Archive for July, 2008

Weekly links lucky-dip, no.9

West Midlands:— Rhubarb Rhubarb has partnered with POD printers Blurb to launch a new UK photobooks award. Although sadly it’s only open to those who are paying for portfolio reviews at the main Rhubarb event // Jump-the-canal, seemingly a new Brummie craze // West Midlands Creative Alliance is… “a group of arts professionals drawn together […]

Weekly links lucky-dip, no.8

Artists:— One of my dissertation ex-students, Natalie Ann-Hinchley, had her film “The Animal Book” (Second Home Productions) show at the Edinburgh Festival. The website has a trailer for this new West Midlands-made film, and Channel 4’s 4 Talent also has a profile of the studio // Two new biographies — On Some Faraway Beach: The […]

From Ugh!3 to UT3

Many were disappointed with the videogame Unreal Tournament 3, which was rush-released for the PC at the end of November in order to hit the Christmas market. The clunky demo was a warning. When the retail game arrived on my PC it certainly looked lovely, but there was still too much that was wrong and […]

Weekly links lucky-dip, No.7

Visiting Britain:— Jeff Randall argues in favour of stay-at-home British tourism. Just don’t forget to pack your ultra-lightweight waterproofs and an umbrella // Cider-making courses at The Shropshire Apple Trust. Also their annual Apple Day on 11th Oct 08 // A new direct train to the seaside. Stoke-on-Trent + Wolverhampton + Birmingham all have a […]

Lost Crown is at No.10 on Amazon PC Games chart

With two days to go before release, the British game The Lost Crown has risen to No.10 on the Amazon PC Games bestseller chart, on pre-orders and word-of-mouth alone. Congratulations to developer Jonathan Boakes, who’s shown us that a one-man home-brewed point-&-click adventure game can still mean business. Better, the game was made with free […]

Friday Thursday links lucky-dip, No.6

The weekly bookmarks digest (normal service will be resumed in Sept), and a day earlier than usual…. Fight!:— Birmingham’s twitter-fight // The Airship Destroyer (1909), a silent short in which fleets of German naval airships invade the British Isles // The history of contemporary water-pistols // West Midlands:— Jake at MADE calls for a Birmingham […]

Neogeography neo

I’ve finished bumbling my way through writing “A short enquiry into the origins and uses of the term neogeography” (PDF link), and it’s now online.

Three Flags

(larger version, 220kb). INSERT_MAP

Open 08

I went down to the Open 08 exhibition in Wolverhampton today. Open 08 “showcases some of the best artists based within the region”. It’s a neatly-presented exhibition and there are many pleasures in the two rooms. There’s also a more general pleasure to be found in Open 08, in that the curators have mostly avoided […]

Friday links lucky-dip, No.5

Quirk:— Device Gallery: the Fantastic Contraption exhibition + Stephane Hallieux‘s contraptions // The amazing Cadbury’s Creme Eggs contraption (video) // A short illustrated survey of gay androids // Unintentionally surreal medical mannequins // The 6th Buxton Puppet Festival, 28th July – 2nd Aug, in the nearby Peak District — includes master puppeteers from India and […]