David Bent Movement 2000. Much like the subject matter of this collection of eight paintings – refugees, migrants and people on the move generally – Movement 2000, by Swindon-based artist David Bent is looking for a home. One in which they can be viewed, absorbed and digested at length. All of which they certainly need and deserve.
Before I go any further, I should state that I’m in no way an art expert. I know nothing of the art world nor do I know anything about the discourse of art. But, as with a piece of music that either appeals to my ear or it doesn’t, so it is with art. It appeals to my eye or it doesn’t. And I’m not much interested in art for art’s sake – merely art that I like. And I DO like David’s art. Pretty much all of it. So there! Right, now I’ve got that off my chest we’ll move on.
Before I go any further, I should state that I’m in no way an art expert. I know nothing of the art world nor do I know anything about the discourse of art. But, as with a piece of music that either appeals to my ear or it doesn’t, so it is with art. It appeals to my eye or it doesn’t. And I’m not much interested in art for art’s sake – merely art that I like. And I DO like David’s art. Pretty much all of it. So there! Right, now I’ve got that off my chest we’ll move on.
But of course, as you’d expect from a prolific and talented artist, there’s more bristles in his paintbrush than that.
And his Movement 2000 works, two years in the making, are just one example.
Magnum Opus?
I wouldn’t like to say that this collection is the most important or best work David has produced – who know what lies ahead? But nevertheless I reckon the term ‘Magnum Opus’ is an appropriate enough description for these works.
On a visit to David’s Open Studio I got a glimpse of this body of work and a sense of its importance to David. But it was just a glimpse – other visitors etc, etc. So David kindly invited me to his studio again to have a proper look at them and to tell me more about the collection.
So I learnt from David that it was in the late 1990s as we headed towards the millennium, that he was inspired, moved, driven even to create a major piece of work to celebrate and to mark the world’s calendars turning over into a new century.
He wanted these paintings to make a big visual statement. And they do – in every sense of the word ‘big’.
Choosing ‘Movement’ as the umbrella title for this group of paintings David was inadvertently prescient as around this time the Balkan/Yugoslav conflict was raging. And of course, wherever there is conflict there are refugees. People on the move seeking sanctuary.
And never were these paintings more relevant than they are today. Sixteen years later the world is seeing the greatest exodus of people possibly since Biblical times. And, interestingly enough, ‘The Christening Party’ features an obvious Biblical reference.
The Circle of life
I’m loathe to say much on what the paintings are ‘about’ as we each take different things from art. But I’m sure David won’t mind my saying that, although full of detail, they are also pretty easy to deconstruct. As far as I’m concerned that’s a virtue.
What goes around comes around and the circularity of the world and of life is, I think, central to these paintings. As is the notion that where we are in life is largely an accident of birth. ‘There but for the Grace of God go I’.
On a slighter lighter note I think it’s safe to say that planes, trains and automobiles – and ships – feature in these works also – though you might have to look for them. So there’s movement literally as well as metaphorically.
Installation piece
Conceived as an installation piece, these paintings demand that you spend some time with them. They work on more than one level for sure. Certainly the more you look at them then the more you see. Get close up and you see one thing – step back and you see another. Then once that ‘thing’ is seen you can’t stop seeing it.
With a broad geographical theme, they’re structured works, each of them running from right to left, then from left to right with a central focus and detail along the bottom of them. Like much of David’s work there’s lots of personal detail in them too. Himself as a teenager, his dad, his brother – people, places and things that have resonances for him are peppered throughout the paintings.
Rotunda
David’s ideal home for the works is a sort of rotunda with ten sides. Each of eight sides will house one painting, one side for information and the tenth side missing to form an entrance.
From the exterior it looks rather like a temporary shelter/a yurt like structure such as might be seen in refugee camps – as is fitting with the subject matter of the paintings with ‘Home Sweet Home’ above the door.
It has a central post with mirrors on allowing for a different perspective and a solar panel on the roof. I don’t think President Obama comes with the paintings though …
The pictures below of David’s model ideal home gives a better idea than me trying to describe it.
Aside from a period in 2009 when they were exhibited in Swindon’s Artsite building they’ve not left the studio.
Wouldn’t it be a wonderful thing for these works about movement to do some moving of their own to a new home where they can be appreciated fully?
