paint’.

Matthew Small also studied illustration, firstly at the University of Westminster and then at The Royal College of Art. He has shown extensively in London and internationally and has been a considerable figure in London’s Urban Art scene for several years. Matt’s unique technique, creating a colourful kaleidoscopic effect in a series of intimate portraits, mostly of young black men, has become an iconic trademark for the artist. He invariably paints on found metal objects, which adds to the intensely urban feel and beauty of the works”

Signal Gallery, 32 Paul Street, London EC2A 4LB

Probably the finest band in the world, Van der Graaf Generator are reportedly admitting to the progressive rock glossy press, that they’re rather daunted by the prospect of their forthcoming  European tour….

“That’s because they’re aiming to perform classic 23-minute track A Plague Of Lighthouse Keepers from 1972 album Pawn Hearts. The shows will also include a rendition of seven-movement piece Flight from frontman Peter Hammill’s 1980 solo album A Black Box.

The band say: “It’s partly as a result of the reworking of Flight in the trio format that we’ve been tempted to go for something even more ambitious – or dangerous. Our intention is to play A Plague of LIghthouse Keepers each night.

“We will not be attempting to recreate the album version, but hope to come up with a new, in-the-present approach to this important piece from our past, which has only been played live a handful of times before now.It’s a scary prospect, but very exciting!”

VdGG European tour

Jun 17: Berlin, Columbia Club, Jun 20: Darmstadt, Centralstation, Jun 21: Erfurt, Gewirkschaftshaus, Jun 22: Dresden, Tante Ju, Jun 24: Amsterdam, Melkweg Jun 26: Bilston, Robin,Jun 27: Glasgow, ABC,Jun 28: Manchester, RNCM,Jun 30: London, Barbican

A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers — Live, Belgian TV, 1972

Peter Hammill – solo  “Flight” (whole)

More VAN  DER GRAAF GENERATOR coverage via ORGAN and a bit more here