The 'Nick Able Music' Blog: 2010

Tuesday 19 October 2010

Hi readers and friends. Its been a while since i updated the blog. Its been a busy last few months. Did a great tour with Anoushka Shankar back in April/May allover the USA and Europe. Halfway through the tour my MacBook Pro laptop died which caused alot of problems for my work, as you can imagine. Will post some photos from the past few months work and activities before getting back into the swing of updating the blog as regularly as possible. I also have created a Flickr account where i have started uploading alot more photos- its much easier as there is a direct upload button from within iPhoto. Check it out here.

Monday 28 June 2010

Photos from Changeling at Globe Gallery

Photos by Andrzej Wojtas

Changeling to be shown at Globe Gallery, click here for information

Changeling

Changeling from Paul Grimmer on Vimeo.

A portal to an unspecific place opens to reveal glimpses of a body form that constantly mutates. Changeling explores themes of control, ambiguity and the constructed self, challenging and transforming perceptions of beauty and perfection.

Peer through the looking glass into another world, an unseen world, some things seem familiar, some strange, like a dream. Here, in this other world a body moves, in and out of focus, suspended, opening and closing, forming and re-forming, seeking perfection, struggling to fit between ends always unknown.

Changeling is a gallery adaptation of the fulldome work Continuum and part of a larger body of work Mutations. The work was developed during residencies with the Medical Research Council, Virology Unit, Glasgow (2008), Allenheads Contemporary Arts, Northumberland (2009) and Dance City, Newcastle (2009).

Supported by: Allenheads Contemporary Arts, Arts Council England, Dance City, Globe Gallery & Medical Research Council.

After Effects Editor: Andrzej Wojtas
Sound Composition: Nick Able

Continuum

Continuum from Paul Grimmer on Vimeo.

Continuum is an immersive fulldome video work with 5.1 surround soundscape created specifically for immersive planetarium environments. The work is a meditation on notions of beauty, perfection and difference focusing on a body, physically and digitally modified and transformed. As the body moves in and out of focus, suspended, it is glimpsed, not seen, taken apart, re-ordered and replicated into new, exotic forms. The work was developed during residencies with the Medical Research Council, Virology Unit (Glasgow 2008), Allenheads Contemporary Arts (Northumberland 2009) and Dance City (Newcastle upon Tyne 2009).

Mentor/Outside Eye: Fiona Wright
Movement Research/Director of Photography: Wendy Erickson
Camera: Ian Bailey
Camera Assistant: Aaron Blenkin
Grip: Paul Kemp
Lighting: James Froment
Prosthetic and Make Up: Satinder Chumber
Costume Design: Jo Brossman
Technical Support: Daniel Barella
Storyboards: Paul Grimmer
Editor: Andrzej Wojtas
Dome Technician: Chris Hudson (Centre for Life)
Audio Production & Sound Design: Nick Able, Benjamin Freeth
Engineering, Mix and Master: Nick Able
Additional Engineering: Benjamin Freeth
Recorded, Mixed and Mastered: Nick Able Music Studio
Additional Recording: Culture Lab, Newburn Surgery
Filmed at: Dance City

New Update

Friends,

Not been updating the blog for a while now. Been very busy with Anoushka- two months touring the USA and Europe. My laptop died whilst on the European tour which left me helpless! Took a while to get things up to date upon my arrival home, transferring files to Mac Pro, backing up data etc etc. Now in London with Anoushka and got new laptop so i can start to update the blog again whilst im on my travels. Going to make the updates less frequent though as i find it very time consuming (can anyone recommend a good plug in for iPhoto to make updates easier??). Also because i have TWO new websites coming out very soon. They have been delayed somewhat due to my laptop problems as i had planned to spend the month of the European tour updating and adding all the content. Also i recently made a Flickr account where i will start to upload many of my photos- there is a great feature in iPhoto that enables a direct upload so its much easier for me to use and i can upload alot of photos compared to this! I still hope you all continue to visit the blog as it will feature content not displayed on other sites.

Please bookmark and check these other sites...

http://www.flickr.com/people/nickablemusic/

http://www.youtube.com/user/nickablemusic

Also follow me on Twitter @NickAble

Warm Regards,

Nick.

Friday 21 May 2010

Continuum Press Release

Photo by Colin Davison

Public preview of:

Continuum
A fulldome video art work by Paul Grimmer
Featuring a commissioned 5.1 surround soundscape by Nick Able and Benjamin Freeth

‘Continuum’ will preview at the Planetarium, Centre for Life, Newcastle upon Tyne on Friday 25th June as part of ‘Identity Masquerade’ between 18:30 - 21:00.

Newcastle based artist Paul Grimmer will be premiering his new video work in the unique immersive environment of the Planetarium at Newcastle’s Centre for Life. Grimmer developed the work during artist residencies with the Medical Research Council, Virology Unit in Glasgow (2008) and Allenheads Contemporary Arts in rural Northumberland (2009).

‘Continuum’ has been created specifically for the 10-metre diameter hemispherical screen at Centre for Life’s Planetarium, the largest in the region. Created with support from the development team at Life, ‘Continuum’ uses fulldome technology to create an immersive experience for the viewer, placing them inside of the work. The Centre is currently celebrating 10 years of excellence in the field of genetic research, which has been another influence for Grimmer’s work.

The artist says...

“The work explores the gaps between what we see and understand and what remains unseen and incomprehensible. ‘Continuum’ imagines another world, perhaps a microscopic world, like that of the virus or one that is as unimaginably vast as the universe. These extremes can only be visualised with the help of science and yet retain a sense of wonder and magic, they live in the imagination”

“Certain genetic mutations manifest themselves visibly, others are invisible but are mutations nonetheless. To the virus mutation is key to survival. Viruses are deadly and dangerous, yet highly ordered and beautiful, I am interested in these dualities”

“The Planetarium is designed and best equipped to display astronomical information and 3D animation. Learning how to adapt video for this setting was extremely challenging but also exciting as it offers a unique level of immersion for the viewer”

Complementing the visuals is a 5.1 surround soundscape produced and mixed for the planetarium by composer and musician Nick Able and multi-media artist and musician Benjamin Freeth, both based in Newcastle. The soundscape was created with support from Culture Lab and Newburn Surgery where recordings were gathered from the artist’s body as source material.

During his residency at Allenheads Grimmer contacted prosthetics sculptor Satinder Chumber with a strange request, to make him a tail. This unusual body modification was to be worn during the video shoot for Continuum. The transformation also involved the artist being painted gold from head to foot, creating a body both beautiful and grotesque. Working with movement, researched and developed at Dance City (2009), ‘Continuum’ explores mutation, difference and notions of beauty.

Project supported by:
Allenheads Contemporary Arts, Arts Council England, Centre for Life, Culture Lab, Dance City, Medical Research Council, Newburn Surgery, Newcastle Science Festival 2010

Location:
Life Science Centre, Times Square, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, NE1 4EP
For directions see - http://www.life.org.uk/life-science-centre/visit-us

Tickets:
Tickets for the ‘Identity Masquerade’ event cost £5 and are available from Centre for Life, for bookings contact: Niamh on 01912438223

For further information, full resolution images or interviews contact:
Paul Grimmer on 07919568432 or at paul@paulgrimmer.co.uk

www.paulgrimmer.co.uk

Tuesday 11 May 2010

Sailing in the Bay Area...

I feel like im in the film 'Dead Calm'- but where's Nicole Kidman????

Two and a half days off in San Francisco

Jordan Rudess at Pyramind- San Francisco

Jordan Rudess and Moldover

Jordan performing on his iPhone

Wizbot- Jordan's iPad/iPhone App.

Sneak view of a new App Jordan is designing, inspired by the Haken Continuum!! Cant wait to try this!!

Monday 26 April 2010

Apple's iPad!!!

The Apple iPad is a great little device. I must admit when it first came out i was somewhat disappointed. No iSight camera, and its basically a large iPod Touch. However, upon seeing and holding one in my hands...i LOVE it....needless to say i wont be coming home with one. But when Apple bring out the 2nd Generation, ill be getting one for sure!!