David Bent Movement 2000 – a Swindon Advertiser article from the archivesA 1999 Big Issue article about David Bent’s Movement 2000Pics A 1999 Big Issue article about David Bent’s Movement 2000
Those of us of a certain age, that remember scratchy nib pens and inkwells in desks and then the later cartridge pens, could be forgiven for thinking that the Biro and indeed the text message and e-mail had rendered fountain pens obsolete. But not a bit of it.
Recent years have seen a resurgence in their use as this article on the BBC website demonstrates. And along the way the humble fountain pen has gone beyond splodgy, messy function to become a luxury item & a stylish accessory. Along with cufflinks** and designer handbags for ladies of course.
So, rather than heeding the words of Paul Simon who said, “you want to be a writer, don’t know where or when?
Find a quiet place, use a humble pen”
You can instead scribble away with a stylish hand-turned writing implement from the workshop of Simon Webb. Oneupmanship with your penmanship?
In the aforementioned BBC article Sharon Hughes, a buyer for John Lewis commented: “people relish returning to solid, traditional objects to make sense of a difficult and complex world.”
And a solid, traditional and beautifully made object is exactly what you get with a Simon Webb pen. What’s more, no two are exactly the same. It’s not many of us that can afford a Montblanc or a silver Parker Pen. So owning one of Simon’s pens is absolutely the very next best thing.
Indeed, as the company website says: ” Of course pens and pencils are, first and foremost, functional items. But that doesn’t mean they can’t be beautiful too. The writing instruments we produce are a perfect marriage of form and function.”
Pens with history
But beyond being carefully crafted things of beauty, some of Simon’s pens, such as his Lydiard Pens, have unusual back stories. Available via Swindon’s Lydiard House, the eponymous pens available there are crafted from a 300 year old walnut tree destroyed in the 2013 winter storms.
Alternatively you can be the proud owner of a pen made from the mulberry tree in the garden of the Richard Jefferies’ Museum in Swindon. What finer and more appropriate thing can there be than to write with a pen made from the tree that was written about by Swindon’s famous son and writer, Richard Jefferies?
Of course, owning one of these pens is unlikely to improve your handwriting and it might not make the muse anymore compliant. But at least you can scrawl and scribe and suffer writer’s block clutching in your hand a sensuous yet functional object. And one with a bit of history attached to boot. Simon even sells Diamine ink to go with the pens. Handy or what?
Contact Simon
You can email Simon at sales@simon-webb.co.uk or go old school and pick up the phone and call him on: 07834 375628. And, given the ‘old school’ nature of the products – that’s somewhat appropriate.
Bespoke pens
Simon also takes orders for bespoke pens – hence should you happen to have a piece of wood that carries a special meaning to you there’s an excellent chance it can be turned into a very personal and beautiful writing instrument.
Time to dig out the blotting paper and the airmail writing pad methinks?
After many years working in information technology Simon, an engineer at heart, gave up coding and turned to crafting. That said, Simon keeps a finger in the IT pie as curator and director of Swindon’s Museum of Computing.
Born and raised in Wiltshire, Simon comes from a family of craftsmen. His grandfather was a sign writer in Swindon’s famous GWR railway works and his father was also a talented craftsman who taught Simon much of what he knows.
Simon Webb: His Nibs!One of Simon’s many vices!Workbench
Well listeners. This year has so far seen a few new Swindon experiences for me. One of them being the subject of this post – taking a trip on Dragonfly on the Wilts & Berks canal.
Earlier in the summer I visited the Secret Gardenin Queen’s Park for the first time and got a ride on the miniature railway at Coate Water. And today I’ve achieved another first with a trip in the delightful Dragonfly – a narrow boat that ploughs a watery furrow along a stretch of the Wilts and Berks Canal.
And should you wonder why it’s ‘Wilts & Berks’ rather than ‘Wiltshire & Berkshire’ wonder no more. It seems that a one-time lazy draughtsman couldn’t face the effort of writing the county names in full several times over. So he shortened them. The document got passed into law in that form and bingo!
Swindon is mid point of the waterway which linked the Thames at Abingdon with the Kennet & Avon Canal near Melksham.
About Dragonfly
I’ve written about Dragonfly in both Secret Swindon and my Born Again Swindonian’s guide book – thus I’m not going into too much detail here. But I will observe that Dragonfly is a narrow boat rather than a barge. A barge, broadly speaking, is a flat-bottomed vessel. They’re capacious – to carry freight or passengers – and generally get pushed or towed.
Purpose built for the Wilts & Berks canal trust, Dragonfly carries a maximum of 12 passengers with access for one wheelchair. A gang of around 20 volunteers operate the pleasure trips either crewing or skippering.
The Trust’s patron, the Duchess of Cornwall, named the boat on 8th September 2010. That date happens to be my birthday. I share the date with Swindon Battle of Britain hero, Harold Starr and Dragonfly’s Christening date. What illustrious company I keep.
‘The boat trips have a number of important roles to play for the Trust. They raise awareness of the project and provide local people with a way of enjoying their area from the waterway. Without regular boat traffic the canal will quickly become over grown and become neglected. In addition the boat trips hope to generate new members as well as funds for the Trust.’
Chris Barry and Dragonfly
Upstream/downstream
Thanks to Chris and his crew member, Cyan, I had a lovely time floating gently along the canal. It really is the pleasantest of ways to spend an hour. And you get a coffee. Phew!
We were joined by a very friendly – for that read ‘hoping for some bread’ – cygnet who came swimming up if you so much as looked him/her. And how do you tell? In either case he/she will be a very fine swan indeed before too long.
But cygnets, swans, water voles and herons are not the only items of interest on the trip. There’s much to look out for when taking a trip on Dragonfly.
There’s a lovely stone bridge rebuilt and restored by volunteers in the year 2000. Yes listeners – Swindon has it’s very own millennium bridge!
There’s also some gorgeous old railings where it appears that, whoever welded them, had a sense of humour because they worked snails and mice into the railings.
Photos below courtesy of Daniel Thuysbaert.
Millennium bridge over the Wilts & Berks canal
Activities on board and souvenirs
As well as the ‘ordinary’ trips such as I went on today there’s Santa trips. And you can hire the boat for pirate parties. I really want a pirate party! And of course you can buy souvenirs including the ubiquitous mug and tea towel.
Even more apt is the fact that there once existed a very different mural on Cambria Bridge painted by Ken himself. The photo below taken from Ken’s Facebook page with his permission:
The 200 foot artwork depicts key people, buildings and organisations, linked together by an old style police box at one end and the Dr Who Tardis at the other. It has been produced by local artists Ed Russell and James Habgood of The Visual Drop. They did it in collaboration with young people from ‘The Railway Kids’ youth club organised by the Mechanics’ Institution Trust. All in partnership with Swindon Borough Council.”
I LOVE the TARDIS – I really, WANT that on my garden wall. Notice how the chimney on a roof behind the TARDIS section looks like the light on top of the Police box.
The mural also features Edith New the Swindon campaigner for votes for women.
Did I mention that I love the TARDIS?
Community Arts Organisations Represented
Two key community arts organisations got chosen for the wall: 1. The Octobus Project, a mobile youth project which worked with thousands of people across Swindon over a period of 30 years. 2.And Swindon Viewpoint, Britain’s original Community TV service which began broadcasting in 1973 and now offers its vast archive and contemporary material online.”
And this wonderful mural is not the only bit of street art down that area. I also snapped these bits of wonderment. I rather like the Mediterranean looking scene – nearly as much as I like that TARDIS …
The Double Helix of Carfax. Last year I published a post about the Seven Wonders of Swindon as described by the writer Jasper Fforde:
“Welcome to the Seven Wonders Of Swindon, compiled for your visiting pleasure by the Swindon Ministry of Information in association with the City Council and the Swindon Special Committee for Wonders.”
Sadly number three of FForde’s wonders, The Double Helix of Carfax, this literary landmark is no more – due its demolishment by Swindon council.
Described by Fforde thus:
‘Only just pipping the Railway Village to the number three slot, Swindon’s famous and groundbreaking early design in stressed steel concrete laid the groundwork for Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright, Gaudi and many others.
Designed by Swindon University physicist Alvin Suggs in 1893 as a friction compensated slope to study Galileo’s theories of conservation of momentum, ‘Sugg’s Marble run’ as it became known gained unexpected fame in the new and untried building technique of steel reinforced or ‘stressed’ concrete.’
Its loss leaves a gap in the market for a new wonder.
Here’s some photographs taken by Mark Kent shortly before its demise:
